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US 2025/0050494 A1Published application
Surgical robotic systems and instrument drive units thereof
AssigneeCovidien LP
InventorsRanjan K. Mishra, Michael A. Zemlok, Eric J. Taylor
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A surgical robotic system for use in a minimally invasive surgical procedure includes an instrument drive unit having five degrees of rotational freedom.
Claims20
A robotic arm assembly comprising:
- a robotic arm;
- an instrument drive unit configured to provide five degrees of rotational freedom and coupled to the robotic arm, the instrument drive unit including:
- a casing configured to rotate about a longitudinal axis thereof;
- a cluster of electric motor assemblies supported in the casing and rotatable with the casing, at least one of the electric motor assemblies including:
- a magnetic rotor rotatably supported in the casing;
- a motor stator coil fixed to and positioned within the casing;
- and
- an output shaft rotatably coupled to the magnetic rotor, the output shaft including a proximal end portion non-rotatably coupled to the magnetic rotor, a distal end portion configured to interface with a corresponding driven member of a surgical instrument, and a plurality of flexure sections positioned between the proximal and distal end portions of the output shaft and configured to flex under a torque load;
- a proximal encoder positioned proximally of the plurality of flexure sections and configured to determine a rotational position of the proximal end portion of the output shaft;
- and
- a distal encoder positioned distally of the plurality of flexure sections and configured to determine a rotational position of the distal end portion of the output shaft, wherein a difference between the determined rotational positions corresponds with a torque of the output shaft.
8 more elements
An instrument drive unit of a surgical robotic system, the instrument drive unit comprising:
- a casing configured to rotate about a longitudinal axis thereof, the casing defining a longitudinal bore therethrough configured for routing communication cables;
- a cluster of electric motor assemblies supported in the casing and rotatable with the casing, at least one of the electric motor assemblies including:
- a rotor rotatably supported in the casing;
- a stator fixed to and positioned within the casing;
- and
- an output shaft rotatably coupled to the rotor, the output shaft including a proximal end portion non-rotatably coupled to the rotor, a distal end portion configured to interface with a corresponding driven member of a surgical instrument, and a plurality of flexure sections positioned between the proximal and distal end portions of the output shaft and configured to flex under a torque load;
- a proximal encoder positioned proximally of the plurality of flexure sections and configured to determine a rotational position of the proximal end portion of the output shaft;
- a distal encoder positioned distally of the plurality of flexure sections and configured to determine a rotational position of the distal end portion of the output shaft, wherein a difference between the determined rotational positions corresponds with a torque of the output shaft;
- an electronic disc assembly supported on the casing, the electronic disc assembly including a plurality of printed circuit boards, each of the printed circuit boards in electrical communication with a respective electric motor assembly of the cluster of electric motor assemblies;
- and
- a slip ring secured to the electronic disc assembly and configured to rotatably support a proximal end portion of the instrument drive unit on a surgical robotic arm.
8 more elements
A robotic arm assembly, comprising:
- a base configured to couple to a robotic arm;
- an instrument drive unit including:
- a casing rotatably supported on the base;
- a cluster of electric motor assemblies supported in the casing and rotatable with the casing, at least one of the electric motor assemblies including:
- a rotor rotatably supported in the casing;
- a motor stator fixed to and positioned within the casing;
- and
- an output shaft rotatably coupled to the rotor, the output shaft including a proximal end portion non-rotatably coupled to the rotor, a distal end portion configured to interface with a corresponding driven member of a surgical instrument, and a plurality of flexure sections positioned between the proximal and distal end portions of the output shaft and configured to flex under a torque load;
- a proximal encoder positioned proximally of the plurality of flexure sections and configured to determine a rotational position of the proximal end portion of the output shaft;
- and
- a distal encoder positioned distally of the plurality of flexure sections and configured to determine a rotational position of the distal end portion of the output shaft, wherein a difference between the determined rotational positions corresponds with a torque of the output shaft;
- and
- a roll drive assembly including:
- a rotor attached to the base or the casing of the instrument drive unit;
- and
- a stator attached to the other of the base or the casing of the instrument drive unit, the roll drive assembly configured to rotate the instrument drive unit about a longitudinal axis of the instrument drive unit and relative to the base.
13 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.