Clamping instrument

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10327773-B2
Application number	US-201615349902-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 11, 2016
Priority date	Jan 14, 2013
Publication date	Jun 25, 2019
Grant date	Jun 25, 2019

Abstract

Embodiments of a clamping instrument are disclosed. In some embodiments, a clamping device with calibrated parameters and a calibration process for the clamping device is presented. A method of calibrating a clamping instrument can include acquiring a data set of clamping torque as a function of tip deflection data for the clamping instrument; determining a torque limit from the data set; and storing the torque limit in the clamping instrument.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method, comprising:
acquiring, by electronics coupled to a memory, tip deflection data for a clamping instrument, the clamping instrument including a clamping end effector comprising a first jaw and a second jaw;
determining a torque limit based on the tip deflection data, the torque limit corresponding to a limit on current provided to one or more motors used to actuate the clamping instrument; and
operating the clamping instrument based on the torque limit and a threshold separation between the first jaw and the second jaw of the clamping end effector.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the torque limit is determined based on a linear regression of the tip deflection data.

3. The method of claim 1 , further comprising adjusting the torque limit based on one or more operating parameters.

4. The method of claim 3 , wherein the one or more operating parameters include one or more of a group consisting of temperature of the one or more motors, articulation angle of a wrist of the clamping instrument, a lifetime use of the one or more motors, and a lifetime use of a stapler of the clamping instrument.

5. The method of claim 1 , further comprising preventing a firing of staples in response to a determination that the clamping instrument cannot achieve a threshold separation distance between the first and second jaws without a torque of the clamping instrument exceeding the torque limit.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein acquiring the tip deflection data comprises:
positioning a shim to enforce a known tip deflection of the clamping instrument;
measuring current of the one or more motors as the one or more motors actuates the clamping instrument; and
determining a clamping torque corresponding to the known tip deflection.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the clamping instrument is a stapler.

8. A end effector, comprising:
a clamping end effector comprising a first jaw and a second jaw;
electronics coupled to a memory and the clamping end effector, the electronics being configured to:
acquire tip deflection data for the end effector;
determine a torque limit based on the tip deflection data, the torque limit corresponding to a limit on current provided to one or more actuators used to actuate the end effector; and
operate the end effector based on the torque limit and a threshold separation between the first jaw and the second jaw of the clamping end effector.

9. The end effector of claim 8 , wherein at least one of the first jaw and the second jaw being configured to receive a cartridge including one or more staples for firing.

10. The end effector of claim 8 , wherein the torque limit is determined based on a linear regression of the tip deflection data.

11. The end effector of claim 8 , wherein the electronics are further configured to adjust the torque limit based on one or more operating parameters.

12. The end effector of claim 11 , wherein the one or more operating parameters include one or more of a group consisting of temperature of the one or more actuators, articulation angle of a wrist of the end effector, a lifetime use of the one or more actuators, and a lifetime use of a stapler of the end effector.

13. The end effector of claim 8 , wherein the end effector is subject to a full clamping condition, the full clamping condition preventing a firing of staples in response to a determination that the end effector cannot achieve a threshold separation distance between the first and second jaws without a torque of the end effector exceeding the torque limit.

14. The end effector of claim 8 , wherein the tip deflection data is based on measures of current of the one or more actuators when one or more shims with a known size are clamped by the end effector.

15. A non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising a plurality of machine-readable instructions which when executed by one or more processors associated with a clamping instrument are adapted to cause the one or more processors to perform a method comprising:
acquiring tip deflection data for the clamping instrument, the clamping instrument including a clamping end effector comprising a first jaw and a second jaw;
determining a torque limit based on the tip deflection data, the torque limit corresponding to a limit on current provided to one or more motors used to actuate the clamping instrument; and
operating the clamping instrument based on the torque limit and a threshold separation between the first jaw and the second jaw of the clamping end effector.

16. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 15 , wherein the torque limit is determined based on a linear regression of the tip deflection data.

17. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 15 , wherein the method further comprises adjusting the torque limit based on one or more operating parameters.

18. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 17 , wherein the one or more operating parameters include one or more of a group consisting of temperature of the one or more motors, articulation angle of a wrist of the clamping instrument, a lifetime use of the one or more motors, and a lifetime use of a stapler of the clamping instrument.

19. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 15 , wherein the method further comprises preventing a firing of staples in response to a determination that the clamping instrument cannot achieve a threshold separation distance between the first and second jaws without a torque of the clamping instrument exceeding the torque limit.

20. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 15 , wherein the tip deflection data is based on measures of current of the one or more motors when one or more shims with a known size are clamped by the clamping instrument.

Assignees

• Intuitive Surgical Operations

Inventors

• Weir David W
• Wu Melody
• Durant Kevin
• Duque Grant

Classifications

• A61B90/92

  coded with colour · CPC title

• A61B90/98

  using electromagnetic means, e.g. transponders · CPC title

• A61B2018/1455

  having a moving blade for cutting tissue grasped by the jaws · CPC title

• A61B2018/0063

  Sealing · CPC title

• A61B2090/0803

  Counting the number of times an instrument is used · CPC title