Closure mechanism for a surgical tool

Abstract

A surgical tool includes a drive housing, a closure tube extending from the drive housing, an end effector arranged at an end of the closure tube and having opposing jaws, and a closure yoke mounted to the closure tube and having a protrusion extending therefrom. A gear assembly includes one or more spur gears attached to corresponding one or more drive shafts such that rotation of the one or more drive shafts correspondingly rotates the one or more spur gears, and a closure cam gear positioned in intermeshing engagement with the one or more spur gears and defining a profile that receives the protrusion. Rotating the one or more spur gears causes the closure cam gear to rotate, which causes the protrusion to traverse the profile, and the protrusion traversing the profile forces the closure yoke and the closure tube to linearly displace and thereby actuate the jaws.

Description

Background Technology

[0001] Minimally invasive surgical (MIS) instruments are generally superior to traditional open surgical devices due to reduced postoperative recovery time and minimized scarring. The most common MIS procedures can be endoscopic, and the most common form of endoscopic surgery is laparoscopic surgery, in which one or more small incisions are made in the patient's abdomen, and a cannula is inserted through these incisions to create access to the abdominal cavity. The cannula is used to introduce various instruments and tools into the abdominal cavity and provides air insufflation to elevate the abdominal wall above organs. Instruments can be used to engage and / or manipulate tissue in a variety of ways to achieve diagnostic or therapeutic effects.

[0002] Each surgical instrument typically includes an end effector positioned at its distal end. Exemplary end effectors include clamps, grippers, scissors, suture devices, and needle holders, and are similar to those used in routine (open) surgery, except that the end effector of each instrument is separated from its shank by an approximately 12-inch-long shaft. A camera or image-capturing device, such as an endoscope, is also typically introduced into the abdominal cavity to allow the surgeon to observe the surgical field and the operation of the end effector during the procedure. The surgeon can observe the surgery in real time via a visual monitor that communicates with the image-capturing device.

[0003] A surgical stapler is a type of end-effector capable of cutting and simultaneously suturing (fastening) transversely cut tissue. Also alternatively referred to as a "linear cutter," a surgical stapler includes opposing jaws capable of opening and closing to grasp and release tissue. Once the tissue is grasped or clamped between the opposing jaws, the end-effector can be "fired" to advance a cutting element or blade distally to transversely cut the grasped tissue. As the cutting element advances, staples housed within the end-effector are progressively deployed to seal the opposite sides of the transversely cut tissue. Attached Figure Description

[0004] The following figures are included to illustrate certain aspects of this disclosure and should not be considered as exclusive embodiments. The subject matter disclosed herein is capable of numerous modifications, alterations, combinations, and equivalents in form and function without departing from the scope of this disclosure.

[0005] Figure 1 This is a block diagram of an exemplary robotic surgical system that can incorporate some or all of the principles of this disclosure.

[0006] Figure 2 yes Figure 1 An exemplary implementation of one of the main consoles in the main console.

[0007] Figure 3 It is based on one or more implementation schemes. Figure 1An example of a robot manipulator.

[0008] Figure 4 It is an isometric side view of an exemplary surgical tool that can incorporate some or all of the principles of this disclosure.

[0009] Figure 5 It shows that Figure 4 The wrist has the potential degrees of freedom for joint movement (pivot).

[0010] Figure 6 It is based on one or more implementation schemes. Figure 4 Bottom view of the drive housing.

[0011] Figure 7A and Figure 7B It is based on one or more implementation schemes. Figure 4 An isometric view of the exposed interior of the drive housing.

[0012] Figure 8 It is operable to enable Figures 7A to 7B The closed tube moves and thus opens and closes. Figure 4 A partially exploded isometric view of an exemplary gear assembly 800 of jaws.

[0013] Figure 9A and Figure 9B They are Figure 8 Isometric and bottom views of the closed cam gear of the gear assembly.

[0014] Figures 10A to 10C It is a graphic depiction in Figures 9A to 9B A graph showing the change in mechanical advantage between the first and second arcuate regions of the outline.

[0015] Figure 11A and Figure 11B An exemplary control diagram is depicted for controlling a mechanism having two motors.

[0016] Figure 12A yes Figure 4 A cross-sectional side view of the end effector.

[0017] Figure 12B yes Figure 12A An enlarged cross-sectional isometric view of a portion of the end effector.

[0018] Figure 13 It is firing Figure 4 and Figures 12A to 12B A schematic flowchart of an exemplary method for monitoring torque spikes when using an end effector.

[0019] Figure 14 It is coordination Figure 4A schematic diagram of an exemplary method for clamping and firing a surgical tool.

[0020] Figure 15 It originates from the use of measurement Figure 4 An exemplary output graph of a characterizer representing the efficiency of surgical tools during operation.

[0021] Figure 16A and Figure 16B This is a schematic diagram of an exemplary method for implementing pulse closure control according to one or more embodiments.

[0022] Figure 17 It can help pulse Figure 4 A schematic side view of an exemplary gear interface for the closing force on the jaws.

[0023] Figure 18 A graph of torque T versus angle Θ is plotted alongside the graph of angular velocity ω versus angle Θ.

[0024] Figure 19 It is the first torque angle curve placed alongside the second torque angle curve. Detailed Implementation

[0025] This disclosure relates to robotic surgical tools, and more specifically, to closure systems and mechanisms for robotic surgical tools, and to monitoring closure systems and mechanisms for effective jaw closure and pin formation.

[0026] Figures 1 to 3 The structure and operation of an exemplary robotic surgical system and its associated components are illustrated. While applicable to robotic surgical systems, it should be noted that the principles of this disclosure may alternatively be applied to non-robotic surgical systems without departing from the scope of this disclosure.

[0027] Figure 1This is a block diagram of an exemplary robotic surgical system 100 that can incorporate some or all of the principles of this disclosure. As shown, system 100 may include at least one main console 102a and at least one robotic manipulator 104. The robotic manipulator 104 may be mechanically and / or electrically coupled to one or more robotic arms 106 or otherwise include one or more robotic arms. In some embodiments, the robotic manipulator 104 may be mounted to a transport vehicle (alternatively referred to as an "arm vehicle") that enables the robotic manipulator 104 and the associated robotic arms 106 to move. Each robotic arm 106 may include and otherwise provide tool actuators on which one or more surgical instruments or tools 108 may be mounted to perform various surgical tasks on a patient 110. The operation of the robotic arms 106, the corresponding tool actuators, and the associated tools 108 may be guided by a clinician 112a (e.g., a surgeon) from the main console 102a.

[0028] In some embodiments, a second master console 102b (shown in dashed lines), operated by a second clinician 112b, may also assist in guiding the operation of the robotic arm 106 and tool 108, in conjunction with the first clinician 112a. In such embodiments, for example, each clinician 112a, 112b may control a different robotic arm 106, or in some cases, complete control of the robotic arm 106 may be transferred between clinicians 112a, 112b. In some embodiments, additional robotic manipulators with additional robotic arms may be used on the patient 110 during surgery, and these additional robotic arms may be controlled by one or more of the master consoles 102a, 102b.

[0029] The robot manipulator 104 and the main control consoles 102a and 102b can communicate with each other via a communication link 114. This communication link can be any type of wired or wireless communication link configured to carry appropriate types of signals (e.g., electrical signals, optical signals, infrared signals, etc.) according to any communication protocol. The communication link 114 can be an actual physical link, or it can be a logical link using one or more actual physical links. When the link is a logical link, the type of physical link can be a data link, uplink, downlink, fiber optic link, point-to-point link, such as those well known in the field of computer networking used to refer to communication facilities connecting network nodes. Therefore, clinicians 112a and 112b can remotely control the operation of the robot arm 106 via the communication link 114, thereby enabling clinicians 112a and 112b to remotely perform surgery on patient 110.

[0030] Figure 2 It can be used for control Figure 1An exemplary embodiment of the main console 102a for operating the robot manipulator 104. As shown, the main console 102a may include a support 202, clinicians 112a, 112b ( Figure 1 His / her forearm can rest on the support while grasping one or more user input devices (not shown). The user input devices may include, for example, physical controllers, such as, but not limited to, handheld actuator modules, joysticks, exoskeleton gloves, master manipulators, etc., and are capable of movement in multiple degrees of freedom to control surgical tools 108. Figure 1 The main control console 102a may also include one or more foot pedals 204 that can be engaged by clinicians 112a, 112b to change the configuration of the surgical system and / or generate additional control signals to control the operation of the surgical instruments 108.

[0031] When clinicians 112a, 112b ( Figure 1 While observing surgery via the visual display 206, the user input device and / or foot pedal 204 can be manipulated. Images displayed on the visual display 206 may be obtained from an endoscopic camera or "endoscope". In some embodiments, the visual display 206 may include or otherwise incorporate a force feedback meter or "force indicator" that provides clinicians 112a, 112b with visual indications of the magnitude and direction of the force exerted by surgical tools (i.e., cutting instruments or dynamic clamping members). As will be understood, other sensor arrangements may be employed to provide indications of other surgical tool measurements on the main control console 102a, such as, for example, whether the staple cartridge has been loaded into the end effector or whether the anvil has moved to the closed position before firing.

[0032] Figure 3 An example of a robotic manipulator 104 for operating multiple surgical instruments 108 according to one or more embodiments is shown. As shown, the robotic manipulator 104 may include a base 302 supporting a vertically extending column 304. Multiple robotic arms 106 (three shown) are operatively coupled to the column 304 at a carriage 306, the carriage being selectively adjustable to change the height of the robotic arms 106 relative to the base 302, as indicated by arrow A.

[0033] The robotic arm 106 may include links capable of manual joint movement, alternatively referred to as "device joints". In an illustrated embodiment, a surgical tool 108 is mounted to a corresponding tool driver 308 disposed on each robotic arm 106. Each tool driver 308 may include one or more drivers or motors for interacting with one or more corresponding drive inputs to the surgical tool 108, and actuation of the drive input causes the associated surgical tool 108 to operate.

[0034] One of the surgical tools 108 may include an image capturing device 310, such as an endoscope, which may include, for example, a laparoscope, arthroscopy, hysteroscopy, or alternatively, other imaging modalities such as ultrasound, infrared, fluorescence microscopy, magnetic resonance imaging, etc. The image capturing device 310 has an observation end located at the distal end of an elongated axis, which allows the observation end to be inserted through an inlet into the internal surgical site of the patient's body. The image capturing device 310 is communicatively coupled to a visual display 206. Figure 2 It can also transmit images in real time for display on the visual display 206.

[0035] The remaining surgical instruments are communicatively connected to the clinicians 112a, 112b ( Figure 1 In the main console 102a ( Figure 2 The user input device is held at the location. Movement of the robotic arm 106 and associated surgical instruments 108 can be controlled by clinicians 112a, 112b using the user input device. As detailed below, the surgical instruments 108 may include or otherwise incorporate end effectors mounted on corresponding articulated wrists, which are pivotally mounted on the distal end of associated elongated shafts. The elongated shafts allow the end effectors to be inserted through an inlet into an internal surgical site within the patient's body, and the user input device also controls the movement (actuation) of the end effectors.

[0036] In use, the robotic manipulator 104 is positioned close to the patient requiring surgery and then typically held stationary until the surgical procedure is completed. The robotic manipulator 104 typically has wheels or casters to enable its movement. Lateral and vertical positioning of the robotic arm 106 can be achieved by clinicians 112a, 112b. Figure 1 The surgical tool 108 and image capture device 310 are positioned to facilitate the transfer of the elongated shaft of the surgical tool 108 and the image capture device 310 to the desired position relative to the surgical site via the inlet. When the surgical tool 108 and image capture device 310 are thus positioned, the robotic arm 106 and carriage 306 can be locked into place.

[0037] Figure 4 This is an isometric side view of an exemplary surgical tool 400 incorporating some or all of the principles of this disclosure. The surgical tool 400 can be used with... Figure 1 and Figure 3 At least one of the surgical tools 108 is the same as or similar to that of the surgical tools, and therefore can be used with robotic surgical systems such as Figure 1The surgical tool 400 is used in conjunction with a robotic surgical system 100. As shown, the surgical tool 400 includes an elongated shaft 402, an end effector 404, an articulated wrist 406 (alternatively referred to as a "wrist joint") that connects the end effector 404 to the distal end of the shaft 402, and a drive housing 408 that connects to the proximal end of the shaft 402. In applications where the surgical tool 400 is used in conjunction with a robotic surgical system, the drive housing 408 may include a coupling feature that releasably connects the surgical tool 400 to the robotic surgical system. However, the principles of this disclosure are equally applicable to non-robot surgical tools that can otherwise be manually manipulated.

[0038] The terms "proximal" and "distal" are defined herein with respect to a robotic surgical system having an interface configured to mechanically and electrically connect surgical tools 400 (e.g., drive housing 408) to a robotic manipulator. The term "proximal" refers to a location of an element closer to the robotic manipulator, and the term "distal" refers to a location of an element closer to the end effector 404 and therefore further away from the robotic manipulator. Furthermore, directional terms such as above, below, up, down, upward, downward, left, right, etc., are used with respect to exemplary embodiments as they are shown in the figures, with upward or upper direction pointing towards the top of the corresponding figure, and downward or lower direction pointing towards the bottom of the corresponding figure.

[0039] Surgical tool 400 may have any of a variety of configurations capable of performing one or more surgical functions. In an illustrated embodiment, end effector 404 includes a surgical stapler configured to cut and suture (tighten) tissue, alternatively referred to as a “linear cutter.” As shown, end effector 404 includes opposing jaws 410, 412 configured to move (articularly) between an open position and a closed position. However, opposing jaws 410, 412 may alternatively form part of other types of end effectors including jaws, such as, but not limited to, tissue grippers, surgical scissors, advanced energy vascular sealers, clamps, needle drivers, babcock clamps including a pair of opposing gripping jaws, bipolar jaws (e.g., bipolar Maryland grippers, clamps, perforated grippers, etc.). One or both of jaws 410, 412 may be configured to pivot to actuate end effector 404 between an open position and a closed position. In the exemplary example, the second jaw 412 is rotatable (pivotable) relative to the first jaw 410 to move between an open, unclamped position and a closed, clamped position. However, in other embodiments, without departing from the scope of this disclosure, the first jaw 410 may move (rotate) relative to the second jaw 412.

[0040] In the illustrated example, the first jaw 410 may be characterized as or otherwise referred to as a “cabin” jaw, and the second jaw 412 may be characterized as or otherwise referred to as an “anvil” jaw. The first jaw 410 may include a frame that receives or supports the cartridge, and the second jaw 412 is pivotally supported relative to the first jaw 410 and defines a surface that operates as an anvil to deform the nails ejected from the cartridge during operation.

[0041] The wrist 406 enables the end effector 404 to articulate (pivot) relative to the axis 402, thereby positioning the end effector 404 in the desired orientation and position relative to the surgical site. Figure 5 The potential degrees of freedom for joint movement (pivot) of the wrist 406 are shown. The wrist 406 can have any of a variety of configurations. Typically, the wrist 406 includes a joint configured to allow pivotal movement of the end effector 404 relative to axis 402. The degrees of freedom of the wrist 406 are represented by three translational variables (i.e., forward / backward, undulation, and sway) and three rotational variables (i.e., Euler angles or roll, pitch, and yaw). The translational and rotational variables describe the position and orientation of a component of the surgical system (e.g., the end effector 404) relative to a given reference Cartesian coordinate system. Figure 5 As shown, "advance and retreat" refers to forward and backward translational movement, "undulation" refers to up and down translational movement, and "sway" refers to left and right translational movement. Regarding rotational terms, "roll" refers to tilting left and right, "pitch" refers to tilting forward and backward, and "yaw" refers to turning left and right.

[0042] Pivoting motion may include pitch motion about a first axis (e.g., the X-axis) of the wrist 406, yaw motion about a second axis (e.g., the Y-axis) of the wrist 406, and combinations thereof, such that the end effector 404 rotates 360° about the wrist 406. In other applications, pivoting motion may be limited to movement in a single plane, such as pitch motion only about the first axis of the wrist 406 or yaw motion only about the second axis of the wrist 406, such that the end effector 404 moves only in a single plane.

[0043] See you again Figure 4 The surgical tool 400 may incorporate or include an actuation system designed to facilitate joint movement of the wrist 406 and actuation (operation) of the end effector 404 (e.g., gripping, firing, rotation, joint movement, energy delivery, etc.). The actuation system may include multiple actuating components extending from the drive housing 408 to the wrist 406, etc. Figure 4 (The end effector is obscured), and the selective actuation of these drive components causes the end effector 404 to articulate (pivot) relative to the axis 402 at the wrist 406. The end effector 404 in Figure 4 The image shows the end effector 404 in a non-jointed position, where the longitudinal axis A2 of the end effector 404 is substantially aligned with the longitudinal axis A1 of the shaft 402, such that the end effector 404 forms a substantially zero angle with respect to the shaft 402. In the jointed position, the longitudinal axes A1 and A2 will be offset at an angle to each other, such that the end effector 404 forms a non-zero angle with respect to the shaft 402.

[0044] Other actuating members may extend to end effector 404, and selective actuation of these actuating members may cause end effector 404 to be actuated (operated). Actuating end effector 404 may include closing and / or opening a second jaw 412 relative to a first jaw 410 (or vice versa), thereby enabling end effector 404 to grip (clamp) onto tissue. Once tissue is gripped or clamped between opposing jaws 410, 412, actuating end effector 404 may also include “firing” end effector 404, which may refer to causing a cutting element or blade (not visible) to advance distally within a slot 414 defined in the second jaw 410. As it moves distally, the cutting element may transection any tissue gripped between opposing jaws 410, 412. Furthermore, as the cutting element advances distally, multiple staples contained within the staple cartridge (i.e., housed within the first jaw 410) can be pushed (cam-driven) into deformable contact with corresponding anvil surfaces (e.g., recesses) disposed on the second jaw 412. The deployed staples can form multiple rows of staples sealing opposite sides of the transversely cut tissue.

[0045] In some applications, the surgical tool 400 may also be configured to apply energy, such as radio frequency (RF) energy, to tissue. In such cases, the actuated end effector 404 may also include applying energy to tissue gripped or clamped between two opposing jaws to cauterize or seal the captured tissue, after which the tissue may be transversely cut.

[0046] The surgical tool 400 may also include a manual jaw control system that allows a user to manually open and close the jaws 410, 412. In an exemplary embodiment, the manual jaw control system may include a control tool 416 that is accessible to the user from outside the drive housing 408. The control tool 416 is operatively coupled to various gears and / or drive components located within the drive housing 408 to allow a clinician to manually open and close the jaws 410, 412. By rotating the control tool 416 in either angular direction, the clinician can fully clamp and fully unclamp the jaws 410, 412. The control tool 416 may be particularly useful to the clinician when the surgical tool 400 is disengaged from the surgical robot, as the ability to open and close the jaws 410, 412 eliminates the need to apply unintended stress to the internal drive components or parts. In cases where a clinician wishes to manually open the jaws 410, 412 while the surgical tool 400 is still attached to the surgical robot, the clinician may rotate the control tool 416 to attempt to open the end effector 404.

[0047] Figure 6 This is a bottom view of a drive housing 408 according to one or more embodiments. As shown, the drive housing 408 may include a tool mounting portion 602 for operatively coupling the drive housing 408 to a tool driver 604. The tool driver 604 may be coupled to... Figure 3 The tool driver 308 is the same as or similar to it, therefore, it can be used with Figure 1 and Figure 3 The robot manipulator 104 is used in conjunction with the robot. The drive housing 408 is mounted to the tool driver 604, positioning the drive housing 408 to communicate with the computer system 606, which can communicate with the main controllers 102a and 102b. Figure 1 Part of the communication or otherwise forms the main controllers 102a, 102b. The computer system 608 monitors and boots the operation of the drive housing 408 via the operation of the tool driver 604, thereby enabling the user (e.g., Figure 1 The clinicians (112a, 112b) can control the operation of the drive housing 408 by operating the main controllers (102a, 102b).

[0048] The tool mounting portion 602 includes and otherwise provides an interface for mechanically, magnetically, and / or electrically coupling the drive housing 408 to the tool driver 604. In at least one embodiment, the tool mounting portion 602 couples the drive housing 408 to the tool driver via a sterile barrier 604 (not shown). As shown, the interface includes and supports multiple inputs, such as drive inputs 608a, 608b, 608c, 608d, 608e, and 608f. Each drive input 608a to 608f may include a rotatable disk configured to align (mate) and engage with corresponding drives 610a, 610b, 610c, 610d, 610e, and 610f of the tool driver 604. Each drive input 608a to 608f and the corresponding driver 610a to 610f respectively provide or define one or more mating surface features 612 and 614, which are configured to facilitate mating engagement between relative surface features 612, 614, such that movement (rotation) of a given driver 610a to 610f correspondingly causes movement (rotation) of the associated drive input 608a to 608f.

[0049] Each actuator 610a to 610f may include or otherwise include a motor 616 configured to actuate the corresponding actuator 610a to 610f, and actuation of a given actuator 610a to 610f correspondingly causes actuation of the associated drive inputs 608a to 608f, which facilitates the operation of the mechanical components of the drive housing 408. More specifically, actuation of a given motor 616 causes the corresponding actuator 610a to 610f to rotate, which in turn causes the associated drive inputs 608a to 608f operatively coupled to the actuator to rotate. Each motor 616 may communicate with a computer system 606, and based on input signals provided by a user (e.g., a surgeon), the computer system 606 may selectively actuate any one of the motors 616 and thereby drive the corresponding actuator 610a to 610f to operate the mechanical system of the drive housing 408.

[0050] In some embodiments, actuation of a first drive input 608a via a first driver 610a controls the rotation of shaft 402 about its longitudinal axis A1. Depending on the direction of rotation of the first drive input 608a, shaft 402 can rotate clockwise or counterclockwise, thereby causing end effector 404 to rotate accordingly in the same direction. Figure 4 The actuation of the end effector 404 at the wrist 406 via the second drive input 608b and the third drive input 608c, respectively, via the second driver 610a and the third driver 610b, controls joint movement of the end effector 404. Figure 4Actuation of the fourth drive input 608d and the fifth drive input 608e via the fourth drive 610d and the fifth drive 610e respectively causes the outer portion of shaft 402 (referred to herein as the "closed tube") to advance and retract, thereby closing and opening jaws 410, 412 ( Figure 4 Finally, actuation of the sixth drive input 608f via the sixth driver 610f can cause the end effector 404 to fire, which may require the distal deployment of cutting elements to transversely cut the tissue held by the jaws 410, 412 and simultaneously deploy the staples contained in the staple cartridge within the first jaw 410.

[0051] The tool mounting section 602 may also include one or more electrical connectors 618 (two shown) configured to mate with corresponding electrical connections 620 (two shown) provided by the tool driver 604 to facilitate communication between the drive housing 408 and the tool driver 604. Alternatively or additionally, the drive housing 408 may wirelessly communicate with the tool driver 604, for example, via a near-field communication connection or protocol. The drive housing 408 may also accommodate or otherwise include an internal computer 622 that may include a memory 624 and / or a microprocessor 626. The memory 624 may include one or more databases or libraries storing data relating to the drive housing 408, and more specifically, may include data relating to the surgical tool 400 ( Figure 4 Related data. In some embodiments, memory 624 may include non-transitory computer-readable media, such as read-only memory (ROM), which may be PROM, EPROM, EEPROM, etc. The drive housing 408 is coupled to the tool driver 604 to place the internal computer 622 in communication with the computer system 606.

[0052] The computer system 606 can be programmed and otherwise configured to monitor the operation of the surgical instrument 400 using various sensors and / or electromechanical devices (collectively referred to herein as “monitoring devices”). Figure 4 Each monitoring device may be designed to monitor one or more operating parameters of the surgical instrument 400 and report the measured operating parameters to the computer system 606 for processing. For example, the computer system 606 may communicate with one or more torque sensors 628 and / or one or more rotary encoders 630, each torque sensor and / or rotary encoder being characterized as a monitoring device designed to monitor operating parameters of the surgical instrument 400. For example, the torque sensor 628 may be configured to monitor torque, while the rotary encoder 630 may be configured to monitor motion (rotational or linear).

[0053] Torque sensor 628 and rotary encoder 630 may be integrated into some or all of the motors 616 with drives 610a to 610f, but may alternatively be operatively coupled to one or more of the drive inputs 608a to 608f. Torque sensor 628 may be configured to measure the real-time torque load on motor 616 corresponding to the assumed torque load of drives 610a to 610f and / or drive inputs 608a to 608f. Rotary encoder 630 may measure the rotational motion or output of motor 616 corresponding to the rotational motion of drives 610a to 610f and / or drive inputs 608a to 608f. Monitoring the torque load and rotational motion of motor 616 may help determine whether surgical tool 400 is operating according to commands provided by computer system 606.

[0054] See Figure 7A and Figure 7B The image shows an exposed isometric view of the interior of a drive housing 408 according to one or more embodiments. Figures 7A to 7B The upper portion of the drive housing 408 is omitted to allow for observation of the internal working parts and components. Furthermore, Figures 7A to 7B Several components that would otherwise be included in the drive housing 408 have been omitted from the drawings to simplify the drawings and to allow for discussion of the depicted components.

[0055] First see Figure 7A The first drive shaft 702a is connected to the first drive input 608a. Figure 6 The actuation and rotation of the first drive input 608a correspondingly rotate the first drive shaft 702a. A helical drive gear 704 is coupled to the first drive shaft 702a and rotates with it. The helical drive gear 704 meshes with a helical driven gear 706, which is operatively coupled to the shaft 402 and more specifically to an inner grounding shaft 708 forming part of the shaft 402. The inner grounding shaft 708 extends concentrically within the outer portion of the shaft 402, referred to herein as a “closed tube.” Therefore, the actuation of the first drive input 608a drives the first drive shaft 702a and correspondingly drives the inner grounding shaft 708 to rotate the shaft 402 about the longitudinal axis A1.

[0056] The second drive shaft 702b can be connected to the second drive input 608b. Figure 6 This causes the actuation and rotation of the second drive input 608b to correspondingly rotate the second drive shaft 702b. The pinion 710a (in...) Figure 7B(Best shown in the diagram) Attached to and capable of rotating with the second drive shaft 702b. A pinion 710a meshes with a first driven rack 712a such that as the pinion 710a rotates in a first rotational direction, the first driven rack 712a translates correspondingly in a first longitudinal direction. As the pinion 710a rotates in a second rotational direction, the first driven rack 712a translates correspondingly in a second longitudinal direction opposite to the first longitudinal direction.

[0057] The first driven rack 712a includes a first fork 714a that can engage with the first articulated yoke 716a. Figure 7B (Best shown in the diagram). More specifically, the first fork 714a is configured to be received within an annular slot 718a defined in the first articulated yoke 716a, which allows the first articulated yoke 716a to rotate about the longitudinal axis A1 as the inner grounding shaft 708 rotates. Furthermore, the engagement between the first fork 714a and the annular slot 718a, under the action of rotation of the second drive shaft 702b, allows the first driven rack 712a to drive the first articulated yoke 716a along the longitudinal axis A1 (towards the distal or proximal side). Figure 7B As best shown, the first articulated yoke 716a can be coupled to the first drive member 720a, which extends distally along the axis 402 to the wrist 406. Figure 4 The axial movement of the first articulated yoke 716a along the longitudinal axis A1 correspondingly moves the first drive member 720a, which causes the wrist 406 and the end effector 404 to move. Figure 4 Perform joint movements.

[0058] See Figure 7B The third drive shaft 702c is connected to the third drive input 608c. Figure 6 This causes the actuation and rotation of the third drive input 608c to correspondingly rotate the third drive shaft 702c. The pinion 710b (in...) Figure 7A (Best shown in the diagram) It is attached to the third drive shaft 702c and is able to rotate with it. The pinion 710b meshes with the second driven rack 712b, such that rotating the pinion 710b in the first rotational direction corresponds to translating the second driven rack 712b in the first longitudinal direction. Rotating the pinion 710b in the second rotational direction corresponds to translating the second driven rack 712b in the second longitudinal direction opposite to the first longitudinal direction.

[0059] The second driven rack 712b includes a second fork 714b capable of engaging with the second articulated yoke 716b. More specifically, the second fork 714b is configured to be received within an annular slot 718b defined in the second articulated yoke 716b. Figure 7A(Best shown in the diagram), this allows the second articulated yoke 716b to rotate about the longitudinal axis A1 as the inner grounding shaft 708 rotates. Furthermore, the engagement between the second fork 714b and the annular slot 718b, driven by the rotation of the third drive shaft 702c, allows the second driven rack 712b to drive the second articulated yoke 716b along the longitudinal axis A1 (towards the distal or proximal side). Figure 7A As best shown, the second articular yoke 716b can be coupled to the second drive member 720b, which extends distally to the wrist 406. Figure 4 The axial movement of the second articulator yoke 716b along the longitudinal axis A1 correspondingly moves the second drive member 720b, which causes the wrist 406 and the end effector 404 to move. Figure 4 Perform joint movements.

[0060] Therefore, the axial movement of the first articulated yoke 716a and the second articulated yoke 716b along the longitudinal axis A1 cooperatively actuates the drive members 720a and 720b, thereby causing the end effector 404 to perform articulated movements. For example, the first articulated yoke 716a and the second articulated yoke 716b operate such that one of the articulated yokes 716a and 716b pulls one of the drive members 720a and 720b proximally, while the other articulated yoke 716a and 716b pushes the other drive member 720a and 720b distally. However, the first articulated yoke 716a and the second articulated yoke 716b can optionally be operated independently without operating the other.

[0061] Fourth drive shaft 702d ( Figure 7A ) and the fifth drive shaft 702e ( Figure 7B It can be connected to the fourth drive input 604d and the fifth drive input 604e respectively. Figure 6 This causes the actuation and rotation of the fourth drive input 604d and the fifth drive input 604e to correspondingly rotate the fourth drive shaft 702d and the fifth drive shaft 702e. The rotation of the fourth drive shaft 702d and the fifth drive shaft 702e can cause the jaws 410 and 412 ( Figure 4 The jaws 410, 412 move between an open position and a closed position. More specifically, the outer portion of shaft 402 may include a closing tube 722, which is axially advanced or retracted by the rotation of the fourth drive shaft 702d and the fifth drive shaft 702e, and the axial advancement and retraction of the closing tube 722 accordingly move the jaws 410, 412 between an open position and a closed position. See also Figure 8 and Figures 9A to 9B The following description provides more detail of the gears and gear assemblies used to advance and retract the closed tube 722, thereby moving the jaws 410, 412 between an open position and a closed position.

[0062] As shown, each drive shaft 702d, 702e has a spur gear 724 attached thereto, and the two spur gears 724 are positioned to mesh with a closing cam gear 725 mounted to a closing yoke 726. The closing yoke 726 is rotatably mounted to a closing tube 722, but is axially fixed thereto. This allows the closing tube 722 to rotate with the inner grounding shaft 708, but also allows the closing yoke 726 to advance or retract the closing tube 722. As detailed below, a protrusion (not shown) extends from or is otherwise coupled to the closing yoke 726, and the protrusion interacts with the closing cam gear 725 to facilitate the axial movement of the closing yoke 726. Thus, rotating the spur gear 724 causes the closing cam gear 725 to rotate, which correspondingly causes the closing yoke 726 and the interconnected closing tube 722 to translate axially.

[0063] The closed cam gear 725 can also be operatively (directly or indirectly) coupled to a control tool 416 disposed on the exterior of the drive housing 408 and form part of a manual jaw control system. For example... Figure 7A As best shown, the drive gear 728 can be positioned below the control tool 416 and can mesh with the driven gear 729 operatively connected to the closing cam gear 725. Therefore, the user can manually rotate the control tool 416, which will correspondingly rotate the drive gear 728 against the driven gear 729, thereby causing the closing cam gear 725 to rotate and the closing yoke 726 to move distally and proximally to close and open the jaws 410, 412. Figure 4 ).

[0064] The sixth drive shaft 702f is connected to the sixth drive input 604f ( Figure 6 This causes the actuation and rotation of the sixth drive input 604f to correspondingly rotate the sixth drive shaft 702f. Rotation of the sixth drive shaft 702f allows it to advance and retract through the shaft 402 to reach the end effector 404. Figure 4 The firing lever (not shown). The distal end of the firing lever is operatively connected to the cutting element (blade), such that axial movement of the firing lever correspondingly moves the cutting element distally or proximally to transversely cut the tissue held between jaws 410, 412. Figure 4 In some implementations, the distal movement of the firing lever also deploys a pin, as described above.

[0065] A spur gear 730 is connected to a sixth drive shaft 702f, such that rotation of the sixth drive shaft 702f correspondingly rotates the spur gear 730. The spur gear 730 meshes with a second spur gear 732 attached to a first transmission drive shaft 734. A third spur gear (not visible) is connected to the first transmission drive shaft 734 and meshes with a fourth spur gear 736 attached to a second transmission drive shaft 738. Finally, an output pinion 740 (… Figure 7A The output pinion 740 is connected to the second drive shaft 738 and meshes with the rack and pinion drive 742 of the firing member 744, such that rotation of the output pinion 740 causes axial translation of the firing member 744. The firing member 744 can be connected to the aforementioned firing rod (not shown). Therefore, rotation of the sixth drive shaft 702f will drive axial translation of the firing member 744, which correspondingly drives the firing rod in the same direction to advance and retract the cutting element at the end actuator 404. Figure 4 ).

[0066] Figure 8 It is operable to open and close jaws 410, 412 ( Figure 4 A partially exploded isometric view of an exemplary gear assembly 800. The gear assembly 800 is contained within a drive housing 408. Figures 7A to 7B In, and can be actuated to move (linearly displace) the closing yoke 726, which is rotatably mounted to the closing tube 722, but axially fixed to the closing tube. As described above, moving the closing yoke 726 will correspondingly move the closing tube 722 in the same axial direction and thereby cause the jaws 410, 412 ( Figure 4 It closes and opens according to the movement of the closed tube 722.

[0067] As shown in the figure, the gear assembly 800 includes a closed cam gear 725, and Figure 9A and Figure 9B These are isometric and bottom views of the closed cam gear 725, respectively. The gear assembly 800 also includes opposing spur gears 724 attached to corresponding drive shafts 702d, 702e, and each spur gear 724 is positioned to mesh with gear teeth defined on the outer periphery of the closed cam gear 725. Therefore, rotating the drive shafts 702d, 702e causes the spur gears 724 to rotate the closed cam gear 725, which correspondingly moves the closing yoke 726 and the closing tube 722 distally and proximally to open and close the jaws 410, 412. Figure 4 ).

[0068] In the illustrated embodiment, the gear assembly 800 may further include a drive gear 728 positioned below the control tool 416 and meshing with a driven gear 729 operatively coupled to the closing cam gear 725. A user can manually open and close the jaws 410, 412 by manually rotating the control tool 416, which correspondingly rotates the drive gear 728 against the driven gear 729, thereby causing the closing cam gear 725 to rotate and moving the closing yoke 726 and closing tube 722 distally and proximally, respectively.

[0069] The protrusion 802 extends from or is otherwise connected to the closed yoke 726. When the gear assembly 800 is assembled in the drive housing 408 ( Figure 4 and Figures 7A to 7B When the protrusion 802 interacts with the closed cam gear 725, it facilitates the axial movement of the closed yoke 726 and the closed tube 722. For example... Figures 9A to 9B As best shown, the protrusion 802 can be received in a profile 902 defined or otherwise formed in the bottom 904 of the closed cam gear 725. The profile 902 can operate as a cam profile or slot, and in some embodiments, can generally be helical. As the closed cam gear 725 rotates, the protrusion 802 slides within or otherwise follows the profile 902, and the curvature of the profile 902 causes the interconnected closed yoke 726 to translate longitudinally relative to the closed cam gear 725, resulting in a linear displacement of the interconnected closed tube 722. As the closed yoke 726 moves distally, the closed tube 722 moves correspondingly in the distal direction, causing the jaws 410, 412 ( Figure 4 ) Closed. In contrast, when the closing yoke 726 moves proximally, the closing tube 722 moves accordingly in the proximal direction and causes the jaws 410, 412 to open.

[0070] See Figure 9B Profile 902 provides a first end 906a and a second end 906b. A protrusion 802 (shown in dashed lines) is capable of traversing all or a portion of profile 902 between the first end 906a and the second end 906b as the closed cam gear 725 rotates. Profile 902 provides a mechanical advantage in translating the rotational input of the closed cam gear 725 into linear displacement of the closed yoke 726 and the closed tube 722. Profile 902 can be defined mathematically, and therefore, the realized mechanical advantage can be optimized, tuned, or otherwise maximized for a particular application. In some embodiments, for example, profile 902 may comprise a simple helix or curve extending between the first end 906a and the second end 906b with a varying radius (e.g., a constant slope). In such embodiments, profile 902 will provide a constant mechanical advantage for linear displacement of the closed tube 722 as the protrusion 802 traverses the profile between the first end 906a and the second end 906b.

[0071] However, in other embodiments, profile 902 may provide two or more arcuate regions exhibiting different cam profiles, which correspondingly alters the mechanical advantages along the entire profile 902, and particularly at the transitions between the arcuate regions. In the illustrated embodiment, for example, profile 902 is defined or otherwise provided by a first arcuate region 908a and a second arcuate region 908b. The first arcuate region 908a extends from a first end 906a of profile 902, and the second arcuate region 908b extends from the first arcuate region 908a of profile 902 to a second end 906b. The first arcuate region 908a may be characterized as jaws 410, 412 (…). Figure 4 The closure is used to grasp the "closed" area on the tissue. Conversely, the second arcuate region 908b can be characterized as jaws 410, 412 (…). Figure 4 The clamping mechanism begins to clamp onto the "clamping" area of ​​the grasped tissue. Therefore, the first arcuate region 908a and the second arcuate region 908b include a continuous portion of the contour 902.

[0072] The cam path radii on the first and second arcuate regions can continuously change. In the first arcuate region 908a, the descent rate is constant (i.e., the radius changes constantly), and thus a constant slope is produced; an input angle of xx degrees produces a translation of s1*xx, where s1 represents the slope of the first arcuate region 908a. In the second arcuate region 908b, the descent rate is also constant (i.e., the radius changes constantly), and thus a constant slope is produced, but the value differs from that in the first arcuate region 908a; an input angle of xx degrees produces a translation of s2*xx, where s2 represents the slope of the second arcuate region 908b. Therefore, when the protrusion 802 traverses the first arcuate region 908a, compared to traversing the second arcuate region 908b, the linear displacement of the closed yoke 726 ( Figure 8 ) and closed tube 722 ( Figure 8 It will be faster and have less output force, with the linear displacement of the closed yoke 726 and the closed tube 722 being slower but with more output force.

[0073] The mathematical function or curvature of contour 902 can be customized on the arcuate regions 908a and 908b to optimize the operation of end effector 404. Figure 4 ) and jaws 410, 412 ( Figure 4 The actuation of ) More specifically, when the protrusion 802 traverses the first arcuate region 908a, the constant slope s1 of the first profile 902 causes the closed yoke 726 ( Figure 8 ) and closed tube 722 ( Figure 8The faster but less forceful linear displacement of the jaws 410, 412 towards the closed position can prove advantageous, but the amount of output force is small and may not be needed before the tissue is grasped. Conversely, the second constant slope s2 of the contour 902 results in a slower but more forceful linear displacement of the closing yoke 726 and the closing tube 722 as the protrusion 802 traverses the second arcuate region 908a. This can prove advantageous in causing the jaws 410, 412 to move more slowly towards the end of the closing sequence and to grasp the tissue more forcefully. Therefore, the contour 902 can be optimized or customized based on the corresponding position of the closing tube 722, which will directly affect the position, velocity, and output closing force provided by the jaws 410, 412.

[0074] Figures 10A to 10C It is a graphic depiction in Figures 9A to 9B The graph shows the change in mechanical advantage between the first arcuate region 908a and the second arcuate region 908b of the contour 902. As shown, the first arcuate region 908a results in a first mechanical advantage that is constant in the first arcuate region 908a, and the second arcuate region 908b results in a second mechanical advantage that is constant in the second arcuate region 908b but greater than the first mechanical advantage.

[0075] Figure 10A It shows Figures 9A to 9B The Cartesian representation of contour 902. As described above, contour 902 directly drives protrusion 802 ( Figure 8 ) in closed yoke 726 ( Figures 7A to 7B and Figure 8 The position on the curve is such that the curve is also a representation of the closed yoke position as a function of the cam angle. The lines depicted represent constant slopes s1, s2, and profile 902. Figures 9A to 9B The radius of the change (radius / cam angle change) changes. As shown in the figure, the large slope s1 of the radius change (radius / cam angle change) extends constantly (straight line) on the first arc region 908a, and then transitions to the small slope s2 of the radius change (radius / cam angle change) extending constantly (straight line) on the second arc region 908b.

[0076] exist Figure 10B In the figure, the lines depicted represent the slope of the profile 902 extending over the first arcuate region 908a and the second arcuate region 908b. As shown, the slope of the profile 902 can be a step function with a smooth transition. Figure 10B Basically Figure 10A The derivative of the position chart (e.g., dr / dt, or the radius as a function of the cam angle).

[0077] exist Figure 10CIn the figure, the lines depicted represent the different output forces (i.e., the linear displacement of the closed tube 722) provided by the first arcuate region 908a and the second arcuate region 908b for a given input torque (i.e., the rotational input from the closed cam gear 725). As shown, the mechanical advantage on the second arcuate region 908b is greater than that on the first arcuate region 908a, which is the opposite of the mechanical advantage on the second arcuate region 908b, equivalent to a more powerful output on the first arcuate region 908a. Therefore, Figure 10C This is a graph of the theoretical output force delivered to the closed tube 722 under a given constant input torque. Figures 7A to 7B and Figure 8 This diagram depicts two distinct regions with constant mechanical advantage and the transition region between them.

[0078] It should be noted that, although Figures 9A to 9B Contour 902 depicts two arcuate regions 908a, 908b, but without departing from the scope of this disclosure, contour 902 may be optimized or otherwise redesigned to include more than two regions. For example, contour 902 may include as many arcuate regions as possible required to change the velocity or the resulting output force at multiple locations along the curvature of contour 902, all of which would correspond to the closing and opening jaws 410, 412 ( Figure 4 The position and output force of the closed tube 722 during opening and closing. In addition, in some embodiments, the profile 902 may optionally include one or more straight areas, which will cause the closed tube 722 to pause briefly during opening and closing.

[0079] Control a mechanism with two non-coupling motors

[0080] Figure 11A and Figure 11B Exemplary control diagrams 1100a and 1100b are depicted, respectively, of a mechanism with two motors for controlling a robotic surgical tool. Some robotic surgical tools utilize multiple rotational inputs from the tool actuator to control one degree of freedom of the instrument. An example of this is a closed cam gear 725 (…). Figures 7A to 7B , Figure 8 , Figures 9A to 9B The actuation and operation of ) cause the closure of tube 722 ( Figures 7A to 7B , Figure 8 Linear shifting and thereby opening and closing jaws 410, 412 Figure 4 As described above, the closed cam gear 725 is driven by the fourth driver 610d and the fifth driver 610e. Figure 6 These drivers rotate due to the actuation of the fourth drive input 608d and the fifth drive input 608e. Figure 6 ) and interconnected fourth drive shaft 702d and fifth drive shaft 702e ( Figures 7A to 7B ) rotate so that the pinion 724 attached to each drive shaft 702d, 702e rotates. Figures 7A to 7B , Figure 8 The action is on the closed cam gear 725. The motor 616 operates the fourth drive 610d and the fifth drive 610e. Figure 6 It needs to be operated or risked during operation in conjunction with the closed cam gear 725, either synchronously or in other ways.

[0081] The first control diagram 1100a and the second control diagram 1100b each control the operation of the first or "main" motor and the second or "auxiliary" motor. For example, the main motor and the auxiliary motor can be motor 616 ( Figure 6 The motor operates the fourth drive 610d and the fifth drive 610e. Figure 6 And this causes the closed cam gear 725 ( Figures 7A to 7B , Figure 8 , Figures 9A to 9B The operation (rotation) of the tube 722 causes it to close. Figures 7A to 7B ) movement and thereby opening and closing jaws 410, 412 ( Figure 4 The first control schematic diagram 1100a and the second control schematic diagram 1100b may include illustrative algorithms or software instructions, which may be derived from... Figure 6 The computer system 606 is used to implement (execute) the simultaneous operation of the main motor and the auxiliary motor.

[0082] exist Figure 11A In the first control diagram 1100a, a target position (or angle) is provided to the main motor, such as at 1102, which generates some target clinical state for the surgical tool 400 (e.g., closure angle, joint movement angle, etc.). Figure 4 The main motor controller issues a corresponding command to the main motor, as at 1104, followed by the application of a corresponding voltage, as at 1106, and the main motor moves accordingly, as at 1108. The actual position of the corresponding drive input is then measured and compared to the position the corresponding drive input should be at, as at 1110, and any positional error is accounted for by sending a new command to the main motor, as at 1112. For example, it can be used... Figure 6 A rotary encoder 630 is used to measure the position of the drive input. This feedback loop keeps the main motor moving and continuously readjusts to the user specifications until the target position (angle) is met.

[0083] According to the first control diagram 1100a, the position error of the main motor can be sent to another controller, such as at 1114, to allow an auxiliary motor to assist the main motor in bringing the mechanism (e.g., closed cam gear 725) to the desired orientation or position. The position error is sent to a multiplier that outputs the target torque of the auxiliary motor, such as at 1116. A corresponding command is given to the auxiliary motor via the auxiliary motor controller, such as at 1118, followed by the application of a corresponding voltage, such as at 1120, and the auxiliary motor moves responsively, such as at 1122. The torque of the auxiliary motor is then measured, such as at 1124, and can be used, for example... Figure 6 The torque is measured using a torque sensor 628. If the measured torque is not equal to the target torque, the output of the auxiliary motor is adjusted (i.e., increased or decreased) to minimize the error. Therefore, the farther the main motor is from the target position (angle), the greater the driving force of the auxiliary motor to help supplement the main motor. The operation of the auxiliary motor responds to changes in the main motor, and this secondary feedback loop helps to keep the auxiliary motor moving and continuously readjust to the user instructions until the main motor meets the target clinical state (e.g., target position, angle, etc.).

[0084] exist Figure 11B In this second control schematic 1100b, the auxiliary motor is substantially similar to the first control schematic 1100a, but with added logic that if the position error provided by the main motor is sufficiently close to zero, the auxiliary motor is disabled (e.g., by electrically disconnecting the motor from the control circuit to allow free rotation), and therefore does not risk (prevent) its operation in conjunction with the main motor. More specifically, the second control schematic 1100b may include a logic step 1124 that first determines whether the position error of the main motor is greater than a predetermined upper limit, as at 1126. If so, the auxiliary motor is operated based on a target output torque proportional to the position error, as at 1128, and the operation of the auxiliary motor is performed as described above with respect to the first control schematic 1100a.

[0085] If the position error of the main motor is not greater than a predetermined upper limit, then it is determined whether the position error of the main motor is less than a predetermined lower limit, as at 1130. If the position error of the main motor is less than the predetermined lower limit, then the auxiliary motor is operated based on the output target torque proportional to the position error, as at 1128, and the operation of the auxiliary motor is performed as described above with respect to the first control schematic diagram 1100a. If not, the auxiliary motor is disabled, as at 1132. In some embodiments, disabling the auxiliary motor may allow the auxiliary motor to rotate freely while the main motor is operating.

[0086] Closure error identification method using thick tissue locking

[0087] Figure 12A It is based on one or more implementation schemes. Figure 4 Enlarged cross-sectional side view of the end effector 404 Figure 12B This is an enlarged cross-sectional isometric view of a portion of the end effector 404. See first. Figure 12A As described above, the end effector 404 includes opposing jaws 410, 412 capable of moving between an open position and a closed position, and... Figure 12A The jaws 410 and 412 are depicted in the open position. The end effector 404 may also include a cutting element or blade 1202 that can linearly displace within a slot 414 defined in the second jaw 410 to cut tissue gripped between the jaws 410 and 412. As the blade 1202 advances distally within the slot, a slider or cam wedge 1204 simultaneously engages a plurality of staples (not shown) contained within the first jaw 410 (e.g., within a staple cartridge), and pushes (cam movement) the staples into deformable contact with opposing anvil surfaces (e.g., recesses) disposed on the second jaw 412. Properly deployed staples help seal opposite sides of the transversely cut tissue.

[0088] As shown in the figure, the cutting element 1202 is operatively coupled to an extension toward the proximal side (i.e., in...). Figure 12A The firing lever 1206 (on the right side) is operatively connected at its proximal end to Figures 7A to 7B The firing member 744. As described above, actuation of the firing member 744 causes the firing lever 1206 to advance and retract, and correspondingly causes the blade 1202 to advance and retract, so that the blade can cut across the tissue gripped between the jaws 410, 412. As described above, the distal movement of the firing lever 1206 also correspondingly moves the cam wedge 1204 to deploy the pin.

[0089] See now Figure 12B See also Figure 12A The blade stop 1208 extends laterally from the blade 1202, and the upper jaw 412 provides or otherwise defines a channel 1210 sized to receive the blade stop 1208 as the blade 1202 moves distally. The channel 1210 also includes an inclined surface 1212, and the blade stop 1208 is required to traverse the inclined surface 1212 to fully enter the channel 1210.

[0090] A jaw stop 1214 may be disposed at the proximal end of the channel 1210 and / or the inclined surface 1212. The jaw stop 1214 may be configured to stop distal movement of the blade 1202 when the jaws 410, 412 are open. More specifically, when the jaws 410, 412 are open, such as... Figure 12BAs shown, the jaw stop 1214 will be positioned such that the blade stop 1208 will engage the jaw stop 1214 and thereby stop the distal movement of the blade 1202. Conversely, when the jaws 410, 412 are closed or substantially closed, the jaw stop 1214 will move downward and be otherwise positioned such that the blade stop 1208 will be able to traverse the inclined surface 1212 and enter the channel 1210 as the blade 1202 moves distally.

[0091] See above. Figures 7A to 7B The sixth drive input 604f( Figure 6 It can be actuated to advance and retract the firing lever 1206, thereby advancing and retracting the blade 1206. Figure 6 At least one of the motors 616 controls the actuation of the sixth drive input 604f, and can be controlled by one or more corresponding torque sensors 628. Figure 6 ) and / or rotary encoder 630 ( Figure 6 The operation of motor 616 is monitored. If the firing lever 1206 is pushed distally when jaws 410, 412 are open, the cutter stop 1208 will engage jaw stop 1214 and stop distal movement of cutter 1202, resulting in a torque spike measured by torque sensor 628, which monitors the operation of motor 616 driving the sixth drive input 610f. Recording the torque spike will provide a positive indication that cutter stop 1208 has engaged jaw stop 1214 because jaws 410, 412 are open. Then computer system 606 ( Figure 6 This can prevent the knife 1202 from moving further to the side as a protective measure.

[0092] When jaws 410 and 412 are closed, the firing lever 1206 can be advanced distally, and the blade stop 1208 will traverse the inclined surface 1212 to enter the channel 1210. The traverse of the inclined surface 1212 will record data from the torque sensor 628. Figure 6 The torque spike measured, however, will be much smaller than the torque spike recorded for traversing the inclined surface 1212, which is generated by the knife stop 1208 engaging the jaw stop 1214 and stopping the distal movement. Computer system 606 Figure 6 The system can store known torque spikes, the expected torque spikes that occur when the cutter stop 1208 traverses the inclined surface 1212 and enters the channel 1210 with the jaws 410, 412 closed. If the measured torque spike falls within this known range, the computer system 606 can determine that the cutter stop 1208 has traversed the inclined surface 1212 and allows the firing sequence to continue. Therefore, recording smaller torque spikes within the known torque spike range provides a positive indication that the cutter stop 1208 has successfully traversed the inclined surface 1212 and entered the channel 1210.

[0093] However, when the jaws 410, 412 are substantially closed but not fully closed, the cutter stop 1208 can still traverse the inclined surface 1212 and enter the channel 1210, but a large torque spike can be measured. The jaws 410, 412 may not be fully closed for various reasons, such as when the jaws 410, 412 grip thick or large tissue. If the jaws 410, 412 are not fully closed, the pin may be deployed inaccurately or improperly when the end effector 404 is fired. Furthermore, if the jaws 410, 412 are not fully closed, the angle of the inclined surface 1212 relative to the cutter stop 1208 will be larger compared to when the jaws 410, 412 are fully closed. Therefore, the torque sensor 628 ( Figure 6 The measured torque spike will be greater than the known range of torque spikes expected when the tool stop 1208 traverses the inclined surface 1212 with jaws 410, 412 fully closed. For example, the measured torque may be about 0.1 N·m when jaws 410, 412 are closed, but may jump to about 0.3 N·m when jaws are not fully closed. Therefore, if a torque spike is measured between the known range of torque spikes and the torque spike recorded when the tool stop 1214 engages the jaw stop 1214, it may be a positive indication that jaws 410, 412 are substantially closed but not fully closed. According to an embodiment of this disclosure, computer system 606 ( Figure 6 It can be programmed to notify (warn) the user when the end actuator 404 is fired while the jaws 410, 412 are substantially closed but not fully closed. This notifies the user that if firing proceeds, the pin may not form properly.

[0094] Figure 13 This is a schematic flowchart of an exemplary method 1300 for monitoring torque spikes upon firing an end effector 404, according to one or more embodiments. The steps of method 1300 can be used... Figure 6 The computer system 606 is used to implement this to help notify (warn) the user when the end effector 404 is fired while the jaws 410, 412 are not fully closed. As shown, method 1300 can begin when the user requests the firing of the end effector 404, as at 1302. More specifically, the user can manipulate a user input device that communicates with the computer system 606 and send a command signal to fire the end effector 404. As described above, firing the end effector can cause the firing lever 1206 ( Figures 12A to 12B )Move and correspondingly advance the blade 1202 distally. Figures 12A to 12B), such as at 1304, to transversely grasp any tissue between the opposing jaws 410, 412. The firing end actuator 404 can also cause the pin deployment to seal the opposite sides of the transversely cut tissue. As the firing lever 1206 and the blade 1202 advance distally, the measuring motor (e.g., Figure 6 The torque that causes distal displacement on the motor 616 is measured, and any torque spikes are measured, such as at 1306. If the measured torque spike falls within a predetermined range, the user can be notified that the jaws 410, 412 may not be fully closed, such as at 1308. If the jaws 410, 412 are not fully closed, it may result in overstressing of the gripped tissue or insufficient nail deployment. Once the user is notified, the user has the option to initiate and complete the firing sequence, or to reposition the end effector 404 to achieve a more suitable grip of the tissue.

[0095] Algorithms for optimizing clamping

[0096] Figure 14 Coordination based on one or more implementation plans Figure 4 A schematic diagram of an exemplary method 1400 for the clamping and firing function of a surgical tool 400. The surgical tool 400 is fireable and thereby extends a knife 1202 ( Figures 12A to 12B Before cutting the tissue, nails are simultaneously deployed to seal the tissue, jaws 410, 412 ( Figure 4 The movement must proceed through the engagement of jaws 410, 412 to initiate a grasping phase of the tissue and a clamping (or compression) phase where jaws 410, 412 hold the grasped tissue. Therefore, the operation of the surgical instrument 400 must transition from grasping the tissue to clamping (compressing) the tissue to achieve staple formation. Method 1400 may include algorithms or software instructions that can be derived from… Figure 6 The computer system 606 implements (executes) to ensure that the clamping function is properly coordinated with the firing sequence and the associated movement of the blade 1202.

[0097] As shown in the figure, method 1400 may include entering a grasping phase, such as at 1402. This occurs when the user manipulates the user input device and sends command signals interpreted by computer system 606. Figure 6 ) to make jaws 410, 412 ( Figure 4 When the jaws 410 and 412 move to a specific orientation and begin to close, as described above, the actuation of jaws 410 and 412 can be achieved by triggering motor 616. Figure 6 The operation of the motor is performed by the fourth driver 610d and the fifth driver 610e. Figure 6 And this causes the closed cam gear 725 ( Figures 7A to 7B , Figure 8 , Figures 9A to 9BThe operation of ) causes the closed tube 722 ( Figures 7A to 7B , Figure 8 The movement of the jaws 410, 412 opens and closes. In some embodiments, once the jaws 410, 412 have gripped tissue at 90% capacity or greater (and the tool has not yet been fired), firing control can be activated on the visual display 206. Figure 2 The jaws become active and visible, as at 1404. If the firing control is not activated, method 1400 returns to step 1402 to continue gripping until 90% or more of the gripping capacity is reached. Therefore, the complete closure of jaws 410, 412 and the compression of the gripped tissue only begin when jaws 410, 412 are fully gripped (e.g., capacity > 90%) and the firing control is activated.

[0098] If firing control is initiated, method 1400 can proceed to preparing for firing by initiating a compression timer, as at 1406. The compression timer tracks the output from jaws 410, 412 ( Figure 4 The time elapsed since the start of fully compressed gripping of the tissue. This parameter informs the user how far the process has progressed during the gripping phase. Then the blade 1202 ( Figures 12A to 12B The motor 616 can begin to extend, such as at 1408, and cause the jaws 410, 412 to clamp. Figure 6 The speed can be set to move (rotate) in the clamping direction, as at 1410. If at least one of the motors 616 reaches or exceeds a predetermined torque limit indicating full clamping, method 1400 can continue to hold the motor 616 at a constant high torque value, as at 1412.

[0099] According to one or more implementation schemes, knife 1202 ( Figures 12A to 12B The blade 1202 can stop its distal movement at its maximum extension before cutting the tissue and form a stud, as at 1414. In at least one embodiment, for example, the blade 1202 can be stopped at the blade stop 1208 ( Figure 12B ) and jaw stop 1214 ( Figure 12B Stop at or near the point of close contact, but alternatively at another location. As will be understood, this saves time, as tissue needs to be compressed before full firing, and this compression can take time. According to this step, the blade 1202 can be moved to a point just before firing occurs and can remain stationary at that point until the tissue is sufficiently compressed, at which point the blade 1202 can be fired. Once the compression timer reaches the predetermined cycle for compressing the tissue, the blade 1202 can restart its extension to cut the tissue and deploy the staple, as at 1416. Once full extension is achieved after firing, the blade 1202 can be operated by motor 616 at a constant low torque. Figure 6To begin retraction, such as at 1418, this helps with in-situ control.

[0100] In some embodiments, method 1400 may further include realigning the jaws 410, 412 ( Figure 4 Motor 616 ( Figure 6 ). In the retraction blade 1202 ( Figures 12A to 12B After that, computer system 606 ( Figure 6 The control state on the closing mechanism is changed from clamping (high torque) to position control (low torque or no torque). It is desired that the motors be angularly realigned so that they can again cooperate to manipulate jaws 410, 412 as needed. To do this, one of the motors (motor A) can be disabled, as at 1420, and the other motor (motor B) can be moved to its original position, including a known offset along the opening direction, as at 1422. When motor B moves to its original position, motor A maintains a constant reset torque along the closing direction, which is counteracted by the operation of motor B, as at 1424. The original position of motor A can then be set to the current position, as at 1426. This can be achieved by changing the current position to the current position plus a pre-recorded offset along the opening direction, where the offset is a small fraction of the expected mechanical backlash between motors A and B. Doing so sets the original position of motor A within the backlash of motor B, thereby preventing motors A and B from canceling each other out when given a simultaneous position command.

[0101] Predicting suture force using position-dependent efficiency correction.

[0102] In surgical tools 400 ( Figure 4 During operation, it may be desirable or otherwise advantageous to determine the direction of the feed cutter 1202 ( Figures 12A to 12B ) to grip the jaws 410, 412 with a transverse cut. Figure 4 The applied shear force is caused by the organization between the components. However, at the end actuator 404 ( Figure 4 Placing a force sensor at that location may be difficult. Instead, it can be included in the drive housing 408. Figure 4 Torque sensor 628 Figure 6 ) and rotary encoder 630 ( Figure 6 ) can be used to obtain the motor 616 for the firing knife 1202. Figure 6 The torque and angular displacement measurements are used. The amount of force applied to the grasped tissue during transverse cutting can predict the outcome of nail formation. For example, if the transverse cutting force is high, this can be an indication that the nail may not form accurately or correctly, and can advise the user that bleeding may occur after the blade 1202 has been extended and once the jaws 410, 412 have subsequently opened.

[0103] As described above, one or more of the motors 616 Figure 6 ) can be actuated to rotate the sixth drive input 604f( Figure 6 The sixth drive input correspondingly rotates the sixth drive shaft 702f. Figures 7A to 7B ) and the firing element 744 ( Figures 7A to 7B The moving gears mesh with each other in a transmission system. The lateral displacement of the firing component 744 causes the firing rod 1206 ( Figures 12A to 12B The corresponding lateral displacement of ) to advance and retract the cutter 1202 ( Figures 12A to 12B The knife cuts across the tissue held between jaws 410 and 412. Figure 4 And simultaneously deploy nails to seal the cut tissue. Torque sensor 628 ( Figure 6 ) and rotary encoder 630 ( Figure 6 Real-time torque and angular displacement measurements of motor 616 can be obtained when actuating the sixth drive input 604f. If the system is perfectly efficient, these measurements, combined with the known mechanical advantages of the gear transmission system, can be used to predict the shear force. However, including surgical tools 400 ( Figure 4 The surgical instrument 400 is not 100% efficient and depends to a large extent on the efficiency of the gear mechanism used to drive the firing lever 1206, and the efficiency of the gear depends on the gear angle, which is rarely precise. In addition, the surgical instrument 400 not only has inefficiencies, but these inefficiencies can also depend on the angular position of the motor 616, which affects the state of the gear transmission system.

[0104] To accurately predict transverse cutting force, surgical tools 400 ( Figure 4 The efficiency during example operation can first be characterized. More specifically, the surgical tool 400 can be mounted to a "characterizer," which may include a laboratory test bench for calibrating the surgical tool 400 before use. The characterizer is typically a device on the production line that directly measures input torque and position, as well as output force and position. These measurements allow the efficiency of any individual device to be determined and recorded directly into the device's internal memory. Therefore, the characterizer can be configured to be able to measure the firing of the end effector 404 by the motor 616. Figure 4 The required force (torque) and corresponding displacement of the blade 1202 are measured to determine the given motor 616 specifically designed for firing the end effector 404. Figure 6 The characterizer can also be configured to measure and supply the working input, which can be based on the sixth drive input 604f (i.e., force × displacement / distance = working output). Figure 6The torque used to fire the end effector 404 and the angular displacement of the sixth drive input 604f are assumed to be used (i.e., torque × angle = working input). The torque and angular displacement can be measured over the entire angular range expected to be traversed (i.e., rotated through) during the traverse when the end effector 404 is fired. The efficiency of the mechanism for firing the end effector 404 can then be calculated over the angular range expected to be traversed during the traverse by dividing the working output by the working input.

[0105] Figure 15 This is an exemplary output graph 1500 derived from a characterizer used to measure the efficiency of surgical tool 400 during operation. Figure 4 In the curve 1500 shown, within the input position range between approximately 6500 degrees and 9500 degrees, the effective efficiency (%) of a given motor and corresponding transmission system ranges between approximately 45% and approximately 65%. As will be understood, and as shown, the efficiency percentage in curve 1500 oscillates because it is tied to manufacturing deviations in the gear mechanism. Therefore, efficiency is related to the angle of the drive input. Thus, when the gear transmission system operates (rotates), the efficiency will change depending on which part of the gear is used to transmit force. Using curve 1500, for a given known rotation angle of the motor, the efficiency will vary, but is now predictable.

[0106] The data exported from graph 1500 can be populated into a lookup table and stored in surgical tool 400. Figure 4 In the memory on the internal computer 622, for example ( Figure 6 ) memory 624 ( Figure 6 When the surgical tool 400 is placed during operation and the end effector 404 is targeted ( Figure 4 When initiating a firing sequence, the input torque and angular displacement of motor 616 can be measured. Figure 6 The measured angle can be compared with a lookup table stored in memory 624 to predict efficiency. The predicted efficiency can then be multiplied by the known input torque and mechanical advantage of the drive system to calculate the assumed actual shear force at end effector 404. In this embodiment, the mechanical advantage of the drive system relates to the gear mechanism and actuation mechanism for the firing system, which can be determined using kinematics based on the known gear ratio and number of teeth ratio within the drive system.

[0107] Therefore, although the efficiency of the gear transmission system may be uncontrollable, the efficiency can be characterized and stored in the surgical tool 400. Figure 4 ) memory 624 ( Figure 6 In ), the representation can then be queried in the form of the lookup table described above to help correct the error in motor 616. Figure 6The real-time torque reading is measured on the tool 1202. Figures 12A to 12B The force reading is converted to a reliable force reading (output) at the specified point, and then the user is notified whether the nail formed through normal or difficult tissue. In one example, for instance, and continue to refer to... Figure 15 The curve 1500, if the measured angular displacement is approximately 8000 degrees, is typically equivalent to an efficiency of approximately 50%. By combining the known mechanical advantages of the transmission system with the measured input torque and multiplying that result by a 50% efficiency value, it is possible to determine how much torque is actually delivered to the tissue being gripped at jaws 410, 412.

[0108] In some implementations, the predicted shear force can be compared with a previous firing and transmitted to the user (e.g., a surgeon) as an early warning of abnormal firing. More specifically, using the method currently described, the jaws 410, 412 can be released after firing. Figure 4 The system notifies the user beforehand whether the staple has been correctly formed based on the amount of torque required to cut through the tissue. If the measured torque exceeds a predetermined limit, it indicates that the tissue being cut is more difficult (tough), which typically results in incorrect or insufficiently deployed staples. Therefore, this can be an early warning of abnormal tissue or an error during the firing sequence. In such cases, the user is able to make intelligent decisions about the next step. In some implementations, once it is determined that a staple has formed in difficult tissue, the user can stop the firing process and pull back the blade 1202 before more staples are formed. Figures 12A to 12B Then, the user can move to different parts (sections) of the tissue for gripping and cutting. Alternatively, the user can perform a transverse cut, so that when they open jaws 410, 412 ( Figure 4 There may be bleeding due to improperly placed nails.

[0109] In another implementation, torque feedback can be based on a corrected efficiency lookup table derived from graph 1500. More specifically, a predetermined force (torque) limit can be programmed into the surgical tool 400. Figure 4 ) internal computer 622 ( Figure 6 ), and any measured torque exceeding this limit will instruct end actuator 404 ( Figure 4 It is possible to attempt firing through difficult-to-organize material, and there is a possibility of producing incorrectly deployed nails. In such implementations, efficiency characterization can be queried to determine the organizing force, and in motor 616 ( Figure 6 Let's assume a certain torque (considering equipment losses). Then, the surgical tool 400 can be programmed to operate the motor 616 in a manner that minimizes torque / force.

[0110] Although the foregoing example describes the use of the end effector 404 ( Figure 4 Motor 616 ( Figure 6 The efficiency lookup table is filled with the associated gear transmission system, but it should be understood that the foregoing principles can be equivalently applied to the motor 616 and the surgical instrument 400 without departing from the scope of this disclosure. Figure 4 The mechanical actuation function of the instrument corresponds to any gear transmission system in the mechanical actuation function of the instrument. Therefore, similar efficiency corrections can be applied to other systems, such as the closed or wrist joint motion system of the surgical instrument 400, to predict clinical outcomes.

[0111] Pulse Closure Control Method

[0112] Due to the viscoelasticity of the tissue, time and considerable force are required to fully clamp and compress the tissue in preparation for firing. As described herein, surgical tool 400 ( Figure 4 ) jaws 410, 412 ( Figure 4 The motor 616 can be opened or closed to be configured by operation to drive the fourth drive 610d and the fifth drive 610e. Figure 6 ) clamped onto the tissue, and drive the fourth actuator 610d and the fifth actuator 610e to rotate the fourth drive input 608d and the fifth drive input 608e respectively. Figure 6 ) and interconnected fourth drive shaft 702d and fifth drive shaft 702e ( Figures 7A to 7B ), so as to cause the pinion 724 attached to each drive shaft 702d, 702e ( Figures 7A to 7B , Figure 8 ) acts on the closed cam gear 725 ( Figure 6 The rotary closed cam gear 725 acts on the closed yoke 726. Figures 7A to 7B and Figure 8 This caused the closed tube 722 ( Figures 7A to 7B , Figure 8 ) linearly shift and thereby open and close jaws 410, 412 ( Figure 4 To obtain more clamping force that can help overcome and more effectively manage the viscoelasticity of the clamped tissue, this paper considers applying pulsed force when closing the jaws 410, 412. This can be done manually by the user using repetitive input provided through a user input device. However, it may be advantageous to configure the surgical tool 400 to achieve this autonomously and thereby utilize the inertia of the closed cam gear 725, the meshing gear transmission system, and the motor gear train to drive the closed yoke 726 and the interconnected closed tube 722.

[0113] Figure 16A and Figure 16BThese are schematic diagrams of exemplary methods 1600a and 1600b for implementing pulse closure control according to one or more embodiments. Methods 1600a and 1600b utilize a non-reverse-driven closure mechanism, including a closure cam gear 725 (…). Figure 8 and Figures 9A to 9B ) and its cam profile 902 ( Figures 9A to 9B More specifically, once the protrusion 802 ( Figure 8 and Figures 9A to 9B As the protrusion 802 is advanced within contour 902, the closed cam gear 725 is not naturally pushed to release (i.e., rotate in the opposite direction), but tends to remain in its position. The advantage of this is that motor 616 can be powered to advance protrusion 802 within contour 902, causing motor 616 to reverse several degrees, and then powered again to further drive protrusion 802 within contour 902. This pulsed motion of motor 616 results in an increasing gripping force with each pulse actuation. Methods 1600a, 1600b may include functions that can be controlled by computer system 606 (…). Figure 6 The algorithm or software instructions implemented (executed) to control motor 616 in a pulse manner. Figure 6 High clamping force can be achieved using the smallest clamping mechanism.

[0114] exist Figure 16A In the middle, command motor 616 ( Figure 6 ) begins the clamping process and thereby completely closes the jaws 410, 412 ( Figure 4 (e.g., at 1602). Motor 616 can be commanded to operate at a constant (set) speed for clamping, as at 1604. At some point, and depending on the thickness and viscoelasticity of the clamped tissue, the constant speed of motor 616 cannot be maintained without exceeding a predetermined torque on motor 616. The predetermined torque may include, for example, a preset torque value representing a physical limit of the system, beyond which the interconnecting drive system of motor 616 or the closing mechanism may be overstressed or malfunction. If the measured torque on one or both motors 616 reaches the preset torque value, the angular position of motor 616 is stored, as at 1606, at which point motor 616 can retract (reverse) by a preset angular amplitude, as at 1608. The preset angular amplitude may be sufficient to move motor 616 through the gear backlash of the closing mechanism, but insufficient to cause jaws 410, 412 to begin reopening.

[0115] The motor 616 can then be commanded to operate again at a constant speed to continue clamping the tissue, as at 1604. During this re-clamping process, the motor 616 retraces at high speed through the gear backlash because they do not resist the tissue load operation, and the closing mechanism re-engages (e.g., slams) the tissue at this high speed, which helps to compress the tissue more quickly. This process is repeated until the motor 616 reaches a known final closing angle, as at 1610, at which point the jaws 410, 412 will be fully clamped.

[0116] exist Figure 16B In the middle, command motor 616 ( Figure 6 ) begins the clamping process and thereby completely closes the jaws 410, 412 ( Figure 4 (e.g., at 1612). Motors 616 can be commanded to operate at a constant (set) speed for clamping, as at 1614, and once the measured torque on one or both motors 616 exceeds a preset torque limit, the excess torque count is indexed and recorded, as at 1616. If the excess torque count is less than the preset limit, the angular position of motor 616 is stored, as at 1618, at which point motor 616 can retract (reverse) by a preset angular amplitude, as at 1620. Figure 16A Similar to method 1600a, the preset angle amplitude is sufficient to move motor 616 through the gear backlash of the closing mechanism, but insufficient to reopen jaws 410, 412. Motor 616 can then be commanded to operate again at a constant speed to continue clamping the tissue, as at 1614. During this re-clamping process, motor 616 moves back through the gear backlash at high speed, and the closing mechanism re-engages the tissue at this high speed, which helps to compress the tissue more quickly. Once the measured torque on motor 616 exceeds a preset torque limit, another excess torque count is indexed and recorded, as at 1616. This process is repeated until the excess torque count reaches a preset limit, at which point jaws 410, 412 will be fully clamped.

[0117] In other embodiments, motor 616 can be pulsed randomly. More specifically, motor 616 can retract via gear backlash, and then the first motor 616 begins to move for clamping. When the first motor 616 has moved through a preset angular amplitude (distance), the second motor 616 can be commanded to begin moving. Thus, the first motor 616 first strikes the cam profile 902 ( Figures 9A to 9B The first force pulse is provided by the first motor 616, and the second motor 616 subsequently strikes the cam profile 902 to provide a second force pulse. Therefore, the combined force pulse is wider but has a lower peak value, but this allows for a smoother pulse effect while maintaining a rapid closing stroke, with less impact on the reliability of the closing mechanism.

[0118] Figure 17It is according to one or more additional embodiments that can help pulse clamps 410, 412 ( Figure 4 A schematic side view of an exemplary gear interface 1700 for closing force on jaws 410, 412. More specifically, pulses for closing jaws 410, 412 can be applied by redesigning one or more gears in the drive train. Figure 4 The closing force is used to obtain a larger backlash clearance. In at least one embodiment, the depicted drive gear may include one of the spur gears 724. Figures 7A to 7B and Figure 8 The depicted driven gear may include a closed cam gear 725. Figures 7A to 7B and Figure 8 However, gear interface 1700 can represent either the drive gear or the driven gear of the closing mechanism used to move the closing tube 722 to close the jaws 410, 412. Figures 7A to 7B and Figure 8 ).

[0119] As shown in the figure, the teeth of the drive gear and driven gear can be intentionally separated such that the gap between the relative teeth is greater than the normal value. This creates a clearance between tooth contact and the interruption of rotation of the driven gear (e.g., closed cam gear 725). The clearance can be large enough to allow the motor 616 ( Figure 6 The speed is increased after each tooth has made contact, without needing to switch the motor direction, and the pulse is then transmitted to the closing force of jaws 410 and 412. Figure 4 ).

[0120] Calculation of clamping force for closing speed correction

[0121] As discussed above, measurements are performed using robotic surgical tools (as described in this article). Figure 4 The degree of clamping difficulty assumed by the surgical tool 400 may be beneficial in informing the user (e.g., surgeon, surgical assistant nurse, etc.) at the firing end actuator 404. Figure 4 Whether the nail can be correctly formed during operation. According to an embodiment of this disclosure, this can be based on a motor 616 (used to operate the closing mechanism). Figure 6 The closing speed (i.e., angular velocity) is used to correct the torque required for fully closing the jaws 410, 412.

[0122] Due to the viscoelastic properties of tissue, in stark contrast to slow clamping, the same tissue may require more closing force when clamped rapidly. This is observed in clamping jaws 410 and 412. Figure 4 When calibrating the motor 616 used to operate the closing mechanism, Figure 6The angular velocity (closure speed) provides a more accurate indication of tissue characteristics. In one embodiment, the raw torque T, rotation angle Θ, and angular velocity ω values ​​associated with the motor 616 during a closure event on the tissue can be recorded. Each value of the raw torque T can then be corrected in real time using the recorded raw angular velocity ω and pre-stored tissue damping characteristics, which can be used to test / characterize the surgical tool 400. Figure 4 This is obtained during the process. More specifically, jaws 410 and 412 can grasp a reference material of a known region, and then a known force can be applied to the reference material. The displacement induced by the force on the tissue is then recorded as the tissue damping characteristic. The corrected torque T is then... corrected The original rotation angle Θ value can be used to calculate the actual force (force) required to fully clamp onto the tissue.

[0123] The following equation is an exemplary correction equation that can be included in the control algorithm to calculate the actual force (force) required to fully clamp onto the tissue:

[0124]

[0125] Where T raw The original torque is measured at motor 616 (Figure), ω is the original angular velocity of motor 616, and a, b, and c are constants related to the tissue characteristics. More specifically, a represents the torque due to jaws 410, 412 (Figure). Figure 4 The constant representing the additional torque felt due to the acceleration of the tissue in motor 616 ( ), where b is the torque felt due to the speed at which the tissue is compressed. Figure 6 Here, we assume a constant amount of additional torque T, where c is the constant resistive torque under all speeds and accelerations (i.e., Coulomb friction).

[0126] Figure 18 The torque T versus angle Θ curve is plotted juxtaposed with the angular velocity ω versus angle Θ curve in Figure 1802b. Figure 18 It also depicts the corresponding T graphically. corrected The correction torque curve 1804 (shown as a dashed line) takes into account the dynamic characteristics of the tissue and thus provides full clamping jaws 410, 412 ( Figure 4A more accurate measurement of the required closing force (force). The torque curve 1806 in the upper graph 1802a and the angular velocity curve 1808 in the lower graph 1802b are the original torque T and original angular velocity ω measured during the exemplary clamping operation, respectively. As shown, the torque curve 1806 is defined by or otherwise includes a peak 1810, followed by a horizontal portion 1812. When a constant torque T is applied during clamping, the peak 1810 in the torque curve 1806 appears, and additional observations can be obtained by referring to the angular velocity curve 1808. More specifically, it can be seen that the torque peak 1810 produces a corresponding peak 1814 in the angular velocity curve 1808. By applying the aforementioned correction factor, the torque curve 1804 corrected at this location indicates that the peak 1810 is a result of velocity, rather than the tissue being actually difficult to clamp. In other words, if the user clamps the tissue at a slower speed in the same area, then the peak 1810 will not exist.

[0127] At a later point during clamping, the torque T remains flat on the planar portion 1812, but the angular velocity ω decreases significantly at the same rotation angle Θ. The corrected torque 1804 shows that the torque T actually increases over the rotation angle Θ, which would be the jaws 410, 412 ( Figure 4 Instructions that can be clamped onto tougher tissues.

[0128] The final clamping angle comparison indicates the clamping force.

[0129] As discussed above, measurements are performed using robotic surgical tools (as described in this article). Figure 4 The degree of clamping difficulty assumed by the surgical tool 400 may be beneficial in informing the user (e.g., surgeon, surgical assistant nurse, etc.) at the firing end actuator 404. Figure 4 Whether the nail can be correctly formed during clamping. According to embodiments of this disclosure, the extension of the underloaded clamping (closing) mechanism can be used to help indicate the clamping force and / or difficulty to the user. More specifically, as the thickness of the gripped tissue increases, the clamping force used to facilitate the closure of jaws 410, 412 increases. Figure 4 The maximum rotation angle achieved by the 616 motor is ( Figure 6 The decrease in the final closing angle proves advantageous to provide an inverse relationship between the closing force and the final closing angle.

[0130] In one or more embodiments, surgical tool 400 ( Figure 4 It can be characterized first during manufacturing. More specifically, motor 616 ( Figure 6 The low torque reference closing angle can be achieved by applying a low closing motor torque and fully closing the jaws 410, 412. Figure 4The maximum motor angle achieved during closure includes the low-torque reference closure angle. The jaws 410, 412 can then be clamped at full closure torque while the rotation angle of the motor 616 is measured to obtain the high-torque reference closure angle. The jaws 410, 412 can then be clamped onto a thick reference material at full closure torque while the rotation angle of the motor 616 is measured at full closure torque to obtain the working closure angle. The thick reference material substantially simulates tissue and may include, for example, fixed hardness tester rubber or foam. The low-torque reference closure angle, high-torque reference closure angle, and working closure angle can then be stored in the surgical tool 400, such as in an internal computer 622. Figure 6 ) memory 624 ( Figure 6 )middle.

[0131] In an exemplary operation, the jaws 410, 412 can be tracked (measured) while clamped onto tissue. Figure 4 The closing motor 616 ( Figure 6 The rotation angle of the motor 616, measured while clamped on tissue, can be compared with its original position to a low-torque reference closing angle, a high-torque reference closing angle, and a working closing angle stored in the surgical tool 400. The user (e.g., surgeon, surgical assistant, etc.) can then be notified for this comparison to determine whether the jaws 410, 412 are clamping with a relatively low or high force, and whether the force is expected given the observed tissue environment.

[0132] In one or more additional embodiments, the clamping jaws 410, 412 are fully engaged. Figure 4 The required force can be calculated based on the area under the curve of two or more torques T versus rotation angle Θ. More specifically, Figure 19 A first torque-angle curve 1902a is depicted juxtaposed with a second torque-angle curve 1902b. Surgical tools 400 can be manufactured (calibrated) by clamping on a thick reference material. Figure 4 During operation, a first torque-angle curve 1902a is plotted and stored, and a second torque-angle curve 1902b can be plotted and stored during manufacturing by clamping on a thin reference material. A third torque-angle curve 1904 can be plotted during real-time use of the surgical tool 400 while the tissue is clamped with jaws 410, 412. By characterizing the boundaries of the first curve 1902a and the second curve 1902b, the measured clamping force of the third curve 1904 can be monitored during operation and the user can be indicated how close the real-time clamping force is to the first curve 1902a or the second curve 1902b, thereby informing the user whether thick or thin tissue is being clamped.

[0133] The degree of closeness of the measured clamping force 1904 to the first curve 1902a or the second curve 1902b can be determined by calculating the area under the torque-angle curve 1904 measured during closure and comparing this measurement with the area under the reference torque-angle curves 1902a and 1902b initially characterized during manufacturing. Figure 19 In this context, i represents each point along the rotation angle Θ of the measured curve 1904. Therefore, if data is captured at 1,000 angles Θ, i will be 1,000. The applied force (force) can be calculated using methods that... Figure 6 The following pseudocode executed by computer system 606 determines:

[0134]

[0135] In the above pseudocode, T thick [i] is the i-th value on the thick reference curve 1902a, T thin [i] is the i-th value on the thin reference curve 1902b, T measured [i] is the i-th value on the real-time measurement curve 1904. Therefore, T is calculated at point i. thick and T measured The distance between them, if the distance is less than T thin and T measured If the distance between them is T, then the point (index value) is added to thick_count; however, if T... measured Closer to T thin If so, then add the point (index value) to thin_count. For T measured This calculation is performed at all angles Θ, and the final thick_count and thin_count counts indicate jaws 410 and 412 ( Figure 4 Whether it is clamped on a thick tissue or a thin tissue. This result can be provided to the user, for example in the form of a ratio, to allow the user to consider the activation of the end effector 404 ( Figure 4 Is it advisable?

[0136] The implementation plan disclosed in this article includes:

[0137] A. A surgical instrument comprising a drive housing, a closure tube extending from the drive housing, an end effector disposed at an end of the closure tube and having opposing jaws, a closure yoke mounted to the closure tube and having a protrusion extending from the closure tube, and a gear assembly including one or more spur gears and a closure cam gear, the one or more spur gears being attached to corresponding one or more drive shafts such that rotation of the one or more drive shafts correspondingly rotates the one or more spur gears, the closure cam gear being positioned to mesh with the one or more spur gears and define a profile for receiving the protrusion, wherein rotation of the one or more spur gears causes rotation of the closure cam gear, which causes the protrusion to traverse the profile, and wherein the traverse profile of the protrusion pushes the closure yoke and the closure tube into linear displacement, thereby actuating the jaws.

[0138] B. A method of operating a surgical tool, the surgical tool having a drive housing, a closure tube extending from the drive housing, an end effector disposed at an end of the closure tube and having opposing jaws, and a closing yoke mounted to the closure tube and having a protrusion extending from the closure tube, the method comprising mounting the drive housing to a tool driver of a robotic surgical system, actuating one or more motors of the tool driver to actuate a gear assembly including one or more spur gears and a closing cam gear, the one or more spur gears being attached to corresponding one or more drive shafts such that rotation of the one or more drive shafts correspondingly rotates the one or more spur gears, the closing cam gear being positioned to mesh with the one or more spur gears and define a profile for receiving the protrusion. The method further comprises rotating the one or more spur gears to rotate the closing cam gear and thereby causing the protrusion to traverse the profile, and as the protrusion traverses the profile, forcing the closing yoke and the closure tube to displace linearly and thereby actuating the jaws.

[0139] Each of embodiments A and B may arbitrarily combine one or more of the following additional elements: Element 1: wherein the profile includes a helical slot. Element 2: wherein the profile provides a first end and a second end and extends between the first end and the second end with a constantly changing radius. Element 3: wherein the profile provides a first end and a second end and extends between the first end and the second end with two or more constant slopes. Element 4: wherein the profile provides a first arcuate region extending from the first end with a first constant slope and a second arcuate region extending from the first arcuate region toward the second end with a second constant slope, and wherein the first constant slope and the second constant slope are different. Element 5: wherein the first arcuate region provides a first mechanical advantage for the gear assembly, and the second arcuate region provides a second mechanical advantage for the gear assembly, and wherein the second mechanical advantage is greater than the first mechanical advantage. Element 6: wherein when the protrusion traverses the first arcuate region, the linear displacement of the closed yoke and the closed tube is faster but the output force is smaller compared to when the protrusion traverses the second arcuate region. Element 7: wherein the profile provides at least one straight region. Element 8: The gear assembly also includes a control tool accessible to the user, a drive gear positioned on the underside of the control tool, and a driven gear attached to and positioned to mesh with the drive gear, wherein manual rotation of the control tool correspondingly rotates the closed cam gear and causes the protrusion to traverse the profile.

[0140] Element 9: The contour provides a first end and a second end and extends between the first end and the second end with a constantly changing radius, the method further comprising providing a constant mechanical advantage to the gear assembly as the protrusion traverses the contour. Element 10: The contour provides a first end and a second end, a first arcuate region extending from the first end at a first constant slope, and a second arcuate region extending from the first arcuate region toward the second end at a second constant slope different from the first constant slope, the method further comprising providing a first mechanical advantage to the gear assembly as the protrusion traverses the first arcuate region, and providing a second mechanical advantage to the gear assembly as the protrusion traverses the second arcuate region, wherein the second mechanical advantage is greater than the first mechanical advantage. Element 11: Further comprising moving the jaws to a closed position as the protrusion traverses the first arcuate region, and clamping the protrusion onto tissue with the jaws as the protrusion traverses the second arcuate region. Element 12: The contour provides at least one straight region. Element 13: The gear assembly further includes a control tool accessible to the user, a drive gear positioned on the underside of the control tool, and a driven gear attached to and positioned to mesh with the drive gear. The method also includes manually rotating the control tool and thereby rotating the closed cam gear so that the protrusion traverses the profile and actuates the jaws.

[0141] As a non-limiting example, exemplary combinations applicable to A and B include: element 3 and element 4; element 4 and element 5; element 5 and element 6; element 3 and element 7; element 10 and element 11; and element 10 and element 12.

[0142] Therefore, the systems and methods disclosed herein are highly suitable for achieving the aforementioned results and advantages, as well as those inherent therein. The specific embodiments disclosed above are merely exemplary, as the teachings of this disclosure can be modified and implemented in different but equivalent ways that will be apparent to those skilled in the art. Furthermore, there are no limitations on the details of the constructions or designs shown herein, except as described in the following claims. It is therefore apparent that the specific exemplary embodiments disclosed above may be changed, combined, or modified, and all such changes are considered to be within the scope of this disclosure. The systems and methods illustratively disclosed herein may be suitably implemented in the absence of any elements not specifically disclosed herein and / or any optional elements disclosed herein. While compositions and methods are described according to various components or steps “comprising,” “containing,” or “including,” such compositions and methods may also be “substantially composed of various components or steps” or “composed of various components or steps.” All numerical values ​​and ranges disclosed above may vary in some quantities. Whenever a numerical range with a lower and upper limit is disclosed, any numerical value falling within that range and any included range are specifically disclosed. Specifically, each range of values ​​disclosed herein (in the form of "about a to about b" or equivalent "about a to b" or equivalent "from about ab") should be understood to list each numerical value and range covered within a broader range of values. Furthermore, the terms in the claims have their ordinary, general meaning unless otherwise expressly and clearly defined by the patentee. Additionally, the indefinite articles "a" or "an" used in the claims are defined herein as referring to one or more elements introduced therein, rather than a single element. If the use of words or terms in this specification conflicts in any way with one or more patents or other documents that may be incorporated herein by reference, the definitions consistent with this specification shall prevail.

[0143] As used herein, the phrase "at least one of..." preceding a series of items (separated by the terms "and" or "or") modifies the list as a whole, not each member of the list (i.e., each item). The phrase "at least one of..." allows for the meaning of at least one of any of the items, and / or at least one of any combination of the items, and / or at least one of each of the items. As an example, the phrases "at least one of A, B, and C" or "at least one of A, B, or C" respectively mean: only A, only B, or only C; any combination of A, B, and C; and / or at least one of each of A, B, and C.

Claims

1. A surgical tool, comprising: a drive housing; a closure tube extending from the drive housing; an end effector arranged at an end of the closure tube and having opposing jaws; a closure yoke mounted to the closure tube and having a protrusion extending therefrom; and a gear assembly comprising: one or more spur gears attached to corresponding one or more drive shafts such that rotation of the one or more drive shafts correspondingly rotates the one or more spur gears; and a closure cam gear positioned in intermeshing engagement with the one or more spur gears and defining a profile that receives the protrusion, wherein rotating the one or more spur gears causes the closure cam gear to rotate, which causes the protrusion to traverse the profile, and wherein traversing the profile with the protrusion forces the closure yoke and the closure tube to displace linearly and thereby actuate the jaws, wherein the gear assembly further comprises: a control tool accessible to a user; a drive gear positioned on an underside of the control tool; and a driven gear attached to the closure cam gear and positioned in intermeshing engagement with the drive gear, wherein manual rotation of the control tool correspondingly rotates the closure cam gear and causes the protrusion to traverse the profile. The profile comprises a slot in the shape of a spiral.

2. The surgical tool of claim 1, wherein, The profile provides a first end and a second end and extends therebetween with a constantly changing radius.

3. The surgical tool of claim 1, wherein, The profile provides a first end and a second end and extends therebetween with two or more constant slopes.

4. The surgical tool of claim 1, wherein, The profile provides a first arcuate region extending from the first end at a first constant slope and a second arcuate region extending from the first arcuate region toward the second end at a second constant slope, and wherein the first constant slope and the second constant slope are different.

5. The surgical tool of claim 4, wherein, The first arcuate region provides a first mechanical advantage to the gear assembly and the second arcuate region provides a second mechanical advantage to the gear assembly, and wherein the second mechanical advantage is greater than the first mechanical advantage.

6. The surgical tool of claim 5, wherein, The linear displacement of the closure yoke and the closure tube is faster but the output force is less when the protrusion traverses the first arcuate region than when the protrusion traverses the second arcuate region.

7. The surgical tool of claim 6, wherein, The profile provides at least one straight region.

8. The surgical tool of claim 4, wherein, 9. A method of operating a surgical tool having a drive housing, a closure tube extending from the drive housing, an end effector arranged at an end of the closure tube and having opposing jaws, and a closure yoke mounted to the closure tube and having a protrusion extending therefrom, the method comprising: mounting the drive housing to a tool driver of a robotic surgical system; actuating one or more motors of the tool driver to actuate a gear assembly, the gear assembly comprising: ​ one or more spur gears attached to corresponding one or more drive shafts such that rotation of the one or more drive shafts correspondingly rotates the one or more spur gears; and a closure cam gear positioned in intermeshing engagement with the one or more spur gears and defining a profile that receives the protrusion; rotating the one or more spur gears to rotate the closure cam gear and thereby cause the protrusion to traverse the profile; and forcing the closure yoke and the closure tube to linearly displace as the protrusion traverses the profile and thereby actuate the jaw, wherein the gear assembly further comprises a control tool accessible to a user, a drive gear positioned on an underside of the control tool, and a driven gear attached to the closure cam gear and positioned in intermeshing engagement with the drive gear, the method further comprising: manually rotating the control tool and thereby rotating the closure cam gear to cause the protrusion to traverse the profile and actuate the jaw.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein, the profile provides a first end and a second end and extends between the first end and the second end at a constantly changing radius, the method further comprising providing a constant mechanical advantage to the gear assembly as the protrusion traverses the profile.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein, the profile provides a first end and a second end, a first arcuate region extending from the first end at a first constant slope, and a second arcuate region extending from the first arcuate region toward the second end at a second constant slope different from the first constant slope, the method further comprising: providing a first mechanical advantage to the gear assembly as the protrusion traverses the first arcuate region; and providing a second mechanical advantage to the gear assembly as the protrusion traverses the second arcuate region, wherein the second mechanical advantage is greater than the first mechanical advantage.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein, the profile provides at least one straight region. the profile provides a first end and a second end and extends between the first end and the second end at a constantly changing radius, the method further comprising providing a constant mechanical advantage to the gear assembly as the protrusion traverses the profile. the profile provides a first end and a second end, a first arcuate region extending from the first end at a first constant slope, and a second arcuate region extending from the first arcuate region toward the second end at a second constant slope different from the first constant slope, the method further comprising: providing a first mechanical advantage to the gear assembly as the protrusion traverses the first arcuate region; and providing a second mechanical advantage to the gear assembly as the protrusion traverses the second arcuate region, wherein the second mechanical advantage is greater than the first mechanical advantage. the profile provides at least one straight region.

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