Haptic feedback controls for a robotic surgical system interface

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2018296291-A1
Application number	US-201615768196-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Oct 27, 2016
Priority date	Oct 30, 2015
Publication date	Oct 18, 2018
Grant date	—

Abstract

A gimbal for a robotic surgical system includes a support link, an input link, and a vibration assembly. The input link extends from the support link and the vibration assembly is mounted to the support link. The vibration assembly includes a central support, an end cap, and a voice coil. The end cap is moveable relative to the central support. The voice coil has an inner member that is fixed to the central support and an outer member that is fixed to the end cap. The voice coil is configured to vibrate the gimbal in response to a voltage being applied to one of the inner or outer members.

First claim

What is claimed:

1 . A gimbal for a surgical robotic system, the gimbal comprising:
at least one support link; an input link extending from the at least one support link; and a vibration assembly mounted to the at least one support link, the vibration assembly including:
a central support;
an end cap moveable relative to the central support; and
a voice coil having an inner member fixed to the central support and an outer member fixed to the end cap, the voice coil configured to vibrate the gimbal in response to a voltage being applied to one of the inner or outer members.

2 . The gimbal according to claim 1 , wherein the central support includes a central portion and a flange extending radially from the central portion.

3 . The gimbal according to claim 2 , wherein the vibration assembly includes an inner plate positioned about the central portion of the central support with the flange of the central portion positioned between the end cap and the inner plate.

4 . The gimbal according to claim 3 , wherein the inner plate and the end cap are made from a non-magnetic metal.

5 . The gimbal according to claim 3 , wherein the inner plate and the end cap are made from a plastic.

6 . The gimbal according to claim 3 , wherein the inner plate is fixed relative to the end cap.

7 . The gimbal according to claim 3 , wherein the vibration assembly includes a first dampening ring positioned between the end cap and the flange of the central portion.

8 . The gimbal according to claim 7 , wherein the first dampening ring is positioned about the outer member of the voice coil.

9 . The gimbal according to claim 7 , wherein the first dampening ring is bonded to the end cap and the flange.

10 . The gimbal according to claim 7 , wherein the vibration assembly includes a second dampening ring positioned between the flange of the central portion and the inner plate.

11 . The gimbal according to claim 10 , wherein the second dampening ring is positioned about the inner member of the voice coil.

12 . The gimbal according to claim 10 , wherein the second dampening ring is bonded to the flange and the inner plate.

13 . The gimbal according to claim 10 , wherein the first and second dampening rings are made from an elastomeric material.

14 . The gimbal according to claim 1 , wherein the inner member of the voice coil includes a conductive coil and the outer member of the voice coil is a magnet.

15 . The gimbal according to claim 14 , wherein the outer member moves in a first direction relative to the inner member when a first voltage is applied to the conductive coil and moves in a second direction opposite the first direction when a second voltage is applied to the conductive coil.

16 . The gimbal according to claim 14 , wherein the first voltage is a positive voltage and the second voltage is a negative voltage.

17 . A robotic surgical system comprising:
a robotic system including a linkage having a tool disposed at one end; a processing unit in communication with the robotic system to manipulate the tool; and a user interface in communication with the processing unit and configured to provide a control signal to the processing unit for manipulating the tool, the user interface including a gimbal including:
at least one support link;
an input link extending from the at least one support link; and
a vibration assembly mounted to the at least one support link, the vibration assembly including:
a central support;
an end cap moveable relative to the central support; and
a voice coil having an inner member fixed to the central support and an outer member fixed to the end cap, the processing unit configured to provide a feedback signal indicative of a condition of the robotic surgical system, the voice coil configured to vibrate the gimbal in response to the feedback signal.

18 . The robotic surgical system according to claim 17 , wherein the voice coil assembly includes a vibration controller, the vibration controller configured to apply a voltage to one of the inner or outer members in response to the feedback signal.

19 . The robotic surgical system according to claim 17 , wherein the robotic surgical system includes an intensity switch configured to adjust the intensity of the vibration of the gimbal in response to the feedback signal.

20 . The robotic surgical system according to claim 17 , wherein the feedback signal is indicative of at least one condition of the robotic surgical system including the tool reaching an end of a range, the gimbal being clutched, a need to clutch the gimbal, the gimbal being switched to a camera control state, a state change of the tool, a presence of a message on a display of the user interface, the tool being changed, a collision of the tool with another tool, the tool approaching a target, the tool contacting a structure, vibration of the tool, or a measurement of a grasping force of the tool.

21 . A method of controlling a robotic surgical system with haptic feedback comprising:
manipulating an input device coupled to a gimbal of a user interface of the robotic surgical system to manipulate a tool of a robot system of the robotic surgical system; receiving a feedback signal from a processing unit of the robotic surgical system with a vibration controller, the vibration controller in communication with a vibration assembly mounted to the gimbal of the user interface; and oscillating the vibration assembly in response to the feedback signal to vibrate the gimbal to provide an indication of a condition of the robotic surgical system.

22 . The method according to claim 21 , further comprising detecting vibration of the gimbal and adjusting the oscillation of the vibration assembly in response to the detected vibration of the gimbal.

23 . The method according to claim 21 , wherein oscillating the vibration assembly in response to the feedback signal includes vibrating the gimbal in a first manner in response to a first condition of the robotic surgical system and vibrating the gimbal in a second manner in response to a second condition of the robotic surgical system, the second manner different from the first manner.

24 . The method according to claim 23 , wherein vibrating the gimbal in the second manner different from the first manner includes varying the frequency, amplitude, waveform, or duration of the vibration.

Assignees

• Covidien Lp

Inventors

• Vokrot Peter
• Peine William
• Blanco Matthew

Classifications

• G05G2009/04718

  with cardan or gimbal type joint · CPC title

• A61B34/74

  Manipulators with manual electric input means · CPC title

• A61B2090/367

  creating a 3D dataset from 2D images using position information · CPC title

• G05B2219/40132

  Haptic joystick with force feedback based on accelerometer included in joystick · CPC title

• A61B34/37

  Leader-follower robots (A61B34/35 takes precedence) · CPC title