Surgical instruments, instrument drive units, and surgical assemblies thereof

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11666394-B2
Application number	US-202016882865-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 26, 2020
Priority date	Apr 29, 2014
Publication date	Jun 6, 2023
Grant date	Jun 6, 2023

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. An instrument drive unit configured for driving an actuation of a surgical instrument and to operatively support the surgical instrument, the instrument drive unit comprising:
a hub defining a channel extending therethrough;
a plurality of actuators nested with one another and disposed through the channel; and
a plurality of driving members rotatably coupled to the hub, wherein 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.

2. The instrument drive unit 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.

3. The instrument drive unit according to claim 2 , wherein the cylindrical portions are concentrically disposed with one another.

4. The instrument drive unit according to claim 2 , wherein the arm defines a threaded passageway therethrough, and 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.

5. The instrument drive unit according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a threaded trocar shaft non-rotatably coupled with the hub; and
a nut rotatably disposed with the hub and threadingly engaged to the trocar shaft, wherein the trocar shaft axially moves relative to the hub and through the nut upon rotation of the nut.

6. The instrument drive unit according to claim 5 , further comprising a rotatable drive gear in geared engagement with the nut and configured to drive the axial movement of the trocar shaft relative to the nut.

7. The instrument drive unit according to claim 1 , wherein each driving member of the plurality of driving members includes a lead screw operably coupled to a respective actuator, such that each actuator of the plurality of actuators moves axially in response to a rotation of the respective lead screw.

8. The instrument drive unit according to claim 7 , wherein the plurality of lead screws extend in side-by-side and parallel relation with the plurality of actuators.

9. The instrument drive unit according to claim 1 , wherein each actuator of the plurality of actuators has a proximal end configured to engage a distal end of one corresponding driven member of a plurality of driven members of the surgical instrument.

10. The instrument drive unit according to claim 1 , wherein the plurality of actuators defines a longitudinally-extending central channel configured for receipt of an elongate body of the surgical instrument.

11. An instrument drive unit of a surgical robotic system, the instrument drive unit comprising:
a plurality of drive motors;
a plurality of driving members coupled to the respective drive motors and configured to be rotated by the drive motors; and
a plurality of longitudinally-extending actuators concentrically disposed with one another, wherein each driving member of the plurality of driving members is 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.

12. The instrument drive unit according to claim 11 , wherein the plurality of actuators defines a longitudinally-extending central channel configured for receipt, in a distal direction, of a surgical instrument.

13. The instrument drive unit according to claim 12 , further comprising a proximal plate, and a distal plate distally spaced from the proximal plate, wherein each of the proximal and distal plates defines a lateral notch configured for lateral receipt of the surgical instrument.

14. The instrument drive unit according to claim 11 , wherein each actuator of the plurality of actuators includes a cannulated cylindrical portion and an arm extending transversely from the cylindrical portion.

15. The instrument drive unit according to claim 14 , wherein the cylindrical portions are concentrically disposed with one another.

16. The instrument drive unit according to claim 14 , wherein the arm defines a threaded passageway therethrough, and 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.

17. The instrument drive unit according to claim 11 , further comprising:
a hub supporting the plurality of drive motors;
a threaded trocar shaft non-rotatably coupled with the hub; and
a nut rotatably disposed with the hub and threadingly engaged to the trocar shaft, wherein the trocar shaft axially moves relative to the hub and through the nut upon rotation of the nut.

18. The instrument drive unit according to claim 11 , wherein each driving member of the plurality of driving members includes a lead screw operably coupled to a respective actuator, such that each actuator of the plurality of actuators moves axially in response to a rotation of the respective lead screw.

19. The instrument drive unit according to claim 18 , wherein the lead screws extend in side-by-side and parallel relation with the plurality of actuators.

20. The instrument drive unit according to claim 11 , wherein each actuator of the plurality of actuators has a proximal end configured to engage a distal end of one corresponding driven member of a plurality of driven members of the surgical instrument.

Assignees

• Covidien Lp

Inventors

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

Classifications

• A61B34/71

  Manipulators operated by drive cable mechanisms · CPC title

• A61B17/34

  Trocars; Puncturing needles · CPC title

• A61B2017/00477

  Coupling (A61B2017/0046 takes precedence) · CPC title

• A61B34/35

  for telesurgery · CPC title

• A61B34/30 Primary

  Surgical robots · CPC title