US20110118709A1 — Surgical tool with a two degree of freedom wrist

Claim 1

Independent Claim 212 words

1 . A minimally invasive surgical tool comprising: a tubular instrument shaft having a proximal end and a distal end with a bore there between, the shaft having an instrument shaft axis; an end effector comprising an end effector body; an intermediate wrist member pivotally coupled with the distal end of the shaft and pivotally coupled with the end effector body, pivoting of the intermediate member relative to the shaft orienting the intermediate member about a first axis relative to the shaft, and pivoting of the end effector body relative to the intermediate member orienting the end effector about a second axis relative to the intermediate member, the first axis being transverse to the shaft axis, the second axis being transverse to the first axis, the intermediate member having an exterior width along the first axis and an exterior length along the second axis, the length being significantly different than the width so that the intermediate member has an elongate cross section; and an actuation system extending distally through the bore of the shaft so as to orient the end effector body and actuate the end effector, a portion of the actuation system laterally separated from the elongate cross section of the intermediate member between the shaft and the end effector body.

Claim 2

Dependent Claim 212 words

1 . A minimally invasive surgical tool comprising: a tubular instrument shaft having a proximal end and a distal end with a bore there between, the shaft having an instrument shaft axis; an end effector comprising an end effector body; an intermediate wrist member pivotally coupled with the distal end of the shaft and pivotally coupled with the end effector body, pivoting of the intermediate member relative to the shaft orienting the intermediate member about a first axis relative to the shaft, and pivoting of the end effector body relative to the intermediate member orienting the end effector about a second axis relative to the intermediate member, the first axis being transverse to the shaft axis, the second axis being transverse to the first axis, the intermediate member having an exterior width along the first axis and an exterior length along the second axis, the length being significantly different than the width so that the intermediate member has an elongate cross section; and an actuation system extending distally through the bore of the shaft so as to orient the end effector body and actuate the end effector, a portion of the actuation system laterally separated from the elongate cross section of the intermediate member between the shaft and the end effector body.

Claim 3

Dependent Claim 26 words

2 . The tool of claim 1 , wherein the width of the intermediate member is less than one-fourth of the length of the intermediate member.

Claim 4

Dependent Claim 23 words

3 . The tool of claim 1 , wherein the first axis and the second axis are within 2 mm of being coplanar.

Claim 5

Dependent Claim 18 words

4 . The tool of claim 3 , wherein the first axis and the second axis are coplanar.

Claim 6

Dependent Claim 101 words

5 . The tool of claim 1 , further comprising a first joint pivotally coupling the shaft to the intermediate member, and a second joint pivotally coupling the intermediate member to the end effector body, wherein the first joint comprises a single pivot shaft extending along the first axis within the width of the intermediate member so that the first joint is disposed within a central region between the shaft and the end effector body clear of the laterally separated portion of the actuation system, wherein the second joint comprises first and second coaxial pivot shafts separated along the second axis.

Claim 7

Dependent Claim 42 words

6 . The tool of claim 5 , wherein the intermediate member comprises internal passages for guiding control cables of the actuation system between the instrument shaft and the end effector body and between the coaxial pivot shafts of the second joint.

Claim 8

Dependent Claim 82 words

7 . The tool of claim 6 , further comprising a support member fixedly coupled with the instrument shaft and pivotally coupled with the intermediate member for rotation about the first axis, the support member comprising internal passages for guiding control cables of the actuation system routed between a bore of the instrument shaft and the end effector body, wherein the guide surfaces constrain the control cables so as to inhibit altering cable tensions during pivoting about the first and second axes.

Claim 9

Dependent Claim 60 words

8 . The tool of claim 1 , wherein the laterally separated portion of the actuation system comprises a first rotatable drive shaft for driving a first actuation mechanism of the end effector, the first drive shaft being routed between the end effector body and the bore so as to pass adjacent to a first side of the intermediate member.

Claim 10

Dependent Claim 69 words

9 . The tool of claim 8 , wherein the laterally separated portion of the actuation system further comprises a second rotatable drive shaft for driving a second actuation mechanism of the end effector, the second drive shaft being routed between the end effector body and the bore so as to pass adjacent to a second side of the intermediate member, the second side being opposite the first side.

Claim 11

Dependent Claim 69 words

10 . The tool of claim 1 , wherein an orientation portion of the actuation system is operable to vary the orientation of the end effector body relative to the instrument shaft about the first and second axes, the orientation portion being back drivable so that forces applied to the end effector body so as to alter its orientation are transmitted proximally through the bore by the actuation system.

Claim 12

Dependent Claim 24 words

11 . The tool of claim 1 , wherein an actuation of the end effector comprises articulation of a joint of the end effector.

Claim 13

Dependent Claim 131 words

12 . A method for manufacturing a minimally invasive surgical tool, the method comprising: pivotally coupling an intermediate member to an instrument shaft for rotation about a first axis oriented non-parallel to an elongate direction of the instrument shaft; pivotally coupling an end effector to the intermediate member for rotation about a second axis oriented non-parallel to the first axis and the elongate direction; and coupling an actuation mechanism with the end effector, the actuation mechanism operable to vary the orientation of the end effector relative to the elongate direction in two dimensions, at least a portion of the actuation mechanism being routed between the end effector and a bore of the instrument shaft so as to pass outside of and separated from at least one side of the intermediate member.

Claim 14

Dependent Claim 131 words

12 . A method for manufacturing a minimally invasive surgical tool, the method comprising: pivotally coupling an intermediate member to an instrument shaft for rotation about a first axis oriented non-parallel to an elongate direction of the instrument shaft; pivotally coupling an end effector to the intermediate member for rotation about a second axis oriented non-parallel to the first axis and the elongate direction; and coupling an actuation mechanism with the end effector, the actuation mechanism operable to vary the orientation of the end effector relative to the elongate direction in two dimensions, at least a portion of the actuation mechanism being routed between the end effector and a bore of the instrument shaft so as to pass outside of and separated from at least one side of the intermediate member.

Claim 15

Dependent Claim 37 words

13 . The method of claim 12 , wherein the first axis is normal to the second axis and at least one of the first axis or the second axis is normal to the instrument-shaft elongate direction.

Claim 16

Dependent Claim 39 words

14 . The method of claim 12 , wherein the intermediate member has an exterior width in the first-axis direction and a maximum exterior length in the second-axis direction that is greater than the width in the first-axis direction.

Claim 17

Dependent Claim 29 words

15 . The method of claim 14 , wherein the intermediate member has a maximum exterior width in the first-axis direction is less than one-third of the exterior length.

Claim 18

Dependent Claim 72 words

16 . The method of claim 12 , wherein: the intermediate member comprises internal passages for guiding control cables routed between the end effector and a bore of the instrument shaft, wherein the guide surfaces constrain the control cables so as to inhibit altering cable tensions during pivoting about the first and second axes; and the method further comprises routing end effector control cables through the internal passages of the intermediate member.

Claim 19

Dependent Claim 52 words

17 . The method of claim 12 , further comprising back driving the actuation mechanism by varying the orientation of the end effector relative to the instrument shaft so that forces applied to the end effector so as to alter its orientation are transmitted proximally through the bore by the actuation system.

Claim 20

Dependent Claim 23 words

18 . The method of claim 12 , wherein an actuation of the end effector comprises articulating a joint of the end effector.

Claim 21

Dependent Claim 149 words

19 . A minimally invasive surgical method comprising: inserting a surgical end effector of a tool to an internal surgical site via a minimally invasive aperture or natural orifice; pivoting an intermediate member of the tool relative to a shaft of the tool about a first joint so as to orient the intermediate member about a first axis relative to the shaft of the tool supporting the end effector; pivoting the end effector relative to the intermediate member about a second joint so as to orient the end effector about a second axis relative to the intermediate member, one of the first joint and the second joint comprising a centrally located joint disposed within a central portion of a cross section of the tool; and mechanically actuating the end effector with an actuation-system component that passes between the bore and the end effector laterally offset from the central joint.

Claim 22

Dependent Claim 149 words

19 . A minimally invasive surgical method comprising: inserting a surgical end effector of a tool to an internal surgical site via a minimally invasive aperture or natural orifice; pivoting an intermediate member of the tool relative to a shaft of the tool about a first joint so as to orient the intermediate member about a first axis relative to the shaft of the tool supporting the end effector; pivoting the end effector relative to the intermediate member about a second joint so as to orient the end effector about a second axis relative to the intermediate member, one of the first joint and the second joint comprising a centrally located joint disposed within a central portion of a cross section of the tool; and mechanically actuating the end effector with an actuation-system component that passes between the bore and the end effector laterally offset from the central joint.

Claim 23

Dependent Claim 23 words

20 . The method of claim 19 , wherein an actuation of the end effector comprises articulating a joint of the end effector.

Claim 24

Dependent Claim 124 words

21 . A surgical instrument comprising: an instrument shaft; a surgical end effector; and a wrist coupling the instrument shaft and the end effector such that the end effector moves relative to the shaft around a first wrist pivot axis and a second wrist pivot axis; wherein the wrist comprises a support member and an intermediate member; wherein the intermediate member comprises a first end, a second end, and a slot in the intermediate member along an axis between the first and second ends; wherein the support member is pivotally coupled to the intermediate member inside the slot to define the first wrist pivot axis; and wherein the second wrist pivot axis is defined between the first and second ends of the intermediate member.

Claim 25

Dependent Claim 124 words

21 . A surgical instrument comprising: an instrument shaft; a surgical end effector; and a wrist coupling the instrument shaft and the end effector such that the end effector moves relative to the shaft around a first wrist pivot axis and a second wrist pivot axis; wherein the wrist comprises a support member and an intermediate member; wherein the intermediate member comprises a first end, a second end, and a slot in the intermediate member along an axis between the first and second ends; wherein the support member is pivotally coupled to the intermediate member inside the slot to define the first wrist pivot axis; and wherein the second wrist pivot axis is defined between the first and second ends of the intermediate member.

Surgical tool with a two degree of freedom wrist

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