US20110118778A1
Active / In Force
US
⏱️ 4.1 years remaining
End effector with redundant closing mechanisms
Assignee: Intuitive Surgical Operations Inc
•
Filing: 2010-11-12
•
Granted: —
•
Expires: 2030-11-12
Abstract
Abstract End effectors with redundant closing mechanisms, and related tools and methods are disclosed. The disclosed end effectors may be particularly beneficial when used for minimally invasive surgery. An example surgical tool comprises an elongate shaft having a proximal end and a distal end, a tool body disposed at the distal end of the shaft, a jaw movable relative to the tool body between a clamped configuration and an open configuration, a first actuation mechanism coupled with the jaw and operable to vary the position of the jaw relative to the tool body between the clamped configuration and the open configuration, and a second actuation mechanism coupled with the jaw. The second actuation mechanism has a first configuration where the jaw is held in the clamped configuration and a second configuration where the position of the jaw relative to the tool body is unconstrained by the second actuation mechanism.
Inventors
- 👤 William A. Burbank
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-23 04:10
CPC Classifications
A; A61; A61B; A61B17/00; A61B17/28; A61B17/29; A61B17/068; A61B17/072; A61B17/07207; A61B17/285; A61B17/32; A61B17/320016; A61B34/00; A61B34/30; A61B34/37; A61B34/70; A61B34/71; A61B50/00; A61B50/10; A61B50/13; A61B50/15; A61B2017/00367; A61B2017/00398; A61B2017/00477; A61B2017/07214; A61B2017/2926; A61B2017/2932; A61B2017/2933; A61B2017/2938; A61B2017/2944; A61B2017/2946; A61B2017/2947; A61B2017/320052
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 29
Claim 1
Independent Claim
115 words
1 . A minimally invasive surgical method comprising: introducing a jaw of a tool to an internal surgical site within a patient through a minimally invasive aperture or natural orifice; manipulating tissue at the internal surgical site with a grasping force by articulating the jaw with a first actuation mechanism, the first actuation mechanism extending along a shaft from outside the patient to the jaw; and treating a target tissue at the internal surgical site using a clamping force by articulating the jaw of the tool with a second actuation mechanism, the second actuation mechanism extending along the shaft from outside the patient to the jaw, the clamping force being greater than the grasping force.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
115 words
1 . A minimally invasive surgical method comprising: introducing a jaw of a tool to an internal surgical site within a patient through a minimally invasive aperture or natural orifice; manipulating tissue at the internal surgical site with a grasping force by articulating the jaw with a first actuation mechanism, the first actuation mechanism extending along a shaft from outside the patient to the jaw; and treating a target tissue at the internal surgical site using a clamping force by articulating the jaw of the tool with a second actuation mechanism, the second actuation mechanism extending along the shaft from outside the patient to the jaw, the clamping force being greater than the grasping force.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
80 words
2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the manipulation of the tissue is performed by closing the jaw using tension in a first cable segment and by opening the jaw using tension in a second cable segment, the first actuation mechanism comprising the cable segments, and wherein the treatment of the tissue is performed by closing the jaw using rotation of a drive shaft within the shaft of the tool, the second actuation mechanism comprising the drive shaft.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
70 words
3 . The method of claim 2 , wherein the second mechanism back-drives the first mechanism such that articulation of the second actuation mechanism to close the jaw will drive the cable segments toward a closed jaw configuration, wherein articulation of the second actuation mechanism toward an open jaw configuration will not back-drive the first mechanism or open the jaw if the cable segments remain in a closed jaw configuration.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
124 words
4 . A surgical tool comprising: an elongate shaft having a proximal end and a distal end; a tool body disposed at the distal end of the shaft; a jaw movable relative to the tool body between a clamped configuration and an open configuration; a first actuation mechanism coupled with the jaw and operable to vary the position of the jaw relative to the tool body between the clamped configuration and the open configuration; and a second actuation mechanism coupled with the jaw, the second actuation mechanism having a first configuration in which the jaw is held in the clamped configuration and a second configuration in which the position of the jaw relative to the tool body is unconstrained by the second actuation mechanism.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
124 words
4 . A surgical tool comprising: an elongate shaft having a proximal end and a distal end; a tool body disposed at the distal end of the shaft; a jaw movable relative to the tool body between a clamped configuration and an open configuration; a first actuation mechanism coupled with the jaw and operable to vary the position of the jaw relative to the tool body between the clamped configuration and the open configuration; and a second actuation mechanism coupled with the jaw, the second actuation mechanism having a first configuration in which the jaw is held in the clamped configuration and a second configuration in which the position of the jaw relative to the tool body is unconstrained by the second actuation mechanism.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
15 words
5 . The tool of claim 4 , wherein the first actuation mechanism is back-drivable.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
15 words
6 . The tool of claim 4 , wherein the first actuation mechanism comprises cables.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
50 words
7 . The tool of claim 6 , wherein: a pulling movement of a first cable segment of the first actuation mechanism moves the jaw towards the open configuration; and a pulling movement of a second cable segment of the first actuation mechanism moves the jaw towards the clamped configuration.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
46 words
8 . The tool of claim 7 , wherein the first actuation mechanism further comprises: a first linkage coupling the first cable segment with the jaw and the tool body; and a second linkage coupling the second cable segment with the jaw and the tool body
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
15 words
9 . The tool of claim 4 , wherein the second actuation mechanism is non-back-drivable.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
32 words
10 . The tool of claim 4 , wherein the second actuation mechanism is operable to produce a clamping force between the jaw and the tool body of at least 20 lbs.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
16 words
11 . The tool of claim 4 , wherein the second actuation mechanism comprises a leadscrew.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
39 words
12 . The tool of claim 11 , wherein: the second actuation mechanism further comprises a leadscrew driven cam operatively coupled with the leadscrew; and the jaw comprises an interfacing cam surface for contact with the leadscrew driven cam.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
13 words
13 . The tool of claim 4 , further comprising an actuated device.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
129 words
14 . A robotic tool for mounting on a manipulator having a first drive, the tool comprising: a proximal tool chassis releasably mountable to the manipulator; a drive motor coupled with the tool chassis and disposed adjacent the tool chassis; a distal end effector comprising a movable jaw; an instrument shaft having a proximal end adjacent the chassis, and a distal end adjacent the end effector; a first actuation mechanism coupling the first drive to the end effector when the chassis is mounted to the manipulator so as to articulate the end effector between an open configuration and a clamped configurations; and a second actuation mechanism coupling the drive motor to the end effector so as to articulate the end effector into the clamped configuration from the open configuration.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
129 words
14 . A robotic tool for mounting on a manipulator having a first drive, the tool comprising: a proximal tool chassis releasably mountable to the manipulator; a drive motor coupled with the tool chassis and disposed adjacent the tool chassis; a distal end effector comprising a movable jaw; an instrument shaft having a proximal end adjacent the chassis, and a distal end adjacent the end effector; a first actuation mechanism coupling the first drive to the end effector when the chassis is mounted to the manipulator so as to articulate the end effector between an open configuration and a clamped configurations; and a second actuation mechanism coupling the drive motor to the end effector so as to articulate the end effector into the clamped configuration from the open configuration.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
15 words
15 . The tool of claim 14 , wherein the first actuation mechanism is back-drivable.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
36 words
16 . The tool of claim 14 , wherein the first actuation mechanism comprises cables extending from the chassis distally within a bore of the instrument shaft operatively coupling the end effector to the first drive.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
15 words
17 . The tool of claim 14 , wherein the second actuation mechanism is non-back-drivable.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
18 words
18 . The tool of claim 14 , wherein the second actuation mechanism comprises a leadscrew driven cam.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
48 words
19 . The tool of claim 14 , wherein the second actuation mechanism has a first configuration where the jaw is held in the clamped configuration and a second configuration where the position of the jaw relative to the tool body is unconstrained by the second actuation mechanism.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
37 words
20 . The tool of claim 14 , wherein the second actuation mechanism comprises a drive shaft mounted for rotation within a bore of the instrument shaft and operatively coupling the end effector with the drive motor.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
82 words
21 . A surgical instrument comprising: an end effector comprising a movable jaw; a first jaw actuation mechanism coupled to the movable jaw; and a second jaw actuation mechanism coupled to the movable jaw; wherein the first jaw actuation mechanism moves the jaw from an open position to a closed position independently of the second jaw actuation mechanism; and wherein the second jaw actuation mechanism moves the jaw from the open to the closed position independently of the first jaw actuation mechanism.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
82 words
21 . A surgical instrument comprising: an end effector comprising a movable jaw; a first jaw actuation mechanism coupled to the movable jaw; and a second jaw actuation mechanism coupled to the movable jaw; wherein the first jaw actuation mechanism moves the jaw from an open position to a closed position independently of the second jaw actuation mechanism; and wherein the second jaw actuation mechanism moves the jaw from the open to the closed position independently of the first jaw actuation mechanism.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
37 words
22 . The surgical instrument of claim 21 , wherein the second actuation mechanism in a first configuration holds the movable jaw in a clamped position that prevents the first actuation mechanism from moving the movable jaw.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
41 words
23 . The surgical instrument of claim 22 , wherein a maximum clamping force of the movable jaw provided by the second actuation mechanism is larger than a maximum clamping force of the movable jaw provided by the first actuation mechanism.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
58 words
24 . The surgical instrument of claim 21 , wherein: a force used by the first jaw actuation mechanism to move the jaw from the open to the closed position comprises a linear force; and a force used by the second jaw actuation mechanism to move the jaw from the open to the closed position comprises a torque.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
29 words
25 . The surgical instrument of claim 21 , wherein: the first jaw actuation mechanism comprises a cable-driven mechanism; and the second jaw actuation mechanism comprises a leadscrew-driven mechanism.
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