Intuitive Surgical Operations, Inc.

Arthrocare Corporation

Craig Tsuji

Edward P Donlon

Jean Woloszko

Robert B Hubler

Timothy B Hulford

Elie Eyram Ahovi

Theodore C Ormsby

Alain F Sadaka

Todd J Radgowski

Bruce M Schena

Gregory William Dachs, Ii

William A Burbank

Donald Alden

Scott Harrington

Philip E Eggers

Harsukhdeep Singh Ratia

Zhou Ye

Hira V Thapliyal

Ashwinram Suresh

David I Moreira Ridsdale

Hira V Tapliyal

Bruce Michael Schena

Gregory W Dachs Ii

William B Burbank

Medical device

A medical device includes a shaft, a beam, a hard stop structure, and a link. A proximal end portion of the beam is coupled to the distal end portion of the shaft and a distal end portion of the beam is coupled to the link. A strain sensor is on the beam. A hard stop structure includes a proximal end portion, a distal end portion, and first opposing stop surfaces. The proximal end portion of the hard stop structure is coupled to a distal end portion of the shaft, and the distal end portion of the hard stop structure is coupled to the link. The first opposing stop surfaces are positioned to limit a lateral range of motion of the distal end of the beam with reference to the proximal end of the beam in a first direction by the first stop surfaces contacting one another.

Hard stop that produces a reactive moment upon engagement for cantilever-based force sensing

A surgical instrument includes a chassis, an outer tube having a proximal end operably coupled to the chassis, and an inner tube extending within the outer tube. The inner tube has a proximal end operably coupled to the chassis to allow slidable movement of the inner tube relative to the outer tube in response to a force imparted to a distal end of the inner tube, and such that frictional force imparted to an outer surface of the outer tube is not imparted to the inner member.

Surgical tool with nested shaft tubes

An instrument sterile adapter couples a surgical instrument and an instrument carriage. The instrument sterile adapter includes an instrument plate that provides a first surface to receive the surgical instrument and a latch plate joined to the instrument plate. The latch plate includes a second surface to receive the instrument carriage and latch structures. Each latch structure has a carriage latch arm that extends away from the second surface of the latch plate and an instrument latch arm joined to the carriage latch arm. The instrument latch arm extends through the instrument plate and away from the first surface of the instrument plate. A connecting member flexibly connects the carriage latch arm and the instrument latch arm to a remainder of the latch plate. The connecting member may be perpendicular to the latch arms. The latch arms may engage fixed locking surfaces in the instrument carriage and the surgical instrument.

Latch to secure teleoperated surgical instrument to actuator

Systems and methods for minimally invasive computer-assisted telesurgery are described. For example, this disclosure describes computer-assisted teleoperated surgery instruments with cable-actuated joint mechanisms Some such joint mechanisms include linkages that maintain the joints in operable configurations without relying on cable tension to do so.

Computer-assisted teleoperated surgery systems and methods

A surgical instrument may comprise a chassis configured to be removably coupled with a surgical robotic manipulator and may comprise an elongate flexible shaft coupled to the chassis. The surgical instrument may also comprise a robotic actuation piece coupled to and rotatable relative to the chassis and a manual actuator coupled to and translatable relative to the chassis. A rack gear may be engaged with the manual actuator and with the robotic actuation piece. The rack gear may be movable by the robotic actuation piece and by the manual actuator to control an operation of the elongate flexible shaft.

Surgical instrument with commonly actuated robotic and manual features

A suction/irrigation medical device comprises a valve body having one or more conduits fluidically coupled thereto and a first channel extending through the valve body. The medical device also comprises a first valve plunger disposed along the first channel and configured to move along an axis to open and close the first channel. The first valve plunger has a first opening to permit a fluid to flow through the first channel. The medical device also comprises a second valve plunger disposed along the first channel and along a second channel to couple the second channel into the first channel when the second valve plunger is in a first position. The second valve plunger has a second opening that has at least one dimension that is greater than a corresponding dimension of the first opening of the first valve plunger.

Complex irrigation/suction flow path in a medical device

An apparatus includes a housing, a cable guide, a first cable, and a second cable. The housing is coupled to a shaft of a medical instrument. The cable guide is coupled to the housing, and defines a shaft opening into a passageway defined by the shaft. A first guide groove and a second guide groove are defined by the cable guide, with each of the first guide groove and the second guide groove being splayed outward from the shaft opening. The first cable is routed within the first guide groove and through the shaft opening, and is configured to slide within the first guide groove. The second cable is routed within the second guide groove and through the shaft opening, and is configured to slide within the second guide groove.

Splayed cable guide for a medical instrument

A method for using a surgical instrument comprises actuating a movable valve member at a first time using robotic action and actuating the valve member at a second time using manual action. The instrument comprises the valve member, a robotic actuation piece, a chassis, a transport shaft coupled to the chassis, a cavity extending through the transport shaft, and a valve. The chassis is adapted to be mated with a robotic manipulator. The valve comprises the valve member, a manual button coupled thereto, and a valve channel. The valve member is configured to translate across the valve channel along an axis. Robotic actuation comprises rotating the robotic actuation piece around an axis perpendicular to the axis of the valve member. Manual action comprises translating the manual button parallel to the axis of the valve member. The robotic actuation piece remains engaged with the valve member during the manual action.

A suction/irrigation medical device valve system comprises a first valve plunger configured for insertion into a first valve plunger channel. The first valve plunger has a first latch member disposed at a distal end with a first sealing member and a first valve opening disposed proximally from the first latch member. The system also comprises a second valve plunger configured for insertion into a second valve plunger channel. The second valve plunger includes a second valve opening that is longer than the first valve opening. The system also comprises a valve body having the first and second valve plunger channels. The first and second valve plunger channels are configured to receive the first and second valve plungers, respectively.

Medical device buttons assembly

Medical device button configuration

An instrument sterile adapter () couples a surgical instrument () and an instrument carriage (). The instrument sterile adapter () includes an instrument plate () that provides a first surface to receive the surgical instrument () and a latch plate () joined to the instrument plate (). The latch plate () includes a second surface to receive the instrument carriage () and latch structures. Each latch structure has a carriage latch arm () that extends away from the second surface of the latch plate () and an instrument latch arm () joined to the carriage latch arm (). The instrument latch arm () extends through the instrument plate () and away from the first surface of the instrument plate (). A connecting member () flexibly connects the carriage latch arm () and the instrument latch arm () to a remainder of the latch plate (). The connecting member () may be perpendicular to the latch arms (). The latch arms () may engage fixed locking surfaces in the instrument carriage () and the surgical instrument ().

An instrument includes a chassis having a side adapted to be removably mated with a surgical robotic manipulator arm, a transport shaft coupled to the chassis, a valve including a valve channel and a movable valve member, a first robotic actuation piece, and a manual button. An auxiliary channel is defined in the chassis. A cavity extends through the transport shaft and intersects the auxiliary channel, which define an instrument axis. The valve channel intersects the auxiliary channel. The movable valve member translates across the valve channel along a valve member axis. The first robotic actuation piece is coupled to translate the movable valve member along the valve member axis and rotates about an actuation piece axis perpendicular to and offset from the valve member axis. The manual button is coupled to translate the movable valve member along the valve member axis and translates parallel to the valve member axis.

Growing community of inventors

San Jose, CA, United States of America

Craig Tsuji