Modular interfaces and drive actuation through barrier
AssigneeHansen Medical, Inc.
InventorsGene Reis, Gregory Francis Hirth, Enrique Romo
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
The invention relates generally to robotically controlled systems, such as medical robotic systems. In one variation, a robotic catheter system is configured with a sterile barrier capable for transmitting a rotary force from a drive system on one side of the barrier to surgical tool on the other side of the sterile barrier for performing minimally invasive diagnostic and therapeutic procedures. Modularized drive systems for robotics arc also disclosed herein.
Claims29
A flexible gear adapted to transfer motion from at least one rotary driver mechanism of a surgical system to a gear drive of a medical tool, the flexible gear comprising:
- at least one flexible spline cup having an interior working surface and a continuous exterior surgical surface, wherein the interior working surface of the flexible spline cup is configured to receive a driver of the rotary driver mechanism and at least a portion of the exterior surgical surface of the flexible spline cup protrudes from the surgical side of the sterilizable drape portion to allow the flexible spline cup to nest within the gear drive, wherein the flexible spline cup is configured such that the rotary motion of the driver deforms, without rotating, the exterior surgical surface of the flexible spline cup such that continued deformation of the surgical surface engages the gear drive resulting in rotation of the gear drive;
- and
- a drape section extending from the flexible spline cup.
A surgical barrier for use with a medical positioning system having a medical tool, where the medical positioning system includes at least a rotary driver mechanism to affect a position of the medical tool and the medical tool includes a drive mechanism, the surgical barrier comprising:
- a sterilizable drape portion having a surgical side and a working side, where the working side is adapted to contact a portion of the medical positioning system preserving a sterile surgical field on the surgical side;
- at least one flexible cup in the drape portion wherein a working side of the flexible cup is configured to receive a driver portion of the rotary driver mechanism and at least a portion of a surgical side of the flexible cup protrudes from the surgical side of the sterilizable drape portion to allow the flexible cup to nest within the drive mechanism of the medical tool;
- wherein the surgical side of the flexible cup comprises a plurality of spline teeth and where a surface of the surgical side of the flexible cup is adapted to interact with the drive mechanism such that a rotary motion of the driver portion within the flexible cup section deforms the flexible cup, where the surface of the surgical side of the flexible cup drives the drive mechanism upon continued deformation of the flexible cup.
A robotic system comprising;
- at least one rotary drive mechanism coupled to a housing;
- a tool comprising at least one gear drive;
- a barrier separating the tool from the rotary drive mechanism and the housing;
- and
- the barrier comprises a deformable section where a force generated by the rotary drive deforms the deformable section and is transferred through the deformable section to displace the gear drive as the rotary drive causes movement of the deformed section along the gear drive.
A method for transferring drive actuation through a barrier:
- placing a barrier over a drive system;
- placing a tool over the barrier, wherein the tool comprises a gear drive, and the barrier separates the tool from the drive system;
- coupling the tool to the drive system;
- transferring a force generated by the drive system through the barrier while deforming a section of the barrier and moving the deformed section of the barrier along the gear drive;
- and
- actuating the gear drive.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.