Instrument sterile adapter drive features

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016199138-A1
Application number	US-201414911514-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Aug 14, 2014
Priority date	Aug 15, 2013
Publication date	Jul 14, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

A surgical system ( 200 ) includes a surgical instrument ( 260 ) that is sensitive to backlash that would adversely affect the transmission of controlled torque and position to the surgical instrument. The surgical instrument ( 260 ) is coupled to motors in a surgical instrument manipulator assembly ( 240 ) via a mechanical interface. The combination of the mechanical interface and surgical instrument manipulator assembly ( 240 ) have low backlash, e.g., less than 0.7 degrees. The backlash is controlled in the surgical instrument manipulator assembly ( 240 ). From the drive output disk ( 545 ) in the surgical instrument manipulator assembly to the driven disk ( 964 ) of the surgical instrument, the mechanical interface has zero backlash for torque levels used in surgical procedures.

First claim

We claim:

1 . An apparatus comprising:
a surgical device interface element comprising:
a plurality of intermediate disks, each intermediate disk of the plurality of intermediate disks comprising:
a driven interface comprising a first alignment receptacle and drive dog receptacles; and
a drive interface opposite and removed from the driven interface, the drive interface comprising drive dogs and an engagement structure;

a first body structure having rotatably mounted therein the plurality of intermediate disks.

2 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the first alignment receptacle is configured to mate with a first alignment element extending from a drive output disk of a surgical instrument manipulator assembly.

3 . The apparatus of claim 1 ,
wherein the driven interface further comprises a second alignment receptacle; wherein the first alignment receptacle is configured to mate with a first alignment element extending from a drive output disk of a surgical instrument manipulator assembly; wherein the second alignment receptacle is configured to mate with a second alignment element extending from the drive output disk; wherein the first alignment receptacle is separated from the second alignment receptacle; and wherein the combination of the first and second alignment receptacles orients the drive output disk to the intermediate disk if the drive output disk and the intermediate disk are mated.

4 . The apparatus of claim 1 , the first body structure further comprising:
a plurality of hard stops, wherein each intermediate disk is associated with one of the plurality of hard stops.

5 . The apparatus of claim 4 , the each intermediate disk of the plurality of intermediate disks further comprises:
an outer side surface; and a hard stop tab extending from the outer side surface, wherein in a first axial position of the intermediate disk, the hard stop tab contacts the hard stop associated with the intermediate disk, and wherein in a second axial position of the intermediate disk, the intermediate disk rotates freely without the hard stop tab contacting the hard stop associated with the intermediate disk.

6 . The apparatus of claim 1 , the each intermediate disk of the plurality of intermediate disks further comprises:
an outer side surface; and a hard stop tab extending from the outer side surface.

7 . The apparatus of claim 1 :
wherein each of the drive dog receptacles comprises:
a first portion comprising opposed sidewalls extending from the outer surface into the intermediate disk,
a second portion comprising a bottom surface of the drive dog receptacle; and
a third portion extending from the first portion to the second portion, the third portion comprising two opposing third portion side surfaces, wherein each third portion side surface comprises a sloped surface.

8 . The apparatus of claim 7 , wherein the sloped surface comprises a portion of a side surface of a wedge.

9 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein each of the drive dogs comprises:
a first portion comprising a three-dimensional structure; and a second portion extending from the first portion, the second portion comprising two opposing second portion side surfaces, wherein each second portion side surface comprises a curved surface.

10 . The apparatus of claim 9 , wherein the curved surface comprises a portion of a circular section.

11 . The apparatus of claim 1 :
wherein each of the drive dog receptacles is positioned so that each of the drive dog receptacles is bisected by a first plane; wherein each of the drive dogs is positioned so that each of the drive dogs is bisected by a second plane; and wherein the first plane is perpendicular to the second plane.

12 . The apparatus of claim 1 , each of the drive dog receptacles including a first edge surface positioned a first distance from a longitudinal axis of the intermediate disk, and a second edge surface opposite the first edge surface.

13 . The apparatus of claim 1 , the surgical device interface element further comprising:
a second body structure, wherein the first body structure is movably mounted in the second body structure.

14 . The apparatus of claim 12 , wherein the second body structure comprises a skid plate.

15 . The apparatus of claim 1 :
wherein the each intermediate disk of the plurality of intermediate disks further comprises a distal surface; and wherein the engagement structure comprises an open three-dimensional structure extending in a distal direction from the distal surface of the intermediate disk.

16 . The apparatus of claim 15 , wherein the open three-dimensional structure comprises:
a circular track compromising:
a first circumferential section having a first height, a first end, and a second end;
a second circumferential section extending between the first and second ends of the first circumferential section, the second circumferential section having a second height, wherein the second height is less than the first height; and
a centerline extending through a center of the circular track and equidistance from the first and second ends.

17 . The apparatus of claim 16 , wherein the open three-dimensional structure further comprises:
a wall extending in a direction substantially parallel to the centerline of the circular section from one of the first and second ends of the first circumferential section, and the wall extending towards an outer edge of the distal surface of the intermediate disk of the plurality of intermediate disks, wherein the wall comprises a height; and wherein the height of the wall is smaller than the first height of the first circumferential section.

18 . The apparatus of claim 13 , further comprising:
a sterile drape affixed to the second body structure.

19 . The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising:
a surgical instrument manipulator assembly, wherein the surgical device interface element is mounted on the surgical instrument manipulator assembly.

20 . The apparatus of claim 19 :
wherein the surgical instrument manipulator assembly further comprises a drive output disk having a drive interface coupled with the driven interface of the intermediate disk; and wherein upon applying a predetermined preload force to the drive output disk, the coupling between the intermediate disk and the drive output disk comprises zero backlash.

21 . The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising:
a surgical instrument mounted on the surgical device interface element.

22 . The apparatus of claim 20 :
wherein the surgical instrument further comprises a driven disk having a driven interface coupled with the drive interface of the intermediate disk; and wherein upon applying a predetermined preload force to the intermediate disk, the coupling between the intermediate disk and the driven disk comprises zero backlash.

Assignees

• Intuitive Surgical Operations

Inventors

• Cooper Thomas G
• Mcgrogan Anthony K
• Holop Robert E

Classifications

• A61B34/30 Primary

  Surgical robots · CPC title

• A61B2017/00477

  Coupling (A61B2017/0046 takes precedence) · CPC title

• A61B34/70

  Manipulators specially adapted for use in surgery · CPC title