Covidien LP

Kurt J Anglese

Dylan R Kingsley

Jason T Sanders

Gregory Peter Hertrich

Zachary S Heiliger

Crystal A Adams

Russell W Holbrook

Jason Gary Weihe

William Ross Whitney

Curtis M Siebenaller

Daniel A Joseph

Purvishkumar H Soni

Judd C Nutting

Jeremy P Green

Ian M Anderson

Gregory P Hertrich

An articulation assembly for a surgical instrument, surgical instrument including the same, and robotic surgical system including a surgical robot and the surgical instrument including the articulation assembly. The articulation assembly includes proximal gear assemblies arranged in diagonally-opposed pairs and distal gear assemblies coupled to the respective proximal gear assemblies and likewise arranged in diagonally-opposed pairs. Each distal gear assembly defines an opposite configuration as its diagonally-opposed distal gear assembly. First and second coupling gears couple the diagonally-opposed pairs of proximal gear assemblies such that an input to one of the proximal gear assemblies of a diagonally-opposed pair provides opposite outputs of the corresponding distal gear assemblies.

Articulation mechanisms for surgical instruments such as for use in robotic surgical systems

A gearbox assembly and surgical instrument including the same. The gearbox assembly includes a drive gear including a round gear and a lead screw such that a rotational input to the round gear rotates the lead screw. A first hub is threadingly engaged about the lead screw such that rotation of the lead screw translates the first hub. A second hub is spaced-apart from the first hub and engaged with a drive rod. A compression spring is disposed between the hubs. When a force acting against the drive rod is below a threshold, the rotational input translates the first hub, compression spring, second hub, and drive rod. When the force is equal to or above the threshold, the rotational input translates the first hub and compresses the compression spring against the second hub to maintain the second hub and drive rod in position.

Drive mechanisms for surgical instruments such as for use in robotic surgical systems

A robotic surgical instrument includes a housing, a shaft assembly extending distally from the housing, and an end effector assembly. The shaft assembly has a proximal segment coupled to the housing, a clevis supporting the end effector assembly, and at least one articulating link pivotably coupled to and interconnecting the proximal segment and the clevis such that the end effector assembly is configured to articulate relative to the proximal segment via the at least one articulating link in at least two directions.

Robotic surgical instrument

An articulation assembly for a robotic surgical instrument includes a plurality of rotatable but longitudinally fixed lead screws extending between first and second base plates, a collar threaded about each lead screws and configured to translate therealong in response to rotation of the corresponding lead screw, an articulation cable coupled to each collar and defining or having a threaded shaft, and a threaded nipple threaded about each of the threaded shafts. Each threaded nipple is engaged with one of the collars to thereby engage each of the articulation cables with a corresponding one of the collars such that longitudinal translation of the corresponding collar pushes or pulls the corresponding articulation cable. Each threaded nipple is configured for further threading or unthreading about the corresponding threaded shaft to vary a pre-tension on the corresponding articulation cable.

Tensioning mechanisms and methods for articulating surgical instruments such as for use in robotic surgical systems

A robotic surgical instrument includes a housing, a shaft assembly extending distally from the housing, and an end effector assembly. The shaft assembly has a proximal segment coupled to the housing, a clevis supporting the end effector assembly, and an articulating link pivotably coupled to and interconnecting the proximal segment and the clevis such that the end effector assembly is configured to articulate relative to the proximal segment via the articulating link in at least two directions.

An electrosurgical instrument for use in a robotic surgical system includes an electrosurgical end effector, a housing configured to be operably coupled to an instrument drive unit, a shaft extending distally from the housing, and a wrist assembly coupled to a distal end portion of the shaft. The wrist assembly includes a first pivot member and a second pivot member having a proximal end portion movably coupled to the first pivot member, and a distal end portion configured to be coupled to the end effector. The first pivot member has a pair of first and second distally-extending arms each defining a first groove configured to receive and guide a cable.

Robotic surgical assemblies including electrosurgical instruments having articulatable wrist assemblies

An articulation assembly, surgical instrument including the same, and robotic surgical system including the same. The articulation assembly includes a lead screw assembly including a lead screw and a collar operably engaged about the lead screw such that rotation of the lead screw translates the collar about the lead screw. The lead screw defines a proximal input end rotatably received within a first base assembly and a distal dock end rotatably received within a second base assembly. An articulation cable is operably coupled to the collar such that movement of the collar about the lead screw tensions or de-tensions the articulation cable. A set screw is threadingly engaged within the second base assembly and operably coupled to the distal dock end of the lead screw such that proximal rotational driving of the set screw urges the lead screw proximally, thereby urging the collar proximally to tension the articulation cable.

A surgical instrument includes a housing having a shaft extending distally therefrom, an end effector assembly disposed at a distal end of the shaft, a handle assembly coupled to the housing for manipulating the end effector assembly, a deployable assembly, at least one actuator for deploying and retracting the deployable assembly, and a closure member. The closure member is keyed to the actuator(s) and operably positioned relative to the movable handle of the handle assembly such that, upon rotation of the actuator(s) relative to the housing from an un-actuated position to an actuated position, the closure member is urged into contact with the movable handle to urge the movable handle from an initial position to a compressed position, thereby moving the end effector assembly to an approximated position.

Gear assembly for surgical instruments

A surgical instrument articulation assembly includes a lead screw sub-assembly including four lead screws. A first gear sub-assembly includes first and second gears coupled to the first and third lead screws. A second gear sub-assembly includes third and fourth gears coupled to the second and fourth lead screws, respectively, a first compound gear including a distal gear coupling the first and second gears with one another, and a proximal gear coupled with a first coupling gear disposed about a first input. The third gear sub-assembly includes a second compound gear including a distal gear coupling the third and fourth gears with one another, and a proximal gear coupled with a second coupling gear disposed about a second input. A rotational input provided to the first or second input respectively rotates the first and third lead screws and or the second and fourth lead screws.

Articulation assembly for a surgical instrument such as for use in a robotic surgical system and methods of assembling the same

A surgical instrument configured for use with a robotic surgical system includes a housing, a shaft extending distally from the housing and including an articulating portion, an end effector assembly extending distally from the shaft and including first and second jaw members, a knife configured for translation between the jaw members, and a gearbox assembly disposed within the housing and operably coupled to the articulating portion of the shaft, the end effector assembly, and the knife. The gearbox assembly includes four rotational input gears each adapted to receive a rotational input from a robotic arm. The gearbox assembly is configured to independently articulate the end effector assembly about a first axis, articulate the end effector assembly about a second axis, move the jaw member(s) relative to the other, and translate the knife between the jaw members based upon the rotational inputs received by the four rotational input gears.

Geared actuation mechanisms for surgical instruments such as for use in robotic surgical systems

A gearbox assembly of a surgical instrument and a surgical instrument including the same are provided. The gearbox assembly includes a carriage configured to selectively translate, four gear systems each including an input portion configured to receive an input and an output portion configured to provide an output, a first differential gear assembly operably coupled between the first and second gear systems, a second differential gear assembly operably coupled between the third and fourth gear systems, and a third differential gear assembly operably coupled between the first and second differential gear assemblies. The third differential gear assembly including an output coupled to the carriage. In response to different inputs provided, the third differential gear assembly provides no output to the carriage. In response to equal inputs provided, the output of the third differential gear assembly translate the carriage.

An articulation assembly for a surgical instrument, surgical instrument including the same, and robotic surgical system including a surgical robot and the surgical instrument including the articulation assembly. The articulation assembly includes lead screw assemblies each including a lead screw and a collar operably engaged about the lead screw such that rotation of the lead screw translates the collar about the lead screw. Articulation cables are operably coupled to the collars of the lead screw assemblies such that proximal movement of one of the collars about the respective lead screw tensions the corresponding articulation cable and such that distal movement of one of the collars about the respective lead screw de-tensions the corresponding articulation cable. Proximal gear assemblies are coupled to the lead screws. Coupling gears couple pairs of the proximal gear assemblies with one another to maintain a pre-tension on the corresponding articulation cables.

Growing community of inventors

Lafayette, CO, United States of America

Kurt J Anglese