Intuitive Surgical Operations, Inc.

Timothy P Haines

Robert B Hubler

Hsien-Hsin Liao

Mark Palmer

Craig Gotsill

Joseph Carbone

Shih Tao Chang

Francois De Martrin-Donos

Mason Umholtz

Dong Han

Russell L E Blanchard

Russell LE Blanchard

Surgeon control apparatus

Surgical system console

Headset for surgical system console

Implementations relate to a configurable counterbalance mechanism. In some implementations, a counterbalance apparatus includes a spring, a tension element coupled between the spring and a mechanical ground, a base element coupled to a load, and a configurable arm rotatably coupled to the base element. A first pulley and a second pulley are rotatably coupled to the configurable arm, the second pulley orbitable about the first axis, and the tension element is at least partially wrapped around the first pulley and the second pulley. The configurable arm is rotatably configurable at either a first orientation or a second orientation, where the first orientation is associated with a center of gravity of the load located on a first side of the counterbalance apparatus and the second orientation is associated with the center of gravity of the load located on a second side of the counterbalance apparatus opposite to the first side.

Configurable counterbalance mechanism

Implementations relate to a counterbalance mechanism including a force transformation mechanism that provides a drive ratio. In some implementations, a counterbalance apparatus includes a spring, a first tension element, a second tension element, a force transformation mechanism coupled to the spring by the first tension element and coupled to the second tension element, and a plurality of counterbalance pulleys coupled to the second tension element. At least one of the counterbalance pulleys is coupled to a load that is moveable with reference to a mechanical ground, and a force provided by the spring is modified in magnitude by the force transformation mechanism and is applied to the load via the second tension element. The force transformation mechanism includes a plurality of elements and the modification of the force is based on a drive ratio of the elements of the force transformation mechanism.

Counterbalance mechanism including drive ratio

Growing community of inventors

San Jose, CA, United States of America

Timothy P Haines