Systems and methods for minimally invasive cutting instrument manipulation

Abstract

The present application is entitled "System and method for minimally invasive cutting instrument operation". The present application discloses a system and method for operating a minimally invasive cutting instrument, which includes a surgical cutting instrument. The surgical cutting instrument includes a drive unit, an end effector located at the distal end of the instrument, and a parking area for accommodating a cutting blade when the cutting blade is not in use. The end effector includes a clamping clamp and a cutting blade. In order to perform a cutting operation, the instrument extends the cutting blade from a first position to a second position, retracts the cutting blade from the second position to a third position between the first position and the second position, and further retracts the cutting blade to the first position. When the cutting blade is not in use, the cutting blade is maintained in the first position using a limiting mechanism in the drive unit, a force or torque applied to the drive unit by a motor or other active actuator, or both.

Description

[0001] This application is a divisional application of Chinese patent application 201680028080.9 (PCT / US2016 / 032351) filed on May 13, 2016 and entitled “System and method for minimally invasive cutting instrument operation”.

[0002] Related Applications

[0003] This patent application claims priority to and the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 62 / 162,217, filed May 15, 2015, entitled “SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR MINIMALLY INVASIVE CUTTING INSTRUMENT OPERATION,” the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. Technical Field

[0004] The present disclosure relates generally to the operation of devices having articulated arms and end effectors, and more particularly to the operation of minimally invasive cutting instruments. Background Art

[0005] More and more equipment is being replaced by autonomous and semi-autonomous electronic devices. This is especially true in hospitals today with a large number of autonomous and semi-autonomous electronic devices present in operating rooms, interventional units, intensive care units, emergency rooms, etc. For example, glass and mercury thermometers are being replaced by electronic thermometers, IV drip lines now include electronic monitors and flow regulators, and traditional handheld surgical instruments are being replaced by computer-assisted medical devices.

[0006] Minimally invasive surgical techniques using computer-assisted medical devices generally attempt to perform surgical procedures and / or other procedures while minimizing damage to healthy tissue. Some minimally invasive procedures can be performed remotely by using computer-assisted medical devices with surgical instruments. For many computer-assisted medical devices, surgeons and / or other medical personnel can usually use one or more control devices on the operator console to manipulate input devices. When surgeons and / or other medical personnel operate various control devices at the operator console, commands are transmitted from the operator console to the patient-side device equipped with one or more end effectors and / or surgical instruments. In this way, surgeons and / or other medical personnel can use end effectors and / or surgical instruments to perform one or more procedures on patients. Depending on the desired procedures and / or the surgical instruments being used, the desired procedures can be partially or completely performed under the control of the surgeon and / or medical personnel using remote operation and / or performed under semi-autonomous control, in which the surgical instrument can perform a series of operations based on one or more activation actions of the surgeon and / or other medical personnel.

[0007] Whether actuated manually, remotely, and / or semi-autonomously, minimally invasive surgical instruments can be used for a variety of operations and / or procedures and can have a variety of configurations. Many such instruments include an end effector mounted at the distal end of a shaft that can be mounted to the distal end of an articulated arm. In many operating situations, the shaft can be configured to be inserted through an opening (e.g., a body wall incision, a natural orifice, and / or a similar opening) (e.g., laparoscopically, thoracoscopically, and / or in a similar manner) to reach a remote surgical site. In some instruments, an articulated wrist mechanism can be mounted to the distal end of the shaft of the instrument to support the end effector, wherein the articulated wrist provides the ability to change the orientation of the end effector relative to the longitudinal axis of the shaft.

[0008] End effectors of different designs and / or configurations can be used to perform different tasks, procedures, and functions to allow surgeons and / or other medical personnel to perform any of a variety of surgical procedures. Examples include, but are not limited to, cauterization, ablation, suturing, cutting, stapling, fusion, sealing, etc. and / or combinations thereof. Thus, the end effector can include various components and / or combinations of components to perform these surgical procedures.

[0009] Consistent with the goal of minimally invasive procedures, the size of the end effector is generally kept as small as possible while still allowing it to perform its intended task. One method of maintaining the small size of the end effector is to complete the actuation of the end effector using one or more input devices at the proximal end of the surgical instrument, which is usually located outside the patient. Various gears, levers, pulleys, cables, rods, belts and / or similar mechanisms can then be used to transmit the action from one or more input devices along the axis of the surgical instrument and actuate the end effector. In the case of a computer-assisted medical device with an appropriate surgical instrument, the transmission mechanism at the proximal end of the instrument is engaged with various motors, solenoids, servo mechanisms, active actuators, hydraulic devices, pneumatic devices and / or similar devices arranged on the articulated arm of the patient-side device or the patient-side cart. Motors, solenoids, servomechanisms, active actuators, hydraulic devices, pneumatic devices, and / or the like typically receive control signals through a main controller and provide input in the form of force and / or torque at the proximal end of the transmission mechanism, and various gears, levers, pulleys, cables, rods, belts, and / or the like ultimately transmit the input to actuate an end effector at the distal end of the transmission mechanism.

[0010] Due to the remote nature of the operation of such end effectors, in some cases, it may be difficult for the surgeon and / or other medical personnel to know the position of one or more components of the end effector during actuation to perform a desired procedure. For example, in some cases, other portions of the surgical instrument (including the end effector itself) and / or portions of the patient's anatomy may obscure one or more components of the surgical instrument during actuation of the one or more components. Additionally, when one or more of the components encounter a fault condition while attempting to perform a desired procedure, the surgeon and / or other medical personnel may have difficulty detecting and / or correcting the fault condition due to limited visibility of the end effector, limited space in which the surgical instrument operates, limited access to the surgical instrument, remote location of the end effector relative to the surgeon and / or other medical personnel, and / or similar factors.

[0011] In addition, safety conditions may also be a factor in the design and / or operation of surgical instruments. In some examples, the end effector of a surgical tool (such as a cutting tool) may include a sharp cutting blade. When the cutting blade is not actively used for cutting, the cutting blade may be enclosed and / or parked in a housing on the end effector so that the cutting blade is generally positioned in a position where it cannot accidentally cut the patient's tissue and / or the medical staff manipulating the surgical tool during non-operation. Similarly, one or more precision parts of the end effector may also be enclosed and / or parked to prevent damage to the precision parts during non-operation.

[0012] Therefore, improved methods and systems for the operation of surgical instruments, such as cutting instruments, are desired. In some examples, it may be desirable to provide automatic control of surgical instruments to help ensure that the surgical instruments can successfully perform the desired procedures. In some examples, it may be desirable to provide configurations of surgical instruments that provide safety support to patients and / or medical personnel and protective support to surgical instruments during both operational and non-operational periods. Summary of the invention

[0013] In accordance with some embodiments, a surgical cutting instrument for use with a computer-assisted medical device. The surgical cutting instrument includes a drive unit, an end effector at the distal end of the instrument, an axis between the drive unit and the end effector, and a parking area for accommodating a cutting blade when the cutting blade is not in use. The end effector includes an opposable clamping clamp and a cutting blade. The axis accommodates one or more drive mechanisms for coupling a force or torque from the drive unit to the end effector. In order to perform a cutting operation, the instrument is configured to: extend the cutting blade from a first position to a second position; retract the cutting blade from the second position to a third position between the first position and the second position; and further retract the cutting blade to the first position. When the cutting blade is not in use, the cutting blade is maintained in the first position using a limiting mechanism in the drive unit, a force or torque applied to the drive unit by a motor or other active actuator, or both.

[0014] In accordance with some embodiments, a method for performing a cutting operation using a surgical cutting instrument for use with a computer-assisted medical device includes: maintaining a cutting blade in a first position when the cutting blade of an end effector is not in use; extending the cutting blade from the first position to a second position by applying a force or torque to a drive unit; retracting the cutting blade from the second position to a third position between the first position and the second position; and further retracting the cutting blade to the first position. Maintaining the cutting blade in the first position is performed by a limiting mechanism of the drive unit, a force or torque applied to the drive unit by a motor or an active actuator, or both. Extending and retracting includes applying a force or torque to the drive unit using a motor or an active actuator.

[0015] In accordance with some embodiments, a non-transitory machine-readable medium includes a plurality of machine-readable instructions that, when executed by one or more processors associated with a computer-assisted medical device, are adapted to cause the one or more processors to perform a method. The method includes: maintaining a cutting blade of an end effector in a first position when the cutting blade is not in use; extending the cutting blade from the first position to a second position by applying a force or torque to a drive unit; retracting the cutting blade from the second position to a third position between the first position and the second position; and further retracting the cutting blade to the first position. Maintaining the cutting blade in the first position is performed by a limiting mechanism of the drive unit, a force or torque applied to the drive unit by a motor or an active actuator, or both. Extension and retraction include applying a force or torque to the drive unit using a motor or an active actuator.

[0016] In accordance with some embodiments, a computer-assisted medical device includes one or more processors, an articulated arm, a motor or other active actuator, and a surgical instrument coupled to the distal end of the articulated arm. The surgical instrument includes a drive unit located at the proximal end of the surgical instrument, an end effector located at the distal end of the surgical instrument, an axis between the drive unit and the end effector, and a parking area for accommodating a cutting blade when the cutting blade is not in use. The end effector includes an opposable clamping clamp and a cutting blade. The axis accommodates one or more drive mechanisms for coupling a force or torque from the drive unit to the end effector. The computer-assisted medical device is configured to perform a cutting operation using the cutting blade by the following operations: extending the cutting blade from a first position to a second position; retracting the cutting blade from the second position to a third position between the first position and the second position; and further retracting the cutting blade to the first position. When the cutting blade is not in use, the cutting blade is maintained in the first position using a limiting mechanism in the drive unit, a force or torque applied to the drive unit by a motor or other active actuator, or both. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0017] Figure 1 is a simplified diagram of a computer-assisted system according to some embodiments.

[0018] Figure 2 is a simplified diagram illustrating a minimally invasive surgical instrument according to some embodiments.

[0019] Figure 3 According to some embodiments Figure 2 A simplified perspective view of the distal end of a surgical instrument.

[0020] FIG. 4A to FIG. 4C According to some embodiments Figure 2 and Figure 3 Simplified cross-sectional view of the end effector.

[0021] Figure 5 is a simplified perspective view of the degrees of freedom of a drive unit according to some embodiments.

[0022] Figure 6 is a simplified diagram of a position profile and a corresponding torque limit profile for a cutting operation according to some embodiments.

[0023] Figure 7 is a simplified diagram of a method for performing a cutting operation according to some embodiments.

[0024] In the drawings, elements with the same name have the same or similar functions. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0025] In the following description, the specific details of some embodiments consistent with the present disclosure are set forth. However, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that some embodiments may be practiced without some or all of these specific details. The specific embodiments disclosed herein are meant to be illustrative rather than restrictive. Those skilled in the art may realize other elements within the scope and spirit of the present disclosure although not specifically described here. In addition, in order to avoid unnecessary repetition, unless specifically described otherwise, or if one or more features make the embodiments inoperative, one or more features associated with an embodiment shown and described may be incorporated into other embodiments.

[0026] Figure 1 is a simplified diagram of a computer-assisted system 100 according to some embodiments. Figure 1 As shown, the computer-assisted system 100 includes a computer-assisted device 110 having one or more movable arms or articulated arms 120. Each of the one or more articulated arms 120 can support one or more instruments 130. In some examples, the computer-assisted device 110 can be consistent with a computer-assisted surgical device. The one or more articulated arms 120 can each provide support for a medical device 130 (such as a surgical instrument, an imaging device, and / or the like). In some examples, the instrument 130 can include an end effector that can, but is not limited to, perform clamping, retraction, cauterization, ablation, suturing, cutting, stapling, fusion, sealing, etc. and / or combinations thereof.

[0027] The computer-assisted device 110 may also be coupled to an operator workstation (not shown), which may include one or more master controls for operating the computer-assisted device 110, the one or more articulated arms 120, and / or the instrument 130. In some examples, the one or more master controls may include master manipulators, levers, pedals, switches, buttons, knobs, triggers, and / or the like. In some embodiments, the computer-assisted device 110 and the operator workstation may correspond to a da Surgical System. In some embodiments, computer-assisted surgical devices having other configurations, fewer or more articulated arms, and / or the like may be used with the computer-assisted system 100.

[0028] The computer-aided device 110 is coupled to the control unit 140 via an interface. The interface may include one or more cables, optical fibers, connectors, and / or buses, and may also include one or more networks having one or more network switches and / or routing devices. The control unit 140 includes a processor 150 coupled to a memory 160. The operation of the control unit 140 is controlled by the processor 150. In addition, although the control unit 140 is shown to have only one processor 150, it should be understood that the processor 150 may represent one or more central processing units, multi-core processors, microprocessors, microcontrollers, digital signal processors, field programmable gate arrays (FPGAs), application specific integrated circuits (ASICs), and / or similar devices in the control unit 140. The control unit 140 may be implemented as an independent subsystem and / or board added to a computing device, or as a virtual machine. In some embodiments, the control unit 140 may be included as part of an operator workstation, and / or may be independent of the operator workstation but operate in conjunction with the operator workstation.

[0029] The memory 160 may be used to store software executed by the control unit 140 and / or one or more data structures used during operation of the control unit 140. The memory 160 may include one or more types of machine-readable media. Some common forms of machine-readable media may include floppy disks, flexible disks, hard disks, magnetic tapes, any other magnetic media, CD-ROMs, any other optical media, punch cards, paper tapes, any other physical media with patterns of holes, RAM, PROMs, EPROMs, FLASH-EPROMs, any other memory chips or storage cartridges, and / or any other media from which a processor or computer is adapted to read.

[0030] like Figure 1 As shown, the memory 160 includes a control application 170, which can be used to support autonomous, semi-autonomous and / or teleoperated control of the computer-assisted device 110. The control application 170 may include one or more application programming interfaces (APIs) for receiving position, motion, force, torque and / or other sensor information from the computer-assisted device 110, the articulated arm 120 and / or the instrument 130; exchanging position, motion, force, torque and / or collision avoidance information with other control units associated with other devices; and / or planning and / or assisting in planning the motion of the computer-assisted device 110, the articulated arm 120 and / or the instrument 130. In some examples, the control application 170 can also support autonomous, semi-autonomous and / or teleoperated control of the instrument 130 during a surgical procedure. In addition, although the control application 170 is depicted as a software application, the control application 170 can be implemented using hardware, software and / or a combination of hardware and software.

[0031] In some embodiments, the computer-assisted system 100 may be present in an operating room and / or an interventional ward. Additionally, although the computer-assisted system 100 includes only one computer-assisted device 110 having two articulated arms 120 and corresponding instruments 130, a person of ordinary skill will appreciate that the computer-assisted system 100 may include any number of computer-assisted devices having articulated arms and / or instruments that are similar and / or different in design to the computer-assisted device 110. In some examples, each of the computer-assisted devices may include fewer or more articulated arms and / or instruments.

[0032] Figure 2 2 is a simplified diagram showing a minimally invasive surgical instrument 200 according to some embodiments. In some embodiments, the surgical instrument 200 may be used with Figure 1 Any one of the apparatus 130 is consistent. Figure 2 The directions “proximal / proximal” and “distal / distal” depicted and used herein help describe the relative orientation and position of the components of surgical instrument 200. Distal / distal generally refers to an element farther from a base of a computer-assisted device (such as computer-assisted device 110) in a direction along a kinematic chain and / or closest to a surgical work site in the intended operational use of surgical instrument 200. Proximal / proximal generally refers to an element closer to a base of a computer-assisted device and / or one of the articulated arms of a computer-assisted device in a direction along a kinematic chain.

[0033] like Figure 2 As shown, surgical instrument 200 includes an elongated shaft 210 for coupling an end effector 220 located at the distal end of shaft 210 to a location at the proximal end of shaft 210 for mounting surgical instrument 200 to an articulated arm and / or computer-assisted device. Depending on the specific procedure for which surgical instrument 200 is to be used, shaft 210 may be inserted through an opening (e.g., a body wall incision, a natural orifice, and / or the like) to place end effector 220 proximate a remote surgical site located within the patient's anatomy. Figure 2 As further shown, the end effector 220 is generally consistent with a dual-jaw gripper-type end effector, which in some embodiments may also include a cutting and / or fusing or sealing mechanism, as described below with respect to Figure 3 and FIG. 4A to FIG. 4C However, one of ordinary skill will appreciate that different surgical instruments 200 having different end effectors 220 are possible and may be consistent with the embodiments of surgical instruments 200 described elsewhere herein.

[0034] Surgical instruments, such as surgical instrument 200 having end effector 220, often rely on multiple degrees of freedom (DOF) during their operation. Various DOFs that can be used to position, orient, and / or manipulate end effector 220 are possible, depending on the configuration of surgical instrument 200 and the articulated arm and / or computer-aided device to which the surgical instrument 200 is mounted. In some examples, shaft 210 can be inserted in a distal direction and / or retrieved in a proximal direction to provide an insertion DOF that can be used to control how deep end effector 220 is placed within the patient's anatomy. In some examples, shaft 210 can be capable of rotating about its longitudinal axis to provide a rolling DOF that can be used to rotate end effector 220. In some examples, additional flexibility in the position and / or orientation of end effector 220 can be provided by an articulated wrist 230 that is used to couple end effector 220 to the distal end of shaft 210. In some examples, the articulated wrist 230 may include one or more rotational joints, such as one or more roll joints, pitch joints, or yaw joints, which may provide one or more "roll" DOFs, "pitch" DOFs, and "yaw" DOFs, respectively, that may be used to control the orientation of the end effector 220 relative to the longitudinal axis of the shaft 210. In some examples, the one or more rotational joints may include a pitch and yaw joint; a roll, pitch, and yaw joint; a roll, pitch, and roll joint; and / or the like. In some examples, the end effector 220 may also include a gripping DOF for controlling the opening and closing of the jaws of the end effector 220 and / or an activation DOF for controlling the extension, retraction, and / or operation of the cutting mechanism, as further described below.

[0035] Surgical instrument 200 also includes a drive system 240 located at the proximal end of shaft 210. Drive system 240 includes one or more components for directing forces and / or torques to surgical instrument 200, which can be used to manipulate the various DOFs supported by surgical instrument 200. In some examples, drive system 240 may include a controller based on a control unit such as a Figure 1One or more motors, solenoids, servos, active actuators, hydraulic actuators, pneumatic actuators, and / or the like that are operated based on signals received by a control unit 140 of the surgical instrument 200. In some examples, the signals may include one or more currents, voltages, pulse width modulated waveforms, and / or the like. In some examples, the drive system 240 may include one or more shafts, gears, pulleys, rods, belts, and / or the like that may be coupled to corresponding motors, solenoids, servos, active actuators, hydraulic devices, pneumatic devices, and / or the like that are part of an articulated arm (such as any of the articulated arms 120 to which the surgical instrument 200 is mounted). In some examples, one or more drive input devices (such as shafts, gears, pulleys, rods, belts, and / or the like) may be used to receive forces and / or torques from motors, solenoids, servos, active actuators, hydraulic devices, pneumatic devices, and / or the like, and apply these forces and / or torques to adjust various DOFs of the surgical instrument 200.

[0036] In some embodiments, one or more drive mechanisms 250 can be used to transmit the force and / or torque generated by the drive system 240 and / or received by the drive system 240 from the drive system 240 and along the shaft 210 to various joints and / or elements of the surgical instrument 200 located distal to the drive system 240. In some examples, the one or more drive mechanisms 250 may include one or more gears, levers, pulleys, cables, rods, belts, and / or similar mechanisms. In some examples, the shaft 210 is hollow, and the drive mechanism 250 passes from the drive system 240 through the interior of the shaft 210 to the corresponding DOF of the end effector 220 and / or the articulated wrist 230. In some examples, each of the drive mechanisms 250 can be a cable disposed in a hollow sheath or lumen in a Bowden cable configuration. In some examples, the interior of the cable and / or lumen can be coated with a low friction coating, such as polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) and / or similar materials. In some examples, when the proximal end of each of the cables is pulled and / or pushed within the drive system 240, for example by winding and / or unwinding the cables around a capstan or shaft, the distal end of the cables moves accordingly and applies an appropriate force and / or torque to adjust one of the DOFs of the end effector 220, the articulated wrist 230, and / or the surgical instrument 200.

[0037] Figure 3 is a simplified perspective view of the distal end of surgical instrument 200 according to some embodiments. Figure 3As shown, the distal end of the surgical instrument 200 is depicted so that additional details of the end effector 220, the articulated wrist 230, and the drive mechanism 250 are shown. In more detail, the end effector 220 includes opposing clamps 310 shown in an open position. The clamps 310 are configured to move between an open position and a closed position so that the end effector 220 can be used to clamp and release tissue and / or other structures (such as sutures) located at the surgical site during a procedure. In some examples, the clamps 310 can be operated together as a single unit, with two clamps 310 opened and / or closed at the same time. In some examples, the clamps 310 can be opened and / or closed independently, so that, for example, one clamp 310 can remain stable while the other clamp 310 can be opened and / or closed.

[0038] Figure 3 The clamping surface on the inside of each of the clamps 310 is shown to include a corresponding groove 320, which can be used as a guide for the cutting blade 330, but the groove 320 can be omitted from one or more of the clamps 310. When the cutting blade 330 is extended toward the distal end of the end effector 220 and / or retracted toward the proximal end of the end effector 220, each of the grooves 320 can help align and / or position the cutting blade 330 during the cutting operation. The extraction and / or retraction of the cutting blade 330 is accomplished using a drive component 340 to which the cutting blade 330 is attached. In some examples, the drive component 340 pushes the cutting blade 330 to extend the cutting blade 330 and pulls the cutting blade 330 to retract the cutting blade 330. FIG. 4A to FIG. 4C The use and positioning of the cutting blade 330 is shown in FIG. FIG. 4A to FIG. 4C is a simplified cross-sectional view of end effector 220 according to some embodiments. Figure 4A The relationship between the cutting blade 330 and the driving member 340 is shown.

[0039] The end effector 220 also includes a parking feature 350 located at the proximal end of the jaws 310. The parking feature 350 includes an opening through which both the drive member 340 and the cutting blade 330 can pass. The parking feature 350 is configured to provide a secure storage area for the cutting blade 330 when the cutting blade 330 is not in use. Thus, when the cutting blade 330 is not actively being used as part of a cutting operation, the end effector 220 is configured such that the cutting blade 330 can be retracted into the parking feature 350 in a "garaged" or storage position in which the cutting blade 330 is retracted proximally to the rear of the jaws 310, such as Figure 4B The cutting blade 330 may also extend to a position where the cutting blade 330 is positioned at or near the distal end of one of the grooves 320, such as Figure 4CIn some examples, such as Figure 4C The positioning of the cutting blade 330 shown may correspond to the position of the cutting blade 330 during a cutting operation.

[0040] In some examples, the end effector 220 and the surgical instrument 200 are designed so that the default or home position of the cutting blade 330 is within the parking feature 350. This arrangement of the parking feature 350 can provide several features to the end effector 220. In some examples, when the cutting blade 330 is retracted into the parking feature 350, the sharp cutting edge of the cutting blade 330 is effectively enclosed, so that the cutting blade 330 is unlikely to accidentally cut tissue during the procedure and / or before and / or after the procedure. The medical staff who manipulates the surgical instrument 200 and / or the end effector 220 cannot accidentally cut. In some examples, when the cutting blade 330 is retracted into the parking feature 350, the cutting blade 330 can also be protected from damage, such as accidental blunting, when the cutting blade 330 is not actively used for cutting.

[0041] Return to reference Figure 3 In some embodiments, the clamping surface on the inner side of each of the jaws 310 may also include one or more optional electrodes 360. In some examples, the electrodes 360 may be used to deliver electrosurgical energy to fuse tissue held between the jaws 310. In some examples, the electrodes 360 may provide electrocautery, fusion, and / or sealing features to the end effector 220, such that the same surgical tool 200 may be used to cut and / or fuse / seal tissue.

[0042] In some embodiments, the operation of the jaws 310, the cutting blade 330, and / or the joints of the articulated wrist 230 can be achieved using corresponding drive mechanisms in the drive mechanisms 250. In some examples, when the jaws 310 are operated independently, the distal ends of two drive mechanisms in the drive mechanisms 250 (one for each jaw 310) can be coupled to the corresponding jaws 310, so that when the corresponding drive mechanism 250 applies a pulling force and / or a pushing force (e.g., using a cable, a lead screw, and / or the like), the corresponding jaws 310 can be opened and / or closed. In some examples, when the jaws 310 are operated together, the two jaws 310 can be coupled to the distal end of the same drive mechanism 250. In some examples, the drive component 340 can be coupled to the distal end of the corresponding drive mechanism 250, so that the force and / or torque applied to the corresponding drive mechanism 250 can be transmitted to the pushing motion and / or pulling motion of the drive component 340. In some examples, additional drive mechanisms 350 may be used to manipulate the roll DOF, pitch DOF, and / or yaw DOF of articulated wrist 230 .

[0043] Figure 5 is a simplified perspective view of a drive unit 500 according to some embodiments with respect to degrees of freedom. According to some embodiments, the drive unit 500 may represent Figure 2 Part of the components in the drive system 240. Figure 5 As shown, the drive unit 500 is based on a rotational actuation method of rotating a capstan 510 to actuate the DOF. The capstan 510 is coupled to a drive shaft 520, which can be a drive shaft of a motor, a servo mechanism, an active actuator, a hydraulic actuator, a pneumatic actuator, and / or the like (not shown). When a torque is applied to the drive shaft 520 and the drive shaft 520 and the capstan 510 rotate, a cable 530 attached to the capstan 510 and / or the drive shaft 520 can be further wound and / or unwound around the capstan 510 and / or the drive shaft 520. When the cable 530 is attached to the proximal end of a corresponding drive mechanism (such as any one of the drive mechanisms 250), the winding and unwinding of the cable can be converted into corresponding tension and thrust and / or torque, which can be applied to the DOF of the end effector located at the distal end of the drive mechanism. In some examples, the rotation of the capstan 510 and the drive shaft 520 and the corresponding winding and / or unwinding of the cable 530 can result in the opening and / or closing of the clamp jaws (such as the clamp 310), the extension and / or retraction of the cutting blade (such as the cutting blade 330), the bending and / or unbending of the articulated wrist joint, and / or the like. In some examples, monitoring the rotation angle and / or rotation speed of the capstan 510 and / or the drive shaft 520 can also provide an indication of the current position and / or speed of the corresponding DOF coupled to the cable 530 through the corresponding drive mechanism. Therefore, when the drive unit 500 is used with the DOF of the surgical instrument 200, the rotation angle and / or rotation speed of the capstan 510 and / or the drive shaft 520 can provide useful feedback about the angle of opening of the clamp 310, the position of the cutting blade 330, and / or the pitch angle and / or yaw angle of the articulated wrist 230, depending on which of the drive mechanism 250 and the cable 530 is coupled.

[0044] Because it is generally desirable that the DOF in the end effector be configured with a default position, a rest position, and / or a home position when the DOF is not actuated, in some embodiments, a drive unit (such as drive unit 500) may include some type of resistance mechanism and / or limiting mechanism to return drive unit 500 to a corresponding home position. In some examples, the use of the home position of the DOF can support the configuration of a surgical instrument (such as surgical instrument 200) in which a clamping jaw is automatically closed and / or mostly closed, a cutting blade is retracted into a parking feature, an articulated wrist joint is straightened, and / or the like. Figure 5As shown, the drive unit 500 includes a limiting mechanism in the form of a torsion spring 540. The torsion spring 540 is shown attached to the capstan 510 at one end 550 and wound around the capstan 510. As the capstan 510 rotates, the second end 560 of the torsion spring 540 can rotate freely until it rotates against a stop 570, which can be part of the body of the drive unit 500. As the capstan 510 continues to rotate after the second end 560 of the torsion spring 540 abuts against the stop 570, the torsion spring 540 will begin to provide a limiting and / or restoring force and / or torque to the capstan 510, as determined by the amount of rotation of the capstan 510 and the spring constant of the torsion spring 540. Therefore, when a larger amount of rotation is applied to the capstan 510, the torsion spring 540 applies an increasing restoring force and / or torque to the capstan 510. For example, this return force and / or torque on the capstan 510 may be used to close a clamping jaw, retract a cutting blade, and / or straighten an articulated arm joint.

[0045] although Figure 5 The limiting mechanism is shown as a torsion spring wound around the capstan 510, but a person of ordinary skill will recognize other possible limiting mechanisms and / or configurations for limiting mechanisms to achieve similar limiting / returning functions. In some examples, the body of the drive unit 500 may also include a second stop to provide a return force and / or torque to the capstan 510 in a direction opposite to the return force and / or torque generated by the stop 570. In some examples, the second end 560 of the torsion spring 540 may be mounted to the body of the drive unit 500 so that any free movement of the torsion spring 540 is not allowed before the torsion spring 540 begins to apply a return force and / or torque to the capstan 510 and / or before the torsion spring 540 applies at least some return force and / or torque to the capstan 510 even if the capstan 510 is not rotating.

[0046] According to some embodiments, for the DOF of the end effector, selecting a limiting mechanism of appropriate size (such as the spring constant of the torsion spring 540) may present several challenges to the designer of the surgical instrument. In some cases, it may be desirable to select the size of the limiting mechanism to overcome any possible and / or reasonable interference with the desired return function of the corresponding drive unit of the DOF. In some examples, selecting the size of the limiting mechanism to overcome any possible and / or reasonable interference tends to oversize the size of the limiting mechanism for many possible operating scenarios. In addition, as the size of the limiting mechanism increases, a correspondingly larger force or torque must be applied to the drive unit to overcome the limiting mechanism. In some examples, this can include using a larger motor, solenoid, servo mechanism, active actuator, hydraulic actuator, pneumatic actuator and / or similar device to overcome the limiting mechanism or cause a smaller operating margin of the DOF, which results in less force and / or torque being applicable to driving the DOF to perform the operation. For example, less cutting force and / or torque may be applicable to applying to the cutting blade to perform cutting. In some examples, such larger return forces and / or torques can increase stress and / or strain placed on the drive mechanism, which can result in increased wear on the drive mechanism, stretching of the drive mechanism, and / or the like. In some examples, stretching of the drive mechanism can result in the drive mechanism and the corresponding DOF becoming out of tolerance, thereby resulting in a reduced ability to control the DOF as desired. In some examples, such larger return forces and / or torques can increase the likelihood of injury to the patient and / or medical personnel, such as when the return clamping force can result in damage and / or tearing of tissue still located between the clamping jaws of the end effector.

[0047] One possible compromise is to size the limiting mechanism to provide sufficient return force and / or torque to return the DOF to the original position when the surgical instrument is not in use (i.e., when the surgical instrument is not mounted to the corresponding articulated arm and / or computer-assisted device), and use a motor, solenoid, servo mechanism, active actuator, hydraulic actuator, pneumatic actuator, and / or the like coupled to the drive unit to provide additional return force and / or torque during operating scenarios where additional return force and / or torque is desired. In the case of such a compromise, a smaller motor, solenoid, servo mechanism, active actuator, hydraulic actuator, pneumatic actuator, and / or the like can generally be used while still providing a desired amount of operating margin to support the desired operation of the corresponding surgical instrument. In some examples, the limiting mechanism can be sized to provide a return force and / or similar torque to the DOF of approximately 0N to 10N.

[0048] Figure 66 is a simplified diagram of a position profile 610 and a corresponding torque limit profile 620 for a cutting operation according to some embodiments. In some embodiments, the position profile 610 and the torque limit profile 620 may be applicable to applications using a cutting blade 330 of a drive unit 500. Figure 6 As shown, the position profile 610 and the torque limit profile 620 include a four-stage cutting operation starting from time t0. The four stages include an extension stage from t0 to t1, a holding stage from t1 to t2, a retraction stage from t2 to t3, and a parking stage from t3 to t4. For discussion Figure 6 For purposes of the present invention, the position of the cutting blade will be described relative to the x-position of the cutting blade, with larger positive values ​​being in the distal direction, however, a person of ordinary skill will understand that the position of the cutting blade may be represented using any suitable position and / or rotational axis, such as a position along an axis defined by the groove 320, an angle of rotation of the capstan 510, and / or the like, and / or may alternatively be characterized by positive values ​​in a more proximal direction.

[0049] One of the goals of the extension phase is to move the cutting blade from the retracted position x RET Quick extension to extended position x EXT In some examples, x RET The zero position of the cutting blade may correspond to a parking position and / or home position of the cutting blade. In some examples, the zero position of the cutting blade may correspond to an outer edge or distal edge of a parking feature (such as parking feature 350) when the articulated wrist is in a straight or non-bent position. In some examples, x RET is selected to be sufficiently negative, such as approximately -3 mm, to account for variability between different drive mechanisms and / or drive units. RET Possible deviations in the drive mechanism caused by bending of an articulated wrist in a surgical instrument may also be accounted for. In some examples, when the articulated wrist is bent, the drive mechanism may be subject to bending and / or movement within a hollow shaft (e.g., shaft 210) of the surgical instrument. When the drive mechanism is bent and / or moved, the effective distance as seen by the drive mechanism may vary between the distal end at the cutting blade and the proximal end at the drive unit. Thus, the amount of retraction to return the cutting blade to the parking area may vary between when the articulated wrist is bent and when it is not bent. In some examples, x EXTThe position that can correspond to the full and / or most extension of the cutting blade, such as about +18mm, so that the cutting blade does not hit the end of the guide groove (such as one of the grooves 320), and / or reduce the possibility of the cutting blade being exposed in the case where the cutting blade comes out of the guide groove and cannot be retracted back to the parking position or the original position. In some examples, the duration of the extension phase (i.e., the time between t0 and t1) can be quite fast, and its length can vary, for example, from 50ms to 250ms, and the length is preferably 175ms.

[0050] One of the goals of the hold phase is to continue commanding the cutting blade to move at x EXT to take into account that the cutting blade takes longer to move from x compared to the duration of the extension phase. RET Transform to x EXT In some examples, the holding phase can also reduce the likelihood that the cutting blade will retract before reaching the desired extension. In some examples, the duration of the holding phase (i.e., the time between t1 and t2) can be similar in magnitude to the duration of the extension phase or slightly shorter, and its length can vary, for example, from 50 ms to 150 ms, and preferably 100 ms in length.

[0051] The retraction of the cutting blade can be performed using a two-stage operation including a retraction stage and a parking stage. One of the goals of the retraction stage is to quickly retract the cutting blade to position x. HLD , which corresponds to retracting the cutting blade to the holding position, which is most of the way back to the rest position or home position, such as about +1 mm. After the retraction phase, during the rest phase, the cutting blade is more fully retracted to x RET In some examples, the two-stage operation of retracting and then parking is used instead of directly reaching x RET The single-stage operation of the cutting blade can reduce the possibility that the cutting blade may bounce back out of the parking area during the retraction period and / or reduce the magnitude of the load applied to the cutting blade and the drive mechanism during the parking phase. In some examples, the length of the duration of the retraction phase (i.e., the time between t2 and t3) can vary, for example, from 50ms to 175ms, and the length is preferably 120ms. In some examples, the length of the duration of the parking phase (i.e., the time between t3 and t4) can vary, for example, from 75ms to 200ms, and the length is preferably 150ms.

[0052] In some examples, the time period before t0 when the cutting operation starts and after t4 when the cutting operation ends may correspond to an idle phase, in which the cutting blade is held in a parked or home position x using forces and / or torques provided by both a limiting mechanism of the drive unit and a motor, solenoid, servo mechanism, active actuator, hydraulic actuator, pneumatic actuator, and / or similar device for operating the drive unit. RET , as discussed further below.

[0053] According to some embodiments, Figure 6 The position distribution map 610 represents the desired position of the cutting blade during the cutting operation. In some examples, the position distribution map 610 can be converted into a time series of position commands for the cutting blade and a motor, solenoid, servo actuator, hydraulic actuator, pneumatic actuator and / or the like used to actuate the drive unit for the cutting blade. In some examples, interpolation and / or curve fitting using, for example, a cubic spline can be used to determine the time series of position commands so as to provide a smooth position distribution map 610 or position trajectory for the cutting blade throughout the cutting operation. In some examples, one or more sensors can be used to monitor the actual position of the cutting blade and / or the drive unit during the cutting operation to determine whether the cutting blade and / or the drive unit are able to follow the position distribution map 610. In some examples, when the cutting blade and / or the drive unit are unable to follow the position distribution map 610 within a predetermined tolerance, an audible, visual and / or textual alarm can be provided to the surgeon and / or other medical staff to indicate that the cutting operation may not have been successful. In some examples, when the cutting blade is unable to extend to x EXT and / or are exposed and cannot return to x RET The cutting operation may not be successful.

[0054] According to some embodiments, even if the cutting blade is generally operated using a position control method as indicated by the position profile 610, a control unit of a motor, solenoid, servo mechanism, active actuator, hydraulic actuator, pneumatic actuator, and / or the like that drives a drive unit for a cutting blade may also be subject to upper and / or lower force and / or torque limits. In some examples, force and / or torque limits may be determined based on the size of the motor, solenoid, servo mechanism, active actuator, hydraulic actuator, pneumatic actuator, and / or the like to reduce the possibility of damage and / or excessive wear to the drive unit, drive mechanism, and / or cutting blade, to reduce the power used to actuate the cutting blade, and / or to address the actual needs of the cutting operation. The torque limit profile 620 represents one possible such profile, and although the torque limit profile 620 is described in terms of torque, other control actuators and / or control systems may alternatively use limits on voltage, current, force, duty cycle, and / or similar parameters, as will be understood by those of ordinary skill in the art.

[0055] like Figure 6 As shown, the torque limit profile 620 uses a combination of three torque limits, depending on which stage of the cutting operation the cutting blade is in and / or whether the cutting blade is currently idle. In addition, although the torque limits are characterized by positive torque limit values ​​corresponding to the extension direction, it will be understood by those of ordinary skill in the art that the signs of the torque limits are arbitrary depending on the configuration of the control actuator and / or the drive unit for the cutting blade. In the torque limit profile 620, the torque limits T are used during the extension phase and the holding phase of the cutting operation. EXT In some examples, T EXT is set to a sufficiently high limit to overcome any limiting mechanism in the drive unit (such as torsion spring 540) and to supply an appropriate actuation force and / or torque to allow the cutting blade to cut tissue while the cutting blade is being extended. In some examples, T EXT It may be within the range suitable for the cutting blade to deliver a cutting force of 15N to 20N during extension.

[0056] The torque limit T is used during the retraction phase and the parking phase. RET In some examples, T RET is set to a sufficiently high limit to overcome any tissue and / or other debris from the cutting operation that may interfere with the desired retraction and / or parking of the cutting blade after cutting occurs. RET Can have with T EXT of approximately the same magnitude, but with opposite signs, making T RET In some examples, T may be in a range suitable for delivering a retraction force of 15N to 20N to the cutting blade. RETCan have a ratio of T EXT The magnitude of is small to account for the torque used to overcome the restraining mechanism during extension and to reflect the assistance provided by the restraining mechanism during retraction.

[0057] When the cutting blade is idle, use the torque limit T IDLE In some examples, T IDLE is set to be higher than T RET A lower value, but of sufficient magnitude to help the restraining mechanism keep the cutting blade parked during periods of non-use. In some examples, T may be set IDLE to avoid placing excessive strain on the motor, solenoid, servo mechanism, active actuator, hydraulic actuator, pneumatic actuator, drive mechanism, drive unit, etc. due to attempting to retract the cutting blade beyond any physical limit imposed by the end effector, and / or to avoid excessive strain on the motor, solenoid, servo mechanism, active actuator, hydraulic actuator, pneumatic actuator, drive mechanism, drive unit, etc. due to x RET In some examples, T IDLE It may be within the range suitable for delivering a retraction force of 0N to 5N to the cutting blade.

[0058] As stated above and further emphasized herein, Figure 6 These are merely examples, which should not unduly limit the scope of the claims. Those of ordinary skill in the art will recognize many variations, substitutions, and modifications. According to some embodiments, depending on a particular DOF (such as Figure 6 In some examples, different position profiles and / or torque limit profiles are possible depending on the desired operation of the cutting DOF (discussed more directly in the figure). In some examples, different torque limit values ​​can be used for the extension phase and the holding phase and / or for the retraction phase and the parking phase. In some examples, more complex torque limit profiles using ramps and / or similar characteristics are possible. In some examples, the torque limit can change based on the current position of the cutting blade.

[0059] Figure 7is a simplified diagram of a method 700 for performing a cutting operation according to some embodiments. One or more of the processes 710-760 of method 700 may be implemented at least in part in the form of executable code stored on a non-transitory tangible machine-readable medium, which, when executed by one or more processors (e.g., processor 150 in control unit 140), may cause the one or more processors to perform one or more of the processes 710-760. In some embodiments, method 700 may be performed by an application (such as control application 170). In some embodiments, method 700 may be used to extend and retract a cutting blade (such as cutting blade 330) of a surgical instrument (such as surgical instrument 200). In some embodiments, the cutting operation of method 700 may be performed according to position profile 610 and / or torque limit profile 620. In some embodiments, a drive component (such as in Figure 2 , Figure 3 as well as FIG. 4A to FIG. 4C ) to extend, retract and / or maintain the cutting blade in an idle position.

[0060] At process 710, the cutting blade is maintained in an idle position. In some examples, the idle position may correspond to a parked position and / or an original position where the cutting blade is protected from damage and / or the cutting blade is enclosed within a parking feature (such as parking feature 350) to reduce the possibility of accidentally cutting tissue and / or cutting medical personnel when no active cutting is being performed. In some examples, the idle position may correspond to a slightly negative position, such as position x of position profile 610. RET In some examples, the cutting blade can be maintained in an idle position based on a force and / or torque applied to the cutting blade by a drive component, a drive mechanism, a drive unit, and / or an actuator (such as a motor, a solenoid, a servo mechanism, an active actuator, a hydraulic actuator, a pneumatic actuator, and / or the like). In some examples, the applied force and / or torque can be applied using a limiting mechanism (such as a torsion spring 540), an actuator, and / or both. In some examples, the amount of force and / or torque applied by the actuator can be limited, such as T from the torque limit profile 620. IDLE In some examples, the cutting blade may be maintained in an idle position as long as the cutting blade is not being used for cutting. In some examples, process 710 may correspond to Figure 6 The phase marked as idle phase in .

[0061] In process 720, a cutting command is received. In some examples, a surgeon and / or other personnel may request a cutting operation. In some examples, a cutting operation may be requested using one or more master control devices (such as one or more master manipulators, levers, pedals, switches, buttons, knobs, triggers, and / or similar mechanisms) located on an operator console. In some examples, the requested cutting operation may be received by a control application (such as control application 170) via an interrupt, an input polling operation, an API call, and / or the like.

[0062] At process 730, the cutting blade is extended. In some examples, the first stage of the cutting operation may include actuating the cutting blade to quickly extend from the rest position of process 710 to an extended position, such as position x of position profile 610. EXT . In some examples, actuation of the cutting blade during process 730 may include providing a time sequence of position commands to a drive unit operating a DOF associated with the cutting blade such that a smooth position profile (such as position profile 610) is commanded for the cutting blade during the extension phase. In some examples, the cutting blade may be extended based on a force and / or torque applied to the cutting blade by a drive component, a drive mechanism, a drive unit, and / or an actuator (such as a motor, a solenoid, a servo mechanism, an active actuator, a hydraulic actuator, a pneumatic actuator, and / or the like). In some examples, the amount of force and / or torque applied to the cutting blade may be selected to overcome any limiting mechanism used to hold the cutting blade in an idle position and deliver sufficient cutting force to cut tissue. In some examples, the amount of force and / or torque applied may be limited, such as T from the torque limit profile 620. EXT In some examples, process 730 may correspond to Figure 6 The stage marked as the elongation stage.

[0063] At process 740, the cutting blade is maintained in the extended position. In some examples, the second stage of the cutting operation may include continuing to actuate the cutting blade to extend to the extended position of process 730. In some examples, the extended position may correspond to position x of position profile 610. EXT. In some examples, the cutting blade can continue to extend and / or remain in an extended position based on the force and / or torque applied to the cutting blade by a drive component, drive mechanism, drive unit and / or actuator (such as a motor, solenoid, servo mechanism, active actuator, hydraulic actuator, pneumatic actuator and / or the like). In some examples, the amount of force and / or torque applied to the cutting blade can be selected to overcome any limiting mechanism used to hold the cutting blade in the idle position and deliver sufficient cutting force to cut tissue. In some examples, the amount of force and / or torque applied can be limited, such as T from the torque limit distribution diagram 620. EXT In some examples, process 740 may correspond to Figure 6 The phase marked as the holding phase.

[0064] At process 750, the cutting blade is retracted. In some examples, the third stage of the cutting operation may include actuating the cutting blade to quickly retract from the extended position of process 730 and / or 740 to a holding position, such as position x of position profile 610. HLD , which is located most of the way back to the idle position of process 710. In some examples, actuation of the cutting blade during process 750 can include providing a time sequence of position commands to a drive unit operating a DOF associated with the cutting blade so that a smooth position distribution map (such as position distribution map 610) is commanded for the cutting blade during the retraction phase. In some examples, the cutting blade can be retracted based on the force and / or torque applied to the cutting blade by a drive component, a drive mechanism, a drive unit and / or an actuator (such as a motor, a solenoid, a servo mechanism, an active actuator, a hydraulic actuator, a pneumatic actuator and / or the like). In some examples, the amount of force and / or torque applied to the cutting blade can be selected to overcome any possible tissue, debris and / or the like that may interfere with the retraction of the cutting blade. In some examples, retraction can also be assisted by a limiting mechanism for holding the cutting blade in the idle position. In some examples, the amount of force and / or torque applied can be limited, such as T from the torque limit distribution map 620. RET In some examples, process 750 may correspond to Figure 6 The stage marked as the retraction stage.

[0065] In process 760, the cutting blade is parked. In some examples, the fourth stage of the cutting operation may include actuating the cutting blade to retract from the holding position of process 750 to the idle position of process 710. In some examples, the actuation of the cutting blade during process 760 may include providing a time sequence of position commands to the drive unit of the DOF associated with the cutting blade, so that during the parking stage, a smooth position distribution diagram (such as position distribution diagram 610) is commanded for the cutting blade. In some examples, the cutting blade can be retracted based on the force and / or torque applied to the cutting blade by a drive component, a drive mechanism, a drive unit and / or an actuator (such as a motor, a solenoid, a servo mechanism, an active actuator, a hydraulic actuator, a pneumatic actuator and / or the like). In some examples, the amount of force and / or torque applied to the cutting blade can be selected to overcome any possible tissue, debris and / or the like that may interfere with the parking of the cutting blade. In some examples, parking can be assisted by a limiting mechanism for keeping the cutting blade in the idle position in addition. In some examples, the amount of force and / or torque applied may be limited, such as by T from torque limit profile 620. RET In some examples, process 750 may correspond to Figure 6 The phase marked as parking phase.

[0066] After the cutting blade is parked during process 760, the cutting operation is completed and process 710 is used to maintain the cutting blade in the idle position until another cutting command is received.

[0067] Although in Figure 7 700. In some examples, the actual position of the cutting blade and / or the actual position of the drive unit for the cutting blade can be monitored during the method 700 using one or more sensors to determine whether the cutting blade and / or the drive unit can follow the position distribution map of the cutting blade, such as the position distribution map 610. In some examples, when the cutting blade and / or the drive unit cannot follow the position distribution map within a predetermined tolerance, a sound, visual and / or text alarm can be provided to the surgeon and / or other medical staff to indicate that the cutting operation may not be successful. In some examples, when the cutting blade cannot be extended as commanded during the process 730 and / or 740, the cutting operation may not be successful. In some examples, when the cutting blade is exposed and cannot be returned to the parking area, the cutting operation may not be successful. In some examples, when any one of the extraction operation, the holding operation, the retraction operation and / or the parking operation reaches one of the force and / or torque limits corresponding to the corresponding cutting operation stage, a warning and / or alarm using one or more sound, visual and / or text alarms can be issued.

[0068] Some examples of control units (such as control unit 140) may include a non-transitory tangible machine-readable medium that includes executable code that, when executed by one or more processors (e.g., processor 150), may cause the one or more processors to perform the processes of method 700. Some common forms of machine-readable media that may include the processes of method 700 are, for example, floppy disks, diskettes, hard disks, magnetic tapes, any other magnetic media, CD-ROMs, any other optical media, punch cards, paper tapes, any other physical media with patterns of holes, RAM, PROMs, EPROMs, FLASH-EPROMs, any other memory chips or cartridges, and / or any other media suitable for being read by a processor or computer.

[0069] Although illustrative embodiments have been shown and described, a wide range of modifications, changes and substitutions are contemplated in the foregoing disclosure, and in some cases, some features of the embodiments may be employed without the corresponding use of other features. Those of ordinary skill in the art will recognize many variations, substitutions and modifications. Therefore, the scope of the present invention should be limited only by the appended claims, and it is appropriate that the claims be interpreted broadly and in a manner consistent with the scope of the embodiments disclosed herein.

Claims

1. A non-transitory machine-readable medium comprising a plurality of machine-readable instructions, which when executed by one or more processors associated with a computer-assisted medical device are adapted to cause the one or more processors to perform a method comprising: When a cutting blade of an end effector of a surgical instrument is not in use, the cutting blade is held in a first position, the holding being performed by a limiting mechanism of a drive unit, or by the limiting mechanism and a force or torque applied to the drive unit by one or more motors, solenoids, servo mechanisms, active actuators, hydraulic actuators or pneumatic actuators, the first position being a parked position or home position at or near a parking area of ​​the surgical instrument; extending the cutting blade from the first position to a second position, the second position being a fully extended or mostly extended position of the cutting blade, by applying a force or torque to the drive unit using the one or more motors, solenoids, servomechanisms, active actuators, hydraulic actuators or pneumatic actuators; retracting the cutting blade from the second position to a third position between the first position and the second position, the third position being located most of the way back to the first position, using the one or more motors, solenoids, servomechanisms, active actuators, hydraulic actuators, or pneumatic actuators; as well as The cutting blade is further retracted to the first position using the one or more motors, solenoids, servo mechanisms, active actuators, hydraulic actuators or pneumatic actuators.

2. The non-transitory machine-readable medium of claim 1, wherein the restraining mechanism is a spring.

3. The non-transitory machine-readable medium of claim 1 , wherein: The first position is within the parking zone of the end effector; and The third position corresponds to the cutting blade being retracted to a position just outside of the parking zone.

4. The non-transitory machine-readable medium of any one of claims 1-3, wherein the method further comprises maintaining the cutting blade in the second position before retracting the cutting blade to the third position.

5. A non-volatile machine-readable medium according to any one of claims 1-3, wherein the method further comprises commanding the cutting blade to follow a position distribution map comprising a time series of expected positions describing a smooth trajectory of the cutting blade between the first position, the second position, and the third position.

6. A non-volatile machine-readable medium according to any one of claims 1-3, wherein a first magnitude of the force or torque limit when the cutting blade is being extended is greater than a second magnitude of the force or torque limit when the cutting blade is being retracted and further retracted. 7 . The non-transitory machine-readable medium of claim 6 , wherein a difference between the first magnitude and the second magnitude is based on a force or torque applied by the restraining mechanism.

8. A computer-assisted medical device, comprising: one or more processors; one or more motors, solenoids, servomechanisms, active actuators, hydraulic actuators, or pneumatic actuators; as well as An articulated arm supporting a surgical instrument, the surgical instrument comprising: a drive unit located at a proximal end of the surgical instrument; an end effector located at a distal end of the surgical instrument, the end effector comprising an opposable clamping jaw and a cutting blade; a shaft between the drive unit and the end effector, the shaft housing one or more drive mechanisms for coupling force or torque from the drive unit to the end effector; and a parking area for accommodating the cutting blade when the cutting blade is not in use, the parking area being located at a proximal end of the clamping jaws; The computer-assisted medical device is configured to perform a cutting operation using the cutting blade by: extending the cutting blade from a first position to a second position using the one or more motors, solenoids, servomechanisms, active actuators, hydraulic actuators or pneumatic actuators, wherein the first position is a parked position or a home position at or near the parking area, and The second position is a fully extended or mostly extended position of the cutting blade; retracting the cutting blade from the second position to a third position between the first position and the second position, the third position being located most of the way back to the first position, using the one or more motors, solenoids, servomechanisms, active actuators, hydraulic actuators, or pneumatic actuators; and further retracting the cutting blade to the first position using the one or more motors, solenoids, servo mechanisms, active actuators, hydraulic actuators, or pneumatic actuators; Wherein when the cutting blade is not in use, the cutting blade is maintained in the first position using a limiting mechanism in the drive unit, or using the limiting mechanism and a force or torque applied to the drive unit by one or more motors, solenoids, servo mechanisms, active actuators, hydraulic actuators or pneumatic actuators.

9. The computer-assisted medical device of claim 8, wherein the limiting mechanism is a spring.

10. The computer-assisted medical device of claim 8, wherein one or more of said clamping jaws include a groove for assisting in guiding said cutting blade during said extension and said retraction.

11. The computer-assisted medical device according to any one of claims 8 to 10, wherein: The first position is within the parking area; and The third position corresponds to the cutting blade being retracted to a position just outside of the parking zone.

12. The computer-assisted medical device according to any one of claims 8-10, wherein the computer-assisted medical device is further configured to maintain the cutting blade in the second position before retracting the cutting blade to the third position.

13. A computer-assisted medical device according to any one of claims 8-10, wherein during the cutting operation, the cutting blade is commanded to follow a position distribution map, the position distribution map comprising a time series of expected positions describing a smooth trajectory of the cutting blade between the first position, the second position and the third position.

14. The computer-assisted medical device according to any one of claims 8 to 10, wherein: a first magnitude of the force or torque limit when the cutting blade is being extended that is greater than a second magnitude of the force or torque limit when the cutting blade is being retracted and further retracted; as well as The difference between the first magnitude and the second magnitude is based on a force or torque applied by the restraining mechanism.

15. A computer-assisted medical device, comprising: one or more processors; one or more motors, solenoids, servomechanisms, active actuators, hydraulic actuators, or pneumatic actuators; as well as An articulated arm supporting a surgical instrument, the surgical instrument comprising: a drive unit located at a proximal end of the surgical instrument; an end effector located at a distal end of the surgical instrument, the end effector comprising an opposable clamping jaw and a cutting blade; a shaft between the drive unit and the end effector, the shaft housing one or more drive mechanisms for coupling force or torque from the drive unit to the end effector; and a parking area for accommodating the cutting blade when the cutting blade is not in use, the parking area being located at a proximal end of the clamping jaws; wherein, in order to perform a cutting operation, the computer-assisted medical device is configured to operate the cutting blade according to a force or torque limit profile; The force or torque limit distribution diagram includes: a first force or torque limit used when extending the cutting blade from a first position to a second position, the first position being a parked or home position at or near the park area and the second position being a fully extended or mostly extended position of the cutting blade; a second force or torque limit for use in retracting the cutting blade from the second position to a third position between the first position and the second position and further retracting the cutting blade to the first position, the third position being located most of the way back to the first position; and A third force or torque limit is used when the cutting blade is in the first position.

16. The computer-assisted medical device of claim 15, wherein the magnitude of the first force or torque limit and the magnitude of the second force or torque limit are the same force or torque limit magnitude.

17. The computer-assisted medical device of claim 15, wherein the magnitude of the first force or torque limit is greater than the magnitude of the second force or torque limit.

18. A computer-assisted medical device according to claim 17, wherein the difference between the magnitude of the second force or torque limit and the magnitude of the first force or torque limit is based on the force or torque applied by a limiting mechanism used to help maintain the cutting blade in the first position.

19. The computer-assisted medical device of claim 15, wherein the magnitude of the third force or torque limit is lower than the magnitude of the second force or torque limit.

20. A non-transitory machine-readable medium comprising a plurality of machine-readable instructions which, when executed by one or more processors associated with a computer-assisted medical device, are adapted to cause the one or more processors to perform a method comprising: operating a drive unit of the cutting instrument at a first force or torque limit to extend the cutting blade from a first position to a second position, the first position being a parked or home position at or near a parking area of ​​the surgical instrument and the second position being a fully extended or mostly extended position of the cutting blade; operating the drive unit at a second force or torque limit to retract the cutting blade from the second position to a third position between the first position and the second position; operating the drive unit at the second force or torque limit to further retract the cutting blade from the third position to the first position, the third position being located most of the way back to the first position; as well as The drive unit is operated at a third force or torque limit to maintain the cutting blade in the first position.

21. The non-transitory machine readable medium of claim 20, wherein the magnitude of the first force or torque limit and the magnitude of the second force or torque limit are the same force or torque limit magnitude.

22. The non-transitory machine-readable medium of claim 20, wherein a magnitude of the first force or torque limit is greater than a magnitude of the second force or torque limit.

23. A non-transitory machine-readable medium according to claim 22, wherein the difference between the magnitude of the second force or torque limit and the magnitude of the first force or torque limit is based on the force or torque applied by a limiting mechanism used to help maintain the cutting blade in the first position.

24. The non-transitory machine readable medium of claim 20, wherein the third force or torque limit has a magnitude lower than the second force or torque limit.

25. A computer-assisted medical device comprising: one or more processors; one or more motors, solenoids, servomechanisms, active actuators, hydraulic actuators, or pneumatic actuators; as well as An articulated arm supporting a surgical instrument, the surgical instrument comprising: a drive unit located at a proximal end of the surgical instrument; an end effector located at a distal end of the surgical instrument, the end effector comprising an opposable clamping jaw and a cutting blade; a shaft between the drive unit and the end effector, the shaft housing one or more drive mechanisms for coupling force or torque from the drive unit to the end effector; and a parking area for accommodating the cutting blade when the cutting blade is not in use, the parking area being located at a proximal end of the clamping jaws; Wherein, in order to perform the cutting operation, the computer-assisted medical device is configured to: extending the cutting blade from a first position, which is a parked position or home position at or near the parking area, to a second position, which is a fully extended or mostly extended position of the cutting blade, using the one or more motors, solenoids, servomechanisms, active actuators, hydraulic actuators, or pneumatic actuators; maintaining the cutting blade in the second position using the one or more motors, solenoids, servomechanisms, active actuators, hydraulic actuators, or pneumatic actuators; retracting the cutting blade from the second position to a third position located most of the way back to the first position using the one or more motors, solenoids, servomechanisms, active actuators, hydraulic actuators or pneumatic actuators; and The cutting blade is further retracted to the first position using the one or more motors, solenoids, servo mechanisms, active actuators, hydraulic actuators or pneumatic actuators.

26. A non-transitory machine-readable medium comprising a plurality of machine-readable instructions which, when executed by one or more processors associated with a computer-assisted medical device, are adapted to cause the one or more processors to perform a method comprising: Extending the cutting blade from a first position, which is a parked position or home position at or near a parking area of ​​the surgical instrument, to a second position, which is a fully extended or mostly extended position of the cutting blade, using one or more motors, solenoids, servo mechanisms, active actuators, hydraulic actuators, or pneumatic actuators; maintaining the cutting blade in the second position using the one or more motors, solenoids, servomechanisms, active actuators, hydraulic actuators, or pneumatic actuators; retracting the cutting blade from the second position to a third position located most of the way back to the first position using the one or more motors, solenoids, servomechanisms, active actuators, hydraulic actuators or pneumatic actuators; and The cutting blade is further retracted to the first position using the one or more motors, solenoids, servo mechanisms, active actuators, hydraulic actuators or pneumatic actuators.

27. A computer-assisted medical device comprising: one or more processors; one or more motors, solenoids, servomechanisms, active actuators, hydraulic actuators, or pneumatic actuators; as well as An articulated arm supporting a surgical instrument, the surgical instrument comprising: a drive unit located at a proximal end of the surgical instrument; an end effector located at a distal end of the surgical instrument, the end effector comprising an opposable clamping jaw and a cutting blade; a shaft between the drive unit and the end effector, the shaft housing one or more drive mechanisms for coupling force or torque from the drive unit to the end effector; and a parking area for accommodating the cutting blade when the cutting blade is not in use, the parking area being located at a proximal end of the clamping jaws; Wherein, in order to perform the cutting operation, the computer-assisted medical device is configured to: entering an extension phase in which the cutting blade is extended using the one or more motors, solenoids, servomechanisms, active actuators, hydraulic actuators or pneumatic actuators from a first position, the first position being a parked position or a home position at or near the parking area, to a second position being a fully extended or mostly extended position of the cutting blade; entering a holding phase in which the cutting blade is held in the second position using the one or more motors, solenoids, servo mechanisms, active actuators, hydraulic actuators, or pneumatic actuators; entering a retraction phase in which the cutting blade is retracted from the second position to a third position using the one or more motors, solenoids, servo mechanisms, active actuators, hydraulic actuators, or pneumatic actuators, the third position being located most of the way back to the first position; and A parking phase is entered, in which the cutting blade is further retracted to the first position using the one or more motors, solenoids, servo mechanisms, active actuators, hydraulic actuators or pneumatic actuators.

28. A non-transitory machine-readable medium comprising a plurality of machine-readable instructions which, when executed by one or more processors associated with a computer-assisted medical device, are adapted to cause the one or more processors to perform a method comprising: Entering an extension phase in which the cutting blade is extended from a first position, which is a parked position or home position at or near a parking area of ​​the surgical instrument, to a second position, which is a fully extended or mostly extended position of the cutting blade, using one or more motors, solenoids, servo mechanisms, active actuators, hydraulic actuators, or pneumatic actuators; entering a holding phase in which the cutting blade is held in the second position using the one or more motors, solenoids, servo mechanisms, active actuators, hydraulic actuators, or pneumatic actuators; entering a retraction phase in which the cutting blade is retracted from the second position to a third position using the one or more motors, solenoids, servo mechanisms, active actuators, hydraulic actuators, or pneumatic actuators, the third position being located most of the way back to the first position; as well as A parking phase is entered, in which the cutting blade is further retracted to the first position using the one or more motors, solenoids, servo mechanisms, active actuators, hydraulic actuators or pneumatic actuators.

29. A computer-assisted medical device comprising: one or more processors; one or more motors, solenoids, servomechanisms, active actuators, hydraulic actuators, or pneumatic actuators; as well as An articulated arm supporting a surgical instrument, the surgical instrument comprising: a drive unit located at a proximal end of the surgical instrument; an end effector located at a distal end of the surgical instrument, the end effector comprising an opposable clamping jaw and a cutting blade; a shaft between the drive unit and the end effector, the shaft housing one or more drive mechanisms for coupling force or torque from the drive unit to the end effector; and a parking area for accommodating the cutting blade when the cutting blade is not in use, the parking area being located at a proximal end of the clamping jaws; Wherein, in order to perform the cutting operation, the computer-assisted medical device is configured to: extending the cutting blade from a first position, which is a parked position or home position at or near the parking area, to a second position, which is a fully extended or mostly extended position of the cutting blade, using the one or more motors, solenoids, servomechanisms, active actuators, hydraulic actuators, or pneumatic actuators; retracting the cutting blade from the second position to a third position located most of the way back to the first position using the one or more motors, solenoids, servomechanisms, active actuators, hydraulic actuators, or pneumatic actuators; maintaining the cutting blade in the third position using the one or more motors, solenoids, servomechanisms, active actuators, hydraulic actuators, or pneumatic actuators; and The cutting blade is further retracted to the first position using the one or more motors, solenoids, servo mechanisms, active actuators, hydraulic actuators or pneumatic actuators.

30. A non-transitory machine-readable medium comprising a plurality of machine-readable instructions which, when executed by one or more processors associated with a computer-assisted medical device, are adapted to cause the one or more processors to perform a method comprising: Extending the cutting blade from a first position, which is a parked position or home position at or near a parking area of ​​the surgical instrument, to a second position, which is a fully extended or mostly extended position of the cutting blade, using one or more motors, solenoids, servo mechanisms, active actuators, hydraulic actuators, or pneumatic actuators; retracting the cutting blade from the second position to a third position located most of the way back to the first position using the one or more motors, solenoids, servomechanisms, active actuators, hydraulic actuators, or pneumatic actuators; maintaining the cutting blade in the third position using the one or more motors, solenoids, servomechanisms, active actuators, hydraulic actuators, or pneumatic actuators; and The cutting blade is further retracted to the first position using the one or more motors, solenoids, servo mechanisms, active actuators, hydraulic actuators or pneumatic actuators.

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