Abstract:
An indicator mechanism for a surgical instrument includes an aperture fixed to a base. An indicator body is rotatably supported by the base. The indicator body includes features for engaging a motor that rotates the indicator body. A visual indicator, visible through the aperture, is coupled to the indicator body. A detent mechanism holds the indicator body in one of two positions. A first of the two positions provides a visual indication that the surgical instrument is in service and a second of the two positions provides a visual indication that the surgical instrument is expired. A controller may track use events for a surgical instrument to determine expiration. Use events may include operations and conditions in addition to those that occur in the surgical instrument. When the use events tracked by the controller indicate expiration, the controller may rotate a motor to set the visual indication to expired.
Abstract:
In accordance with aspects of the present invention, an instrument guide is provided. An instrument guide according to some embodiments of the present invention includes a channel portion, the channel portion including a plurality of channels through which surgical instruments can be inserted; a lower part mechanically fixed to the channel portion, the lower part including doors to seal each of the channels; an upper part, the upper part mechanically attached to the lower part and including a funnel for guiding the instruments into the plurality of channels; and one or more seals fixed between the upper part and the lower part, the seal(s) having openings corresponding to the channels and sealing against the doors when the doors are closed and sealing against surgical instruments when surgical instruments are inserted into the channels.
Abstract:
A cable-driven device, such as a joint or instrument of a computer-assisted manipulator system, may comprise a capstan mechanism to wind/unwind cables. The capstan mechanism comprises a capstan that has a groove in an outer surface of the capstan to guide the cables, which are routed from a take-up pulley, to spool onto the capstan as the capstan rotates. A guide element is engaged with the groove. The guide element is held translationally stationary relative to the take-up pulley, while there is relative translation between the capstan and both the guide element and the take-up pulley. Thus, as the capstan rotates, the guide element engages with the groove and forces the capstan and the take-up pulley to translate relative to one another. This relative translation of the capstan and the take-up pulley may prevent deviation of a take-up angle of the cable as the cable spools onto the capstan.
Abstract:
A medical instrument includes cable pairs respectively wound around input spindles and connected to actuate degrees of freedom of an instrument shaft structure. The cables may connect so that rotating the input spindles actuates corresponding degrees of freedom. First pulleys in the instrument may receive first cables from the input spindles and redirect the first cables toward the instrument shaft, and second pulleys may receive second cables from the input spindles and redirect the second cables toward the instrument shaft. In one configuration, the first and second pulleys are respectively mounted at first and second levels, and the second pulleys redirect the second cables through the first level. Additionally or alternatively, one level of cables may cross while the other level of cables does not.
Abstract:
A medical instrument includes a roll mechanism that rotates an instrument shaft. The roll mechanism may include a first gear coupled to the instrument shaft and meshed with a second gear. One of gears may be a spur gear while the other gear may be a beveloid gear. Further, the spur gear and the beveloid gear may be in a gear train containing a compressible gear, e.g., a gear with an inner center piece, an outer ring, and a flexible interconnecting structure between the inner center piece and the outer ring. With a compressible gear, an interference fit of in the gear train may be within manufacturing variations of the gear train, and the compressible gear may deflect radially away from the interference fit.
Abstract:
A medical instrument includes an instrument shaft with exit holes near a distal end of the shaft, a tool coupled to the distal end of the shaft, and a backend. The backend may include a mechanism that manipulates a drive element that extends through the shaft and couples to the tool, a fluid inlet, and a fluid channel assembly providing fluid communication between the fluid inlet and the proximal end of the shaft. Cleaning fluid is directed into the fluid inlet, through the fluid channel assembly, and into the shaft. A chassis or other structural piece of the backend may form part of the fluid channel assembly.