Surgical instrument with robotic and manual actuation features

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9446177-B2
Application number	US-201213549347-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 13, 2012
Priority date	Jun 30, 2005
Publication date	Sep 20, 2016
Grant date	Sep 20, 2016

Abstract

In one embodiment of the invention, a robotic surgical instrument is provided for the control of flows of one or more fluids into and out of a surgical site. The robotic surgical instrument may include a housing, a flow control system, a hollow tube, and one or more hose fittings. The housing to couple the instrument to a robotic arm. The flow control system mounted in the housing includes one or more controlled valves to control the flow of one or more fluids. The hollow tube has a first end mounted in the housing coupled to the flow control system. A second end of the hollow tube has one or more openings to allow the flow of fluids into and out of the surgical site. The hose fittings have a first end coupled to the flow control system and a second end to couple to hoses.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A surgical instrument, comprising:
a mechanical component that includes a housing in which is mounted at least one valve having a valve shaft, the mechanical component having an interface base configured to mount to a robot arm, the mechanical component being configured to control the flow of one or more fluids into or out of a surgical site in response to either a robot actuation or a manual actuation of the at least one valve, the mechanical component further including:
a receiving member structurally coupled to the valve shaft and configured to releasably couple to a driver to receive the robotic actuation from the driver, the receiving member configured to be remotely controlled by a surgeon, and
a manual actuation component structurally coupled to the valve shaft and extending from the housing, the manual actuation component being configured to receive the manual actuation to adjust a state of the valve.

2. The surgical instrument of claim 1 , wherein said at least one valve is configured to variably control the flow of at least one of the one or more fluids into or out of the surgical site in response to the robot actuation or the manual actuation.

3. The surgical instrument of claim 1 , wherein both said robot actuation and said manual actuation effect the operation of the mechanical component in the same manner.

4. A surgical instrument, comprising:
a movable mechanical component that includes a housing in which is mounted at least one valve, the movable mechanical component having an interface base configured to mount to a robot arm, and the at least one valve being actuated by either a robot actuation or a manual actuation, the movable mechanical component further including:
a receiving member coupled to the interface base and configured to receive the robot actuation through a driver on the robot arm, and
a manual actuation input component structurally coupled to move a component of the at least one valve and extending from the housing, the manual actuation input component being coupled to the movable mechanical component, the receiving member and the manual actuation input component being different components.

5. The surgical instrument of claim 4 , further comprising:
a fluid channel coupled to the or each valve, wherein a fluid flow within the fluid channel is controlled by the or each valve.

6. The surgical instrument of claim 5 , wherein the fluid channel comprises a hollow tube.

7. The surgical instrument of claim 5 , wherein the fluid flow is selected from a liquid flow and a gas flow.

8. The surgical instrument of claim 4 , wherein both the receiving member and the manual actuation input component move the movable mechanical component through a particular range of motion.

9. The surgical instrument of claim 4 , wherein the receiving member is a rotary component.

10. The surgical instrument of claim 4 , wherein the manual actuation input component is a rotary component.

11. A surgical instrument, comprising:
an instrument housing enclosing a valve positioned along a fluid pathway, the valve being configured to control a fluid flow through the fluid pathway and into or out of a surgical site in response to either a robotic actuation of the valve or a manual actuation of the valve, the instrument housing having an interface base configured to mount to an adapter of a robotic arm;
a receiving member included in the interface base and configured to releasably couple to a rotating driver included in the adapter to receive the robotic actuation from the driver, the receiving member being configured to be robotically controlled by a user; and
a manual actuation component structurally coupled to a valve component of the valve and extending from the instrument housing in a configuration dedicated to permit direct manual actuation by the user;
wherein the manual actuation component and the receiving member each rotate the valve component of the valve control the fluid flow.

12. The surgical instrument of claim 11 , further comprising a tube fitting disposed on the instrument housing and configured to secure a tube to the instrument housing, the tube fitting and the tube forming part of the fluid pathway.

13. The surgical instrument of claim 11 , wherein the valve component is a valve shaft positioned within an opening in a valve body.

14. The surgical instrument of claim 13 , wherein the receiving member is rotatable, and wherein the valve shaft is coupled to the receiving member at a first end and to the manual actuation component at a second end.

15. The surgical instrument of claim 11 , wherein the valve component comprises a pinch wheel configured to pinch a hose to control flow through the hose, the hose forming part of the fluid pathway.

16. The surgical instrument of claim 15 , wherein the pinch wheel is at a first end of an arm, the arm having a second end coupled to a shaft of the receiving member.

17. The surgical instrument of claim 11 , further comprising a second valve configured along a second fluid pathway, wherein the fluid pathway and the second fluid pathway are both in fluid communication with a lumen of a hollow tube extending from the instrument housing.

18. The surgical instrument of claim 17 , wherein the valve controllably couples a liquid flow source to the lumen of the hollow tube and the second valve controllably couples a gas flow source to the lumen of the hollow tube.

Assignees

• Millman Paul
• Bailey David
• Hoornaert Dean
• Mintz David Stephen
• Larkin David Q
• Intuitive Surgical Operations

Inventors

• Millman Paul
• Bailey David
• Hoornaert Dean
• Mintz David Stephen
• Larkin David Q

Classifications

• A61B34/37

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

• A61B34/71

  Manipulators operated by drive cable mechanisms · CPC title

• A61B2034/305

  Details of wrist mechanisms at distal ends of robotic arms · CPC title

• A61B2090/506

  using a parallelogram linkage, e.g. panthograph · CPC title

• A61M2039/2473

  Valve comprising a non-deformable, movable element, e.g. ball-valve, valve with movable stopper or reciprocating element · CPC title