Methods for two-piece end-effectors of robotic surgical tools
AssigneeIntuitive Surgical Operations, Inc.
InventorMatthew R. Williams
Life of this patent
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Abstract
In one embodiment of the invention, a robotic surgical tool having opposing jaws, the working element of the robotic surgical tool is made of a different material from the drive element of the robotic surgical tool. The two elements may be manufactured independently and assembled together at a later stage. The material comprising each element may thus have properties more appropriate to the function each element plays in the robotic surgical tool. For example, the metal selected to comprise the blade of a surgical scissor may be corrosion resistant and capable of being sharpened to a high degree.
Claims19
A method of assembly of a robotic surgical instrument, the method comprising:
- keying a first working element concentric with a first drive element to form a first end effector;
- positioning a first washer into an opening of a clevis
- positioning the first end effector in the opening of the clevis;
- inserting a pivot pin into a first pin hole in the clevis, through pivot holes in the first washer, the first drive element and the first working element, and into a second pin hole in the clevis to pivotally couple the first drive element and the first working element together along a pivotal axis;
- and
- coupling a first drive cable to the first end effector without swaging any material of the first end effector to avoid stress corrosion.
A method of assembly of a robotic surgical instrument, the method comprising:
- keying a first working element to a first drive element to form a first end effector;
- positioning a first washer into an opening of a clevis
- positioning the first end effector in the opening of the clevis;
- keying a second drive element to a second working element to form a second end effector;
- positioning the second end effector in the opening of the clevis between the first end effector and the clevis;
- positioning a second washer into the opening between the clevis and the second end effector;
- coupling a first drive cable to the first end effector without swaging any material of the first end effector to avoid stress corrosion;
- coupling a second drive cable to the second end effector without swaging any material of the second end effector to avoid stress corrosion;
- and
- inserting a pivot pin into a first pin hole in the clevis, through pivot holes of the first and second washer, the first and second working elements, and the first and second drive elements, and into a second pin hole in the clevis to pivotally couple the first end effector and the second end effector to the clevis along a pivotal axis.
A method of assembly of a robotic surgical instrument, the method comprising:
- forming a first drive element using a first process with a first material suitable to the task of receiving a force;
- forming a first working element using a second process with a second material suitable to the task of performing work with the first working element;
- keying the first working element to the first drive element to form a first end effector;
- positioning a first washer into an opening of a clevis
- positioning the first end effector in the opening of the clevis;
- inserting a pivot pin into a first pin hole in the clevis, through pivot holes in the first washer, the first drive element and the first working element, and into a second pin hole in the clevis to pivotally couple the first drive element and the first working element together along a pivotal axis;
- and
- coupling a first drive cable to the first end effector without swaging any material of the first end effector to avoid stress corrosion.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.