Moveable display system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12415284-B2
Application number	US-202017637336-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 21, 2020
Priority date	Aug 23, 2019
Publication date	Sep 16, 2025
Grant date	Sep 16, 2025

Abstract

Implementations relate to a moveable display system. In some implementations, a control unit includes a first support and a second support coupled to the first support. The second support is linearly translatable along a first axis in a first degree of freedom with respect to the first support, and at least a portion of the second support is linearly translatable along a second axis in a second degree of freedom with respect to the first support. The control unit includes a display unit rotatably coupled to the second support. The display unit is rotatable about a third axis in a third degree of freedom with respect to the second support, and the display unit includes a display device.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A control unit comprising:
a first support;
a second support coupled to the first support, wherein the second support is linearly translatable along a first axis in a first degree of freedom with respect to the first support, and at least a portion of the second support is linearly translatable along a second axis in a second degree of freedom with respect to the first support;
a display unit rotatably coupled to the second support, wherein the display unit is rotatable about a third axis in a third degree of freedom with respect to the second support; and
a first actuator, a second actuator, and a third actuator, wherein the first actuator is configured to output first forces on the display unit in the first degree of freedom, the second actuator is configured to output second forces on the display unit in the second degree of freedom, and the third actuator is configured to output third forces on the display unit in the third degree of freedom,
wherein the display unit is rotatable about a defined pivot axis based on a coordinated combination of linear translation of the second support in the first degree of freedom, linear translation of at least the portion of the second support in the second degree of freedom, and rotation of the display unit in the third degree of freedom,
wherein the first actuator, the second actuator, and the third actuator are configured to output the first forces, the second forces, and the third forces in combination to cause rotation of the display unit about the defined pivot axis,
wherein the defined pivot axis does not correspond to an axis of rotation of any mechanical joint of the control unit, and
wherein the defined pivot axis is configured to intersect a portion of a user operating the display unit or intersect a portion of the display unit.

2. The control unit of claim 1 , wherein:
the first support includes a first telescoping base portion and a second telescoping base portion,
the second telescoping base portion is linearly translatable along the first axis with respect to the first telescoping base portion,
the second support includes a first telescoping arm portion and a second telescoping arm portion,
the second telescoping arm portion is linearly translatable along the second axis with respect to the first telescoping arm portion, and
the second telescoping base portion of the first support is rigidly coupled to the first telescoping arm portion of the second support.

3. The control unit of claim 1 , wherein:
the second support is coupled to the first support by a middle support,
the middle support includes a horizontal portion coupled rigidly to a vertical portion, the horizontal portion and the vertical portion being orthogonal to each other,
the second support is horizontally translatable in the second degree of freedom with respect to the middle support, and
the middle support and the second support are vertically translatable in the first degree of freedom with respect to the first support.

4. The control unit of claim 1 , wherein:
the display unit includes a tilt member rotatably coupled to an end of the second support,
the tilt member rotatable about the third axis in the third degree of freedom, and
the third axis is orthogonal to the first axis and to the second axis.

5. The control unit of claim 4 , wherein:
the display unit is rotatable about a fourth axis with respect to the tilt member in a fourth degree of freedom, and
the fourth axis is orthogonal to the third axis.

6. The control unit of claim 4 , further comprising:
an actuator configured to output a force on the display unit about a fourth axis in a fourth degree of freedom; and
a curved track coupled to the tilt member, wherein the display unit is coupled to the curved track,
wherein the display unit, the curved track, and the tilt member are rotatable about the third axis in the third degree of freedom with respect to the second support, wherein the display unit is guided by the curved track to be rotatable with respect to the tilt member about the fourth axis in the fourth degree of freedom, and wherein the fourth axis is a yaw axis.

7. The control unit of claim 1 , wherein:
the portion of the second support includes a yoke portion including two yoke members, and
the display unit is rotatably coupled to the two yoke members and is positioned between the two yoke members.

8. The control unit of claim 4 , wherein a first end of the tilt member is coupled to an end of the second support, wherein the tilt member rotates within a rotatable range in which the tilt member linearly extends from the first end of the tilt member toward the first support to a second end of the tilt member, wherein the display unit is coupled to the second end of the tilt member.

9. The control unit of claim 1 , wherein the first actuator, the second actuator, and the third actuator are configured to output the first forces, the second forces, and the third forces in combination to cause rotation of the display unit about the defined pivot axis to follow movement of a head of a user that operates the control unit.

10. The control unit of claim 1 , wherein the display unit includes:
a hand input device provided on the display unit and configured to receive hand input from a hand of the user, wherein the hand input includes commands that cause the hand input device to output control signals to cause the actuators to move the display unit in a workspace of the display unit about the defined pivot axis.

11. The control unit of claim 1 , wherein the control unit is coupled to a device including a control input device manipulable by a user to control one or more functions of a teleoperated manipulator system, wherein the one or more functions include causing an actuator of the teleoperated manipulator system to move an image capture device of the teleoperated manipulator system in accordance with manipulation of the control input device, wherein image data is received from the image capture device and displayed by the display unit.

12. The control unit of claim 1 , wherein the display unit includes a head input device provided on the display unit and configured to receive head input via contact of a head of the user with the head input device, wherein the head input includes commands to move the display unit in a workspace of the display unit about the defined pivot axis.

13. The control unit of claim 1 , wherein:
the defined pivot axis is positioned at a location such that the defined pivot axis extends through a neck of a user when the user operates the display unit;
the defined pivot axis extends through a hand input device provided on the display unit;
the defined pivot axis extends through a head input device provided on the display unit at a point on the head input device that is configured to contact a forehead of a user that operates the head input device; or
the defined pivot axis is coincident with an eye axis extending through the eyes of the user that operates the display unit.

14. The control unit of claim 1 , wherein:
the defined pivot axis is configured to intersect a portion of the display unit.

15. A control unit comprising:
a support mechanism including:
a support linkage including a plurality of links including a first support and a second support;
a display unit coupled to the support linkage, wherein the display unit is moveable in multiple degrees of freedom based on relative movement between the plurality of links, wherein the multiple degrees of freedom include a linear first degree of freedom, a linear second degree of freedom, and a rotatio

Assignees

• Intuitive Surgical Operations

Inventors

• Sweeney Charles A
• Luke Scott O
• Waldo Michael C
• Thompson Allen C
• Goldberg Randal P
• Lee Peling G
• Hingwe Pushkar
• Verner Lawton N
• Lynch Goran A
• Blanchard Russell L E

Classifications

• G06F3/012

  Head tracking input arrangements · CPC title

• F16M2200/066

  being part of the head · CPC title

• F16M11/28

  Undercarriages for supports with one single telescoping pillar · CPC title

• F16M11/126

  for tilting and panning (F16M11/14 takes precedence) · CPC title

• F16M11/048

  adapted to forward-backward translation movement · CPC title