Shiftable drive interface for robotically-controlled surgical tool
AssigneeEthicon Endo-Surgery, Inc.
InventorsRichard W. Timm, Frederick E. Shelton, IV
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A surgical instrument including an end effector that has a selectively reciprocatable implement movably supported therein. The implement is selectively advanceable in a distal direction upon application of a rotary actuation motion thereto and retractable in a proximal direction upon application of a rotary retraction motion thereto. An elongate shaft assembly is coupled to the end effector and is configured to transmit the rotary actuation motion and rotary retraction motion to the reciprocatable implement from a robotic system that is configured to generate the rotary actuation motion and said rotary retraction motion.
Claims26
A tool mounting device for coupling a surgical end effector configured to selectively perform at least two actions in response to control motions applied thereto to a tool drive assembly of a robotic system that is operatively coupled to a control unit of the robotic system, said tool mounting device comprising:
- a tool mounting portion configured for operable attachment to the tool drive assembly of the robotic system;
- an elongated shaft assembly having a proximal end portion operably supported on said tool mounting portion and a distal end portion operably interfacing with said surgical end effector to apply said control motions thereto;
- and
- a transmission arrangement operably supported on said tool mounting portion such that when said tool mounting portion is attached to the tool drive assembly, said transmission arrangement is configured to operably interface with a rotatable driven element of the tool drive assembly to receive a rotary output motion therefrom, said transmission arrangement communicating with the control unit of the robotic system and being responsive to actuation motions therefrom to move between first and second positions such that when said transmission arrangement is in said first position, an application of said rotary output motion thereto by said rotatable driven element of the tool drive assembly causes a first one of said control motions to be applied to a portion of said surgical end effector through said elongated shaft assembly and when said transmission arrangement is in said second position, said application of said rotary output motion thereto by said rotatable driven element of the tool drive assembly causes a second one of said control motions to be applied to another portion of said surgical end effector through said elongated shaft assembly.
A tool mounting device for coupling a surgical end effector capable of performing at least two actions in response to control motions applied thereto to a rotatable drive element that is operably supported on a tool holder of a robotic system that is operatively coupled to a control unit, said tool mounting device comprising:
- a tool mounting portion operably supporting a rotatable driven element thereon, said rotatable driven element having a pair of spaced driven pins protruding therefrom;
- an adapter portion operably attachable to the tool holder and said tool mounting portion for establishing an interface therebetween, said adapter portion operably supporting a rotatable adapter body having a first pair of drive holes therein configured to receive corresponding drive pins protruding from the rotatable drive element when said adapter portion is coupled to the tool holder, said rotatable adapter body further having a pair of driven holes therein for receiving said driven pins therein when said adapter portion is coupled to said tool mounting portion;
- an elongated shaft assembly having a proximal end portion operably supported on said tool mounting portion and a distal end portion operably interfacing with said surgical end effector to apply said control motions thereto;
- and
- a transmission arrangement operably supported on said tool mounting portion and comprising:
- a first control assembly operably interfacing with said elongated shaft assembly to apply a first said control motion thereto;
- a second control assembly operably interfacing with said elongated shaft assembly to apply a second said control motion thereto;
- and
- a transmission shifter assembly comprising:
- a shifter drive gear operably coupled to said rotatable driven element for receiving a rotary output motion therefrom;
- a shifter shaft in meshing engagement with said shifter drive gear;
- a shifter driven gear mounted on said shifter shaft such that rotation of said shifter shaft rotates said shifter driven gear and wherein said shifter driven gear is selectively axially movable on said shifter shaft between a first position wherein said shifter driven gear is in driving engagement with said first control assembly and a second position wherein said shifter driven gear is in driving engagement with said second control assembly;
- and
- a shifter solenoid operably interfacing with said shifter driven gear to selectively move said shifter driven gear between said first and second positions in response to corresponding control inputs from the control unit of the robotic system.
A tool mounting device for coupling a surgical end effector configured to selectively perform at least two actions in response to control motions applied thereto to a tool drive assembly of a robotic system that is operatively coupled to a control unit of the robotic system, said tool mounting device comprising:
- a tool mounting portion configured for operable attachment to the tool drive assembly of the robotic system;
- an elongated shaft assembly having a proximal end portion operably supported on said tool mounting portion and a distal end portion operably interfacing with said surgical end effector to apply said control motions thereto;
- and
- a transmission arrangement comprising:
- a first control assembly operably interfacing with said elongated shaft assembly to apply a first said control motion thereto;
- a second control assembly operably interfacing with said elongated shaft assembly to apply a second said control motion thereto;
- and
- a transmission shifter assembly communicating with the control unit of the robotic system and configured to receive a rotary output motion from the tool drive assembly, said transmission shifter assembly configured to shift between first and second positions in response to control inputs from the control unit of the robotic system such that when said transmission shifter assembly is in said first position, said rotary output motion is applied to said first control assembly and when said transmission shifter assembly is in said second position, said rotary output motion is applied to said second control assembly and wherein said transmission shifter assembly further comprises:
- a shifter drive gear configured to receive said rotary output motion from the tool drive assembly when said tool mounting portion is coupled thereto;
- a shifter shaft in meshing engagement with said shifter drive gear;
- and
- a shifter driven gear mounted on said shifter shaft such that rotation of said shifter shaft rotates said shifter driven gear and wherein said shifter driven gear is selectively axially movable on said shifter shaft between said first position wherein said shifter driven gear is in driving engagement with said first control assembly and said second position wherein said shifter driven gear is in driving engagement with said second control assembly in response to said control inputs.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.