Clamping instrument

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11712243-B2
Application number	US-201916412018-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 14, 2019
Priority date	Jan 14, 2013
Publication date	Aug 1, 2023
Grant date	Aug 1, 2023

Abstract

Systems include an end effector having a first jaw and a second jaw, a motor system configured to actuate the end effector, and a processor. The processor is configured to determine a maximum tip deflection for the end effector, determine a torque limit based on the maximum tip deflection, and operate, subject to the torque limit, the end effector using the motor system. In some embodiments, the maximum tip deflection is determined based a type of staple cartridge being used by the end effector. In some embodiments, the type of staple cartridge identifies a length of staples fired by the end effector. In some embodiments, the firing of the staples is stalled when an applied torque exceeds the torque limit. In some embodiments, the processor is further configured to fire staples subject to the torque limit.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An apparatus comprising:
an end effector comprising a first jaw and a second jaw;
a motor system configured to actuate the end effector to clamp a material between the first jaw and the second jaw; and
a processor configured to:
select a maximum tip deflection to be allowed between a tip of the first jaw and a tip of the second jaw;
determine a torque limit based on the selected maximum tip deflection and a function relating tip deflection between the tip of the first jaw and the tip of the second jaw to torque applied by the motor system to the end effector during clamping, wherein the function is determined based on calibration data that provides a mapping between a plurality of respective predetermined tip deflections between the tip of the first jaw and the tip of the second jaw and a plurality of corresponding clamping torque values applied to the first jaw and the second jaw to cause the tip of the first jaw and the tip of the second jaw to clamp to the respective predetermined tip deflections; and
actuate the end effector using the motor system, wherein a torque applied by the motor system to the end effector while the motor system actuates the end effector is limited to the determined torque limit.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the maximum tip deflection is selected based on a type of staple cartridge being used by the end effector.

3. The apparatus of claim 2 , wherein the type of staple cartridge identifies a length of staples fired by the apparatus.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the processor is further configured to fire staples subject to the torque limit.

5. The apparatus of claim 4 , wherein the firing of the staples is stalled when a torque applied by the motor system exceeds the torque limit.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the processor is further configured to determine the torque limit based on a position of a motor in the motor system.

7. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the processor is further configured to determine a current limit for the motor system based on the torque limit.

8. A method, comprising:
selecting, by a processor, a maximum tip deflection to be allowed between a tip of a first jaw and a tip of a second jaw of an end effector;
determining, by the processor, a torque limit based on the selected maximum tip deflection and a function relating tip deflection between the tip of the first jaw and the tip of the second jaw to torque applied by a motor system to the end effector during clamping, wherein the function is determined based on calibration data that provides a mapping between a plurality of respective predetermined tip deflections between the tip of the first jaw and the tip of the second jaw and a plurality of corresponding clamping torque values applied to the first jaw and the second jaw to cause the tips of the first jaw and the second jaw to clamp to the respective predetermined tip deflections, the motor system being configured to actuate the end effector to clamp a material between the first jaw and the second jaw; and
actuating, by the processor using the motor system, the end effector, wherein a torque applied by the motor system to the end effector while the motor system is actuating the end effector is limited to the determined torque limit.

9. The method of claim 8 , wherein the maximum tip deflection is selected based on a type of staple cartridge being used by the end effector.

10. The method of claim 9 , wherein the type of staple cartridge identifies a length of staples fired by the end effector.

11. The method of claim 8 , further comprising firing, by the processor using the motor system, staples subject to the torque limit.

12. The method of claim 11 , wherein the firing of the staples is stalled when a torque applied by the motor system exceeds the torque limit.

13. The method of claim 8 , further comprising determining, by the processor, the torque limit based on a position of a motor in the motor system.

14. The method of claim 8 , further comprising determining, by the processor, a current limit for the motor system based on the torque limit.

15. One or more non-transitory computer-readable media comprising a plurality of machine-readable instructions which when executed by one or more processors are adapted to cause the one or more processors to perform a method comprising:
selecting a maximum tip deflection to be allowed between a tip of a first jaw and a tip of a second jaw of an end effector;
determining a torque limit based on the selected maximum tip deflection and a function relating tip deflection between the tip of the first jaw and the tip of the second jaw to torque applied by a motor system to the end effector during clamping, wherein the function is determined based on calibration data that provides a mapping between a plurality of respective predetermined tip deflections between the tip of the first jaw and the tip of the second jaw and a plurality of corresponding clamping torque values applied to the first jaw and the second jaw to cause the tips of the first jaw and the second jaw to clamp to the respective predetermined tip deflections, the motor system being configured to actuate the end effector to clamp a material between the first jaw and the second jaw; and
actuating, using the motor system, the end effector, wherein a torque applied by the motor system to the end effector while the motor system is actuating the end effector is limited to the determined torque limit.

16. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 15 , wherein the maximum tip deflection is selected based on a type of staple cartridge being used by the end effector.

17. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 16 , wherein the type of staple cartridge identifies a length of staples fired by the end effector.

18. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 15 , further comprising firing, using the motor system, staples subject to the torque limit.

19. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 18 , wherein the firing of the staples is stalled when a torque applied by the motor system exceeds the torque limit.

20. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 15 , further comprising determining the torque limit based on a position of a motor in the motor system.

Assignees

• Intuitive Surgical Operations

Inventors

• Weir David W
• Wu Melody
• Durant Kevin
• Duque Grant

Classifications

• A61B17/07207 Primary

  the staples being applied sequentially · CPC title

• A61B17/068 Primary

  Surgical staplers {, e.g. containing multiple staples or clamps}({staplers containing only one staple A61B17/10; magazines or containers for staples A61B17/105;} for performing anastomosis A61B17/115; {staplers in general B25C5/00}) · CPC title

• A61B34/30

  Surgical robots · CPC title

• A61B50/13

  Trolleys{, e.g. carts} · CPC title

• A61B50/33

  Trays · CPC title