Elastic barrier for inclusion within a robotic surgical instrument

Abstract

An elastomeric barrier for a robotic surgical instrument and a method of manufacturing an elastomeric barrier are provided. The robotic surgical instrument includes a shaft, an end effector, and a plurality of elongate elements extending through the shaft and configured to operate the end effector. The robotic surgical instrument also includes an elastomeric barrier positioned within the shaft and extending to cover a cross-section of the shaft. The elastomeric barrier is made of a deformable material and includes a plurality of holes and recesses. Each elongate element passes through a respective hole in the elastomeric barrier.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This disclosure relates to resilient barriers included in robotic surgical instruments, such as those used in robotic laparoscopic surgery. Background Technology

[0002] Figure 1 Multiple robots 101, 102, and 103 are shown operating in a public workspace. In this example, the robots are surgical robots used to perform surgery on a person 104. Each robot includes a base connected to surgical instruments via flexible arms. The surgical instruments penetrate the body of the patient 104 at their ports to reach the surgical site. At their distal ends, the instruments include end effectors for participating in the surgical procedure.

[0003] Various end effectors are known, each adapted to perform a specific surgical function. Figure 2 A surgical instrument 200 is shown, having a pair of serrated jaws 204 as an end effector. The surgical instrument includes an interface 201, through which it is connected to a robotic arm. An axis 202 extends between the interface 201 and a joint structure 203. The joint structure 203 terminates at the end effector 204. The joint structure 203 allows the end effector 204 to move relative to the axis 202. It is desirable to provide at least two degrees of freedom for the movement of the end effector 204 via the joint structure.

[0004] International patent application with publication number WO 2020 / 109812 describes the internal structure of a robotic surgical instrument. Invention Summary

[0005] This summary provides a simplified overview of the selected concepts, which are further described in detail below. This summary is not intended to identify key or essential features of the claimed subject matter, nor is it intended to limit the scope of the claimed subject matter.

[0006] Robotic surgical instruments are provided, including: axis; End effector; Multiple elongated elements extend through the shaft and are configured to operate the end effector; and An elastic barrier, located inside the shaft and extending to cover the cross-section of the shaft, wherein the elastic barrier is made of a deformable material and includes a plurality of holes and recesses, wherein each of the plurality of elongated elements passes through a corresponding hole in the elastic barrier.

[0007] The recess can be positioned more centrally relative to the cross-section of the shaft than the plurality of holes.

[0008] The shaft may be a hollow cylinder and the elastic barrier may be cylindrical. The area of ​​the end face of the cylindrical elastic barrier may match and align with the cross-sectional area of ​​the shaft defined by the inner wall of the shaft.

[0009] The recess may be located at the center of one of the end faces of the cylindrical elastic barrier.

[0010] The depth of the recess in the elastic barrier may be less than the thickness of the elastic barrier, but at least a threshold depth.

[0011] The recess may be larger than each of the plurality of holes.

[0012] The elastic barrier can be configured to prevent fluid from flowing from one side of the elastic barrier across the axis to the other side.

[0013] The outer edge of the elastic barrier can be in sealed contact with the inner wall of the shaft around the outer edge of the cross section.

[0014] The elastic barrier may be located at the distal end of the axis.

[0015] The elastic barrier may be made of silicone.

[0016] The diameter of each of the plurality of holes may be less than or equal to the diameter of the corresponding elongated element passing through that hole in the elastic barrier.

[0017] The plurality of elongated elements may be arranged to pass through the cross-section of the shaft at their respective natural positions in a plane perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the shaft. The resilient barrier may be manufactured such that, for one or more of the elongated elements, the position of the corresponding hole in the resilient barrier through which the elongated element passes in the manufactured resilient barrier, when the resilient barrier is arranged to extend and cover the cross-section of the shaft, corresponds to a position in the plane perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the shaft that is offset by a non-zero amount relative to the natural position of the elongated element, such that: (i) the minimum distance between any pair of holes in the manufactured resilient barrier is greater than or equal to a threshold distance, and (ii) the minimum distance between any hole in the manufactured resilient barrier and the outer edge of the manufactured resilient barrier is greater than or equal to the threshold distance.

[0018] The plurality of elongated elements may include: (i) one or more drive elements configured to control the movement of the end effector relative to the axis, and / or (ii) one or more electrosurgical elements configured to provide power to the end effector when the instrument is an electrosurgical instrument.

[0019] The end effector may include a pair of bipolar jaws. The robotic surgical instrument may also include a joint structure connecting the end effector to the distal end of the shaft. The joint structure may include joints that allow the end effector to take a series of orientations relative to the longitudinal axis of the shaft. The plurality of elongated elements may include pairs of drive elements configured to drive the joints and pairs of electrosurgical elements configured to provide power to the bipolar jaws, the drive elements and the electrosurgical elements extending through the shaft.

[0020] The robotic surgical instrument may also include an instrument interface connected to the proximal end of the shaft. The instrument interface may have an opening structure through which fluid can pass.

[0021] The elastic barrier can be press-fitted into the shaft of the robotic surgical instrument.

[0022] A resilient barrier is provided, configured to be inserted into the axis of a robotic surgical instrument and extend to cover the cross-section of the axis, wherein the resilient barrier is made of a deformable material, and wherein the resilient barrier comprises: Multiple holes; and concavity, Each of the plurality of holes is arranged to allow a corresponding elongated element of the robotic surgical instrument extending through the shaft to pass through the hole to operate the end effector of the robotic surgical instrument.

[0023] The elastic barrier can be manufactured as a separate component to be inserted into the axis of the robotic surgical instrument.

[0024] The elastic barrier may include multiple recesses.

[0025] A method for manufacturing a resilient barrier is provided, the resilient barrier being configured to be inserted into the shaft of a robotic surgical instrument and extending to cover a cross-section of the shaft, wherein the method includes: The material is placed into a mold having the shape of the elastic barrier; and The material in the mold is cured to form the elastic barrier, wherein the cured material is a deformable solid material. The elastic barrier includes: Multiple holes; and concavity, Each of the plurality of holes is arranged to allow an extension of the robotic surgical instrument through the shaft, and a corresponding elongated element through the hole to operate the end effector of the robotic surgical instrument.

[0026] Robotic surgical instruments are provided, including: axis; End effector; A plurality of elongated elements, extending through the shaft and configured to operate the end effector, wherein the plurality of elongated elements are arranged to pass through a cross-section of the shaft at corresponding natural positions in a plane perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the shaft; and An elastic barrier, located inside the shaft and extending to cover its cross-section, wherein the elastic barrier is made of a deformable material and includes a plurality of holes, wherein each of the plurality of elongated elements passes through a corresponding hole in the elastic barrier. The elastic barrier is manufactured such that, for one or more of the plurality of elongated elements, the position of a corresponding hole in the elastic barrier through which the elongated element passes in the manufactured elastic barrier, when the elastic barrier is arranged to extend and cover the cross-section of the shaft, corresponds to a position in the plane perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the shaft that is offset by a non-zero amount relative to the natural position of the elongated element, such that: (i) the minimum distance between any pair of holes in the manufactured elastic barrier is greater than or equal to a threshold distance, and (ii) the minimum distance between any hole in the manufactured elastic barrier and the outer edge of the manufactured elastic barrier is greater than or equal to the threshold distance.

[0027] A resilient barrier is provided, configured to be inserted into the axis of a robotic surgical instrument and extend to cover the cross-section of the axis, wherein the resilient barrier is made of a deformable material, and wherein the resilient barrier comprises: Multiple holes, wherein each of the multiple holes is arranged to allow a corresponding elongated element of the robotic surgical instrument extending through the shaft to pass through the hole to operate the end effector of the robotic surgical instrument, and For one or more of the plurality of holes, the position of the hole in the elastic barrier is offset by a non-zero amount relative to the natural position corresponding to its respective elongated element, such that: (i) the minimum distance between any pair of holes in the elastic barrier is greater than or equal to a threshold distance, and (ii) the minimum distance between any hole in the elastic barrier and the outer edge of the elastic barrier is greater than or equal to the threshold distance.

[0028] A method for manufacturing a resilient barrier is provided, the resilient barrier being configured to be inserted into the shaft of a robotic surgical instrument and extending to cover a cross-section of the shaft, wherein the method includes: The material is placed into a mold having the shape of the elastic barrier; and The material in the mold is cured to form the elastic barrier, wherein the cured material is a deformable solid material. The resilient barrier includes a plurality of holes, each of which is arranged to allow a corresponding elongated element of the robotic surgical instrument extending through the shaft to pass through the hole to operate the end effector of the robotic surgical instrument. For one or more of the plurality of holes, the position of the hole in the elastic barrier is offset by a non-zero amount relative to the natural position corresponding to its respective elongated element, such that: (i) the minimum distance between any pair of holes in the elastic barrier is greater than or equal to a threshold distance, and (ii) the minimum distance between any hole in the elastic barrier and the outer edge of the elastic barrier is greater than or equal to the threshold distance.

[0029] For the one or more holes, the position corresponding to the natural position of their respective elongated elements can be the following position on the elastic barrier: when the elastic barrier is arranged to extend and cover the cross-section of the shaft, this position matches the natural position of the respective elongated elements through the cross-section of the shaft.

[0030] The above features can be combined in a suitable manner, as will be apparent to those skilled in the art, and can be combined with any aspect of the examples described herein. Attached Figure Description

[0031] The example will now be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 The image shows a person being operated on by a robotic system that includes three surgical robots. Figure 2 Known surgical instruments are shown; Figure 3 A surgical robot with robotic surgical instruments attached to its distal end is shown; Figure 4 The robotic surgical instruments are shown; Figure 5 The distal end of the robotic surgical instrument is shown; Figure 6A A cross-sectional view of the shaft of a robotic surgical instrument is shown, illustrating the natural position of an elongated element extending through the shaft; Figure 6B A plan view of an elastic barrier is shown, which is to be inserted and extended to cover the cross-section of the axis; Figure 6C A side view of a portion of the resilient barrier is shown; Figure 7 The distal end of the electrosurgical instrument is shown; Figure 8 This is a flowchart of a method for manufacturing an elastic barrier; Figure 9AA plan view of a mold with the shape of an elastic barrier is shown; Figure 9B A side view of the mold is shown, in which another component is arranged to press molten material into the mold; and Figure 10 A plan view of an elastic barrier including two recesses is shown.

[0032] The accompanying drawings illustrate various examples. Those skilled in the art will understand that the element boundaries (e.g., boxes, groups of boxes, or other shapes) shown in the drawings represent one example of a boundary. In some examples, one element may be designed as multiple elements, or multiple elements may be designed as one element. Where appropriate, the same reference numerals are used throughout the drawings to indicate similar features. Detailed Implementation

[0033] The following description is presented by way of example to enable those skilled in the art to make and use the invention. The invention is not limited to the embodiments described herein, and various modifications to the disclosed embodiments will be apparent to those skilled in the art.

[0034] The axis of a robotic surgical instrument is hollow, allowing an elongated element to extend through the axis to operate the end effector of the robotic surgical instrument. This elongated element may be referred to as an elongated control element and can be configured to control the operation of the end effector. Because the axis is hollow, fluids (e.g., liquids or gases) can enter the interior of the axis. For example, in abdominal laparoscopic surgery, the abdominal cavity is typically inflated with a gas (e.g., CO2) to provide the surgeon with better visibility and access to the surgical site, but the gas can escape from the surgical site through the interior of the axis of the robotic surgical instrument. As another example, bodily fluids from the patient (e.g., blood) can enter the axis of the robotic surgical instrument from the surgical site. It is desirable to reduce or prevent leakage of fluids (e.g., inflatable gases and / or bodily fluids) from the surgical site into the axis of the robotic surgical instrument. For example, if bodily fluids enter the axis of the surgical instrument during surgery, the surgical instrument cannot be used in another procedure (e.g., a procedure involving different patients) until the interior of the axis is thoroughly cleaned and sterilized, which can be a time-consuming and costly process. Sterilization processes are typically standardized, and standard sterilization tools (such as autoclaves) may not be sufficient to reduce the contamination level of instruments below the maximum permissible contamination threshold. Therefore, instruments may be designed so that existing sterilization methods can effectively remove contaminants below said threshold.

[0035] For example, an elastic barrier (or "plug," "end," or "seal") may be inserted into the shaft such that it extends to cover the cross-section of the shaft, thereby inhibiting fluid from flowing through the interior of the shaft. When the elastic barrier is inserted into the shaft, its outer edge is in sealing contact with the inner wall of the shaft. The elastic barrier is made of a deformable material (e.g., silicone) and includes a plurality of holes, each of which is arranged to allow a corresponding elongated element to pass through it. The elastic barrier may be manufactured as a separate component and then assembled into the robotic surgical instrument by inserting it into the shaft, with the elongated element then passing through the corresponding hole in the elastic barrier. The elastic barrier may be manufactured by compression molding (i.e., by pressing material into a mold having the shape of the elastic barrier and allowing the material to cure to form the elastic barrier). When the material cures, it is a deformable solid at room temperature.

[0036] In the design of robotic surgical instruments, a general objective is to keep the cross-sectional area of ​​the shaft small so that the instrument can enter the patient's body through a small incision. Furthermore, the position of the elongated elements within the shaft is precisely designed for optimal function of the instrument; for example, by aligning them with pulleys, the elongated elements control joint movement by means of the pulleys. Therefore, the elongated elements have specific positions (referred to herein as "natural positions") in a plane perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the shaft, and significant deviations from these natural positions are generally undesirable. In the description herein, a "natural position" is the position the elongated element would have if an elastic barrier were not present in the shaft of the robotic surgical instrument. In the example described herein, the elongated elements extend through the shaft in a direction parallel to the longitudinal axis of the shaft.

[0037] The process used to manufacture the resilient barrier may not be perfectly precise, so the position of the hole may not always be perfectly aligned with the natural position of the corresponding elongated element to which it will pass. Therefore, it is useful for the resilient barrier to be deformable, allowing its shape in a plane perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the shaft to be slightly altered, for example, by laterally pressing the corresponding holes of the resilient element, thereby changing the position of the holes in the plane perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the shaft. One way to make the resilient barrier more deformable is to make it thinner. However, if the resilient barrier is too thin, deforming it will be more likely to disrupt the sealing contact between the outer edge of the resilient barrier and the inner wall of the shaft, thus reducing the effectiveness of the resilient barrier in preventing fluid from passing through the shaft. Furthermore, if the resilient barrier is too thin, the likelihood of tearing rather than deforming at its contact with the elongated element increases. Any tearing in the resilient barrier will significantly reduce its effectiveness in preventing fluid from passing through the shaft. Therefore, in the example described herein, instead of making the elastic barrier thinner, the elastic barrier is formed with recesses, making it more deformable (e.g., allowing the position of the hole to be slightly altered by the elongated element so that the position of the (altered) hole matches the natural position of the elongated element) without compromising the effectiveness of the sealing contact between the outer edge of the elastic barrier and the inner wall of the shaft. In other words, the presence of the recesses allows the elastic barrier to be more easily deformed, for example, to accommodate small offsets in the position of the hole. For example, the recesses could be located at the center of a plane of the elastic barrier perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the shaft. Furthermore, using an elastic barrier that includes recesses means that the elastic barrier is formed from less material, making it lighter and cheaper to manufacture. Lighter robotic surgical instruments are advantageous because they require less force to move, thus reducing the power consumption of the surgical robot.

[0038] Furthermore, certain constraints can be imposed on the design of the elastic barrier to ensure that it can be reliably manufactured, for example, using compression molding techniques as described herein. In particular, to ensure that material flows reliably and correctly into the shape of the mold, a minimum distance (referred to herein as a “threshold distance”) can exist between any pair of holes in the elastic barrier and between any hole and the outer edge of the elastic barrier. Therefore, in the example described herein, the elastic barrier can be manufactured such that, for one or more elongated elements, the position of the corresponding hole in the elastic barrier through which the elongated element passes within the manufactured elastic barrier, when the elastic barrier is arranged to extend and cover the cross-section of the shaft, corresponds to a position in a plane perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the shaft that is (intentionally) offset by a non-zero amount relative to the natural position of the elongated element. This offset of the hole relative to the corresponding natural position causes the design of the elastic barrier to conform to manufacturing constraints, such as (i) that the minimum distance between any pair of holes in the elastic barrier (when it is manufactured) is greater than or equal to the threshold distance, and (ii) that the minimum distance between any hole in the elastic barrier (when it is manufactured) and the outer edge of the elastic barrier is greater than or equal to the threshold distance. Ensuring the design of the resilient barrier conforms to the aforementioned manufacturing constraints means that the resilient barrier can be reliably manufactured. The "non-zero amount" by which the position of the hole can be offset is small, for example, less than the diameter of the hole. Since the resilient material is deformable in a plane perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the shaft, the elongated element can deform the resilient material to change the position of the hole to match the natural position of the elongated element within the shaft. This change in the position of the hole is facilitated by including a recess in the resilient barrier.

[0039] Figure 3 A surgical robot with an arm 300 extending from a base 301 is shown. The arm includes a plurality of rigid limbs 302. The limbs are connected by rotary joints 303. The limb 302a closest to the proximal end is connected to the base via joint 303a. The limbs and other limbs are connected in series by another of the joints 303. A wrist 304 connects a limb (302b) to the limb (302c) closest to the distal end of the arm. The limb 302c closest to the distal end has an arm interface 305 for docking with surgical instruments 306. Each joint 303 of the arm has one or more motors 307 that can be operated to induce rotational movement at the corresponding joint, and has one or more position and / or torque sensors 308 that provide information about the current configuration and / or load at that joint. For clarity, Figure 3Only some of the motors and sensors are shown in the image. The arm may be substantially as described in the applicant's patent application with publication number WO 2015 / 132549.

[0040] The arm terminates at an arm interface 305 for docking with an instrument interface 313 of a surgical instrument 306. The surgical instrument 306 may employ... Figure 2 The surgical instrument may have a diameter less than 8 mm. For example, the surgical instrument may have a diameter less than 6 mm. For example, the diameter of the surgical instrument may be between 5 mm and 6 mm. The diameter of the surgical instrument may be the diameter of an shaft. The diameter of the surgical instrument may be the diameter of the contour of a joint structure. It is possible that the diameter of the contour of the joint structure matches or is narrower than the diameter of the shaft. The arm interface 305 includes a drive assembly for driving the joint structure of the surgical instrument. The movable interface element of the drive assembly mechanically engages with a corresponding movable interface element of the instrument interface to transmit driving force from the robotic arm to the surgical instrument. During a typical surgery, one surgical instrument may be exchanged for another surgical instrument several times. Therefore, the surgical instrument may be attached to and detached from the robotic arm during surgery.

[0041] Controllers for the motors and torque sensors are distributed throughout the robotic arm. These controllers are connected to a control unit 309 via a communication bus. The control unit 309 includes a processor 310 and a memory 311. The memory 311 stores, in a non-transitory manner, software executable by the processor to control the operation of the motors 307 to operate the arm 300 in the manner described herein. Specifically, the software can control the processor 310 to drive the motors (e.g., via a distributed controller) based on inputs from the sensors 308 and from the surgeon command interface 312. The control unit 309 is coupled to the motors 307 to drive them based on the output generated by executing the software. The control unit 309 is coupled to the sensors 308 to receive sensed inputs from the sensors and to the command interface 312 to receive inputs therefrom. The corresponding connections may be, for example, cables or fiber optic cables, or may be provided by a wireless connection. The command interface 312 includes one or more input devices by which a user can request movement of the end effector in a desired manner. The input device may be, for example, a manually operable mechanical input device (such as a control handle or joystick) or a non-contact input device (such as an optical gesture sensor). The software stored in memory 311 is configured to respond to those inputs and cause the joints of the arm and the surgical instrument to move accordingly to conform to a predetermined control strategy.

[0042] Figure 4 A robotic surgical instrument 400 is shown. For clarity, the middle portion of the axis is omitted. The end effector 404 is connected to the axis 402 via a joint structure 403. Figure 5 The distal portion of the robotic surgical instrument 400 is shown in more detail. Joint structure 403 includes joints that allow the end effector 404 to move relative to axis 402. A first joint 501 allows the end effector 404 to rotate about a first axis 503. The first axis 503 is transverse (e.g., perpendicular) to the longitudinal axis of axis 505. A second joint 502 allows the end effector 404 to rotate about a second axis 504. The second axis 504 is transverse to the first axis 503. Therefore, the articulation of the first and second joints enables the end effector to take a series of poses (i.e., orientations) relative to the axis.

[0043] The joint structure 403 includes a first body component 506 and a second body component 507. The first body component connects the shaft 402 to the second body component 507. The first body component 506 is fixed to the shaft 402. The first body component is connected to the second body component via a first joint 501. The second body component 507 connects the first body component 506 to the end effector 404. The second body component 507 is connected to the first body component via the first joint 501 and to the end effector 404 via the second joint 502. Therefore, the first joint 501 allows the second body component 507 to rotate about a first axis 503 relative to the shaft 402; and the second joint 502 allows the end effector 404 to rotate about a second axis 504 relative to the second body component 507.

[0044] The joints of the articulated structure are driven by drive elements. These drive elements are elongated components extending from the joints in the articulated structure through the axis to the instrument interface. The drive elements are fixed to the interface elements of the instrument interface. Thus, the robotic arm transmits driving force to the end effector as follows: the movement of the drive component interface element moves the instrument interface element, the instrument interface element moves the drive element, the drive element moves the joints of the articulated structure, and the joints of the articulated structure move the end effector. In the example described herein, each drive element can bend laterally to its main extension in at least those regions where it engages the internal components of the articulated structure and the instrument interface. In other words, each drive element can bend laterally to its longitudinal axis in the designated regions. This flexibility allows the drive elements to wrap around the internal structures of the instrument (e.g., joints and pulleys). The drive element can be completely transverse to its longitudinal axis; it is flexible. The drive element is not flexible along its main extension. The drive element resists compressive and tensile forces applied along its length. In other words, the drive element resists compressive and tensile forces acting in the direction of its longitudinal axis. The drive element has a high modulus. The drive elements remain taut during operation. They are not allowed to slack off. Therefore, the drive element is capable of transmitting driving force from the instrument interface to the joint. The drive element may be a cable.

[0045] exist Figure 5 In the example shown, the first joint 501 is driven by a first pair of drive elements A1, A2, and the second joint 502 is driven by a second pair of drive elements B1, B2. In this example, each joint is driven by its own pair of drive elements. In other words, each joint is driven by a dedicated pair of drive elements. The joints can be driven independently. A pair of drive elements can be constructed as a single piece. This single piece can be fixed to a point on the joint, thereby ensuring that when the pair of drive elements is driven, the driving force is transmitted to the movement of the joint about its axis. Alternatively, a pair of drive elements can be constructed as two pieces. In this case, each individual piece is fixed to the joint.

[0046] Each pair of drive elements is connected to instrument interface elements 405a, 405b of instrument interface 401 located at the proximal end of the shaft. Figure 4 and Figure 5 Two pairs of driving elements are shown: A1, A2 and B1, B2. In these examples, there may be instances where driving elements are not present. Figure 4 and Figure 5 Another pair of drive elements C1, C2 is shown, but this other pair extends through the shaft and can be used to control the opening and closing of the jaws of the end effector 404. In other examples, there may be more or fewer drive elements extending through the shaft compared to the example shown in the figure.

[0047] The instrument interface 401 may have a structure open to fluid passage. In such a structure, gas / liquid in the shaft 402 can pass through and exit the instrument interface 401 without restriction. As mentioned above, for certain types of surgery (e.g., for laparoscopic surgery), the cavity surrounding the surgical site is typically inflated with gas (e.g., inflated to a pressure greater than atmospheric pressure) to provide the surgeon with better visibility and access to the surgical site. However, when using a reference... Figure 4 and Figure 5 When using surgical instruments of the described type, the inflation gas can escape from the surgical site through the interior of the shaft of the surgical instrument and exit through the opening structure of the instrument interface. It is generally advantageous to reduce the amount of inflation gas escaping from the surgical site in this manner. Furthermore, as mentioned above, if bodily fluids (e.g., blood) enter the interior of the shaft, the interior of the shaft needs to be cleaned and sterilized before the surgical instrument can be reused in another operation (e.g., on another patient). Therefore, it is advantageous to reduce the amount of bodily fluids that can enter the interior of the shaft from the surgical site.

[0048] Figure 4 and Figure 5The robotic surgical instrument 400 includes a resilient barrier 406 located inside the shaft 402, the resilient barrier 406 extending across a cross-section of the shaft. The cross-section may be transverse to the longitudinal axis 505 of the shaft. For example, the cross-section may lie in a plane including an axis 508 perpendicular to the longitudinal axis 505 of the shaft. Alternatively, the cross-section may lie in a plane that is angular (i.e., not parallel) to both axis 508 and the longitudinal axis 505 of the shaft. The outer edge of the resilient barrier 406 is in sealing contact with the inner wall of the shaft at all points surrounding the outer edge of the cross-section. The resilient barrier 406 is made of a material that inhibits fluid flow through it. Thus, the resilient barrier 406 acts as a plug (or seal or stopper) that inhibits fluid (e.g., inflatable gas) from the joint-structure-facing side of the resilient barrier across the shaft to the opposite side of the resilient barrier facing the interior of the shaft. The resilient barrier 406 is located inside the shaft 402. The resilient barrier 406 may be located at any position along the shaft. Preferably, the elastic barrier 406 is located at the distal end of the shaft near the end effector 404. The closer the elastic barrier 406 is to the distal end of the shaft, the less fluid (e.g., inflatable gas or bodily fluid) can leak from the surgical site into the instrument before being inhibited by the elastic barrier. Furthermore, placing the elastic barrier near the distal end of the shaft improves the effectiveness of the sterilization process, for example, in the case of an autoclave, by the flow of steam across the shaft between the distal end and the elastic barrier. If the elastic barrier is placed near the proximal end of the shaft, removing contaminants from the shaft becomes more difficult because the contaminants will be dispersed in a larger volume, with more space and cavities for contaminant deposition.

[0049] Figure 6AAn end view of a cross-section of shaft 402 is shown, illustrating the natural positions of a plurality of elongated elements extending through the shaft. In this example, eight elongated elements extend through the shaft: three pairs of drive elements (A1, A2, B1, B2, and C1, C2) and one pair of electrosurgical elements (E1, E2). This could be an example of a robotic surgical instrument being a bipolar electrosurgical instrument (e.g., a bipolar jaw), where each of the two electrosurgical elements is connected to a corresponding one of the jaws of the instrument, such that the two jaws act as two active electrodes. In this example, the three pairs of drive elements control the movement of the end effector, for example, controlling the rotation of the end effector about two axes 503 and 504, and controlling the opening and closing of the jaws of the end effector. More generally, the elongated elements could be elongated control elements for controlling the operation of the end effector. For example, the elongated control element may include: (i) one or more drive elements configured to control movement of the end effector relative to an axis, and / or (ii) one or more electrosurgical elements configured to supply power to the end effector when the instrument is an electrosurgical instrument, for controlling when the end effector is energized. The elongated control element may be a cable.

[0050] As described above, the "natural position" of the elongated element is its location within the axis in a plane perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the axis. The elongated element may extend through the axis in a direction parallel to the longitudinal axis, such that the natural position of the elongated element in the plane perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the axis is constant along the length of the axis. These natural positions of the elongated elements can be designed and specified very precisely and carefully for the optimal configuration of the device, for example, to ensure that the profile of the device (e.g., which may depend on the diameter of the axis) is small, and that the drive element can effectively transmit driving forces to the joints in the joint structure.

[0051] Figure 6BA top view of the resilient barrier 406 is shown. The diameter of the resilient barrier 406 matches (i.e., is equal to or slightly larger than) the inner diameter of the shaft 402, so that the resilient barrier can be inserted into the shaft and extend to cover the cross-section of the shaft, while having a sealing contact between the outer edge of the resilient barrier and the inner wall of the shaft. In some examples, the resilient barrier may be tapered (or “wedge-shaped”) so that it can be more easily inserted into the shaft and pressed into place. In some examples, the resilient barrier may be fixed to the inner wall of the shaft, for example, by gluing or thermal bonding. The resilient barrier 406 includes a plurality of holes 602 and recesses 604. Each of the elongated elements passes through a corresponding hole in the resilient barrier. Thus, in this example, the number of holes in the resilient barrier matches the number of elongated elements extending through the shaft. All holes in the resilient barrier are filled, for example, by a single elongated element among the elongated elements. In other words, the resilient barrier does not include any unfilled holes (e.g., those through which corresponding elongated elements pass), such that when the resilient barrier is assembled into the shaft with the elongated elements through which the corresponding holes pass, the resilient barrier provides an effective seal to prevent fluid from passing through the shaft.

[0052] exist Figure 6A and Figure 6B In the example, drive element A1 passes through hole 602 A1 The driving element B1 passes through hole 602 B1 The driving element C1 passes through hole 602 C1 The electrosurgical element E1 passes through hole 602. E1 Drive element A2 passes through hole 602 A2 Drive element B2 passes through hole 602 B2 The driving element C2 passes through hole 602 C2 And the electrosurgical element E2 passes through hole 602 E2 In the example described herein, the diameter of each hole in orifice 602 is less than or equal to the diameter of the corresponding elongated element passing through that hole in the resilient barrier. This ensures that the resilient barrier 406 provides an effective seal around each of the elongated elements passing through it. For example, the diameter of the elongated element could be d. e And the diameter (d) of the corresponding hole passing through the elongated element h ) can be within the range (d) e -0.1mm)≤d h ≤d e Inside. For example, d eThe diameter can range from 0.3 mm to 0.6 mm. The diameters of the different elongated elements can be the same or different from each other. Similarly, the diameters of the different holes can be the same or different from each other. As a specific example, each of the elongated elements can have a diameter of 0.45 mm, and each of the holes can have a diameter of 0.4 mm. Since the elastic material is made of a deformable material (e.g., silicone), the elastic barrier can deform slightly around each hole if necessary to allow the elongated elements to pass through their respective holes (even if the diameter of the hole is smaller than the diameter of the corresponding elongated element). A small amount of frictional contact can exist between the elongated elements and the elastic barrier. It is beneficial to keep the frictional force acting on the drive element due to contact with the elastic barrier low, for example, less than a threshold friction value. This threshold friction value can be a value ≤1.5 N. For example, the threshold friction value can be 1.5 N. The threshold friction value can be a value ≤0.5 N. For example, the threshold friction value can be 0.5 N. The threshold friction value can be a value ≤0.1 N. For example, the threshold friction value can be 0.1 N. This can be achieved, for example, by lubricating the elastic barrier 406 and / or the contact area of ​​the drive element.

[0053] In other examples, the orifice may have a larger diameter than the corresponding elongated element, which can be useful in reducing friction between the drive element and the resilient barrier. In these other examples, although the resilient barrier will inhibit the passage of fluid in the shaft to some extent, it will not provide such an effective seal to inhibit the passage of fluid in the shaft as in the examples described above where the diameter of each orifice is less than or equal to the diameter of the corresponding elongated element passing through the orifice. For example, in these other examples where the orifice has a larger diameter than the corresponding elongated element, approximately 200 ml of inflatable gas can pass through the shaft per minute; while in the examples described above where the diameter of the orifice is less than or equal to the diameter of the corresponding elongated element, approximately 1 ml of inflatable gas can pass through the shaft per minute.

[0054] Figure 6C The cross-section of the elastic barrier 406 is shown. Figure 6B The image shows a side view in the plane indicated by the dashed line 606. The holes 602 may be referred to as "through holes" because they completely penetrate the elastic barrier 406. The recesses 604 may be referred to as "blind holes" because they do not completely penetrate the elastic barrier 406. The recesses may also be referred to using different terms, such as "cavity," "concave surface," "gap," "indentation," "cut," or "groove" to provide some examples.

[0055] Recess 604 is located in the face of resilient barrier 406 that is perpendicular to longitudinal axis 505 of shaft 402 (when the resilient barrier is disposed within the shaft). The depth of recess 604 in the resilient barrier (in Figure 6C marked as "d") is less than the thickness of the resilient barrier (in Figure 6C marked as "T"). However, the depth d of the recess is at least a threshold depth. In other words, the depth of the recess is at least a minimum depth such that the presence of recess 604 in resilient barrier 402 increases the ability of the material of the resilient barrier to deform, thereby moving the position of the aperture in the resilient barrier in a plane perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the shaft. Having the recess in the resilient barrier improves the ability of the resilient barrier to change its shape without reducing the thickness T of the resilient barrier at the outer edge of the resilient barrier. Reducing the thickness of the resilient barrier at the outer edge of the resilient barrier may reduce the effectiveness of the sealing contact between the outer edge of the resilient barrier and the inner wall of the shaft. By way of example, the thickness T of the resilient barrier may be within the range 1mm≤T≤8mm. To give a specific example, T may be 2mm. To give an example, the threshold depth mentioned above with respect to the depth of the recess may be T / 4, such that the depth d of the recess in the resilient barrier is within the range 1 / 4 T≤d<T. As another example, the above-mentioned threshold depth may be T / 2, such that the depth d of the recess in the resilient barrier is within the range 1 / 2 T≤d<T. To give a specific example, d may be 3 / 4 T. As another specific example, T may be 2mm, and d may be 1.5mm. In other examples (not shown in the drawings), recesses may be present on the top side and the bottom side of the resilient barrier (i.e., on opposite sides) such that the thin section of the resilient barrier is located in the middle of the resilient barrier rather than at one of the sides, wherein said thin section is formed by two blind holes on opposite sides of the resilient barrier.

[0056] On the face of the resilient barrier that is intended to extend across the cross-section of the shaft, recess 604 is positioned more centrally than aperture 602. In the example shown in the drawings, shaft 402 is a hollow cylinder, and resilient barrier 406 is cylindrical. The area of the end face of the cylindrical resilient barrier (e.g., as Figure 6B shown in) matches and aligns with the cross-sectional area of the shaft defined by the inner wall of shaft 402 (e.g., as Figure 6A shown in). In Figure 6B and Figure 6C the example shown in, the resilient barrier is a disc (which may be referred to as a "washer"). For example, the cylindrical length (i.e., thickness) of the resilient barrier is less than the diameter of the cylindrical end face of the resilient barrier. For example, the thickness of the resilient barrier may be 4mm, and the diameter of the end face of the resilient barrier (which matches the inner diameter of shaft 402) may be 6mm. Recess 604 is located at Figure 6BThe center of the end face of the cylindrical elastic barrier is shown. The recess does not extend completely through the elastic barrier, so that it does not exist in the opposite end face of the cylindrical elastic barrier (i.e., with). Figure 6B (The faces opposite each other are shown in the diagram). The recess is positioned so that it is centered in one of the end faces of the elastic barrier, making it easier for the elastic barrier to deform slightly at the location of the hole in a plane parallel to the end face of the elastic barrier. Furthermore, in Figure 6B and Figure 6C In the example shown, the recess 604 is about the longitudinal axis of the elastic barrier (i.e., about...). Figure 6B The axis of the page and in Figure 6C The vertical axis is rotationally symmetric; for example, the recess is cylindrical. This means that the recess facilitates the deformation of the elastic barrier in all directions (i.e., isotropically) in a plane parallel to the end face of the elastic barrier. When the elastic barrier 406 is assembled into the axis 402 of the robotic surgical instrument, the plane parallel to the end face of the elastic barrier 406 is perpendicular to the longitudinal axis 505 of the axis.

[0057] The recess 604 is larger than each hole in the aperture 602. As described above, the recess is located on one face of the elastic barrier, and the recess can, for example, have an area ranging from 3% to 33% of the area of ​​the face of the elastic barrier. For example, the recess can have an area of ​​10% of the area of ​​the face of the elastic barrier. For example, when the recess is cylindrical, the diameter of the recess 604 can range from 1 mm to 3.5 mm. To give a specific example, the diameter of the recess 604 can be 2 mm, and the diameter of each aperture in the aperture can be 0.45 mm. The diameter of the face of the elastic barrier in which the recess is located can, for example, be 6 mm. The larger the recess 604, the more it will allow the elastic barrier to deform, and the lighter the elastic barrier will be. In the example described above, the elastic barrier 406 has one recess, but in other examples, the elastic barrier can have multiple recesses. For example, Figure 10 A top view of an elastic barrier 1006 including two recesses 10041 and 10042 is shown. The elastic barrier 1006 also includes a hole 1002. A1 1002 B1 1002 C1 1002 E1 1002 A2 1002 B2 1002 C2 and 1002 E2 The hole essentially corresponds to Figure 6B The hole 602 of the elastic barrier 406 shown in the figure A1 602 B1 602 C1 602 E1 602 A2602 B2 602 C2 and 602 E2 Typically, the one or more recesses do not need to be centrally located on the surface of the elastic barrier. For example, none of the recesses 1004 of the elastic barrier 1006 are centered on the surface of the elastic barrier. Figure 10 The center of the face of the elastic barrier 1006 shown in the figure.

[0058] As described above, surgical instruments may have a pair of jaws as end effectors. However, surgical instruments can have any type of end effector. For example, the instrument may be an electrosurgical instrument with an electrosurgical end effector. Figure 7 An electrocautery device with an electrocautery end effector for cauterizing tissue at a surgical site is shown. The electrocautery end effector 701 shown is a monopolar hook. It will be understood that this is for illustrative purposes only. The electrocautery end effector can take any suitable form and shape. For example, the electrocautery end effector can be a bipolar device with two electrocautery end effector elements.

[0059] refer to Figure 3 In the case that the instrument is an electrocautery instrument, the command interface 312 also includes one or more inputs by which the user can request the activation and / or deactivation of the electrocautery instrument. The software stored in memory 311 can be configured to respond to these inputs by activating and / or deactivating the power supplied to the electrocautery instrument, in accordance with a predetermined control strategy. The control strategy may include safety features that allow power to be applied to the electrocautery instrument only when certain conditions are met. Therefore, in summary, at the command interface 312, the surgeon can control the movement of the electrocautery instrument (where driving force is transmitted to the end effector via an elongated drive element through the shaft) and can also control the activation / deactivation of power to the electrocautery instrument (where power is provided to the end effector via an elongated electrosurgical element through the shaft) to perform a desired surgical procedure.

[0060] Figure 7 The joint structure 403 and drive elements A1, A2, B1, B2 of the electrocautery device are referenced. Figure 4 and Figure 5 describe. Figure 7 The shaft 402 accommodates two fewer drive elements than in the example described above because the device is not a gripping device. Furthermore, with Figure 4 and Figure 5 Compared to the aforementioned shaft, Figure 7The shaft 402 accommodates an additional element E1. The additional element is an elongated element extending from the proximal end of the shaft, passing through the shaft and the interior of the joint structure to the end effector. The additional element can bend transversely to its main extension, at least in those areas where it engages with the internal components of the device. In other words, the additional element can bend transversely to its longitudinal axis in those areas. This flexibility allows the additional element to wrap around the internal structure of the device (e.g., joints and pulleys). The additional element can be completely transversely to its longitudinal axis and is flexible. The additional element is not flexible along its main extension. Therefore, the additional element can resist compressive and tensile forces applied along its length. In other words, the additional element can resist compressive and tensile forces acting in the direction of its longitudinal axis. The additional element can have a high modulus. The additional element can remain taut during operation. The additional element can be a cable.

[0061] exist Figure 7 In this example, the additional element is an electrosurgical element that supplies power to the end effector. Specifically, the additional element is an electrocautery element that supplies power to the electrocautery end effector. The electrocautery element passes through the interior of the instrument shaft and the interior of the joint structure to its connection point 702 with the electrocautery end effector. The electrocautery element may be a power cable. In this case, the electrocautery element is electrically connected to the electrocautery end effector at connection point 702.

[0062] The electrocautery element is long enough to fully accommodate the joint movement of the joint structure. This length may interfere with the joint structure's movement if the electrocautery element becomes loose and gets caught on other components inside the joint structure. To address this, the electrocautery element E1 can be constrained to wrap at least one full turn around the second axis 504 in a straight configuration aligned with the axis of the electrocautery end effector of the electrocautery device. When the electrocautery end effector 701 is articulated around the second joint 502 in a first rotational direction, the electrocautery element E1 is wound around the second axis 504. The electrocautery element E1 thus accommodates rotation without becoming loose. When the electrocautery end effector 401 is articulated around the second joint 502 in a second rotational direction opposite to the first rotational direction, the electrocautery element E1 unwound around the second axis 504. The electrocautery element E1 thus accommodates rotation without becoming so taut that it restricts the rotation of the electrocautery end effector in the second rotational direction.

[0063] Alternatively or additionally, the electrocautery element may be constrained by an elastic barrier 406. As described above, the electrocautery element E1 has an opening 602 in the elastic barrier 406 that is equal to or slightly larger than the opening through which it passes. E1The diameter of the element is equal to the diameter of the component E1, and the elastic barrier can deform slightly around the element E1 to accommodate this. The elastic barrier is in elastic contact with the element E1 to provide an elastic force against the movement of the element E1. The elastic barrier provides a spring-like force to the element E1, which acts to return the element E1 to its original position when the element E1 is pulled toward the proximal end of the shaft or toward the end effector. The elastic contact between the elastic barrier 706 and the element E1 thus helps to prevent the additional element E1 from becoming entangled in the joint structure. It should be noted that the drive element is more taut than the electrosurgical element.

[0064] The electrosurgical element E1 may be secured to a drive element within the shaft 402. For example, the electrosurgical element E1 may be glued to the drive element on a portion of the shaft. This prevents the electrosurgical element E1 from hanging on and interfering with the drive elements in the shaft. The electrosurgical element E1 may be press-fitted to the drive element. In any area where the electrosurgical element is constrained to interact with a structure of the instrument (e.g., a pulley, joint, or elastic barrier), the electrosurgical element E1 is not secured to the drive element. If the electrosurgical element E1 is secured to the drive element in a portion of the shaft, the elastic barrier is located between that portion of the shaft and the joint structure (although this is not necessarily required). Figure 7 An example is shown where the electrosurgical element E1 is secured to the drive element B2 in portion 703 of shaft 402. A sheath 704 encloses the electrosurgical element E1 and the drive element B2, thereby securing them to each other. The sheath 704 may be a heat-shrink tubing. An elastic barrier 706 is located between the shaft portion 703 and the joint structure 403. Figure 6A In the example shown, electrosurgical element E1 can be fixed to drive element A1, and electrosurgical element E2 can be fixed to drive element A2.

[0065] The drive element may be composed of different parts. For example, the engagement interface and joint structure of each drive element may be flexible. Between these flexible parts, the drive element may be spokes. These spokes are... Figure 7 The spokes are labeled A1s, A2s, B1s, and B2s. The spokes are completely enclosed within the shaft 402. The spokes are stiffer than the flexible portion of the drive element. The spokes can be rigid. Figure 7 As shown, the electrosurgical element E1 can be bonded to the spokes B2s of a drive element B2. The electrosurgical element E1 can be bonded to the spokes over a large portion of the shaft's length. Figure 7In this design, the drive element is flexible (e.g., a cable) at the location where it passes through a hole in the elastic barrier. Alternatively, the drive element may be a spoke at the location where it passes through a hole in the elastic barrier. One or more drive elements may be spokes, while one or more other drive elements may be flexible at the locations where they pass through holes in the elastic barrier.

[0066] In relation to Figure 7 In the described device, the elastic barrier has a dual effect: (i) reducing the leakage rate of fluids (e.g., inflatable gases and body fluids) from the surgical site, and (ii) tensioning the electrosurgical element to prevent it from becoming loose and stuck in the joint structure.

[0067] In all the described devices, the elastic barrier does not substantially constrain the movement of the drive element. This is because the movement of the end effector is very finely regulated by the device interface element that drives the drive element. If the elastic barrier constrained the drive element in the same way it constrains the attached elements, unknown and inconsistent frictional forces would be applied to the drive element, which would affect the relationship between the movement of the device interface element and the movement of the distal drive element at the joint they drive in an unpredictable manner.

[0068] In the example shown in the accompanying drawings, the elongated element is an elongated control element for controlling the operation of the end effector. Specifically, in the example shown in the drawings, the elongated element is a drive element and an electrosurgical element. More generally, the elongated element can be any element extending through the shaft for operating the end effector. Other examples of such elements are electrical leads, fiber optic conduits, tubes for delivering or removing material, and conduits for other forms of energy (e.g., vibration). Where further elongated elements are present in the shaft, each additional elongated element is treated in the same way as the elongated element described herein. In other words, each additional elongated element passes through a corresponding hole in the elastic barrier as described herein.

[0069] Figure 7 A monopolar hook end effector powered by a single electrosurgical element E1 is shown. However, one or more other electrosurgical elements may be present in the shaft. For example, in the case where the electrocautery end effector is a bipolar device with two electrocautery end effector elements, those two end effector elements may be powered by separate electrosurgical elements. The cables of standard instruments passing through their shaft to their end effectors are no more numerous than those of a bipolar device with two electrocautery end effector elements. The resilient barrier described herein is particularly advantageous for instruments with a large number of cables passing through a small-diameter shaft, as it ensures a low rate of fluid leakage from the surgical site through the shaft.

[0070] Figure 8This is a flowchart of a method for manufacturing the resilient barrier 406. In the example described herein, the resilient barrier 406 is manufactured by pressing a mold into the shape of the resilient barrier 406. The resilient barrier 406 is a separate component, i.e., it can be manufactured independently of the instrument. The manufactured resilient barrier 406 can then be pressed into the shaft of the instrument, with cables passing through corresponding holes in the resilient barrier. Figure 9A A top view of mold 900 showing the shape of the elastic barrier is shown. Figure 9B The cross-section of mold 900 is shown. Figure 9A The side view in the plane represented by the dashed line 906. Figure 9B Another component 906 (which may be referred to as a “press” or “heat press”) is also shown, which is arranged to press material 908 (e.g., in molten form) into mold 900.

[0071] In step S802, material is placed (e.g., pressed) into mold 900. The material may be rubber, such as silicone. The compression molding process may involve using a pre-formed "blank" of material having a basic disc shape (but without holes 602 or recesses 604) of elastic barrier 406. The blank provides a remaining amount of material to be placed in mold 900, ensuring that the mold is completely filled. The blank is placed in mold 900, and press 906 applies pressure to the material in mold 900. Press 906 may be a hydraulic press, which can be heated to apply heat and pressure to the blank. The heat of press 906 melts the material, and the pressure applied by the press ensures that the material (in its molten form) fully takes the shape defined by mold 900.

[0072] In step S804, the material is cured in mold 900 to form an elastic barrier 406. The cured material is a deformable solid material (at room temperature and atmospheric pressure). The material of the elastic barrier is impermeable to fluids (e.g., aerated gases and water-based liquids, such as those found in the body). For example, the material of the elastic barrier can be silicone. Alternatively, the material of the elastic barrier can be one of neoprene, natural rubber, nitrile rubber, butyl rubber, synthetic rubber, PVC, and thermoplastic elastomers. Step S804 may involve completing a curing cycle within a given time period. When the curing cycle is complete, press 906 is removed, and the cured material (i.e., the elastic barrier) is removed from mold 900. The manufactured elastic barrier 406 can then be assembled into the shaft 402 of a robotic surgical instrument as described above.

[0073] exist Figure 9A and Figure 9BIn the example shown, the mold 900 is a cylinder with the same diameter as the elastic barrier 406, and has a plurality of rods 902 corresponding to a plurality of holes 602 in the elastic barrier 406, and a protrusion 904 corresponding to a recess 604 in the elastic barrier 406. Specifically, the rods 902... A1 902 B1 902 C1 902 E1 902 A2 902 B2 902 C2 and 902 E2 The shape and position match the corresponding hole 602 A1 602 B1 602 C1 602 E1 602 A2 602 B2 602 C2 and 602 E2 The shape and position of the protrusion 904 match the shape and position of the recess 604. The protrusion 904 may be referred to by other terms, such as "protrusion" or "bump". Figure 9B The image shows material 908 after it has been pressed into mold 900 by press 906 and cured. (Example) Figure 9B As shown, material 908 (when it is pressed in and cured) has a thickness T, which is the thickness of elastic barrier 406.

[0074] As described above, the elastic barrier 406 is manufactured such that, for one or more elongated elements (A1, B1, C1, E1, A2, B2, C2, E2), the elongated elements pass through the corresponding holes (602) in the elastic barrier 406. A1 602 B1 602 C1 602 E1 602 A2 602 B2 602 C2 602 E2The elastic barrier 406 is positioned such that, when the elastic barrier 406 is arranged to extend and cover the cross-section of the shaft 402, the position corresponds to a position within the shaft 402 that is offset by a non-zero amount relative to the natural position of the elongated element in a plane perpendicular to the longitudinal axis 505 of the shaft 402. Rods 902 in the mold 900 are positioned to match the positions of holes 602 in the elastic barrier 406. Therefore, the positions of one or more rods 902 are offset by the non-zero amount relative to the natural position of the corresponding elongated element. This offset is used to conform to one or more manufacturing constraints. In particular, the offset is used to ensure that the minimum distance between any pair of holes 602 in the elastic barrier 402 (i.e., the minimum distance between any pair of rods 902 in the mold 900) is greater than or equal to a threshold distance. Furthermore, the offset is used to ensure that the minimum distance between any hole 602 in the elastic barrier 406 and the outer edge of the elastic barrier (i.e., the minimum distance between any rod 902 in the mold 900 and the outer edge of the mold 900) is greater than or equal to the threshold distance. The threshold distance is the minimum distance between holes (or between a hole and the edge of the elastic barrier) that can be reliably manufactured. Meeting these manufacturing constraints ensures that the material of the elastic barrier can flow sufficiently to completely fill the shape of the mold 900 in step S802, and also ensures that the resulting elastic barrier 406 does not include portions thinner than the threshold minimum thickness, thereby ensuring that the elastic barrier 406 does not have portions that are too weak or easily broken. The magnitude of the non-zero offset can be less than the maximum offset. The magnitude of the non-zero offset can be less than the diameter of one of the holes in the holes 602. The magnitude of the non-zero offset can be less than 0.25 mm.

[0075] The natural position of an elongated element can be such that, in a plane perpendicular to the longitudinal axis 505 of axis 402, the distance between the natural positions of a pair of elongated elements is less than the threshold distance. Similarly, the natural position of an elongated element can be such that, in a plane perpendicular to the longitudinal axis 505 of axis 402, the distance between the natural position of the elongated element and the inner wall of axis 402 is less than the threshold distance. By comparison Figure 6A and Figure 6B It can be seen that Kong 602 B1 602 C1 602 B2 and 602 C2 The positions match (i.e., without offset from) the natural positions of the corresponding elongated elements B1, C1, B2, and C2. However, by comparison Figure 6A and Figure 6B It can be seen that Kong 602 A1 602 E1 602 A2 and 602 E2The positions of the holes do not perfectly match (i.e., are offset from) the natural positions of the corresponding elongated elements A1, E1, A2, and E2. This is because: (i) the distance between the natural positions of elongated elements A1 and E1 is less than the threshold distance, (ii) the distance between the natural positions of elongated elements A2 and E2 is less than the threshold distance, (iii) the distance between the natural position of elongated element A1 and the inner wall of shaft 402 is less than the threshold distance, and (iv) the distance between the natural position of elongated element A2 and the inner wall of shaft 402 is less than the threshold distance. Therefore, hole 602 A1 602 E1 602 A2 and 602 E2 The positions of the holes are offset relative to the natural positions of their respective elongated elements, such that: (i) hole 602 A1 and 602 E1 The distance between them is at least the threshold distance, (ii) hole 602 A2 and 602 E2 The distance between them is at least the threshold distance, (iii) hole 602 A1 The distance between the outer edge of the elastic barrier 406 and the outer edge is at least the threshold distance, and (iv) hole 602 A2 The distance between the outer edge of the elastic barrier 406 and the outer edge is at least the threshold distance.

[0076] Typically, if the natural positions of the elongated elements are closer to each other than a minimum distance or closer to the inner wall of the shaft, the holes of the resilient barrier are offset relative to these natural positions such that the distances between the holes and between each hole and the edge of the resilient barrier are not less than the minimum distance. For each hole, the position corresponding to the natural position of its respective elongated element is a position on the resilient barrier such that, when the resilient barrier is arranged to extend and cover the cross-section of the shaft, this position matches the natural position of the corresponding elongated element across the cross-section of the shaft. As mentioned above, the drive element is taut in the shaft, while the electrosurgical element is not so taut; that is, the electrosurgical element is relatively relaxed in the shaft. In other words, the tension in the drive element is higher than that in the electrosurgical element. The tension in the drive element is large enough that if the corresponding hole 602 in the resilient barrier 406 is slightly offset from the natural position of the drive element, the drive element can push the hole (e.g., in a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal axis 505 of the shaft 402), causing the resilient barrier to deform slightly, thereby moving the position of the hole 602 to align with the natural position of the drive element. The deformation of the elastic barrier occurs in a plane perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the shaft. Conversely, because the tension in the electrosurgical element is less than that in the drive element, when the position of the orifice 602 deviates from its natural position, the electrosurgical element can change its position away from its natural position within the shaft to pass through the orifice 602 in the elastic barrier. A change in the position of an elongated element (e.g., an electrosurgical element) can replace, or occur additionally to, the slight change in the position of the orifice caused by the slight deformation of the elastic barrier due to the elongated element pressing against the orifice.

[0077] This document describes elastic barriers with reference to examples of their use in robotic surgical instruments (e.g., for surgical purposes). However, it should be understood that instruments including the elastic barriers described herein can be used for purposes other than surgery. For example, the instruments can be used for non-medical purposes, such as in cosmetic procedures or in industrial applications for techniques such as non-destructive testing and hole exploration. For example, the instruments can be used in procedures performed inside manufactured articles (e.g., automobile engines).

[0078] The applicant hereby separately discloses each individual feature described herein, as well as any combination of two or more such features, provided that such feature or combination can be implemented based on the entire specification in conjunction with common general knowledge of those skilled in the art, regardless of whether such feature or combination solves any problem disclosed herein, and is not limited by the scope of the claims. The applicant notes that aspects of the invention can be constituted by any such individual feature or combination of features. In view of the foregoing description, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various modifications can be made within the scope of the invention.

Claims

1. A robotic surgical instrument, comprising: axis; End effector; Multiple elongated elements extend through the shaft and are configured to operate the end effector; and An elastic barrier, located inside the shaft and extending to cover the cross-section of the shaft, wherein the elastic barrier is made of a deformable material and includes a plurality of holes and recesses, wherein each of the elongated elements passes through a corresponding hole in the elastic barrier.

2. The robotic surgical instrument of claim 1, wherein the cross-section of the recess relative to the axis is located more centrally than that of the hole.

3. The robotic surgical instrument according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the shaft is a hollow cylinder and the elastic barrier is cylindrical, wherein... The area of ​​the end face of the cylindrical elastic barrier matches and aligns with the cross-sectional area of ​​the shaft defined by the inner wall of the shaft.

4. The robotic surgical instrument of claim 3, wherein the recess is located at the center of one end face of the cylindrical elastic barrier.

5. The robotic surgical instrument according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the depth of the recess in the elastic barrier is less than the thickness of the elastic barrier, but at least a threshold depth.

6. The robotic surgical instrument according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the recess is larger than each of the holes.

7. The robotic surgical instrument according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the elastic barrier is configured to inhibit fluid from one side of the elastic barrier through the axis to the other side.

8. The robotic surgical instrument according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the outer edge of the elastic barrier is in sealing contact with the inner wall of the shaft around the outer edge of the cross section.

9. The robotic surgical instrument according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the elastic barrier is located at the distal end of the axis.

10. The robotic surgical instrument according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the elastic barrier is made of silicone.

11. The robotic surgical instrument according to any of the preceding claims, wherein, The diameter of each of the holes is less than or equal to the diameter of the corresponding elongated element passing through the hole in the elastic barrier.

12. The robotic surgical instrument according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the elongated element is arranged to pass through the cross-section of the axis at a corresponding natural position in a plane perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the axis, and The elastic barrier is manufactured such that, for one or more of the elongated elements, the position of a corresponding hole in the elastic barrier through which the elongated element passes within the manufactured elastic barrier, when the elastic barrier is arranged to extend and cover the cross-section of the shaft, corresponds to a position in the plane perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the shaft that is offset by a non-zero amount relative to the natural position of the elongated element, such that: (i) the minimum distance between any pair of holes in the manufactured elastic barrier is greater than or equal to a threshold distance, and (ii) the minimum distance between any hole in the manufactured elastic barrier and the outer edge of the manufactured elastic barrier is greater than or equal to the threshold distance.

13. The robotic surgical instrument according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the plurality of elongated elements comprises: (i) one or more drive elements configured to control the movement of the end effector relative to the axis, and / or (ii) one or more electrosurgical elements configured to provide power to the end effector when the instrument is an electrosurgical instrument.

14. The robotic surgical instrument according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the end effector comprises a pair of bipolar jaws, and wherein the robotic surgical instrument further comprises a joint structure connecting the end effector to a distal end of the shaft, the joint structure comprising joints that allow the end effector to take a series of orientations relative to the longitudinal axis of the shaft; The plurality of elongated elements include a pair of drive elements configured to drive the joint and a pair of electrosurgical elements configured to provide power to the bipolar jaws, the drive elements and the electrosurgical elements extending through the shaft.

15. The robotic surgical instrument according to any of the preceding claims further includes an instrument interface connected to the proximal end of the shaft, the instrument interface having an opening structure through which fluid can flow.

16. The robotic surgical instrument according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the elastic barrier is press-fitted into the shaft of the robotic surgical instrument.

17. A resilient barrier configured to be inserted into the shaft of a robotic surgical instrument and extend to cover the cross-section of the shaft, wherein the resilient barrier is made of a deformable material, and wherein the resilient barrier comprises: Multiple holes; and concavity, Each of the holes is arranged to allow an extension of the robotic surgical instrument through the corresponding elongated element of the shaft to pass through the hole to operate the end effector of the robotic surgical instrument.

18. The resilient barrier of claim 17, wherein the resilient barrier is manufactured as a separate component to be inserted into the axis of the robotic surgical instrument.

19. The resilient barrier according to claim 17 or 18, wherein the resilient barrier comprises a plurality of recesses.

20. A method of manufacturing a resilient barrier, the resilient barrier being configured to be inserted into an axis of a robotic surgical instrument and extending to cover a cross-section of the axis, wherein the method comprises: Place the material into a mold with a flexible barrier shape; and The material in the mold is cured to form the elastic barrier, wherein the cured material is a deformable solid material. The elastic barrier includes: Multiple holes; and concavity, Each of the holes is arranged to allow an extension of the robotic surgical instrument through the corresponding elongated element of the shaft to pass through the hole to operate the end effector of the robotic surgical instrument.

21. A robotic surgical instrument, comprising: axis; End effector; Multiple elongated elements extending through the shaft and configured to operate the end effector, wherein the elongated elements are arranged to pass through the cross section of the shaft at their respective natural positions in a plane perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the shaft; and An elastic barrier, located inside the shaft and extending to cover its cross-section, wherein the elastic barrier is made of a deformable material and includes a plurality of holes, wherein each of the elongated elements passes through a corresponding hole in the elastic barrier. The elastic barrier is manufactured such that, for one or more of the elongated elements, the position of a corresponding hole in the elastic barrier through which the elongated element passes in the manufactured elastic barrier, when the elastic barrier is arranged to extend and cover the cross-section of the shaft, corresponds to a position in the plane perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the shaft that is offset by a non-zero amount relative to the natural position of the elongated element, such that: (i) the minimum distance between any pair of holes in the manufactured elastic barrier is greater than or equal to a threshold distance, and (ii) the minimum distance between any hole in the manufactured elastic barrier and the outer edge of the manufactured elastic barrier is greater than or equal to the threshold distance.

22. A resilient barrier configured to be inserted into the shaft of a robotic surgical instrument and extend to cover the cross-section of the shaft, wherein the resilient barrier is made of a deformable material, and wherein the resilient barrier comprises: Multiple holes, each of which is arranged to allow a corresponding elongated element of the robotic surgical instrument extending through the shaft to pass through the hole to operate the end effector of the robotic surgical instrument, and Wherein, for one or more of the holes, the position of the holes in the elastic barrier is offset by a non-zero amount relative to the position corresponding to the natural position of their respective elongated elements, such that: (i) the minimum distance between any pair of holes in the elastic barrier is greater than or equal to a threshold distance, and (ii) the minimum distance between any hole in the elastic barrier and the outer edge of the elastic barrier is greater than or equal to the threshold distance.

23. A method of manufacturing a resilient barrier, the resilient barrier being configured to be inserted into an axis of a robotic surgical instrument and extending to cover a cross-section of the axis, wherein the method comprises: Place the material into a mold having the shape of the elastic barrier; and The material in the mold is cured to form the elastic barrier, wherein the cured material is a deformable solid material. The resilient barrier includes a plurality of holes, each hole being arranged to allow a corresponding elongated element of the robotic surgical instrument extending through the axis to pass through the hole to operate the end effector of the robotic surgical instrument. Wherein, for one or more of the holes, the position of the holes in the elastic barrier is offset by a non-zero amount relative to the position corresponding to the natural position of their respective elongated elements, such that: (i) the minimum distance between any pair of holes in the elastic barrier is greater than or equal to a threshold distance, and (ii) the minimum distance between any hole in the elastic barrier and the outer edge of the elastic barrier is greater than or equal to the threshold distance.

24. The elastic barrier according to claim 22 or the method according to claim 23, wherein, For one or more of the holes, the position corresponding to the natural position of their respective elongated elements is the following position on the resilient barrier: when the resilient barrier is arranged to extend and cover the cross-section of the shaft, the position matches the natural position of the respective elongated element through the cross-section of the shaft.

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