Manipulator positioning linkage for robotic surgery

A robotic surgery system comprising:

• a base;
• a surgical end effector;
• and
• a robotic linkage movably supporting the end effector relative to the base, the linkage comprising:
• a plurality of driven joints coupled to a servomechanism for moving the end effector so as to manipulate tissues;
• plurality of releasably fixable joints for pre-configuring the linkage, wherein the linkage is balanced about the fixable joints, the fixable joints including at least two rotational joints accommodating pivotal motion about vertical axes and a vertical sliding joint accommodating translation along the vertical axes, the vertical slide supporting the rotational joints;
• a slide counterweight supported by the base;
• and
• a joint sensor system coupling the fixable joints to the servomechanism, the sensor system generating joint configuration signals.

A support structure for supporting a first robotic surgical manipulator relative to a second robotic surgical manipulator, each surgical manipulator coupled to a servomechanism so as to robotically manipulate tissues of a patient body with a surgical end effector, the support structure comprising:

• a base coupled to the first manipulator;
• a manipulator support movably supporting the second manipulator relative to the base;
• an articulated linkage having a plurality of joints coupling the base to the manipulator support so as to allow manual movement of the second manipulator relative to the base;
• a brake system releasably inhibiting movement of the joints, wherein the brake system can release the joints supporting the second manipulator upon actuation of a single actuator;
• and
• a sensor system coupling the manipulator support to the servomechanism, the sensor system transmitting position signals to the servomechanism, the servomechanism calculating a position or orientation of the first manipulator relative to the second manipulator using the signals.

A support structure for supporting a first robotic surgical manipulator relative to a second robotic surgical manipulator, each surgical manipulator coupled to a servomechanism so as to robotically manipulate tissues of a patient body with a surgical end effector, the support structure comprising:

• a base coupled to the first manipulator;
• a manipulator support movably supporting the second manipulator relative to the base;
• an articulated linkage having a plurality of joints coupling the base to the manipulator support so as to allow manual movement of the second manipulator relative to the base;
• a brake system biased toward a locked configuration to prevent inadvertent movement of the manipulator by releasably inhibiting inadvertent movement of the joints,
• wherein the brake system can release the joints supporting the second manipulator upon actuation of a single actuator;
• a sensor system coupling the manipulator support to the servomechanism, the sensor system transmitting position signals to the servomechanism, the sensor system coupled to the joints so that the position signals comprise joint configuration signals of the joints, the servomechanism calculating a position or orientation of the first manipulator relative to the second manipulator using the signals.