Systems to apply preload tension for surgical instruments and related methods

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11160625-B2
Application number	US-201716333886-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 13, 2017
Priority date	Oct 14, 2016
Publication date	Nov 2, 2021
Grant date	Nov 2, 2021

Abstract

A surgical system includes a dynamic preload tension feature for a tensioning element that actuates a distal end component of a surgical instrument. The surgical instrument includes a chassis at a proximal end of the surgical instrument, drive components mounted in the chassis, a distal end component at a distal end of the surgical instrument, a flexible tensioning element coupled between a first of the drive components and the distal end component, and a dynamic preload tensioner mounted in the chassis and coupled to a second of the drive components. The flexible tensioning element extends along a path. The dynamic preload tensioner is configured to be driven by the second of the drive components to be moved relative to the chassis and is positioned to change the path of the flexible tensioning element as the dynamic preload tensioner moves relative to the chassis.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A computer-assisted surgical system comprising:
a surgical instrument comprising a proximal end and a distal end;
a chassis at the proximal end of the surgical instrument;
a first drive component, a second drive component, and a third drive component mounted in the chassis;
a distal end component at the distal end of the surgical instrument;
a first flexible tensioning element coupled to the first drive component, extending along a first path to the distal end component, and coupled to the distal end component;
a second flexible tensioning element coupled to the third drive component, extending along a second path to the distal end component, and coupled to the distal end component; and
a dynamic preload tensioner mounted in the chassis and coupled to be driven by the second drive component to change the first path of the first flexible tensioning element and to change the second path of the second flexible tensioning element as the dynamic preload tensioner moves relative to the chassis.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein:
the system further comprises a manipulator, a memory, and a computer processor;
the manipulator comprises a first drive output and a second drive output;
the surgical instrument is mounted on the manipulator so that the first drive output is positioned to drive the first drive component of the surgical instrument, and the second drive output is positioned to drive the second drive component of the surgical instrument; and
the computer processor is configured to execute instructions stored in the memory to perform operations comprising driving the second drive component to move the dynamic preload tensioner from a first position to a second position.

3. The system of claim 1 , wherein:
at a first position of the dynamic preload tensioner, a first tension exists in the first flexible tensioning element; and
at a second position of the dynamic preload tensioner, a second tension exists in the first flexible tensioning element, the second tension being larger than the first tension.

4. The system of claim 1 , wherein:
the dynamic preload tensioner is positioned to cause an adjustable preload to be applied to the first flexible tensioning element in response to the dynamic preload tensioner being moved relative to the chassis.

5. The system of claim 1 , wherein:
the system further comprises a plurality of flexible tensioning elements coupled to the first drive component, the plurality of flexible tensioning elements comprising the first flexible tensioning element; and
the dynamic preload tensioner is movable relative to the chassis to change a path of each of the plurality of flexible tensioning elements.

6. The system of claim 1 , wherein:
the dynamic preload tensioner comprises a tensioning drum axially movable to change the first path of the first flexible tensioning element and to change the second path of the second flexible tensioning element in response to the second drive component being rotated.

7. The system of claim 6 , wherein:
the dynamic preload tensioner includes a tensioning gear mounted to the chassis and rotatable along a ramp in response to the second drive component being rotated.

8. The system of claim 7 , wherein:
the tensioning drum is coupled to the tensioning gear such that the tensioning drum moves axially in response to the tensioning gear being rotated along the ramp of the chassis of the surgical instrument.

9. The system of claim 7 , wherein:
the dynamic preload tensioner comprises a spring engaged with the tensioning drum such that a static preload is applied to the first flexible tensioning element.

10. The system of claim 9 , wherein:
the spring comprises coils; and
the tensioning drum is movable to compress the spring such that the coils of the spring contact one another as the first path and the second path are changed.

11. The system of claim 9 , wherein:
the tensioning drum is movable through a first range of motion in which the spring is not in a fully compressed state; and
the tensioning drum is movable through a second range of motion in which the spring is in the fully compressed state.

12. The system of claim 1 , wherein:
the dynamic preload tensioner comprises a cam rotatable relative to the chassis; and
a surface of the cam is configured to engage the first flexible tensioning element and the second flexible tensioning element to change the first path and the second path in response to the cam being rotated.

13. The system of claim 1 , wherein:
the system further comprises an instrument drive unit, and the instrument drive unit releasably supports the surgical instrument; and
the instrument drive unit comprises a drive output operably connected to the dynamic preload tensioner such that the dynamic preload tensioner moves relative to the chassis when in response to the drive output being activated.

14. The system of claim 1 , wherein:
in a first position, the dynamic preload tensioner causes an initial first preload tension set during manufacture of the surgical instrument to exist in the first flexible tensioning element;
in a second position, the dynamic preload tensioner causes a second preload tension to exist in the first flexible tensioning element sufficient to inhibit the first flexible tensioning element becoming slack during operation of the surgical instrument; and
the second preload tension is larger than the initial first preload tension.

15. The system of claim 1 , wherein:
the surgical instrument comprises a first set of flexible tensioning elements controlling movement of the distal end component in a first degree of freedom and a second set of flexible tensioning elements controlling movement of the distal end component in a second degree of freedom, the first set of flexible tensioning elements comprising the first flexible tensioning element, and the second set of flexible tensioning elements comprising the second flexible tensioning element;
in a first position, the dynamic preload tensioner causes an initial first preload tension set during manufacture of the surgical instrument to exist in the first and second sets of flexible tensioning elements;
in a second position, the dynamic preload tensioner causes a second preload tension to exist in the first and second sets of flexible tensioning elements sufficient to inhibit the first and second sets of flexible tensioning elements becoming slack during operation of the surgical instrument; and
the second preload tension is larger than the initial first preload tension.

16. The system of claim 1 , wherein:
the dynamic preload tensioner comprises a top portion bearing against the first flexible tensioning element and the second flexible tensioning element.

17. The system of claim 1 , wherein:
the dynamic preload tensioner comprises a first aperture and a second aperture;
the first path of the first flexible tensioning element extends through the first aperture; and
the second path of the second flexible tensioning element extends through the second aperture.

18. A method comprising:
moving a dynamic preload tensioner of a surgical instrument to increase preload tension in a first flexible tensioning element and a second flexible tensioning element of the surgical instrument; and
driving a first drive component to drive the first flexible tensioning element and a second drive component to drive the second flexible tensioning element of the surgical instrument to move a distal end component of the surgical instrument while a position of the dyn

Assignees

• Intuitive Surgical Operations

Inventors

• Wixey Matthew Aaron
• Burbank William
• Cooper Thomas Grosvenor
• Flanagan Patrick
• Ragosta Nicholas H
• Wilson Jr Donald Frank

Classifications

• A61B2034/715

  Cable tensioning mechanisms for removing slack · CPC title

• A61B2017/00477

  Coupling (A61B2017/0046 takes precedence) · CPC title

• A61B34/71 Primary

  Manipulators operated by drive cable mechanisms · CPC title

• A61B34/30

  Surgical robots · CPC title

• A61B90/08

  Accessories or related features not otherwise provided for · CPC title