# US 8,465,474 B2 · Cleaning of a surgical instrument force sensor > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 8,465,474 B2 - Document ID: US8465474B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 12/468,618 - Filed: 2009-05-19 - Published: 2010-11-25 - Granted: 2013-06-18 - Earliest claimed: 2009-05-19 - Assignees: Intuitive Surgical Operations, Inc. - Applicants: Stephen J. Blumenkranz - Inventors: Stephen J. Blumenkranz - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US8465474B2 ## CPC - A61B 90/70: Cleaning devices specially adapted for surgical instruments - A61B 34/30: Surgical robots - B08B 9/00: Cleaning hollow articles by methods or apparatus specially adapted thereto - A61B 2017/00477: {Coupling (A61B2017/0046 takes precedence)} - A61B 2034/305: {Details of wrist mechanisms at distal ends of robotic arms} - A61B 2090/064: {for measuring force, pressure or mechanical tension} - A61B 2090/701: {for flexible tubular instruments, e.g. endoscopes} - A61B: DIAGNOSIS; SURGERY; IDENTIFICATION (usefulness limited to only animals A61D) - B08B: CLEANING IN GENERAL; PREVENTION OF FOULING IN GENERAL ## Abstract In one embodiment, a force sensing robotic surgical instrument includes a proximal housing linkable with a surgical robot arm, a shaft having a proximal portion and a distal portion, the proximal portion operably coupled to the housing, and a force transducer operably coupled to the distal portion of the shaft, the force transducer having a proximal portion, a distal portion, a plurality of radial ribs, and a strain gauge positioned over each of the plurality of radial ribs, the radial ribs forming a plurality of through passages. The instrument further includes a wrist mechanism coupled to the distal portion of the force transducer, an end effector coupled to the wrist mechanism, and a flush manifold that receives a liquid from the proximal portion of the shaft and directs the liquid along a first subset of through passages of the force transducer toward the distal portion of the force transducer. A plenum at the distal portion of the force transducer collects the liquid from the first subset of through passages and redirects the liquid back toward the proximal portion of the shaft along a second subset of through passages different from the first subset of through passages. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A surgical instrument comprising: a force transducer comprising a proximal end portion, a distal end portion, a plurality of radial ribs, a plurality of through passages, and a plurality of strain gauges, wherein each strain gauge in the plurality of strain gauges is positioned over a rib in the plurality of radial ribs, and wherein the radial ribs form at least one or more through passages in the plurality of through passages; a flush manifold configured to receive a liquid, wherein the flush manifold is coupled to the proximal end portion of the force transducer, and wherein the flush manifold is coupled to and directs the received liquid into a first set of one or more through passages in the plurality of through passages; and a plenum at the distal end portion of the force transducer, wherein the plenum is configured to collect the liquid from the first set of one or more through passages, and wherein the plenum is configured to redirect the collected liquid toward the proximal end portion of the force transducer through a second set of one or more through passages in the plurality of through passages. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The surgical instrument of claim 1, wherein the first set of one or more through passages comprises a through passage formed by the radial ribs. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The surgical instrument of claim 2, wherein the first set of through passages comprises a plurality of through passages, and wherein the flush manifold is configured to direct substantially equal flow volumes of the liquid to each through passage in the first set of through passages. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The surgical instrument of claim 1: wherein the force transducer further comprises a centerline through passage running along a centered lengthwise axis of the force transducer; wherein the plurality of radial ribs extend away from the centerline through passage; wherein the first set of through passages comprises the centerline through passage; and wherein the second set of through passages includes all the through passages formed by the radial ribs. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The surgical instrument of claim 1, further comprising: a housing; and a shaft coupled between the housing and the proximal end portion of the force transducer. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The surgical instrument of claim 5, the housing comprising a flushing block configured to admit an optical fiber into the shaft, wherein the flushing block comprises a first port coupled to the shaft and configured to direct the liquid to the shaft. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The surgical instrument of claim 6, wherein the flushing block comprises a second port configured to direct the liquid to an interior of the housing. ### Claim 8 (depends on 5) The surgical instrument of claim 5: wherein the shaft further comprises a tube within the shaft; and wherein the tube is configured to permit passage of the liquid and an optical fiber through the tube. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The surgical instrument of claim 1, wherein the flush manifold is configured to separate an optical fiber from the liquid. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The surgical instrument of claim 1, wherein the flush manifold includes at least an aperture configured to receive liquid redirected from the plenum. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The surgical instrument of claim 1, comprising at least one of linkages and cautery wires extending through a through passage in the first set of through passages. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The surgical instrument of claim 1, further comprising: a wrist mechanism coupled to the distal end portion of the force transducer; and an end effector coupled to the wrist mechanism. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The surgical instrument of claim 12, wherein the wrist mechanism and the end effector are coupled to a plurality of actuating mechanisms by a plurality of linkages running through the shaft. ### Claim 14 (depends on 12) The surgical instrument of claim 12, wherein the linkages extend through a through passage in the plurality of through passages. ### Claim 15 (depends on 1) The surgical instrument of claim 1, wherein the plurality of radial ribs includes two adjacent ribs spaced apart by a first angle greater than 90 degrees about a lengthwise axis of the shaft and two adjacent ribs spaced apart by a second angle supplementary to the first angle about the lengthwise axis of the shaft. ### Claim 16 (depends on 1) The surgical instrument of claim 1, wherein the primary strain sensing direction of each strain gauge is oriented parallel to a lengthwise axis of the force transducer. ### Claim 17 (depends on 1) The surgical instrument of claim 1: wherein the plurality of ribs forms four through passages; and wherein the first set of through passages numbers two through passages. ### Claim 18 (depends on 1) The surgical instrument of claim 1: wherein each through passage in the first set of though passages has a first cross sectional area; wherein each through passage in the second set of through passages has a second cross sectional area; and wherein the second cross sectional area is larger than the first cross sectional area. ### Claim 19 (depends on 1) The surgical instrument of claim 1: wherein the plurality of ribs forms four through passages; and wherein the second set of through passages numbers four through passages.