Surgical instruments, instrument drive units, and surgical assemblies thereof

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10687906-B2
Application number	US-201515307130-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 16, 2015
Priority date	Apr 29, 2014
Publication date	Jun 23, 2020
Grant date	Jun 23, 2020

Abstract

A surgical instrument is configured for coupling with an instrument drive unit that drives an actuation of the surgical instrument and operatively supports the surgical instrument. The surgical instrument includes a housing, an elongate body extending distally from the housing, an end effector extending distally from the elongate body, and a plurality of driven members rotatably disposed within the housing. The plurality of driven members is nested with one another. Each driven member of the plurality of driven members is coupled to a respective cable that is attached to the end effector. The plurality of driven members is configured for engagement with an instrument drive unit.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A surgical assembly, comprising:
a surgical instrument having a proximal end portion and a distal end portion, the surgical instrument including:
a housing disposed at the proximal end portion;
an elongate body extending distally from the housing;

an end effector extending distally from the elongate body; and
a plurality of driven members disposed within the housing, the plurality of driven members being nested with one another, each driven member of the plurality of driven members being coupled to a respective cable that is attached to the end effector; and

an instrument drive unit configured for driving an actuation of the end effector of the surgical instrument and to operatively support the surgical instrument, the instrument drive unit including:
a plurality of actuators nested with one another, wherein each actuator of the plurality of actuators is configured for engagement with one corresponding driven member of the plurality of driven members, and each actuator of the plurality of actuators is disposed distally of a respective driven member of the plurality of driven members; and
a plurality of rotatable driving members, each driving member of the plurality of driving members is rotatably coupled to one actuator of the plurality of actuators such that rotation of each driving member of the plurality of driving members independently axially moves one actuator of the plurality of actuators resulting in an axial movement of the corresponding driven member of the plurality of driven members to actuate the end effector.

2. The surgical assembly according to claim 1 , wherein each actuator of the plurality of actuators includes a cannulated cylindrical portion and an arm extending transversely from the cylindrical portion, the cylindrical portions being concentrically disposed with one another, each arm defining a threaded passageway therethrough, wherein each driving member of the plurality of driving members is threadingly coupled to a respective one of the threaded passageways of the plurality of actuators.

3. The surgical assembly according to claim 2 , wherein each driven member of the plurality of driven members includes:
a cannulated cylindrical portion having a proximal end and a distal end, the cylindrical portions being concentrically disposed with one another;
a tab extending from the cylindrical portion of each driven member of the plurality of driven members; and
a plurality of cables, wherein each cable of the plurality of cables is coupled between one tab and the end effector such that an axial movement of each driven member of the plurality of driven members results in an actuation of the end effector via the plurality of cables.

4. The surgical assembly according to claim 1 , wherein the instrument drive unit further includes at least one rotatable drive bar, wherein the surgical instrument further includes at least one drive gear disposed within the housing and coupled with the plurality of driven members, the at least one drive gear being configured for non-rotatable connection to the at least one drive bar such that rotation of the at least one drive bar rotates the plurality of driven members via the at least one drive gear.

5. The surgical assembly according to claim 4 , wherein the surgical instrument further includes a cylindrical body rotatably disposed within the housing and accommodating the plurality of driven members, the cylindrical body having a proximal geared end in geared engagement with a first drive gear of the at least one drive gear and a distal geared end in geared engagement with a second drive gear of the at least one drive gear.

6. The surgical assembly according to claim 1 , further including a threaded trocar shaft non-rotatably coupled with the instrument drive unit, the instrument drive unit including a nut threadingly engaged to the trocar shaft, wherein the trocar shaft axially moves relative to the instrument drive unit and through the nut upon rotation of the nut.

7. The surgical assembly according to claim 6 , wherein the trocar shaft includes a proximal end non-rotatably coupled with the instrument drive unit and a distal end having a lateral extension defining an opening therethrough configured for passage of the elongate body of the surgical instrument.

8. The surgical assembly according to claim 6 , wherein the instrument drive unit further includes a drive gear in geared engagement with the nut and configured to drive the axial movement of the trocar shaft relative to the nut.

9. The surgical assembly according to claim 8 , wherein the nut has a geared outer surfaced in threaded engagement with the drive gear of the instrument drive unit.

10. The surgical assembly according to claim 6 , wherein the trocar shaft includes an outer surface having a keyed portion non-rotatably engaged to a correspondingly shaped opening defined in the instrument drive unit.

11. The surgical assembly according to claim 1 , wherein each driving member of the plurality of driving members includes a lead screw.

12. A surgical instrument configured for coupling with an instrument drive unit that drives an actuation of the surgical instrument and operatively supports the surgical instrument, the surgical instrument comprising:
a housing;
an elongate body extending distally from the housing;
an end effector extending distally from the elongate body; and
a plurality of driven members rotatably disposed within the housing, the plurality of driven members being nested with one another, each driven member of the plurality of driven members being coupled to a respective cable that is attached to the end effector, wherein the plurality of driven members are configured for engagement with an instrument drive unit, wherein each driven member of the plurality of driven members includes:
a cannulated cylindrical portion defining a central passageway therethrough, the cylindrical portions being concentrically disposed with one another;
a tab extending from the cylindrical portion of each driven member of the plurality of driven members and inwardly into the central passageway of the respective cylindrical portion; and
a plurality of cables, wherein each cable of the plurality of cables is coupled between one tab and the end effector such that an axial movement of each driven member of the plurality of driven members results in an actuation of the end effector via the plurality of cables.

13. The surgical instrument according to claim 12 , further including at least one drive gear disposed within the housing and coupled with the plurality of driven members, wherein rotation of the at least one drive gear rotates the plurality of driven members relative to the housing.

14. The surgical instrument according to claim 13 , further including a cylindrical body rotatably disposed within the housing and accommodating the plurality of driven members, the cylindrical body having a proximal geared end in geared engagement with a first drive gear of the at least one drive gear and a distal geared end in geared engagement with a second drive gear of the at least one drive gear.

15. The surgical assembly according to claim 1 , wherein each actuator of the plurality of actuators includes a cannulated cylindrical portion and an arm extending transversely from the cylindrical portion.

16. The surgical assembly according to claim 15 , wherein each driving member of the plurality of driving members is threadingly coupled to a respective one of the plurality of actuators.

17. The surgical assembly according to claim 1 , wherein each driving m

Assignees

• Covidien Lp

Inventors

• Grover Simon R
• Kilby Charles F
• Fuller Daniel L

Classifications

• A61B2017/3409

  including needle or instrument drives · CPC title

• A61B34/71

  Manipulators operated by drive cable mechanisms · CPC title

• A61B34/30 Primary

  Surgical robots · CPC title

• A61B2017/00477

  Coupling (A61B2017/0046 takes precedence) · CPC title

• A61B34/35

  for telesurgery · CPC title