University of Texas System

Endoquest Robotics, Inc.

Colubrismx, Inc

Seokyung Han

Daniel Huan Kim

Dong Suk Shin

Yongman Park

Taeho Jang

Jeihan Lee

Hongmin Kim

Kihoon Nam

Daniel H Kim

The disclosure provides a surgical apparatus comprising: a steerable member that is bendable and comprises a plurality of bending segments with channels therein; and a plurality of bending actuation wires that are arranged to pass through the steerable member and cause the steerable member to bend, the steerable member comprising at least one outwardly opening lumen through which the bending actuation wires pass.

Surgical apparatus

Provided herein is a mechanism to controllably move a wire within a flexible tubular member, the wire including opposed wire ends extending outwardly of a proximal end of the flexible tubular member, comprising a drive mechanism and a coupling located between the drive mechanism and the wire end, wherein movement of the coupling in the direction of the wire end results in opposed motion of the wire end.

End effector and end effector drive apparatus

Provided herein is a surgical instrument comprising a cap having a first and second aperture extending therethrough, a first extendable and retractable member having a distal end coupled to a first coupling, a first arm extending from the first coupling and pivotable with respect to the distal end of the first member, and a second arm connected to the first arm through a second coupling and pivotable, with respect to the first arm, a second extendable and retractable member having a distal end coupled to a third coupling, a third arm extending from the second coupling, the third arm pivotable, with respect to the distal end of the second member, and a fourth arm connected to the third arm through a fourth coupling and pivotable, with respect to the third arm, a first end effector connected to the second arm and a second end effector connected to the fourth arm.

Provided herein as an end effector for a surgical apparatus including a housing having an outer wall and an opening therein, and opposed first and second walls extending along opposite sides of the opening, a first actuator pivotally coupled to the first wall of the housing, a second actuator pivotally coupled to the second wall of the housing, and a coupling disposed within the opening of the housing and between at least a portion of the first and second actuators, the coupling including opposed first and second ends, each end pivotally coupled to a different one of the first and second actuators. To operate the actuators, a mechanism to controllably move a wire within a flexible tubular member, the wire including opposed wire ends extending outwardly of a proximal end of a flexible tubular member and a portion therebetween end connected to a actuator of the end effector is provided, and it includes a drive mechanism and a coupler extending between the drive mechanism and the wire end, wherein movement of the coupling in the direction of the wire end results in opposed motion of the wire end.

Growing community of inventors

Houston, TX, United States of America

Seokyung Han