Center robotic arm with five-bar spherical linkage for endoscopic camera
AssigneeIntuitive Surgical Operations, Inc.
InventorBruce M. Schena
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A robotic arm including a parallel spherical five-bar linkage with a remote center of spherical rotation. The robotic arm movably supports an endoscopic camera. Two outboard links are pivotally coupled together. At least one of the two outboard links supports the endoscopic camera. Two inboard links are respectively pivotally coupled to the two outboard links such that the two inboard links are able to cross over one another. The two inboard links moveably support the two outboard links. A ground link is pivotally coupled to the two inboard links. The ground link moveably supports the two inboard links.
Claims10
A robotic arm comprising:
- a first motor coupled to a first rotatable shaft extending from the first motor toward a remote center of spherical rotation;
- a second motor coupled to a second rotatable shaft extending from the second motor away from the remote center of spherical rotation;
- a ground link having a first end coupled to the first motor and an opposite second end coupled to the second motor;
- a first pair of pivotally coupled links having a first end coupled to the first rotatable shaft such that the first pair of links can pass a first side of the ground link closest to the remote center of spherical rotation;
- a second pair of pivotally coupled links having a first end coupled to the second rotatable shaft such that the second pair of links can pass a second side of the ground link furthest from the remote center of spherical rotation and opposite the first side, a second end of the second pair of links pivotally coupled to a second end of the first pair of links;
- wherein all joints that pivotally couple links together allow rotation around an axis that passes through the remote center of spherical rotation.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.