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US 8,551,076 B2Granted
Retrograde instrument
AssigneeIntuitive Surgical Operations, Inc.
InventorsEugene F. Duval, Bruce Michael Schena
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A minimally invasive surgical instrument includes a U-turn mechanism that transmits actuating forces around a U-turn. The U-turn mechanism is coupled between segments of the instrument and has a bend radius that is smaller than flexible arms having a similar cross section diameter. The actuating forces transmitted by the U-turn mechanism are used to move distal components of the instrument, such as an end effector and a wrist mechanism.
Claims18
A surgical instrument assembly comprising:
- a retrograde surgical instrument comprising:
- a transmission mechanism;
- a proximal body segment, wherein a proximal end of the proximal body segment is coupled to the transmission mechanism;
- a distal body segment;
- a component coupled to a distal end of the distal body segment;
- and
- a U-turn mechanism coupled between the proximal and the distal body segments, the U-turn mechanism comprising a proximal face, a distal face, and cable guide tubes, each of the cable guide tubes having a first end and a second end, the first end being coupled to the proximal face, and the second end being coupled to the distal face,
- wherein the U-turn mechanism has a constant fixed shape so that a distance between the proximal face and the distal face is unchangeable.
5 more elements
A method comprising:
- transmitting actuating forces from a transmission mechanism through a U-turn mechanism, the U-turn mechanism comprising a proximal face, a distal face, and cable guide tubes, each of the cable guide tubes having a first end and a second end, the first end being coupled to the proximal face, and the second end being coupled to the distal face, wherein the U-turn mechanism has a constant fixed shape so that a distance between the proximal face and the distal face is unchangeable.
A surgical instrument assembly comprising:
- a transmission mechanism;
- a distal component;
- and
- a U-turn mechanism, the U-turn mechanism comprising a proximal face, a distal face, and cable guide tubes, each of the cable guide tubes having a first end and a second end, the first end being coupled to the proximal face, and the second end being coupled to the distal face;
- wherein the U-turn mechanism is coupled between the transmission mechanism and the distal component;
- and
- wherein the U-turn mechanism has a constant fixed shape so that a distance between the distal face and the proximal face is unchangeable.
4 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.