Robotic surgical system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10814501-B2
Application number	US-201916685027-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 15, 2019
Priority date	Nov 13, 2015
Publication date	Oct 27, 2020
Grant date	Oct 27, 2020

Abstract

Techniques for a surgical system are provided that allow an electromechanical surgical arm to be coupled at a location adjacent to a patient, such as a surgical table. A first mating element can be formed on a support member and it can be in electrical communication with a power source and a controller, and a second mating element can be formed on the electromechanical arm. The first and second mating elements can each have a respective electrical contact, and they can be configured such that mechanical coupling between the first and second mating element causes electrical communication to be established between the first and second electrical contacts and thus between the electromechanical arm and the power source and the controller. The mating elements can include tolerance elements that allow for some discrepancies between the mating elements while still providing a desired mechanical and electrical connection between the mating elements.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A surgical system, comprising:
a support member having a first mating element that is one of a male member and a female receiver, the first mating element having formed thereon a first electrical contact configured to electrically communicate with a power source;
an electromechanical surgical arm having a tool interface configured to receive and support a surgical tool and a second mating element configured to mate to the first mating element, the second mating element having formed thereon a second electrical contact configured to contact the first electrical contact when the first and second mating elements are mated and to thereby enable electrical communication between the electromechanical surgical arm and the power source through the first electrical contact; and
at least one tolerance element formed on at least one of the first mating element and the second mating element, the at least one tolerance element being configured to provide at least one of axial and radial compliance between the first mating element and the second mating element, wherein the at least one tolerance element is comprised of at least one deformable element.

2. The surgical system of claim 1 , wherein the electromechanical surgical arm comprises an active arm portion configured to receive and support the surgical tool, and a passive arm portion removably coupled to the active arm portion and having the second mating element formed thereon.

3. The surgical system of claim 1 , wherein the first electrical contact is in electrical communication with a controller.

4. The surgical system of claim 3 , wherein the first electrical contact is configured to communicate power and control signals generated by the controller.

5. The surgical system of claim 1 , wherein the electromechanical surgical arm comprises a mounting pole having the second mating element disposed thereon.

6. The surgical system of claim 1 , wherein the first and second electrical contacts are formed such that, when the first and second mating elements are in at least one of axial or radial compliance with respect to each other, the first and second electrical contacts provide an electrical coupling between the support member and the electromechanical surgical arm.

7. The surgical system of claim 1 , wherein the support member is configured to be removably attached to a surgical table.

8. The surgical system of claim 1 , further comprising a coupling element configured to secure the first mating element and the second mating element.

9. The surgical system of claim 8 , wherein the coupling element comprises a nut.

10. The surgical system of claim 9 , wherein the nut is attached to at least one of the first mating element and the second mating element via a threaded connection.

11. The surgical system of claim 1 , wherein the first and second mating elements are configured to couple to provide the mechanical and electrical coupling between the support member and the electromechanical surgical arm.

12. A method of using a surgical system, comprising:
establishing a mechanical and electrical connection between a first mating element formed on a support member having a first electrical contact configured to electrically communicate with a power source and a second mating element having a second electrical contact and formed on an electromechanical surgical arm configured to receive and support a surgical tool, wherein the connection is established such that a mechanical coupling between the first and second mating elements causes electrical connection to be established between the first and second electrical contacts, which causes electrical communication to be established between the electromechanical surgical arm and the power source through the first electrical contact; and
operating the electromechanical surgical arm via the electrical communication established between the electromechanical surgical arm and the power source,
wherein at least one of the first mating element and the second mating element includes at least one tolerance element formed thereon and configured to provide at least one of axial and radial compliance between the first mating element and the second mating element, the at least one tolerance element is comprised of an elastomeric element or at least one deformable element.

13. The method of claim 12 , wherein the first mating element is a male member, and the second mating element is a female receiver, and wherein the male member and the female receiver are configured to mate to each other.

14. The method of claim 12 , wherein the electromechanical surgical arm comprises an active arm portion configured to receive and support the surgical tool, and a passive arm portion removably coupled to the active arm portion and having the second mating element formed thereon.

15. The method of claim 12 , wherein the first mating element is a female receiver and the second mating element a male member, and wherein the male member and the female receiver are configured to mate to each other.

16. A method of using a surgical system, comprising:
establishing a mechanical and electrical connection between a first mating element formed on a support member having a first electrical contact configured to electrically communicate with a power source and a second mating element having a second electrical contact and formed on an electromechanical surgical arm configured to receive and support a surgical tool, wherein the connection is established such that a mechanical coupling between the first and second mating elements causes electrical connection to be established between the first and second electrical contacts, which causes electrical communication to be established between the electromechanical surgical arm and the power source through the first electrical contact;
rotating a coupling nut to reversibly secure the first mating element and the second mating element together; and
operating the electromechanical surgical arm via the electrical communication established between the electromechanical surgical arm and the power source.

17. The method of claim 16 , wherein the first mating element is a male member, and the second mating element is a female receiver, and wherein the male member and the female receiver are configured to mate to each other.

18. The method of claim 16 , wherein the electromechanical surgical arm comprises an active arm portion configured to receive and support the surgical tool, and a passive arm portion removably coupled to the active arm portion and having the second mating element formed thereon.

19. The method of claim 16 , wherein the first mating element is a female receiver and the second mating element a male member, and wherein the male member and the female receiver are configured to mate to each other.

Assignees

• Ethicon Llc

Inventors

• Auld Michael D
• Weir Michael P

Classifications

• A61B90/50 Primary

  Supports for surgical instruments, e.g. articulated arms · CPC title

• A61B2034/302

  specifically adapted for manipulations within body cavities, e.g. within abdominal or thoracic cavities · CPC title

• A61B34/30

  Surgical robots · CPC title

• A61B2017/00862

  elastic or resilient · CPC title

• A61B34/37

  Leader-follower robots (A61B34/35 takes precedence) · CPC title