Input device assemblies for robotic surgical systems

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10299869-B2
Application number	US-201815996048-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 1, 2018
Priority date	Feb 7, 2014
Publication date	May 28, 2019
Grant date	May 28, 2019

Abstract

A reaction torque transducer for mounting a motor of an instrument drive unit includes a motor plate, a mounting plate, and a flex ring. The motor plate is fixed to the motor and the mounting plate is fixed to a fixed structure. The flex ring is positioned between the motor plate and the mounting plate. The flex ring includes a body having a first end and a second end that are moveable relative to one another. The first end of the body is fixed to the motor plate and the second end of the body is fixed to the mounting plate. The body is configured to flex in response to the first and second ends moving with respect to one another. A strain gauge is positioned on the body of the flex ring and is configured to measure flexation of the body.

First claim

What is claimed:

1. A torque transducer for mounting a motor, comprising:
a motor plate configured to be fixed to the motor;
a mounting plate configured to be fixed to a fixed structure; and
a flex ring interconnecting the motor plate and the mounting plate, the flex ring including:
a first member having a first portion fixed to the motor plate and a second portion fixed to the mounting plate;
a second member having a first segment fixed to the motor plate and a second segment fixed to the mounting plate; and
an active strain gauge positioned on the first member between the first and second portions, the active strain gauge configured to measure flexation of the first member in response to the first portion moving relative to the second portion.

2. The torque transducer according to claim 1 , wherein the first member is configured as a relatively high strain member and the second member is configured as a relatively low strain member.

3. The torque transducer according to claim 1 , wherein the first member has a region of relatively maximum flexation between the first and second portions, the active strain gauge positioned on the region of relatively maximum flexation.

4. The torque transducer according to claim 1 , wherein the flex ring includes a calibration strain gauge, the calibration strain gauge positioned on a region of the flex ring configured to minimize flexation, the calibration strain gauge configured to account for environmental strain.

5. The torque transducer according to claim 4 , wherein the calibration strain gauge is disposed on the first portion of the first member.

6. The torque transducer according to claim 1 , wherein the active strain gauge is oriented to measure strain in a direction transverse to a longitudinal axis of the first member.

7. The torque transducer according to claim 1 , wherein the motor plate includes a radially extending motor flange configured to fix the motor plate to the motor.

8. The torque transducer according to claim 1 , wherein the mounting plate defines a clocking recess configured to clock the mounting ring to the fixed structure.

9. An drive unit comprising:
a fixed structure;
a first motor having a drive shaft passing through the fixed structure; and
a first torque transducer mounting the first motor to the fixed structure, the first torque transducer including:
a motor plate fixed to the first motor;
a mounting plate fixed to fixed structure; and
a flex ring interconnecting the motor plate and the mounting plate, the flex ring including:
a first member having a first portion fixed to the motor plate and a second portion fixed to the mounting plate;
a second member having a first segment fixed to the motor plate and a second segment fixed to the mounting plate; and
an active strain gauge positioned on the first member between the first and second portions, the active strain gauge configured to measure flexation of the first member in response to the first portion moving relative to the second portion.

10. The drive unit according to claim 9 , further comprising a first drive cable operably associated with the drive shaft and configured to manipulate a tool in response to rotation of the drive shaft.

11. The drive unit according to claim 10 , further comprising a converter coupled to the drive shaft of the first motor to convert rotation of the drive shaft into linear movement of the first drive cable.

12. The drive unit according to claim 11 , wherein the first motor is configured to manipulate a tool in a first degree of freedom.

13. The drive unit according to claim 12 , further comprising a second motor configured to manipulate the tool in a second degree of freedom different from the first degree of freedom, the second motor mounted to the fixed structure by a second torque transducer.

14. The drive unit according to claim 9 , wherein the fixed structure is an end of an arm of a robotic system.

15. A torque transducer for mounting a motor, comprising:
a motor ring configured to be fixed to the motor;
a mounting ring configured to be fixed to a fixed structure; and
a flex ring interconnecting the motor ring and the mounting ring, the flex ring disposed about a longitudinal axis of the torque transducer that extends through the motor ring, mounting ring, and the flex ring, the flex ring including:
a first member extending in a direction parallel to the longitudinal axis from a first portion fixed to the motor ring to a second portion fixed to the mounting ring; and
an active strain gauge positioned on the first member between the first and second portions, the active strain gauge configured to measure flexation of the first member in response to the first portion moving relative to the second portion.

16. The torque transducer according to claim 15 , wherein the flex ring includes a second member extending in a direction parallel to the longitudinal axis between the motor ring and the mounting ring, the second member configured to flex relatively less than the first member.

17. The torque transducer according to claim 15 , wherein the flex ring includes a calibration strain gauge, the calibration strain gauge positioned on a region of the flex ring configured to minimize flexation, the calibration strain gauge configured to account for environmental strain.

18. The torque transducer according to claim 17 , wherein the calibration strain gauge is disposed on the first member adjacent the motor ring.

19. The torque transducer according to claim 17 , wherein the calibration strain gauge is disposed on the first member adjacent the mounting ring.

20. The torque transducer according to claim 15 , wherein the active strain gauge is oriented to measure strain in a direction transverse to the longitudinal axis.

Assignees

• Covidien Lp

Inventors

• Allen Robert
• Seow Chi Min
• Zemlok Michael

Classifications

• A61B90/06 Primary

  Measuring instruments not otherwise provided for · CPC title

• H02P29/00

  Arrangements for regulating or controlling electric motors, appropriate for both AC and DC motors (arrangements for starting electric motors H02P1/00; arrangements for stopping or slowing electric motors H02P3/00; control of motors that can be connected to two or more different electric power supplies H02P4/00; regulating or controlling the speed or torque of two or more electric motors H02P5/00; vector control H02P21/00) · CPC title

• A61B2090/064

  for measuring force, pressure or mechanical tension · CPC title

• H02K7/14

  Structural association with mechanical loads, e.g. with hand-held machine tools or fans (with fan or impeller for cooling the machine H02K9/06) · CPC title

• A61B34/30 Primary

  Surgical robots · CPC title