Surgical robotic system and method for detecting instrument separation

Abstract

A surgical robotic system includes a surgical instrument having an end effector; at least one coupling, when rotated, configured to actuate at least one function of the end effector; and a first connector. The system also includes an electrosurgical generator configured to output electrosurgical energy for energizing the end effector. The system further includes an instrument drive unit having at least one motor, a torque sensor configured to measure a torque of the at least one motor, and a second connector configured to be electrically coupled to the first connector. The system comprises a controller, the controller is configured to determine a state of connection between the first connector and the second connector, activate the at least one motor to rotate the at least one coupler, and determine whether the surgical instrument is disengaged from the instrument drive unit based on a torque of the at least one motor and the state of connection during activation.

Description

[0001] Cross-references to related applications

[0002] This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application Serial No. 63 / 452,719, filed March 17, 2023, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. Background Technology

[0003] Surgical robotic systems are currently being used in a variety of surgical procedures, including minimally invasive surgery. Some surgical robotic systems include a surgeon's console that controls a robotic arm and surgical instruments with end effectors (e.g., clamps or gripping instruments) that are coupled to and actuated by the robotic arm. During operation, the robotic arm moves to a position above the patient and then guides the surgical instruments through a small incision via the patient's surgical port or natural orifice to position the end effector at the working site within the patient's body. Surgical robotic systems are used in conjunction with a variety of gripper-type surgical instruments, such as clamps, cutters, and electrosurgical vascular sealers. Summary of the Invention

[0004] According to one embodiment of this disclosure, a surgical robot system is disclosed. The surgical robot system includes: a surgical instrument having an end effector; at least one connector configured to actuate at least one function of the end effector during rotation; and a first connector. The system also includes an electrosurgical generator configured to output electrosurgical energy to excite the end effector. The system further includes an instrument drive unit having at least one motor, a torque sensor configured to measure the torque of the at least one motor, and a second connector configured to be electrically coupled to the first connector. The system further includes a controller configured to determine the state of connection between the first connector and the second connector, activate the at least one motor to rotate the at least one connector, and determine whether the surgical instrument has disengaged from the instrument drive unit based on the torque of the at least one motor during activation and the state of connection between the first connector and the second connector.

[0005] Implementations of the above embodiments may include one or more of the following features. According to one aspect of the above embodiments, the end effector may include a pair of opposing grippers, at least one gripper being movable relative to the other gripper. The end effector may also include a blade reciprocating through the pair of opposing grippers. The surgical instrument may include a first coupling configured to move at least one gripper and a second coupling configured to reciprocate the blade. The controller may be further configured to compare the torque of at least one motor during startup with a threshold. The controller may also be configured to determine that the surgical instrument has disengaged from the instrument drive unit in response to the torque falling below the threshold. The controller may additionally be configured to output an alarm in response to determining that the surgical instrument has disengaged from the instrument drive unit.

[0006] According to another embodiment of this disclosure, a method for detecting separation of a surgical instrument from a robotic arm is disclosed. The method includes determining the state of connection between a first connector of the surgical instrument and a second connector of an instrument drive unit coupled to the instrument. The method further includes activating at least one motor of the instrument drive unit via a controller to rotate at least one connector of the instrument. The method further includes measuring the torque of the at least one motor during activation at a torque sensor. The method also includes determining, at the controller, whether the surgical instrument has separated from the instrument drive unit based on the torque of the at least one motor during activation and the connection state of the first and second connectors.

[0007] The implementation of the above embodiments may include one or more of the following features. According to one aspect of the above embodiments, the method may further include comparing the torque of the at least one motor during startup with a threshold. The method may further include determining at the controller that the surgical instrument has separated from the instrument drive unit in response to the torque being below the threshold. The method may additionally include outputting an alarm in response to determining that the surgical instrument has separated from the instrument drive unit. Attached Figure Description

[0008] Different embodiments of the disclosure are described herein with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

[0009] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of a surgical robot system according to an embodiment of the present disclosure, the surgical robot system including a control tower, a console, and one or more surgical robotic arms, all mounted on a movable trolley;

[0010] Figure 2 Examples based on this disclosure Figure 1 A 3D view of the surgical robotic arm of a surgical robot system;

[0011] Figure 3This is a perspective view of a movable trolley with a mounting arm according to an embodiment of the present disclosure, the mounting arm having... Figure 1 Surgical robotic arms in surgical robot systems;

[0012] Figure 4 Examples based on this disclosure Figure 1 A schematic diagram of the computer architecture of a surgical robot system;

[0013] Figure 5 It is based on the aspects of this disclosure regarding positioning around the operating table. Figure 1 A plan view of the movable cart;

[0014] Figure 6 This is a perspective view of an instrument drive unit and surgical instruments according to embodiments of this disclosure, wherein the components are separate;

[0015] Figure 7 This is a cross-sectional view of the distal portion of a surgical instrument according to an embodiment of this disclosure;

[0016] Figure 8 This is a cross-sectional view of the proximal portion of a surgical instrument according to an embodiment of this disclosure; and

[0017] Figure 9 This is an embodiment of the present disclosure for detecting surgical instruments and Figure 6 A method for separating the instrument drive unit. Detailed Implementation

[0018] Embodiments of the surgical robot system disclosed herein are described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which the same reference numerals denote the same or corresponding elements in each of several views.

[0019] refer to Figure 1 The surgical robot system 10 includes a control tower 20 connected to all components of the surgical robot system 10, including a surgeon's console 30 and one or more movable trolleys 60. Each movable trolley 60 includes a robotic arm 40 with surgical instruments 50 attached thereto. The robotic arm 40 is also coupled to the movable trolley 60. The robot system 10 may include any number of movable trolleys 60 and / or any number of robotic arms 40.

[0020] Surgical instrument 50 is configured for use during minimally invasive surgical procedures. In one embodiment, surgical instrument 50 may be configured for open surgical procedures. In another embodiment, surgical instrument 50 may be an electrosurgical clamp configured to close tissue by pressing tissue between clamping jaw members and applying an electrosurgical current thereto. In yet another embodiment, surgical instrument 50 may be a surgical stapler including a pair of jaws configured to grasp and clamp tissue, simultaneously deploying multiple tissue fasteners (e.g., suture staples) and cutting the stapled tissue. In yet another embodiment, surgical instrument 50 may be a surgical clip applicator including a pair of jaws configured to apply a surgical clip to tissue.

[0021] One of the robotic arms 40 may include an endoscope camera 51 configured to capture video of the surgical site. The endoscope camera 51 may be a stereoscopic endoscope configured to capture two side-by-side (i.e., left and right) images of the surgical site to generate a video stream of the surgical scene. The endoscope camera 51 is coupled to a video processing unit 56, which may be located within the control tower 20. The video processing unit 56 may be any computing device as described below, configured to receive video feeds from the endoscope camera 51 and output a processed video stream.

[0022] The surgeon's console 30 includes a first display 32 and a second display 34. The first display shows a video feed of the surgical site provided by a camera 51 mounted on the robotic arm 40, and the second display shows a user interface for controlling the surgical robot system 10. The first display 32 and the second display 34 may be touchscreens that allow for the display of various graphical user inputs.

[0023] The surgeon's console 30 also includes several user interface devices, such as a foot pedal 36 and a pair of handle controllers 38a and 38b, which the user uses to remotely control the robotic arm 40. The surgeon's console further includes a handrail 33 for supporting the clinician's arm when operating the handle controllers 38a and 38b.

[0024] The control tower 20 includes a display 23 (which may be a touchscreen) and outputs on a graphical user interface (GUI). The control tower 20 also serves as an interface between the surgeon's console 30 and one or more robotic arms 40. Specifically, the control tower 20 is configured to control the robotic arms 40 based on a set of programmable instructions and / or input commands from the surgeon's console 30, to move the robotic arms 40 and corresponding surgical instruments 50 in such a way that the robotic arms 40 and surgical instruments 50 perform a desired sequence of movements in response to inputs from foot pedals 36 and hand controllers 38a and 38b. Foot pedals 36 can be used to enable and lock hand controllers 38a and 38b, reposition camera movement, and activate / deactivate electrosurgical devices. Specifically, foot pedals 36 can be used to perform a clutch action on the hand controllers 38a and 38b. Engaging the clutch by depressing one of the foot pedals 36 disconnects the hand controllers 38a and / or 38b from the robotic arms 40 and their attached corresponding instruments 50 or cameras 51 (i.e., prevents movement input). This allows the user to reposition the hand controllers 38a and 38b without moving the robotic arms 40 and instruments 50 and / or camera 51. This is useful when reaching the control boundaries of the surgical space.

[0025] Each of the control tower 20, the surgeon's console 30, and the robotic arm 40 includes a corresponding computer 21, 31, or 41. Computers 21, 31, and 41 are interconnected using any suitable communication network based on wired or wireless communication protocols. As used herein, the term "network," whether plural or singular, means a data network, including but not limited to the Internet, intranet, wide area network, or local area network, and is not limited to the full scope of the definition of communication networks covered by this disclosure. Suitable protocols include, but are not limited to, Transmission Control Protocol / Internet Protocol (TCP / IP), Datagram Protocol / Internet Protocol (UDP / IP), and / or Datagram Congestion Control Protocol (DCCP). Wireless communication can be implemented via one or more wireless configurations, such as radio frequency, optical, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth (an open wireless protocol used for exchanging data between fixed and mobile devices over short distances using short-wavelength radio waves to create personal area networks (PANs)), etc. (A specification for an advanced communication protocol using small, low-power digital radios based on the IEEE 122.15.4-1203 Wireless Personal Area Network (WPAN) standard).

[0026] Computers 21, 31, and 41 may include any suitable processor (not shown) operatively connected to a memory (not shown) that may include one or more of volatile, non-volatile, magnetic, optical, or electrical media, such as read-only memory (ROM), random access memory (RAM), electrically erasable programmable ROM (EEPROM), non-volatile RAM (NVRAM), or flash memory. The processor may be any suitable processor (e.g., control circuitry) adapted to perform the operations, calculations, and / or instruction sets described in this disclosure, including but not limited to hardware processors, field-programmable gate arrays (FPGAs), digital signal processors (DSPs), central processing units (CPUs), microprocessors, and combinations thereof. Those skilled in the art will understand that a processor may be used instead of a logic processor (e.g., control circuitry) adapted to perform the algorithms, calculations, and / or instruction sets described herein.

[0027] refer to Figure 2 Each robotic arm 40 may include a plurality of links 42a, 42b, 42c, which are interconnected at joints 44a, 44b, 44c, respectively. Other configurations of links and joints may be used, as is known to those skilled in the art. Joint 44a is configured to secure the robotic arm 40 to a movable trolley 60 and define a first longitudinal axis. (Reference) Figure 3 The movable trolley 60 includes a lift 67 and a mounting arm 61, which provides a base for mounting the robotic arm 40. The lift 67 allows the mounting arm 61 to move vertically. The movable trolley 60 also includes a display 65 for displaying information about the robotic arm 40. In embodiments, the robotic arm 40 may include any type and / or any number of joints.

[0028] The mounting arm 61 includes a first link 62a, a second link 62b, and a third link 62c, which provide lateral maneuverability of the robotic arm 40. Links 62a, 62b, and 62c are interconnected at joints 63a and 63b, each joint including an actuator (not shown) for rotating links 62b and 62b relative to each other and relative to link 62c. Specifically, links 62a, 62b, and 62c are movable in their corresponding parallel lateral planes, thereby allowing the robotic arm 40 to extend relative to a patient (e.g., an operating table). In an embodiment, the robotic arm 40 may be coupled to an operating table (not shown). The mounting arm 61 includes a control mechanism for regulating the movement of links 62a, 62b, and 62c, as well as the lift 67. In an embodiment, the mounting arm 61 may include any type and / or any number of joints.

[0029] The third link 62c may include a rotatable base 64 having two degrees of freedom. Specifically, the rotatable base 64 includes a first actuator 64a and a second actuator 64b. The first actuator 64a is rotatable about a first fixed arm axis perpendicular to the plane defined by the third link 62c, and the second actuator 64b is rotatable about a second fixed arm axis transverse to the first fixed arm axis. The first actuator 64a and the second actuator 64b allow for full three-dimensional orientation of the robotic arm 40.

[0030] Actuator 48b of joint 44b is coupled to joint 44c via belt 45a, and joint 44c is in turn coupled to joint 46b via belt 45b. Joint 44c may include a transfer case connecting belts 45a and 45b, such that actuator 48b is configured to rotate each of links 42b, 42c and retainer 46 relative to each other. More specifically, links 42b, 42c and retainer 46 are passively coupled to actuator 48b, which forces rotation about a pivot point “P” located at the intersection of a first axis defined by link 42a and a second axis defined by retainer 46. In other words, pivot point “P” is the remote center of motion (RCM) of robotic arm 40. Thus, actuator 48b controls the angle θ between the first and second axes, thereby allowing orientation of surgical instrument 50. Because links 42a, 42b, 42c and retainer 46 are interconnected via belts 45a and 45b, the angle between links 42a, 42b, 42c and retainer 46 is also adjusted to achieve a desired angle θ. In an embodiment, some or all of joints 44a, 44b, 44c may include actuators to eliminate the need for mechanical linkages.

[0031] Joints 44a and 44b include actuators 48a and 48b configured to drive joints 44a, 44b, and 44c relative to each other via a series of links 45a and 45b or other mechanical linkages (such as drive rods, cables, or levers). Specifically, actuator 48a is configured to rotate the robotic arm 40 about a longitudinal axis defined by link 42a.

[0032] refer to Figure 2 The retainer 46 defines a second longitudinal axis and is configured to receive the instrument drive unit (IDU) 52. Figure 1IDU 52 is configured to be coupled to the actuation mechanism of surgical instrument 50 and camera 51 and is configured to move (e.g., rotate) and actuate the instrument 50 and / or camera 51. IDU 52 transmits actuating force from its actuator to surgical instrument 50 to actuate components of the end effector 140 of surgical instrument 50. Holder 46 includes a sliding mechanism 46a configured to move IDU 52 along a second longitudinal axis defined by holder 46. Holder 46 also includes a joint 46b that rotates holder 46 relative to link 42c. During endoscopic surgery, instrument 50 can pass through endoscope access port 55 held by holder 46. Figure 3 Insertion. The retainer 46 also includes a port latch 46c for securing the inlet port 55 to the retainer 46. Figure 2 ).

[0033] IDU 52 is attached to retainer 46, and then aseptic interface module (SIM) 43 is attached to the distal portion of IDU 52. SIM 43 is configured to secure a sterile drape (not shown) to IDU 52. Instrument 50 is then attached to SIM 43. Instrument 50 is then inserted through inlet port 55 by moving IDU 52 along retainer 46. SIM 43 includes multiple drive shafts configured to transmit rotation of individual motors of IDU 52 to instrument 50, thereby actuating instrument 50. Furthermore, SIM 43 provides a sterile barrier between instrument 50 and other components of robotic arm 40, including IDU 52.

[0034] The robotic arm 40 also includes a mounting arm 61 and multiple manual control buttons 53 mounted on the IDU 52. Figure 1 The mounting arm can be used in manual mode. The user can press one or more of these buttons 53 to move the component associated with the button 53.

[0035] refer to Figure 4Each of the computers 21, 31, and 41 in the surgical robot system 10 may include multiple controllers, which may be implemented in hardware and / or software. The computer 21 of the control tower 20 includes a controller 21a and a safety observer 21b. The controller 21a receives data from the computer 31 of the surgeon's console 30 regarding the current position and / or orientation of the handle controllers 38a and 38b, as well as the status of the foot pedals 36 and other buttons. The controller 21a processes these input positions to determine the desired drive commands for each joint of the robotic arm 40 and / or the IDU 52, and transmits these desired drive commands to the computer 41 of the robotic arm 40. The controller 21a also receives the actual joint angles measured by the encoders of the actuators 48a and 48b and uses this information to determine force feedback commands, which are transmitted back to the computer 31 of the surgeon's console 30 to provide tactile feedback via the handle controllers 38a and 38b. The safety observer 21b performs validity checks on the data entering and exiting the controller 21a, and if an error is detected in the data transmission, it notifies the system fault handler to put the computer 21 and / or the surgical robot system 10 into a safe state.

[0036] Computer 41 includes multiple controllers: a trolley main controller 41a, a mounting arm controller 41b, a robotic arm controller 41c, and an instrument drive unit (IDU) controller 41d. The trolley main controller 41a receives and processes joint commands from controller 21a on computer 21 and transmits them to the mounting arm controller 41b, robotic arm controller 41c, and IDU controller 41d. The trolley main controller 41a also manages instrument exchange and the overall status of the movable trolley 60, robotic arm 40, and IDU 52. The trolley main controller 41a also transmits actual joint angles back to controller 21a.

[0037] Each of joints 63a and 63b, and the rotatable base 64 of the mounting arm 61, is a passive joint that allows manual adjustment by the user (i.e., where no actuator is present). Joints 63a and 63b, and the rotatable base 64, include brakes that are disengaged by the user to configure the mounting arm 61. When the brakes are engaged, the mounting arm controller 41b monitors slippage of each of joints 63a and 63b, and the rotatable base 64 of the mounting arm 61; or when the brakes are disengaged, the mounting arm controller can be freely moved by the operator without affecting the control of other joints. The robotic arm controller 41c controls each joint 44a and 44b of the robotic arm 40 and calculates the desired motor torque required for gravity compensation, friction compensation, and closed-loop position control of the robotic arm 40. The robotic arm controller 41c calculates a movement command based on the calculated torque. The calculated motor command is then transmitted to one or more of the actuators 48a and 48b in the robotic arm 40. The actual joint position is then transmitted back to the robotic arm controller 41c by actuators 48a and 48b.

[0038] IDU controller 41d receives the desired joint angles (such as wrist angle and gripper angle) from surgical instrument 50 and calculates the desired current of the motor in IDU 52. IDU controller 41d calculates the actual angles based on the motor position and transmits these actual angles back to trolley main controller 41a.

[0039] The robotic arm 40 is controlled in response to the posture of a handle controller (e.g., handle controller 38a) that controls the robotic arm 40. This posture is transformed into the desired posture of the robotic arm 40 via a hand-eye transformation function performed by controller 21a. The hand-eye function, as well as other functions described herein, is implemented in software that can be executed by controller 21a or any other suitable controller described herein. The posture of one of the handle controllers 38a can be implemented as a coordinate position and roll-pitch-yaw (RPY) orientation relative to a coordinate reference system fixed to the surgeon's console 30. The desired posture of the instrument 50 is relative to a fixation system on the robotic arm 40. The posture of the handle controller 38a is then scaled by a scaling function performed by controller 21a. In an embodiment, the scaling function can reduce the coordinate position and enlarge the orientation. Additionally, controller 21a can also perform a clutch function to disengage the handle controller 38a from the robotic arm 40. Specifically, if certain movement limits or other boundaries are exceeded, controller 21a stops transmitting movement commands from handle controller 38a to robotic arm 40, and essentially acts as a virtual clutch mechanism, for example, limiting the mechanical input from affecting the mechanical output.

[0040] The desired posture of the robotic arm 40 is based on the posture of the handle controller 38a and then transmitted via an inverse kinematics function executed by the controller 21a. The inverse kinematics function calculates the angles of the joints 44a, 44b, and 44c of the robotic arm 40, realizing the scaled and adjusted posture input from the handle controller 38a. The calculated angles are then transmitted to the robotic arm controller 41c, which includes a joint axis controller with a proportional-derivative (PD) controller, a friction estimator module, a gravity compensator module, and a dual-sided saturation block configured to limit the command torque of the motors of joints 44a, 44b, and 44c.

[0041] refer to Figure 5 The surgical robot system 10 is positioned around the operating table 90. System 10 includes movable trolleys 60a-d, which can be numbered "1" to "4". During setup, each of the trolleys 60a-d is positioned around the operating table 90. The position and orientation of the trolleys 60a-d depend on several factors, such as the placement of multiple access ports 55a-d, which in turn depend on the surgery being performed. Once the port placement is determined, the access ports 55a-d are inserted into the patient, and the trolleys 60a-d are positioned to insert instruments 50 and an endoscope camera 51 into their corresponding ports 55a-d.

[0042] During use, each of the robotic arms 40a-d uses the latch 46c ( Figure 2 ) Attached to inlet port 55 ( Figure 3 The IDU 52 is attached to one of the entry ports 55a-d that are inserted into the patient's body. The IDU 52 is attached to the retainer 46, and then the SIM 43 is attached to the distal portion of the IDU 52. The device 50 is then attached to the SIM 43. The device 50 is then inserted through the entry port 55 by moving the IDU 52 along the retainer 46.

[0043] refer to Figure 6 IDU 52 is shown in more detail and is configured to transmit power and actuation from its motors 152a, 152b, 152c, 152d to instrument 50 to drive the movement of components of instrument 50, such as joint movements, rotation, pitch, yaw, clamping, cutting, etc. IDU 52 can also be configured to actuate or fire instruments based on electrosurgical energy (e.g., cable drivers, pulleys, friction wheels, rack and pinion arrangements, etc.).

[0044] IDU 52 includes a motor assembly 150 and a sterile barrier housing 151. Motor assembly 150 includes motors 152a, 152b, 152c, and 152d for controlling various operations of device 50. Device 50 is removably coupled to IDU 52. When motors 152a, 152b, 152c, and 152d of motor assembly 150 are actuated, rotation of drive transmission shafts 154a, 154b, 154c, and 154d of motors 152a, 152b, 152c, and 152d is transmitted to the drive assembly of device 50. Device 50 is configured to convert rotational force / movement supplied by IDU 52 (e.g., via motors 152a, 152b, 152c, and 152d of motor assembly 150) into longitudinal or translational movement of cables or drive shafts to achieve end effector 140 ( Figure 7 (various functions)

[0045] Each of motors 152a, 152b, 152c, and 152d includes a current sensor 153, a torque sensor 155, and an encoder sensor 157. For brevity, only the operation of motor 152a is described below. Sensors 153, 155, and 157 monitor the performance of motor 152a. Current sensor 153 is configured to measure the current consumption of motor 152a, and torque sensor 155 is configured to measure motor torque. Torque sensor 155 can be any force or strain sensor including one or more strain gauges configured to convert mechanical force and / or strain into a sensor signal indicating the torque output by motor 152a. Sensor 157 can be any device that provides a sensor signal indicating the number of revolutions of motor 152a, such as a mechanical encoder or optical encoder. Parameters measured and / or determined by sensor 157 can include speed, distance, revolutions per minute, position, etc. Sensor signals from sensors 153, 155, and 157 are transmitted to IDU controller 41d, which then controls motors 152a, 152b, 152c, and 152d based on the sensor signals. Specifically, motors 152a, 152b, 152c, and 152d are controlled by actuator controller 159, which controls the output torque and angular velocity of motors 152a, 152b, 152c, and 152d. In embodiments, additional position sensors may also be used, including but not limited to potentiometers, Hall effect sensors, accelerometers, and gyroscopes coupled to the movable part and configured to detect travel distance. In embodiments, a single controller may perform the functions of both IDU controller 41d and actuator controller 159.

[0046] refer to Figures 6 to 8The device 50 includes a housing 120, a shaft 130 extending distally from the housing 120, and an end effector 140 extending distally from the shaft 130. A gearbox assembly 100 is disposed within the housing 120 and is operatively associated with the end effector 140. The housing 120 of the device 50 is configured to selectively engage with an IDU 52 of a robot, such that motors 152a, 152b, 152c, and 152d of the IDU 52 can operate the end effector 140 of the device 50. The housing 120 of the device 50 supports a drive assembly mechanically actuated by the motors 152a, 152b, 152c, and 152d of the IDU 52. The drive assembly of the device 50 may include any suitable electrical and / or mechanical components to achieve driving force / movement.

[0047] Instrument 50 is described herein as an articulated electrosurgical clamp configured for use with robotic surgical system 10. However, the aspects and features of instrument 50 provided herein, detailed below, are equally applicable for use with other suitable surgical instruments and / or in other suitable surgical systems.

[0048] refer to Figure 7 The device 50 includes an end effector 140 having a first gripper member 142 and a second gripper member 144. Each gripper member 142, 144 correspondingly includes a proximal flange portion 143a, 145a and a distal body portion 143b, 145b. The distal body portions 143b, 145b define opposing tissue contact surfaces 146, 148, respectively. The proximal flange portions 143a and 145a are pivotally connected to each other about a pivot 160 and operably connected to each other via a cam slot assembly 162 (which includes a cam pin 163 slidably received within a cam slot defined in at least one of the proximal flange portions 143a and 145a of the gripper members 142 and 144, respectively) to allow the gripper member 142 to pivot relative to the gripper member 144 and the distal segment 132 of the shaft 130 between a spaced-apart position (e.g., an open position of the end effector 140) and a proximal position (e.g., a closed position of the end effector 140), thereby clamping tissue between tissue contact surfaces 146 and 148. As an alternative to this unilateral configuration, a bilateral configuration may be provided, wherein the two gripper members 142 and 144 are pivotable relative to each other and relative to the distal segment 132 of the shaft 130.

[0049] In one embodiment, tissue contact surfaces 146 and 148, respectively, passing through gripper members 142 and 144, define longitudinally extending tool channels (not shown). In such an embodiment, a tool assembly is provided, including a tool assembly 182 extending from housing 120 through shaft 130 to end effector 140, and a blade 184 disposed within end effector 140 between gripper members 142 and 144, to be capable of cutting tissue held between tissue contact surfaces 146 and 148 of gripper members 142 and 144, respectively.

[0050] refer to Figure 8 The housing 120 of the device 50 includes a proximal panel 124 that cooperates to enclose the gearbox assembly 100 therein. The proximal panel 124 is configured to engage multiple (e.g., four) connectors 170, 172, 174, and 176 through which the IDU 52 and the gearbox assembly 100 extend.

[0051] The gearbox assembly 100 is configured to operatively dock with the IDU 52 when the instrument 50 is mounted on the robotic surgical system 10. That is, the motors 152a, 152b, 152c, and 152d of the IDU 52 selectively actuate one or more of the couplings 170 to 176 of the gearbox assembly 100 to actuate (i.e., open and close) the gripper members 142 and 144 and to reciprocate the tool assembly 182 longitudinally (i.e., proximally or distally) through the gripper members 142 and 144.

[0052] refer to Figure 7 and Figure 8 Surfaces 146 and 148 are formed of a conductive material (e.g., stainless steel) and are coupled to an electrosurgical generator 57, which is configured to output any suitable electrosurgical energy for treating (e.g., sealing a vascular vessel) tissue clamped between surfaces 146 and 148. Generator 57 is electrically coupled to surfaces 146 and 148 via cable 190, which has one or more conductors, such as two conductors, each of which is coupled to one of surfaces 146 and 148 respectively.

[0053] The device 50 also includes a first connector 191, which may be one or more bias electrical contacts, such as spring pins or any other suitable type of electrical contact. The IDU 52 includes a second mating connector 192 (e.g., having one or more mating contact strips configured to engage spring pins). Connectors 191 and 192 are configured to mate with each other to establish an electrical connection for providing data and / or power signal transmission between the device 50 and the IDU 52. A more detailed description of the components of the device 50 and its operation can be found in U.S. Patent No. 10,722,295, filed January 20, 2016, entitled “Robotic surgical assemblies and electrosurgical instruments thereof,” the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.

[0054] Figure 9 A method for detecting the separation of instrument 50 from IDU 52 is illustrated. This method can be implemented as software instructions executable by any one or more controllers of the robot system 10 (e.g., main controller 21a, IDU controller 41d, etc.), collectively referred to below as controllers. In step 200, the controller detects the separation of the first connector 191 from the second connector 192. This can be accomplished by detecting a break in the electrical path, a voltage drop, or any other change in signal transmission. The method also includes an additional verification step to confirm the separation of instrument 50 by further verifying the operation of the mechanical interface (i.e., the mechanical connection between IDU 52 and instrument 50).

[0055] In step 202, once an electrical break is detected, i.e., the disconnected connectors 191 and 192, the controller verifies the mechanical operation of the instrument. Verification includes commanding one of the motors 152a-d to rotate one of the connectors 170-176 and actuate a component of the end effector 140 (e.g., the tool assembly 182). Once one of the connectors 170-176 is commanded to rotate, in step 204, the controller monitors the torque of the corresponding motor 152a-d and compares the torque to a threshold value indicating actuation of the component of the end effector 170-176. The threshold value can be any minimum value measured by the torque sensor 155 indicating that one of the motors 152a-d moves the corresponding connector 170-176.

[0056] If the measured torque is above a threshold, then in step 206, when one of the connectors 170 to 176 is moved by the corresponding motor 152a-d, the controller determines that the device 50 is still mechanically engaged with the IDU 52. If the measured torque is below the threshold, for example, 0, then in step 208, the controller confirms that the device 50 has disengaged from the IDU 52 because both the electrical interfaces (i.e., connectors 191 and 192) and the mechanical interfaces (i.e., connectors 170 to 176) have been disconnected. After step 208, the controller may output an alarm on one of the monitors and / or provide an alert via audio feedback, tactile feedback, or any other suitable feedback indicating that the device 50 has been disconnected.

[0057] A rigid stop is used to verify that the connection can be used in any electrically powered surgical instrument, as similar implementations can be used in many different instruments where the original position of the mechanism is offset from its rigid stop so as not to repeatedly contact the rigid stop during normal use. Exemplary instruments include electrically powered staplers using an I-beam or similar mechanisms that can retract their rigid tops, electrically powered automated suturing instruments using a needle-switching mechanism, or other similar mechanisms that unfold in a single direction and have a rigid stop located near the original position of the mechanism.

[0058] In another embodiment, a dummy connector, i.e., a connector that is stationary and does not actuate any part of the device 50, is used. This allows the IDU 52 connector to engage with the dummy connector on the device 50, but because this geometry is fixed to the device housing, once engaged, one of the motors 152 will never be able to rotate. This allows the IDU 52 to attempt to rotate the motor connected to the dummy connector, and if the motor does not exceed a torque threshold, the system 10 will know that a mechanical disconnection has occurred. If the motor exceeds the torque threshold, the mechanical connection remains engaged.

[0059] In addition to torque monitoring, this method can also monitor position and determine whether a mechanical disconnection has occurred based on the position where the motor can rotate. The method operates by rotating the connector toward a hard stop, continuing to rotate until a torque threshold is met. If the threshold is exceeded at any point during the motor's movement above its angular position, the method confirms disengagement of the device 50 and then infers a mechanical disconnection.

[0060] Separation events can be logged as part of the data recorded on System 10, allowing users and / or manufacturers to later return and see when and if a separation event occurred for analysis purposes.

[0061] It should be understood that various modifications can be made to the embodiments disclosed herein. Therefore, the above description should not be construed as limiting, but rather as illustrative of the various embodiments only. Other modifications within the scope and spirit of the appended claims will be contemplated by those skilled in the art.

Claims

1. A surgical robot system, comprising: Surgical instruments, the surgical instruments comprising: End effector; At least one connector, wherein the at least one connector is configured to actuate at least one function of the end effector during rotation; and First connector; An electrosurgical generator, configured to output electrosurgical energy to excite the end effector; Instrument driving unit, the instrument driving unit includes: At least one motor; A torque sensor, configured to measure the torque of the at least one motor; and A second connector, configured to be electrically connected to the first connector; The controller is configured to: Determine the connection status between the first connector and the second connector; Start the at least one motor to rotate the at least one coupling; and Whether the surgical instrument is separated from the instrument drive unit is determined based on the torque of the at least one motor during startup and the connection status of the first connector and the second connector.

2. The surgical robot system according to claim 1, wherein, The end effector includes a pair of opposing jaws, at least one of which is movable relative to the other jaw.

3. The surgical robot system according to claim 2, wherein, The end effector includes a blade that reciprocates through the pair of opposing grippers.

4. The surgical robot system according to claim 3, wherein, The surgical instrument includes a first connector configured to move the at least one gripper and a second connector configured to reciprocate the cutting tool.

5. The surgical robot system according to claim 1, wherein, The controller is further configured to compare the torque of the at least one motor during startup with a threshold.

6. The surgical robot system according to claim 5, wherein, The controller is further configured to determine that the surgical instrument is disengaged from the instrument drive unit in response to the torque being below the threshold.

7. The surgical robot system according to claim 6, wherein, The controller is further configured to output an alarm in response to determining that the surgical instrument has separated from the instrument drive unit.

8. A method for detecting the separation of surgical instruments from a robotic arm, the method comprising: Determine the connection status between the first connector of the surgical instrument and the second connector of the instrument drive unit coupled to the instrument; The controller activates at least one motor of the instrument drive unit to rotate at least one connector of the instrument. The torque of the at least one motor during startup is measured at a torque sensor; as well as At the controller, it is determined whether the surgical instrument is disengaged from the instrument drive unit based on the torque of the at least one motor during startup and the connection status of the first connector and the second connector.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising: The torque of the at least one motor during startup is compared with a threshold.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising: At the controller, the separation of the surgical instrument from the instrument drive unit is determined in response to the torque being lower than the threshold.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising: An alarm is output in response to the determination that the surgical instrument is separated from the instrument drive unit.

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