Medical devices having three tool members

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11612447-B2
Application number	US-201916513105-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 16, 2019
Priority date	Jul 19, 2018
Publication date	Mar 28, 2023
Grant date	Mar 28, 2023

Abstract

A medical device includes a link, a first tool member, a second tool member and a third tool member, which each have a proximal end portion movably coupled to the link and a distal end portion. The distal end portion of the first tool member can engage a first object and be associated with a first medical function, the distal end portion of the second tool member can engage a second object and be associated with a second medical function, and the distal end portion of the third tool member can engage the first object or the second object and be associated with the first and/or second medical function. Each of the first, second and third tool members can move relative to the link independent of movement of the each of the other tool members.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An apparatus, comprising:
an instrument shaft;
a wrist assembly movable about an axis, the wrist assembly including a distal link;
a first tool member comprising a proximal end portion movably coupled to the distal link and a distal end portion configured to engage a first object;
a second tool member comprising a proximal end portion movably coupled to the distal link and a distal end portion configured to engage at least the first object or a second object;
a third tool member comprising a proximal end portion movably coupled to the distal link and a distal end portion configured to engage at least one of the first object or the second object;
a first tension member coupled to the first tool member;
a second tension member coupled to the second tool member; and
a third tension member coupled to the third tool member;
wherein:
the first, second, and third tool members are rotatable about the distal link,
the first, second, and third tension members each extend through the instrument shaft and are routed through the wrist assembly allowing for movability of the wrist assembly about the axis,
the first tool member moves relative to the distal link independent of movement of the second tool member and independent of movement of the third tool member,
the second tool member moves relative to the distal link independent of movement of the first tool member and independent of movement of the third tool member, and
the third tool member moves relative to the distal link independent of movement of the first tool member and independent of movement of the second tool member.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein:
the distal link is a distal clevis of a wrist assembly; and
the distal clevis comprises a pin about which at least two of the first tool member, the second tool member, and the third tool member rotate.

3. The apparatus of claim 2 , wherein:
the first tool member comprises a first elongate blade coupled to the distal clevis to rotate about the pin, the first elongate blade comprising a first contact surface;
the second tool member comprises a second elongate blade coupled to the distal clevis to rotate about the pin, the second elongate blade comprising a second contact surface; and
the third tool member comprises a third elongate blade coupled to the distal clevis to rotate about the pin, the third elongate blade comprising a third contact surface.

4. The apparatus of claim 3 , wherein:
the first, second and third elongate blades are configured to rotate to an aligned orientation in which the first contact surface, the second contact surface, and the third contact surface are aligned with each other; and
the first, second and third elongate blades are configured to rotate to a second expanded orientation in which the first contact surface, the second contact surface, and the third contact surface are rotated apart from each other.

5. The apparatus of claim 4 , wherein a first longitudinal axis of the first elongate blade is coaxial with a second longitudinal axis of the second elongate blade and a third longitudinal axis of the third elongate blade when the first elongate blade, the second elongate blade, and the third elongate blade are in the aligned orientation.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein:
the proximal end portion of the first tool member is coupled to the first tension member, the first tool member movable relative to the distal link when the first tension member is moved, the first tension member being routed over a first pulley in the wrist assembly;
the proximal end portion of the second tool member is coupled to the second tension member, the second tool member movable relative to the distal link when the second tension member is moved, the second tension member being routed over a second pulley in the wrist assembly; and
the proximal end portion of the third tool member is coupled to the third tension member, the third tool member movable relative to the distal link when the third tension member is moved, the third tension member being routed over a third pulley in the wrist assembly.

7. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the second tool member is between the first tool member and the third tool member.

8. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein:
the distal end portion of the first tool member has a first contact surface;
the distal end portion of the second tool member has a second contact surface and a fourth contact surface, the first contact surface and the second contact surface being configured to manipulate the first object; and
the distal end portion of the third tool member has a third contact surface, the third contact surface and the fourth contact surface being configured to manipulate the second object.

9. The apparatus of claim 8 , wherein:
the first contact surface and the second contact surface have a first grip pattern;
the third contact surface and the fourth contact surface have a second grip pattern; and
the second grip pattern is different from the first grip pattern.

10. The apparatus of claim 9 , wherein:
the second contact surface is on a first side of the second tool member, the first grip pattern on the first contact surface being aligned with the first grip pattern on the second contact surface when the first contact surface and the second contact surface manipulate the first object; and
the fourth contact surface is on a second side of the second tool member, the second grip pattern on the third contact surface being aligned with the second grip pattern on the fourth contact surface when the third contact surface and the fourth contact surface manipulate the second object.

11. A medical device, comprising:
a clevis assembly comprising a clevis pin;
a first jaw piece comprising a portion associated with a first medical function;
a second jaw piece comprising an obverse portion associated with the first medical function and a reverse portion associated with a second medical function; and
a third jaw piece comprising a portion associated with the second medical function;
wherein:
the first jaw piece, the second jaw piece, and the third jaw piece rotate around the clevis pin,
the portion of the first jaw piece associated with the first medical function opposes the obverse portion of the second jaw piece associated with the first medical function, and
the portion of the third jaw piece associated with the second medical function opposes the reverse portion of the second jaw piece associated with the second medical function;
wherein:
the medical device further comprises an instrument shaft, the instrument shaft comprising a distal end;
the clevis assembly is coupled to the distal end of the instrument shaft
a first tension member extending through the instrument shaft, exiting the distal end of the instrument shaft and being routed through the clevis assembly and then coupling to the first jaw piece;
a second tension member extending through the instrument shaft, exiting the distal end of the instrument shaft and being routed through the clevis assembly and then coupling to the second jaw piece; and
a third tension member extending through the instrument shaft, exiting the distal end of the instrument shaft and being routed through the clevis assembly and then coupling to the third jaw piece.

12. The medical device of claim 11 , wherein:
the medical device further comprises a transmission assembly, the transmission assembly comprising a plurality of drive components;
the instrument shaft comprises a proximal end;
the transmission assembly is coupled to the proximal end of the instrument shaft; and
the first, second, and third tension members

Assignees

• Intuitive Surgical Operations

Inventors

• Limon Timothy A
• Duque Grant

Classifications

• A61B34/70 Primary

  Manipulators specially adapted for use in surgery · CPC title

• A61B34/71 Primary

  Manipulators operated by drive cable mechanisms · CPC title

• A61B34/74

  Manipulators with manual electric input means · CPC title

• A61B2034/302

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

• A61B2034/305

  Details of wrist mechanisms at distal ends of robotic arms · CPC title