Cable tensioning in a robotic surgical system

{
  "publication_number": "US9050119B2",
  "country": "US",
  "kind": "B2",
  "title": "Cable tensioning in a robotic surgical system",
  "abstract": "An apparatus, system, and method for setting, maintaining, and adjusting a cable tension in a telerobotic surgical system are provided. A cable tensioning apparatus includes, in one example, an arm, a pulley rotatably coupled to the arm, and a base operably coupled to the arm, the base including a translation mechanism for changing the position of the pulley to control a tension of a cable movable along the pulley. A termination block includes, in one example, a block including two cable pathways with each cable pathway having a retaining means for a ball fitting, and a support for moving a cable along the two cable pathways, the cable including a ball fitting in each of the cable pathways.",
  "claims": [
    "1. A cable tensioning apparatus of a robotic surgical manipulator, the cable tensioning apparatus comprising: an arm; a first pulley system comprising two idler pulleys along a same axis, the first pulley system being rotatably coupled to a first end of the arm and positioned between second and third pulley systems in the robotic surgical manipulator; and a base operably coupled to a second end of the arm, the base including a translation mechanism configured to limit movement of the first pulley system along a linear path to control a tension of a closed loop cable extending between the second and third pulley systems and movable along the first pulley system, wherein movement of the first pulley system along the linear path moves the first pulley system toward one of the second or third pulley systems to tension the cable; wherein the closed loop cable passes over each of the two idler pulleys such that movement of the closed loop cable causes rotation of the two idler pulleys in opposite directions of each other.",
    "2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the translation mechanism includes a threaded cavity for mating with a screw along which the base may translate.",
    "3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the base includes a locking mechanism for maintaining the position of the base or the arm.",
    "4. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the locking mechanism includes a screw and a spring washer.",
    "5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein an end of the cable is operably coupled to a second pulley.",
    "6. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a plurality of pulleys rotatably coupled to the arm.",
    "7. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the plurality of pulleys are independently rotatable.",
    "8. A robotic surgical system, comprising: a drive assembly; a surgical instrument; a manipulator arm operably coupling the surgical instrument to the drive assembly, the manipulator arm having a cable tensioning apparatus including an arm having a first end and a second end, a first pulley system comprising two axially adjacent idler pulleys, the first pulley system being rotatably coupled to the first end of the arm and positioned between second and third pulley systems in the manipulator arm, and a base operably coupled to the second end of the arm, the base including a translation mechanism configured to limit movement of the first pulley system along a linear path; and a closed loop cable extending between the second and third pulley systems and moving along the first pulley system for transmitting motion from the drive assembly to the manipulator arm, the tension of the cable being controlled in part by the cable tensioning apparatus, wherein movement of the first pulley system along the linear path moves the first pulley system toward one of the second or third pulley systems to tension the cable; wherein the closed loop cable passes over both of the two idler pulleys such that movement of the closed loop cable causes rotation of the two idler pulleys in opposite directions of each other.",
    "9. The system of claim 8, wherein the manipulator arm is a patient side manipulator arm or an endoscope camera manipulator arm.",
    "10. The system of claim 8, wherein the instrument includes an end effector selected from the group consisting of jaws, scissors, graspers, needle holders, micro-dissectors, staple appliers, tackers, suction irrigation tools, clip appliers, cutting blades, cautery probes, irrigators, catheters, and suction orifices.",
    "11. The system of claim 8, wherein the translation mechanism includes a threaded cavity for mating with a screw along which the base may translate.",
    "12. The system of claim 8, wherein the base includes a locking mechanism for maintaining the position of the base or the arm.",
    "13. The system of claim 12, wherein the locking mechanism includes a screw and a spring washer.",
    "14. The system of claim 8, further comprising a plurality of pulleys rotatably coupled to the first end of the arm.",
    "15. The system of claim 8, wherein a first end of the cable is operably coupled to the second pulley system comprising a capstan pulley and a second end of the cable is operably coupled to the third pulley system comprising an output pulley.",
    "16. The system of claim 8, wherein an end of the cable is operably coupled to the surgical instrument.",
    "17. The system of claim 8, wherein a first end of the cable is operably coupled to a termination block and a second end of the cable is operably coupled to the second pulley system comprising a capstan pulley.",
    "18. A method of controlling a cable tension in a robotic surgical manipulator, the method comprising: providing a drive assembly; providing a surgical instrument; providing a manipulator arm operably coupling the surgical instrument to the drive assembly, the manipulator arm having a cable tensioning apparatus including an arm having a first end and a second end, a first pulley system comprising two axially aligned idler pulleys, the first pulley system being rotatably coupled to the first end of the arm and positioned between second and third pulley systems in the manipulator arm, and a base operably coupled to the second end of the arm, the base including a translation mechanism configured to limit movement of the first pulley system along a linear path; moving a closed loop cable along the first pulley system for transmitting motion from the drive assembly to the manipulator arm, wherein the cable extends between the second and third pulley systems; and changing the position of the pulley along the linear path to control the tension of the cable, wherein changing the position of the first pulley system includes moving the first pulley system toward one of the second or third pulley systems to tension the cable; wherein the closed loop cable passes along both idler pulleys such that movement of the closed loop cable causes rotation of the two idler pulleys in opposite directions of each other.",
    "19. The method of claim 18, wherein the changing of the position of the pulley includes linearly moving the base along a screw.",
    "20. The method of claim 18, further comprising setting the tension of the cable via a torsion spring coupling the second end of the arm and the base.",
    "21. The method of claim 18, further comprising maintaining the tension of the cable by locking the position of the base or the arm via a locking mechanism.",
    "22. The method of claim 18, further comprising maintaining the tension of the cable by locking the position of the base or the arm via a brake."
  ],
  "description_excerpt": "The present invention relates generally to surgical robot systems and, more particularly, to an apparatus, system, and method for cable tensioning in a robotic surgical system.\n\nMinimally invasive robotic surgical or telesurgical systems have been developed to increase a surgeon's dexterity and to avoid some of the limitations on traditional minimally invasive techniques. In telesurgery, the surgeon uses some form of remote control, e.g., a servomechanism or the like, to manipulate surgical instrument movements, rather than directly holding and moving the instruments by hand. In telesurgery systems, the surgeon can be provided with an image of the surgical site at the surgical workstation. While viewing a two or three dimensional image of the surgical site on a display, the surgeon performs the surgical procedures on the patient by manipulating master control devices, which in turn control motion of the servomechanically operated instruments.\n\nIn robotically-assisted surgery, the surgeon typically operates a master controller to control the motion of surgical instruments at the surgical site from a location that may be remote from the patient (e.g., across the operating room, in a different room, or a completely different building from the patient). The master controller usually includes one or more hand input devices, such as hand-held wrist gimbals, joysticks, exoskeletal gloves or the like, which are operatively coupled to the surgical instruments that are releasably coupled to a patient side surgical manipulator (“the slave”).",
  "cpc": [
    "A61B 34/71",
    "A61B 1/00149",
    "A61B 19/2203",
    "A61B 19/5212",
    "A61B 2017/00212",
    "A61B 2017/00477",
    "A61B 2019/103",
    "A61B 2019/2223",
    "A61B 2019/2234",
    "A61B 2019/2242",
    "A61B 2019/2246",
    "A61B 2034/305",
    "A61B 2034/715",
    "A61B 2046/234",
    "A61B 34/30",
    "A61B 34/35",
    "A61B 34/37",
    "A61B 90/361",
    "B25J 9/1045",
    "G06F 19/3406",
    "G06F 19/3418",
    "G06F 19/3481",
    "G16H 20/30",
    "G16H 20/40",
    "G16H 40/63",
    "G16H 40/67",
    "G16Z 99/00",
    "Y10T 74/20305"
  ],
  "ipc": [
    "A61B 1/00",
    "A61B 17/00",
    "A61B 19/00",
    "A61B 46/23",
    "B25J 9/10",
    "G16H 20/40",
    "G16H 40/67",
    "G16Z 99/00"
  ],
  "assignees": [
    "Intuitive Surgical Operations Inc"
  ],
  "inventors": [
    "Roman L. Devengenzo",
    "Todd R. Solomon",
    "Thomas G. Cooper"
  ],
  "filing_date": "2006-12-20",
  "publication_date": "2015-06-09",
  "grant_date": "2015-06-09",
  "priority_date": "2005-12-20",
  "application_number": "US-61357806-A",
  "family_id": "38222253",
  "cited_by_count": 34,
  "citations": [
    "US4441695A",
    "US4921293A",
    "US5176581A",
    "US5931832A",
    "US5800423A",
    "US5730578A",
    "US5807377A",
    "US5976122A",
    "US6132368A",
    "US20060235436A1",
    "US20050021050A1",
    "US6786896B1",
    "US5957423A",
    "US6246200B1",
    "US6331181B1",
    "US6491701B2",
    "US6206903B1",
    "US6770081B1",
    "JP2002266962A",
    "US6474125B1",
    "US20030221504A1",
    "US20030218252A1",
    "US6962570B2",
    "US20050023424A1",
    "US20070055289A1",
    "US20060106369A1",
    "US20060167440A1"
  ]
}