Articulated arm for holding surgical instruments
AssigneeBiomec, Inc.
InventorsBryan S. Bohanan, Daniel N. Kelsch, Alexander K. Smith
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An articulated arm for holding surgical instruments, having elongated arm members; rotational joints connecting the arm members end to end, such that members are pivotable about the joints and at least one of the joints is selectively lockable by fluid pressure; and a plurality of tubes communicating fluid pressure between two adjacent joints. When two adjacent members are pivoted relative to one another, the tubes connecting a particular pair of joints remains substantially stationary with respect to the arm member connecting that pair of joints.
Claims17
An articulated arm for holding surgical instruments, comprising:
- a plurality of elongated arm members;
- a plurality of rotational joints connecting said arm members end to end, such that the members are pivotable about the joints and at least one of said joints is releasably lockable by fluid pressure;
- and
- a plurality of tubes communicating fluid pressure between two adjacent joints;
- wherein when two adjacent members are pivoted relative to one another, the plurality of tubes connecting a particular pair of joints remains substantially stationary with respect to the arm member connecting that pair of joints.
An articulated arm for holding surgical instruments, comprising:
- first and second arm members;
- a joint connecting an end of the first member to an end of the second member, such that the members are pivotable about the joint;
- a housing provided to the joint;
- a friction brake provided to the joint for selectively locking said joint in a fixed position;
- a external source of fluid pressure;
- first and second fluid inlets provided to said joint;
- and
- a fluid outlet provided to said joint;
- wherein a first portion of fluid is provided by said external source to said first fluid inlet and a second portion of fluid is provided by said external source to said second fluid inlet and each are isolated from one another within said housing;
- and
- wherein positive pressure created by said second fluid actuates said friction brake, thereby locking said joint.
An articulating joint for a work-holding arm, comprising:
- a housing;
- a face plate;
- a friction brake assembly including a brake having a frustoconical engaging surface;
- and
- first and second fluids being isolated from one another within the housing;
- wherein said second fluid provides actuating pressure to said friction brake assembly.
An articulating joint for a work-holding arm, comprising:
- a housing having a first fluid inlet;
- a face plate having a second fluid inlet and a fluid outlet;
- a friction brake assembly;
- a first fluid passage communicating said first fluid inlet with said outlet;
- and
- a second fluid passage communicating said second fluid inlet with said friction brake assembly;
- wherein said face plate and said friction brake assembly are substantially coaxial to and positioned substantially within said housing, and wherein said first fluid passage and said second fluid passage are isolated from one another within the joint.
A friction brake assembly for an articulating joint for a work-holding arm, comprising:
- a rotational, fluid pressure operated brake assembly;
- at least one fluid pressure inlet;
- at least one fluid pressure outlet in fluid connection with one of said at least one fluid pressure inlet;
- wherein one of said at least one fluid inlet is operatively associated with the brake assembly and wherein one of said at least one fluid pressure inlet is rotatably disposed with respect to one of said at least one fluid pressure outlet.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.