Intuitive Surgical Operations, Inc.

Other

Todd E Murphy

Gregory William Dachs, Ii

William A Burbank

Bruce M Schena

William A McDonald, Ii

Grant Duque

Eric D Schneider

Gabriel Francis Brisson

Brian Lee Lipford

John W Zabinski

Margaret M Nixon

Christopher Klassen

Gregory W Ii Dachs

Gregory W Dachs Ii

Ii Gregory Dachs

William Mcdonald

Minimally invasive surgical methods employ an offset drive shaft to actuate an end effector. A minimally invasive surgical method includes introducing an end effector to an internal surgical site. The end effector includes an end effector base that is coupled to the instrument shaft via a wrist. An end effector articulation mechanism is operated to reorient the end effector base relative to the instrument shaft. A surgical task is performed by operating a motor to rotate an offset drive shaft relative to the instrument shaft to actuate the end effector.

Motor interface for parallel drive shafts within an independently rotating member

Surgical tools having a two degree-of-freedom wrist, wrist articulation by linked tension members, mechanisms for transmitting torque through an angle, and minimally invasive surgical tools incorporating these features are disclosed. An elongate intermediate wrist member is pivotally coupled with a distal end of an instrument shaft so as to rotate about a first axis transverse to the shaft, and an end effector body is pivotally coupled with the intermediate member so as to rotate about a second axis that is transverse to the first axis. Linked tension members interact with attachment features to articulate the wrist. A torque-transmitting mechanism includes a coupling member, coupling pins, a drive shaft, and a driven shaft. The drive shaft is coupled with the driven shaft so as to control the relative orientations of the drive shaft, the coupling member, and the driven shaft.

Double universal joint

Sealing assemblies and methods are disclosed for sealing a surgical instrument having an internal drive shaft subject to lateral displacement. A sealing assembly includes a rigid portion shaped to interface with an instrument shaft of the surgical instrument. A laterally oriented slot is open at a radially perimeter location and configured to receive an o-ring seal via the perimeter location. Apertures are disposed on opposing sides of the slot and open to the slot. The apertures are configured to receive the drive shaft there through and are larger than the drive shaft to accommodate lateral displacement of the drive shaft. The slot includes opposing internal sides spaced to interface with opposed axial surfaces of the o-ring seal. The seal inhibits axial transmission of an insufflated gas and/or bodily fluids while accommodating lateral displacement of the drive shaft.

Seals and sealing methods for a surgical instrument having an articulated end effector actuated by a drive shaft

Mechanisms, assemblies, systems, tools, and methods include an offset drive shaft within an independently rotating member. An example method of transmitting torque through an offset drive shaft routed within a rotatable main shaft includes supporting a main shaft to rotate relative to a base so that the main shaft rotates about a main shaft rotational axis. A drive shaft is supported to rotate relative to the main shaft so that the drive shaft rotates about a drive shaft rotational axis that is offset from the main shaft rotational axis. The drive shaft is engaged with a drive feature having a drive feature rotational axis that is fixed relative to the base as the main shaft rotates. The main shaft is rotated relative to the base. The drive feature is rotated relative to the main shaft so as to rotate the drive shaft relative to the main shaft.

Mechanisms, assemblies, systems, tools, and methods incorporating the use of an offset drive shaft within an independently rotating member are provided. An example mechanism includes a base and a main shaft mounted to rotate relative to the base, a first drive shaft mounted inside the main shaft, and a first drive feature engaged with the first drive shaft. The main shaft includes a proximal end, a distal end, and a main shaft rotational axis defined therebetween. The first drive shaft is offset from the main shaft rotational axis. A first drive feature rotational axis is defined for the first drive feature and is fixed relative to the base as the main shaft rotates. The first drive feature rotates the first drive shaft.

Surgical assemblies and related methods are disclosed that provide for the transmission of high levels of actuation torque to a rotary mechanism of an end effector supported by an independently rotatable main shaft without causing undesirable rotation of the main shaft. An input drive shaft is coupled with both the rotary mechanism and the main shaft via a transmission and a rotational coupling so that the main shaft is passively subjected to a counteracting torque opposite in direction to the actuation torque transmitted to the rotary mechanism so as to inhibit rotational driving of the main shaft by the transmitted actuation torque.

Method for passively decoupling torque applied by a remote actuator into an independently rotating member

A link is positioned to pivot at the distal end of a surgical instrument shaft. The link includes a pulley portion. A first control cable that pivots the link in one direction extends out of the surgical instrument shaft and crosses the width of the instrument in a first crossing direction. The first control cable is then routed around the pulley portion of the link in a first circumferential direction. Similarly, a second control cable that pivots the link in the opposite direction extends out of the surgical instrument shaft and crosses the width of the instrument in a second crossing direction. The second control cable is then routed around the pulley portion of the link in a second circumferential direction that is opposite the first circumferential direction.

Surgical instrument wrist

The present invention describes IV regulators that allow interruption of normal controlled-flow for a safe and convenient bolus flush, either for a specific period of time or for a specific volume of saline flush. Two time-controlled IV regulators are shown, one employing a pneumatic cylinder counter-opposed by elastic band(s) for administering a bolus flush, and one employing a compressible lever and torsion spring counter-opposed by a rotary damper. In both cases the mechanisms disengage the roller-clamp from the IV tube for a predetermined amount of time to fully open fluid flow there through for a bolus flush before return to the regulated-flow position. The volume-controlled flow regulator employs two internal bladders and allows one bladder to fill while the other bladder drains (and vice versa) by flipping a slider paddle-type toggle, thus enabling the administration of a set volume of flush fluid.

Growing community of inventors

Palo Alto, CA, United States of America

Todd E Murphy