Control switch position sensing across a rotational joint

{
  "publication_number": "US12150726B2",
  "country": "US",
  "kind": "B2",
  "title": "Control switch position sensing across a rotational joint",
  "abstract": "Implementations relate to control switch position sensing across a rotational joint. In some implementations, a control input device includes a base member and a roll member rotatable about a central axis with respect to the base member in a roll degree of freedom. A switch contact portion is rotatable with the roll member and moveable to multiple positions in a switch degree of freedom. A first sensor element is coupled to and moveable with the switch contact portion and can be a passive element. A base sensor element is coupled to the base member and configured to sense a proximity of the first sensor element to the base sensor element, and to output a signal indicative of a current position of the switch contact portion in the switch degree of freedom independently of a rotational orientation of the roll member in the roll degree of freedom.",
  "claims": [
    "1. A control input device comprising: a base member; a roll member coupled to the base member and rotatable about a central axis with respect to the base member in a roll degree of freedom; a switch contact portion coupled to the roll member and rotatable with the roll member about the central axis in the roll degree of freedom, wherein the switch contact portion is moveable to multiple positions in a switch degree of freedom with respect to the roll member by a finger contacting the switch contact portion; a first sensor element coupled to the switch contact portion and moveable with the switch contact portion in the switch degree of freedom and in the roll degree of freedom, wherein the first sensor element is a passive element that does not receive an electric signal; and a base sensor element coupled to the base member and configured to sense a proximity of the first sensor element to the base sensor element, wherein the base sensor element is configured to output a signal indicative of a current position of the switch contact portion in the switch degree of freedom independently of a rotational orientation of the roll member in the roll degree of freedom.",
    "2. The control input device of claim 1, wherein: the switch degree of freedom is a linear degree of freedom.",
    "3. The control input device of claim 1, wherein: the first sensor element is a passive magnet; and the base sensor element includes a Hall effect sensor.",
    "4. The control input device of claim 3, wherein: the control input device further comprises an elongated link member that extends parallel to the central axis; and the passive magnet is coupled to the switch contact portion by the elongated link member.",
    "5. The control input device of claim 3, wherein: the passive magnet is a portion of a ring magnet.",
    "6. The control input device of claim 1, wherein: the base sensor element is arranged at least partially concentrically about the central axis.",
    "7. The control input device of claim 1, wherein: the signal indicative of the current position of the switch contact portion is also indicative of the rotational orientation of the roll member in the roll degree of freedom.",
    "8. The control input device of claim 1, wherein: the control input device further comprises a second switch contact portion coupled to the roll member and moveable in a second switch degree of freedom with respect to the roll member by a second finger contacting the second switch contact portion; the second switch contact portion is coupled to a second sensor element moveable with the second switch contact portion in the second switch degree of freedom and in the roll degree of freedom; and the second sensor element is a passive sensor element.",
    "9. The control input device of claim 8, wherein: the first sensor element includes a first magnet having a first magnetic pole facing the base sensor element; the second sensor element includes a second magnet having a second magnetic pole facing the base sensor element; and the second magnetic pole has a polarity that is opposite to a polarity of the first magnetic pole.",
    "10. The control input device of claim 1, wherein: the base sensor element includes one or more optical detectors configured to detect a beam of electromagnetic energy reflected from the first sensor element.",
    "11. The control input device of claim 1, wherein: the control input device further comprises a grip member, a passage in the roll member, and a shaft extending through the passage in the roll member; the grip member is coupled to the roll member and is rotatable with the roll member about the central axis; and the grip member is rotatably coupled to the base member by the shaft.",
    "12. The control input device of claim 11, wherein: the control input device further comprises an actuator; the shaft includes a first end and a second end opposite the first end, a longitudinal axis of the shaft being defined by the first and second ends of the shaft; the first end of the shaft is coupled to the actuator such that the actuator urges the shaft to transmit a linear force along the longitudinal axis of the shaft; the second end of the shaft is coupled to the grip member so that the linear force causes a grip force to be applied to the grip member in a grip degree of freedom; and the shaft is decoupled in rotation from the actuator about the longitudinal axis of the shaft.",
    "13. A control input device comprising: a base member; a roll member coupled to the base member and rotatable about a central axis with respect to the base member in a roll degree of freedom, the roll member including a passage; a shaft extending through the passage of the roll member; a grip member coupled to the roll member and rotatable with the roll member about the central axis, the grip member being coupled to the shaft extending through the passage of the roll member; a switch contact portion coupled to the roll member and rotatable with the roll member about the central axis in the roll degree of freedom, wherein the switch contact portion is moveable to multiple positions in a switch degree of freedom with respect to the roll member; a first sensor element coupled to the switch contact portion and moveable with the switch contact portion in the switch degree of freedom and in the roll degree of freedom; and a base sensor element coupled to the base member and configured to sense a proximity of the first sensor element to the base sensor element, wherein the base sensor element is arranged concentrically about the central axis, and wherein the base sensor element is configured to output a signal indicative of a current position of the switch contact portion in the switch degree of freedom independently of a rotational orientation of the roll member in the roll degree of freedom.",
    "14. The control input device of claim 13, wherein: the base sensor element includes a plurality of individual sensor elements arranged concentrically about the central axis; the first sensor element is coupled to a link member having a longitudinal axis parallel to the central axis; and the plurality of individual sensor elements are spaced concentrically about the central axis.",
    "15. The control input device of claim 14, wherein: at least a portion of the first sensor element is overlapping with at least one of the plurality of individual sensor elements along an axis parallel to the central axis at all orientations of the first sensor element in the roll degree of freedom.",
    "16. The control input device of claim 14, wherein: the base sensor element includes a substrate; the substrate includes an aperture; the plurality of individual sensor elements are positioned on the substrate; and the shaft extends through the aperture in the substrate.",
    "17. The control input device of claim 13, wherein: the first sensor element includes one of an optical emitter or an optical detector; and the base sensor element includes the other of the optical emitter or the optical detector.",
    "18. A control input device comprising: a base member; a roll member comprising a first end, a second end opposite the first end, and a passage between the first and second ends, the roll member being rotatable in a roll degree of freedom about a central axis defined between the first and second ends; a shaft extending through the axial passage of the roll member; a grip member coupled to the roll member and to the shaft, the grip member being rotatable with the roll member about the central axis; a switch contact portion coupled to the roll member, the switch contact portion being rotatable with the roll member in the roll degree of freedom, and the switch contact portion being moveable in a switch degree of freedom with respect to the roll member; a base sensor element of a distance sensor system, the base sensor element being coupled to the base member; and a first sensor element of the distance sensor system, the first sensor element being coupled to the switch contact portion, the first sensor element being rotatable with the roll member in the roll degree of freedom, the first sensor element being moveable with the switch contact portion in the switch degree of freedom, and the first sensor element being separated from the base sensor element by a variable distance that corresponds to positions of the switch contact portion in the switch degree of freedom.",
    "19. The control input device of claim 18, wherein: a signal is generated by the base sensor element; the signal comprises a parameter; and the parameter comprises a value that corresponds to the variable distance that corresponds to positions of the switch contact portion in the switch degree of freedom.",
    "20. The control input device of claim 19, wherein: the value further corresponds to a particular orientation of a plurality of orientations of the roll member about the central axis."
  ],
  "description_excerpt": "Controller mechanisms, e.g., control input devices, allow a user to control functions of various types of mechanisms and instruments. Teleoperated operations are one type of operation that can use control input devices. Teleoperated surgical devices, for example, can use various types of medical instruments to perform minimally invasive surgical procedures that reduce damage to healthy tissue of patients. The medical instruments can be connected to slave devices such as slave arms that can be manipulated to perform the surgical procedures. Control of the medical instruments at a slave device can be provided to an operator at one or more master control devices, e.g., at a remote operator terminal or station, and/or using a hand control device. Actuators of the slave device can be controlled by the master control device to cause motion or initiate another function of a medical instrument, camera, or other end effector at the slave device that interacts with the patient surgical site. In some examples, the master control device at the operator station can be physically manipulated by the operator in one or more degrees of freedom to control the end effector to be moved in coordination with the manipulation of the control device, e.g., to move in corresponding degrees of freedom at the operating site.\n\nOne of the degrees of freedom of a master control device can include a rotational degree of freedom of a handle of the master control device.",
  "cpc": [
    "A61B 34/37",
    "A61B 2017/00876",
    "A61B 2034/301",
    "A61B 2090/061",
    "A61B 2562/0223",
    "A61B 34/35",
    "A61B 34/74",
    "A61B 90/06",
    "B25J 13/025",
    "H04N 23/50",
    "H04N 23/57"
  ],
  "ipc": [
    "A61B 34/00",
    "A61B 34/35",
    "A61B 34/37",
    "A61B 90/00"
  ],
  "assignees": [
    "Intuitive Surgical Operations Inc"
  ],
  "inventors": [
    "Brian LUPTAK",
    "Matthew CAVALIER"
  ],
  "filing_date": "2019-08-21",
  "publication_date": "2024-11-26",
  "grant_date": "2024-11-26",
  "priority_date": "2018-08-22",
  "application_number": "US-201917269848-A",
  "family_id": "67998712",
  "cited_by_count": 0,
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}