Intuitive Surgical Operations, Inc.

Jordan Tanner

Larry L Howell

Spencer P Magleby

Brian D Jensen

Clayton Grames

Bryce Edmondson

Jason Dearden

Jason Lund

The embodiments described herein can be used in a variety of grasping, cutting, and manipulating operations. In some embodiments, an apparatus includes a shaft, a tool member, and a flexure. The shaft has a distal end portion and a proximal end portion, and defines a longitudinal axis. The distal end portion includes a ground portion. The tool member has an engagement portion and an actuation portion. The engagement portion is disposed distally from the actuation portion, and can exert an engagement force on a target structure. The actuation portion receives an actuation force. The flexure has a first end portion coupled to the ground portion of the shaft, and a second end portion coupled to the tool member. The flexure is configured to deform elastically when the actuation force is exerted on the actuation portion of the tool member such that the tool member rotates relative to the shaft.

Compliant mechanisms having inverted tool members

According to an aspect, a device may include a first member, a second member, and a wrist mechanism disposed between the first member and the second member. The wrist mechanism may include a first cylinder portion coupled to the first member, and a second cylinder portion coupled to the second member. The first cylinder portion may be rollably engaged with the second cylinder portion such that movement of the first cylinder portion with respect to the second cylinder portion is configured to cause the first member to move in at least two directions with respect to the second member. The second cylinder portion may be positioned with respect to the first cylinder portion such that a longitudinal axis of the second cylinder portion is orthogonal to a longitudinal axis of the first cylinder portion.

Crossed-cylinder wrist mechanism with two degrees of freedom

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Provo, UT, United States of America

Jordan Tanner