Manipulable hand for laparoscopy

A manipulable surgical hand for performing laparoscopic surgical techniques comprising at least one master control finger, means for releasably attaching said master control finger of a human hand, said master control finger having at least one interphalangeal joint hinge dividing said control finger into first and second phalanges, all of which correspond to an interphalangeal joint and phalanges of a human hand, said control finger being articulable between extended and flexed positions corresponding to extended and flexed positions of a human finger, an elongated tube having base means for mounting said master control finger at a proximal end thereof, at least one controlled slave finger mounted on finger mounting means mounted on a distal end of said tube, said tube having means for mounting said controlled slave finger at the distal end thereof, said controlled slave finger having at least one interphalangeal joint hinge dividing said slave finger into first and second phalanges, said slave finger being articulable between extended and flexed positions corresponding to the extended and flexed positions of said control finger, motion transmission means carried by said tube connecting said master control finger to said controlled slave finger and being responsive to movement of the phalanges of the control finger to independently transmit movements of each of the phalanges of the control finger with a one-for-one correspondence of movements between the control finger phalanges and the controlled finger phalanges wherein two master control fingers and two controlled slave fingers are provided and wherein each control finger is separately connected to its own one of said controlled slave fingers by said motion transmission means.

A manipulable surgical hand for performing laparoscopic surgical techniques comprising at least one master control finger, means for releasably attaching said master control finger of a human hand, said master control finger having at least one interphalangeal joint hinge dividing said control finger into first and second phalanges, all of which correspond to an interphalangeal joint and phalanges of a human hand, said control finger being articulable between extended and flexed positions corresponding to extended and flexed positions of a human finger, an elongated tube having base means for mounting said master control finger at a proximal end thereof, at least one controlled slave finger mounted on finger mounting means mounted on a distal end of said tube, said tube having means for mounting said controlled slave finger at the distal end thereof, said controlled slave finger having at least one interphalangeal joint hinge dividing said slave finger into first and second phalanges, said slave finger being articulable between extended and flexed positions corresponding to the extended and flexed positions of said control finger, motion transmission means carried by said tube connecting said master control finger to said controlled slave finger and being responsive to movement of the phalanges of the control finger to independently transmit movements of each of the phalanges of the control finger with a one-for-one correspondence of movements between the control finger phalanges and the controlled finger phalanges wherein two master control fingers and two controlled slave fingers are provided, a pair of flexible cables, each of said cables being fixed at one end to the second phalange of a control finger and fixed at another end to a proximal end of second and third rod means, said second and third rod means extending through said tube to said distal end adjacent said finger mounting means, guide means for each of said cables adapted to guide each cable for axial movement and to thereby cause independent axial reciprocation of said second and third rod means upon articulation of said control fingers between extended and flexed positions, flexible cable means extending from the distal end of each of said second and third rod means to the second phalange of a pair of controlled slave fingers, whereby independent axial reciprocation of said second and third rod means causes independent articulation of said slave fingers between extended and flexed positions with said one-for-one correspondence of movements.

A manipulable surgical hand for performing laparoscopic surgical techniques comprising at least one master control finger, means for releasably attaching said master control finger of a human hand, said master control finger having at least one interphalangeal joint hinge dividing said control finger into first and second phalanges, all of which correspond to an interphalangeal joint and phalanges of a human hand, said control finger being articulable between extended and flexed positions corresponding to extended and flexed positions of a human finger, an elongated tube having base means for mounting said master control finger at a proximal end thereof, at least one controlled slave finger mounted on finger mounting means mounted on a distal end of said tube, said tube having means for mounting said controlled slave finger at the distal end thereof, said controlled slave finger having at least one interphalangeal joint hinge dividing said slave finger into first and second phalanges, said slave finger being articulable between extended and flexed positions corresponding to the extended and flexed positions of said control finger, motion transmission means carried by said tube connecting said master control finger to said controlled slave finger and being responsive to movement of the phalanges of the control finger to independently transmit movements of each of the phalanges of the control finger with a one-for-one correspondence of movements between the control finger phalanges and the controlled finger phalanges including a master control thumb, means for releasably attaching said master control thumb to a thumb of a human hand, said master control thumb having a joint hinge connecting said master control thumb to a mounting plate, said control thumb being articulable toward and away from said master control finger corresponding to the palmar adduction and palmar abduction of a human hand, means for mounting said master control thumb at said proximal end of said tube, a controlled slave thumb mounted on said mounting means at said distal end of said tube, said controlled slave thumb having a joint hinge, said slave thumb being articulable about slave thumb pivot means toward and away from said controlled slave finger corresponding to the palmar adduction and palmar abduction of a human hand, said motion transmission means including fourth rod means extending through said rod and connecting said master control thumb to the controlled slave thumb with a one-for-one correspondence of movements between the control thumb and the controlled thumb.

A manipulable hand for laparoscopic surgery, comprising

• at least one mechanical master finger, said master finger having means for releasably holding the finger of a human operator and being movable in response to movements of the finger of the operator;
• a mechanical master thumb, said master thumb having means for releasably holding the thumb of the human operator and being movable in response to movements of the human thumb, said master thumb and finger being on a master control hand, said master fingers and master thumb being movably attached to a base plate of a mechanical master hand, whereby movements of each said master finger and master thumb are controlled by movements of homologous digits of the human operator hand;
• motion transmission means attached to each of said master fingers and said master thumb for transmitting movements of said master finger and master thumb to a controlled slave hand,
• at least one mechanical slave finger connected to and responsive to movements of said motion transmission means, said slave finger being mounted on said slave hand;
• a mechanical slave thumb connected to and responsive to movements of said motion transmission means, said slave thumb being mounted on said slave hand, said movements of said motion transmission means being actuated and responsive to movements of said master fingers and said master thumb, whereby each master finger and each master thumb are connected by said motion transmission means to a homologous slave finger and slave thumb, said slave fingers and said slave thumb being mounted on a base plate of said slave hand;
• a hollow elongated shaft having a longitudinal axis and proximal and distal ends, said proximal end attached to said master hand by means of a first wrist, said distal end attached to said slave hand by means of a second wrist, said wrists being hingedly movable in response to movements of said operator hand, said wrists having parallel interconnections via another of said motion transmission means,
• said motion transmission means passing through the hollow portion of said shaft to connect said master hand to said slave hand, said shaft having an outside diameter commensurate with insertion of said slave hand and a portion of said shaft into a cannula for use in laparoscopic surgery.