Telescoping proximal link for a table mounted manipulator system and related devices, systems and methods - Patents.com

Abstract

The remotely operable manipulator system includes a table assembly, a rail coupled to the table assembly, and first and second manipulators coupled to the rail. The table assembly includes a platform configured to support a body. The first and second manipulators include respective proximal arms coupled to the rail and respective distal portions coupled to the proximal arms and configured to support an instrument attached to the proximal arms. The proximal arms of the first and second manipulators are translatable relative to the rail along a longitudinal dimension of the rail and rotatable relative to the rail about a first axis perpendicular to the longitudinal dimension of the rail. The proximal arms of the first and second manipulators are positionable in a nested configuration relative to one another.

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS The present application is filed in the United States Patent and Trademark Office (now the U.S. Patent No. 6,333,663) and is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety. This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Application No. 63 / 336,778, filed April 29, 2022, entitled "METHODS AND METHOD FOR COMPONENTS WITH RELATED DEVICES, SYSTEMS AND METHODS," the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.

[0002] Aspects of the present disclosure relate generally to a table-mounted manipulator system. In particular, aspects of the disclosure relate to a linkage arrangement for a manipulator mounted on a table, such as a medical system table, for supporting a patient. Related devices, systems, and methods are also disclosed. [Background technology]

[0003] A computer-assisted manipulator system (manipulator system), sometimes also referred to as a robot-assisted system or robotic system, can include one or more manipulators that, with the aid of an electronic controller (e.g., a computer), can operate to move and control the function of one or more instruments coupled to the manipulator. A manipulator typically includes mechanical links connected by joints. An instrument can be removably coupled (or permanently coupled) to one of the links (typically the distal link of the links). The joints are operable to move (i.e., rotate and / or translate) the links relative to one another, providing the manipulator with various degrees of freedom to move the instrument relative to a work site. The manipulators of a manipulator system can be used to transmit various forces and torques to the instrument to perform various procedures, such as medical or non-medical (e.g., industrial) procedures. The link (e.g., instrument carriage) to which the instrument can be coupled or is coupled includes drive outputs for interfacing with corresponding drive inputs of the instrument and mechanically transmitting drive forces to those drive inputs to control the degrees of freedom of movement and / or other functions of the instrument.

[0004] In some computer-aided manipulator systems, the manipulator is mounted to a manipulator support structure (e.g., a patient side cart) that is separate from the support structure that supports the patient or workpiece. In other manipulator systems, the manipulator is mounted directly to the support structure that supports the patient or workpiece, for example, on a surgical table. This support structure that supports the patient or workpiece may be referred to herein as a "table assembly" or "table" for ease of explanation. Manipulator systems in which the manipulator is mounted to a table assembly may be referred to herein as a table-mounted manipulator system.

[0005] Table-mounted manipulator systems present certain challenges. The space around the table assembly may need to be occupied by various equipment and / or personnel during the performance of various tasks that constitute a procedure (e.g., a medical procedure). Furthermore, space constraints around the table may vary depending on the procedure being performed, with some tasks (e.g., transferring the patient to the table, draping the manipulator, etc.) benefiting from or facilitated by a large open space around the table. In manipulator systems that include a mobile patient side cart, such open space around the table can be achieved by moving the patient side cart in a direction away from the table that is intended to support the patient. However, in table-mounted manipulator systems, moving the manipulator out of the way when space is needed around the table is difficult because the manipulator is fixed to the table or is at least impractical to remove from the table during certain stages of the medical procedure. Thus, in table-mounted manipulator systems, it may be difficult to avoid interference between the manipulator and other entities in the space around the table.

[0006] As an example, when transferring a patient from a patient transport gurney to a table, it may be desirable for the long side of the table to be substantially free of obstructions so that the gurney can be flush with the table and facilitate the transfer of the patient from the gurney to the table. However, if a manipulator is attached to this long side of the table, it may be difficult to obtain the necessary open space because the manipulator may be in the way. As another example, when preparing a patient on a table, a large number of personnel and equipment must be close to the patient and may occupy a large portion of the space around the table, so a manipulator attached to the table may be in the way of personnel and hinder preparation. As another example, if there was a significant amount of free space around the manipulator, it may be easier to cover the manipulator with a sterile drape, but if the manipulator is attached to a table assembly, it may be difficult to obtain such space due to the proximity of the table.

[0007] Thus, a need exists for improved table mounted manipulator systems, particularly systems with improvements in the configuration of the manipulators and the manner in which the manipulators are attached to the table and to each other. Summary of the Invention

[0008] Various embodiments of the present disclosure may solve one or more of the problems set forth above and / or demonstrate one or more of the desirable features set forth above. Other features and / or advantages may become apparent from the following detailed description.

[0009] Some embodiments of the present disclosure relate to a remotely operable manipulator system. The system can include a table assembly, a rail coupled to the table assembly, and first and second manipulators coupled to the rail. The table assembly can include a platform configured to support a body. The first and second manipulators can include respective proximal arms coupled to the rail and respective distal portions coupled to the proximal arms and configured to support an instrument attached to the proximal arms. The proximal arms of the first and second manipulators are translatable relative to the rail along a longitudinal dimension of the rail and rotatable relative to the rail about a first axis perpendicular to the longitudinal dimension of the rail. The proximal arms of the first and second manipulators are positionable in a nested configuration relative to one another.

[0010] In some embodiments, the system can include a table assembly, a rail coupled to the table assembly, and a plurality of manipulators coupled to the rail. The table assembly can include a platform configured to support a body. Each manipulator can include a proximal arm coupled to the rail and a distal portion coupled to the proximal arm and configured to support an instrument attached to the proximal arm. The proximal arm of each manipulator can be translatable relative to the rail along a longitudinal dimension of the rail and rotatable relative to the rail about a first axis perpendicular to the longitudinal dimension. The proximal arms of at least two of the plurality of manipulators can have staggered heights relative to the rail along a direction perpendicular to the lateral and longitudinal dimensions of the rail.

[0011] In some embodiments, the system includes a table assembly, a rail coupled to the table assembly, and a plurality of manipulators coupled to the rail. The table assembly can include a platform configured to support a body. Each manipulator can include a proximal arm coupled to the rail and a distal portion coupled to the proximal arm and configured to support an instrument attached to the proximal arm. The proximal arm of each manipulator is translatable relative to the rail along a longitudinal dimension of the rail and rotatable relative to the rail about a first axis perpendicular to the longitudinal dimension of the rail. With the proximal arms of the manipulators positioned adjacent to each other on the same end portion of the platform, the proximal arms of the manipulators are oriented at outward angles relative to the longitudinal dimension of the rail, all of which are 180° or greater.

[0012] In some embodiments, the system includes a table assembly, a rail coupled to the table assembly, and first and second manipulators coupled to the rail. The table assembly can include a platform configured to support a body. Each manipulator can include a proximal arm coupled to the rail and a distal portion coupled to the proximal arm and configured to support an instrument attached to the proximal arm. The first and second manipulators are positionable between a stowed position and a plurality of deployed positions. In the stowed position, the first and second manipulators are each positioned below a first end portion of the platform and do not protrude beyond a lateral or longitudinal dimension of the platform.

[0013] In some embodiments, the system can include a table assembly, a rail coupled to the table assembly, and first and second manipulators movably coupled to the rail. The table assembly can include a platform configured to support a body, the platform elongated along a longitudinal dimension. The rail can extend parallel to the longitudinal dimension. The first and second manipulators are movable in translation along the rail, each manipulator including a proximal arm coupled to the rail and a distal portion coupled to the proximal arm and configured to hold a medical tool. The first and second manipulators can be positionable such that at least their proximal arms are in a nested configuration.

[0014] The proximal arms of the first and second manipulators are positionable in a nested configuration relative to each other in the deployed state. In some embodiments, the proximal arms can be oriented at respective outward angles of at least 180° relative to the rail and overlap each other in a given direction in the nested configuration. The given direction can be parallel to a lateral dimension of the rail. In some embodiments, the proximal arm of the first manipulator is offset from an axis perpendicular to a longitudinal dimension of the rail. In some embodiments, a coupling portion of the first manipulator that rotatably couples the proximal arm to the rail can include a bend, and the bend can be between the axis and the proximal arm.

[0015] In some embodiments, the first and second manipulators can further include respective coupling portions rotatably coupling the proximal arms to the rail, where the coupling portion of the first manipulator can have a greater height dimension than the coupling portion of the second manipulator. The first and second manipulators can further include respective coupling portions rotatably coupling the proximal arms to the rail, where the coupling portion of the first manipulator allows the proximal arm of the first manipulator to rotate about a first axis and about a second axis parallel to the longitudinal dimension of the rail.

[0016] In the nested configuration and in the deployed state, the distal portions of the first and second manipulators can be positioned higher than the respective proximal arms of the first and second manipulators. The distal portions of the first and second manipulators can include an instrument holder, and in the nested configuration, the instrument holders of the first and second manipulators can be positioned higher than the platform. In the nested configuration, the proximal arms can be positioned adjacent to one of the end portions of the platform.

[0017] The platform can include an assembly of multiple sections movable relative to one another to change the configuration of the platform among multiple configurations. The multiple sections can include a first end section, one or more middle sections, and a second end section positioned consecutively along a longitudinal dimension of the platform, each of the first and second end sections independently pivotable relative to the one or more middle sections.

[0018] In some embodiments, the system can further include one or more first carriages, each first carriage movably coupling one of the proximal arms of the first and second manipulators to the rail such that the proximal arm is translatable relative to the rail along a longitudinal dimension of the rail. In some embodiments, the system can further include a control system operably coupled to drive the first and second manipulators to position the proximal arms in the nested configuration.

[0019] The table assembly can include a support column supporting a platform assembly, the platform being tiltable relative to the support column, and the rail can be configured to tilt with the platform relative to the support column. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0020] The present disclosure can be understood from the following detailed description alone or in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, which are included to provide a further understanding of the disclosure, and are incorporated in and constitute a part of this specification, and which illustrate one or more embodiments of the present teachings and, together with the description, explain certain principles and operation. [Figure 1A] FIG. 1 is a schematic side view of an embodiment of a table-mounted manipulator system in a first state. [Figure 1B] FIG. 1B is a schematic side view of the table-mounted manipulator system of FIG. 1A in a second state. [Diagram 2] FIG. 1B is a schematic end view of the table-mounted manipulator system of FIG. 1A. [Figure 3A] FIG. 1B is a perspective view of the table-mounted manipulator system of FIG. 1A, showing only a portion of the manipulator. [Figure 3B] FIG. 1C is a perspective view of the table-mounted manipulator system of FIG. 1B, showing only a portion of the manipulator. [Figure 4A] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an embodiment of a table-mounted manipulator system in a first state, showing only a portion of the manipulator. [Figure 4B] FIG. 4B is a perspective view of the table-mounted manipulator system of FIG. 4A in a second state. [Figure 4C] FIG. 4B is a perspective view of the table-mounted manipulator system of FIG. 4A in a third state. [Figure 4D] FIG. 4B is a perspective view of the table-mounted manipulator system of FIG. 4A in a fourth state. [Diagram 5] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an embodiment of a table-mounted manipulator system in a first state. [Figure 6] FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the table-mounted manipulator system of FIG. 5 in a second state. [Figure 7A] FIG. 6 is a side view of the table-mounted manipulator system of FIG. 5 in a third state. [Figure 7B]FIG. 6 is a side view of the table-mounted manipulator system of FIG. 5 in a fourth state, with the fifth state shown in dashed lines. [Figure 7C] FIG. 6 is a side view of the table-mounted manipulator system of FIG. 5 in a sixth state, with a seventh state shown in dashed lines. [Figure 7D] FIG. 6 is a side view of the table-mounted manipulator system of FIG. 5 in an eighth position, with a ninth position shown in dashed lines. [Figure 8A] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an embodiment of a table-mounted manipulator system in a first state, showing only a portion of the manipulator. [Figure 8B] FIG. 8B is a perspective view of the table-mounted manipulator system of FIG. 8A in a second state. [Figure 9] FIG. 6 is a top view of the table-mounted manipulator system of FIG. 5, with the manipulators in an deployed and nested configuration and a gurney adjacent to the table-mounted manipulator system. [Figure 10] 9 is a perspective view of the table-mounted manipulator system of FIG. 5 with the manipulators in the deployed and nested configuration of FIG. [Figure 11] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a table-mounted manipulator system. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0021] As discussed above, mounting the manipulator to a table assembly in a table-mounted manipulator system can present certain challenges, such as challenges associated with the manipulator, personnel, and / or table obstructing or interfering with one another during various stages of a medical procedure.

[0022] In various embodiments described herein, the table-mounted manipulator is movable between a storage configuration in which the manipulator is compactly stored or folded (e.g., when not in use) and various deployed configurations in which the manipulator is at least partially deployed (e.g., when used during a procedure). One way to avoid the manipulator becoming an obstacle or otherwise interfering with the work is to place the manipulator in a stored state or configuration during steps that require more space around the table. In the stored state, the manipulator is generally stored compactly (e.g., folded) and placed in a storage location, such as under the platform of the table assembly. However, storing the manipulator to ensure sufficient space for work is not always feasible, as some tasks may require or benefit from the manipulator being in the deployed configuration during the work. Furthermore, even if the work being performed does not require the manipulator to be in the deployed configuration, it may not be desirable to have the manipulator positioned in the stored configuration during the work. For example, when preparing a manipulator for a procedure, the manipulator is placed in a sterile condition, such as by covering exposed manipulator parts with a sterile drape. Conversely, storing the manipulator compromises the sterility of the manipulator, which can have various undesirable consequences. Storing the manipulator can compromise the sterility of the manipulator because the storage location (e.g., under the table) is not within the sterile field typically established around the table. A sterile field is an area in which exposed surfaces of objects within the area are maintained in a sterile condition (e.g., substantially free of contaminants such as biological agents, dust, oil, etc.) and non-sterile surfaces are covered with a sterile barrier. Since a manipulator positioned in a stored configuration can compromise sterility, moving the manipulator from the stored state to the sterile field after completion of a task that requires space around the table requires the manipulator to be placed in a sterile configuration (e.g., covered with a sterile drape). However, placing the manipulator in a sterile condition (eg, draped) after a procedure is completed may be undesirable in some circumstances.For example, if an operation involves transferring a patient to a table and / or preparing the patient on the table, draping the manipulator after the operation is completed creates a delay between when the patient is prepared and when subsequent operations in the overall medical procedure can be performed. Such a delay is generally undesirable because once the patient is prepared for the operation (e.g., transferred to the table), it is generally desirable to proceed and finish the overall medical procedure as quickly as possible. On the other hand, before taking the patient to the procedure room and preparing the patient for the procedure, there is less time pressure and delays are generally more tolerable. Thus, it is generally desirable to perform as many operations as possible before preparing the patient to minimize the time the patient is on the table. Another reason why it is desirable to drape the manipulator before transferring the patient to the table is that it is generally easier to drape the manipulator when the patient is not present, since there is more room for personnel to operate at that time. Another reason to drape the manipulator before transferring the patient to the table is to keep non-sterile objects away from the sterile patient, even temporarily (e.g., while draping is in progress). Thus, even if it is possible to stow the manipulator to free up space, stow- ing the manipulator may not always be an acceptable option for freeing up space at certain stages of the overall procedure.

[0023] Another way to alleviate some of the above-mentioned challenges is to configure the system to allow for relative movement between the manipulator and the table, for example, by movably mounting the manipulator on a rail coupled to the table assembly. This allows the manipulator to be moved along the rail toward one end of the table, thus clearing some space in the middle of the table. However, even with the ability to move the manipulator, it may still get in the way of certain tasks. For example, as mentioned above, when transferring a patient to the table, it is useful to keep the entire longitudinal side of the table clear of any obstructions so that a gurney can be positioned flush with the longitudinal side of the table. When multiple manipulators coupled to the same rail are moved to one end of the table, at least one manipulator will typically remain at least partially along the longitudinal side of the table, potentially interfering with equipment (e.g., a gurney) and / or personnel. This is because the proximal link of one manipulator (i.e., the link coupled to the rail) may obstruct another manipulator and prevent the other manipulator from moving completely out of the way. For example, consider the system shown in FIG. 11. The system includes a platform assembly 10 supported by a support column 2, a rail 20 coupled to the platform assembly 10, and two manipulators 40_1 and 40_2 (only a portion of the proximal-most link of each manipulator is shown) movably coupled to the rail 20. In the system of FIG. 9, the manipulators 40_1 and 40_2 are translatable along the longitudinal dimension 8 of the platform assembly 10, and the proximal links of the manipulators 40_1 and 40_2 are also rotatably coupled to the rail to rotate the links about vertical rotation axes 7_1 and 7_2. The manipulators 40_1 and 40_2 can be in a deployed configuration in which they are at least partially deployed. In the deployed configuration, a portion of the manipulators 40_1 and 40_2 can extend generally upward and / or away from the rail 20.11, when the manipulator 40_1 is positioned at the end of the rail 20, the base link of the manipulator 40_1 can rotate to an angle φ_1 of more than 180° relative to the rail 20, and the tip portion of the manipulator 40_1 can be positioned around the end of the platform assembly 10, away from the longitudinal side of the platform assembly 10 (i.e., the side extending along the x direction in FIG. 11, or the side extending along dimension 8 of the platform assembly), along the transverse side of the platform assembly (i.e., the side extending along the y direction in FIG. 11, or the side extending along dimension 9 of the platform assembly), while remaining in the unfolded configuration. In other words, the manipulator 40_1 can be positioned in the unfolded configuration without blocking a portion of the longitudinal side of the platform assembly 10. However, as shown in FIG. 11, the proximal link of manipulator 40_2 cannot rotate as much as manipulator 40_1 can rotate with respect to rail 20 because the proximal link of manipulator 40_1 blocks the proximal link of manipulator 40_2. As a result, manipulator 40_2 can only rotate to an angle φ_2 less than 180° during deployment, and thus the distal portion of manipulator 40_2 cannot move completely around the end of platform assembly 10 to position along a lateral side of platform assembly 10. (As shown in FIG. 11, angles φ_1 and φ_2 are outward angles.) ) Thus, the manipulator 40_2 continues to protrude laterally into the space along the longitudinal side of the platform assembly 110, which may interfere with certain tasks, such as patient transfer. Note that it is not typically feasible to avoid this problem of one of the manipulators continuing to protrude beyond the longitudinal side of the platform by moving the manipulators to opposite ends of the platform assembly from one another, rather than moving the manipulators toward the same end of the platform assembly from one another. One reason that it is not typically feasible to move the manipulators to opposite ends of the table from one another is that there may not be enough space to move the manipulator to the head end of the table, since one end of the table (most often the head end) is typically reserved for various equipment and personnel. Additionally, various lines (e.g., IV lines, irrigation / suction tubes, electrical cords and / or cables, etc.) may need to be routed to the patient and / or equipment around the table. These lines are typically routed around the end of the table opposite where the manipulator is expected to be primarily located to avoid or minimize collisions between the manipulator and the lines when the manipulator returns to its working position. However, if the manipulator is positioned at the head end of the table and the manipulator is positioned at the foot end of the table, it is not possible to route the lines along the end of the table away from the manipulator. Thus, if the manipulators are positioned at opposite ends of the table from each other during an operation such as transferring a patient, it can be difficult to route the lines so that they do not collide with one of the manipulators when the manipulator returns to its working position (e.g., near the center of the table).

[0024] Thus, to address the above-mentioned problems with table-mounted manipulator systems, various embodiments disclosed herein contemplate a table-mounted manipulator system including a table assembly and a rail coupled to the table assembly. The table assembly includes a platform for supporting a patient or workpiece. The rail supports two or more manipulators that are translatable along the rail. The manipulators are configured to be arranged in a nested configuration. The nested configuration allows the manipulators coupled to the rail to be positioned completely or partially off of a longitudinally extending side of the table assembly, thus freeing up space for various tasks. In particular, in some embodiments, the nested configuration includes a configuration in which the proximal links of the manipulators coupled to the rail are oriented at an angle of 180° or more with respect to the rail (i.e., with respect to the longitudinal dimension of the rail) and overlap each other in a given direction (which may vary from embodiment to embodiment). (The angles referred to herein are outwardly facing relative to the rail, as shown in the figures and described in more detail below.) In some embodiments, in the nested configuration, the proximal links of the manipulators overlap each other vertically. As used herein, "horizontal" refers to a direction parallel to a horizontal plane, which is a plane defined (i.e., parallel) by the lateral and longitudinal dimensions of the rail assembly, and "vertical" refers to a direction perpendicular to the horizontal plane. In some embodiments, the vertical nesting of the proximal links is achieved by staggering the relative height of each proximal link of the manipulator with respect to the rail. This vertically overlapping nesting allows the manipulator coupled to the rail to be positioned at one end portion (e.g., the foot end) of the platform assembly, and the distal portion of the manipulator to be swung about the end of the platform, such that the manipulator is moved completely away from the longitudinal side of the table assembly and into a position along a lateral side (end side) of the table assembly when in the deployed configuration.Thus, in some embodiments disclosed herein, the manipulator can be deployed while the longitudinal side of the table assembly is clear of obstructions, thus facilitating various tasks that benefit from or require such free space, such as transferring a patient from a gurney to a table. In other embodiments, in the nested configuration, the proximal links of the manipulator can overlap horizontally, potentially leaving portions of the manipulator protruding beyond the longitudinal side of the platform assembly, but still providing sufficient free space for certain tasks in some circumstances. The nested configuration can be used in both the deployed and stowed states. In some embodiments, in the deployed and nested configurations of the manipulator, the manipulator is configured to remain within the sterile field, such that the manipulator can be draped before performing tasks that require extra space (e.g., patient transfer) without compromising sterility by being moved out of the way for the task.

[0025] In some embodiments, each manipulator further includes a coupling portion coupling a proximal link of the manipulator to the rail, the coupling portion including one or more joints for rotating the proximal link relative to the rail. The coupling portion and the proximal link of the first manipulator form an L-shaped portion configured such that the proximal link of another manipulator nests adjacent to the proximal link of the first manipulator within a space defined between the two legs of the L-shape, the proximal links of the two manipulators overlapping in a given direction. In some embodiments where the proximal links vertically overlap each other in the nested configuration, in the neutral state of the first manipulator, the coupling portion of the first manipulator extends vertically from the rail and the proximal link extends horizontally from the coupling portion, while the coupling portion of the second manipulator is at the same height as the proximal link coupled to the coupling portion. Thus, the vertical extent of the coupling portion of the first manipulator positions the proximal link of the first manipulator at a lower height than the proximal link of the second manipulator. This height difference allows the proximal links to vertically overlap one another without colliding. In another embodiment in which the proximal links are horizontally nested, the coupling portion of the first manipulator extends horizontally from the rail in a first direction, and the proximal link of the first manipulator extends horizontally from the coupling portion in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction, forming horizontally oriented L-shaped portions. This allows the proximal link of the second manipulator to be positioned adjacent to and horizontally overlapping the proximal link of the first manipulator.

[0026] Next, an embodiment of a table-mounted manipulator system will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 to 8B.

[0027] 1A-3B show an embodiment of a table-mounted manipulator system 100 (system 100) in schematic form. FIGS. 1A and 1B show a side view of system 100 in two different states, FIG. 2 shows an end view of system 100, and FIGS. 3A and 3B show a schematic perspective view of part of system 100 with other parts omitted for clarity. As shown in FIGS. 1A-2, system 100 includes a table assembly 101, at least one rail assembly 120 coupled to table assembly 101, and two or more manipulators 140 coupled to rail assembly 120. Each manipulator 140 may be configured to carry one or more instruments 150, which may be removably or permanently attached. As shown in FIG. 1A, system 100 may also include a control system 1006, a user input and feedback system 1004, and / or an auxiliary system 1008. In some embodiments, the system 100 is configured as a computer-assisted teleoperated medical system, in which case the table assembly 101 is configured to support a patient (not shown) and the instrument 150 may be a medical instrument. The system 100 in this configuration may be used to perform any of a variety of medical procedures, such as, for example, surgical procedures, diagnostic procedures, imaging procedures, therapeutic procedures, etc. Additionally, the system 100 configured as a teleoperated medical system need not necessarily be used with a live human patient. For example, non-human animals, cadavers, materials such as tissue used for training purposes, etc. may be supported on the table assembly 101 and worked on by the system 100. In other embodiments, the system 100 is configured as a computer-assisted teleoperated system for use in a non-medical context, in which case the table assembly 101 may be configured to support an inanimate workpiece (such as one that is manufactured, repaired, tested, etc.) and the instrument 150 may be a non-medical instrument, such as an industrial instrument.

[0028] As shown in FIG. 1A, the table assembly 101 includes a platform assembly 110 (also referred to as "platform 110") configured to support a patient or inanimate workpiece, a support column 102 coupled to and supporting the platform assembly 110, and a base 105 coupled to the support column 102. The base can be configured to contact the ground or other surface on which the table assembly 101 rests and provide stability to the table assembly 101. In some embodiments, the base 105 is omitted. In some embodiments, the base 105 includes a movement mechanism, such as wheels, tracks, or other such mechanisms (not shown) for allowing the table assembly 101 to move along the ground or other surface. Although in FIGS. 1A-2, for ease of discussion, the support column 102 is shown as a single vertical columnar piece, the support column 102 can take any shape and include any number of pieces. For example, the support column 102 can include horizontal support structures (not shown), such as beams, rails, etc., for coupling the platform assembly 110 to the vertical portion of the support column 102. Additionally, in various embodiments, the support column 102 is telescoping and can be configured to extend or retract in height.

[0029] The platform assembly 110 includes one or more platform sections 103 for supporting a patient or a workpiece. Each platform section 103 has a support surface configured to contact and support a patient or a workpiece. In some embodiments, multiple platform sections 103 are used, and the platform sections 103 are arranged in series to support different portions of a patient or a workpiece. For example, in the embodiment shown in FIG. 1A, the platform assembly 110 includes a first end section 103_1, one or more middle sections 103_2, and a second end section 103_3, and the one or more middle sections 103_2 are arranged between the two end sections 103_1 and 103_3. In some embodiments, the first end section 103_1 may be configured to support a patient's head, the second end section 103_3 may be configured to support a patient's feet and / or legs, and the one or more middle sections 103_2 may be configured to support a patient's torso and / or other portions. For convenience, the side of the platform assembly 110 closer to the first end section 103_1 (e.g., the left side in the orientation shown in FIG. 1A) will be referred to herein as the "head" (or "head side" or "head end") of the platform assembly 110, and the side of the platform assembly 110 closer to the second end section 103_3 (e.g., the right side in the orientation shown in FIG. 1A) will be referred to herein as the "foot" (or "foot side" or "foot end") of the platform assembly 110, but this is merely an arbitrary convention selected for convenience of description herein and is not intended to limit the configuration or use of the table assembly 101 (e.g., the patient's head can be positioned on the "foot" side of the platform assembly 110 as desired, and vice versa).The relative positions of two components or two portions of a component may also be described using a "head" and a "foot" (e.g., the "head end" and the "foot end" of the rail 121), with the "head" referring to a component or portion relatively closer to the head end of the table assembly 110 and the "foot" referring to a component or portion relatively closer to the foot end of the table assembly 110. In other embodiments, a different number and arrangement of platform sections 103 are used, including one, two, four, or more platform sections 103. In some embodiments, one or more platform sections 103 are movable relative to the other platform sections 103 and / or the support columns 102. For example, in some embodiments, some or all of the platform sections 103 are coupled to adjacent platform sections 103 and / or the support columns 102 by rotatable joints such that at least some of the platform sections 103 can tilt relative to each other and / or relative to the support columns 102. The platform assembly 110 may be movable as a whole relative to the support column 102, as described in more detail below.

[0030] The platform assembly 110 has a longitudinal dimension 198 (see FIG. 1), a lateral dimension 199 (see FIG. 2) perpendicular to the longitudinal dimension 198, and a thickness or height dimension (not labeled) perpendicular to both the longitudinal and lateral dimensions. As used herein, the longitudinal dimension 198 refers to the maximum extension dimension of the platform assembly 110 when all of the platform sections 103 of the platform assembly are fully extended and oriented such that their support surfaces are substantially coplanarly aligned with one another (or as close to this as possible), collectively forming a substantially planar composite support surface with potentially small gaps between adjacent platform sections 103. The longitudinal dimension extends in the head-to-foot direction of the platform assembly 110 and vice versa. Generally, the longitudinal dimension 198 and lateral dimension 199 of the platform assembly 110 and the support surfaces of the platform sections 103 are oriented generally parallel to the ground or other surface on which the table assembly 101 is supported when the platform assembly 110 is in the neutral configuration. For example, in Figures 1A-2, the longitudinal dimension 198 is parallel to the x-direction and the lateral dimension 199 is parallel to the y-direction, the x-direction and the y-direction are parallel to the ground or other surface on which the table assembly 101 rests. Thus, in Figures 1A-2, the thickness dimension is parallel to the z-direction, and the z-direction is perpendicular to the ground or other surface. However, those skilled in the art will appreciate that the entire platform assembly 110 and / or its individual platform sections 103 do not necessarily need to be parallel to the ground, and one or both of the longitudinal dimension 198 and / or lateral dimension 199 may be inclined relative to the ground in various configurations in which the platform assembly 110 and / or platform sections 103 may be moveable, including in some cases a neutral configuration.

[0031] At least one of the platform sections 103 is directly coupled to and supported by the support column 102. The remaining platform sections 103 may be directly coupled to the support column 102 or may be indirectly coupled to the support column 102 via a chain of one or more intervening platform sections 103. For example, in some embodiments, a main platform section 103 (e.g., middle section 103_2) is coupled to and directly supported by the support column 102, and the other platform sections 103 (e.g., end sections 103_1 and 103_3) are coupled to the main platform section 103 or to another platform section 103. As another example, in some embodiments, multiple platform sections 103 (in some embodiments, all) are directly coupled to the support column 102 and are not coupled to another platform section 103.

[0032] In some embodiments, some (possibly all) of the above components of the table assembly 101 may be movable relative to one another. For example, in some embodiments, the entire platform assembly 110 may be moved relative to the support column 102, such as by tilting about a horizontal axis, pivoting about a vertical axis, translating vertically along the support column 102, and translating horizontally relative to the support column 102. In some embodiments, such movement of the entire platform assembly 110 may be provided by one or more joints coupling the main platform section 103 (e.g., the middle section 103_2) to the support column 102. Additionally, as already mentioned above, the individual platform sections 103 may also be movable relative to one another and relative to the support column 102, which may be facilitated by joints coupling the platform sections 103 to the support column 102 or to adjacent platform sections 103.

[0033] In some embodiments, the platform assembly 110 also includes one or more accessory rails 104. The accessory rails 104 may be configured to receive accessory devices, such as arm supports, leg supports, body restraints, width extenders, surgical retractors, and various clamps for device holders, that are removably attached to the accessory rails 104. In some embodiments, the accessory rails 104 conform to industry standard specifications well known to those skilled in the art to ensure compatibility with compliant accessory devices. The accessory rails 104 may be attached to a longitudinally extending side of one or more of the platform sections 103. One or more openings may be defined between the accessory rails 104 and the side of the platform section 103 to which the accessory rails 104 are attached, through which a portion of an accessory attached to the accessory rails 104 may be inserted.

[0034] As described above, the system 100 includes two or more manipulators 140. Although FIGS. 1A-2 show two manipulators 140, any number of manipulators 140 may be included (e.g., one, two, three, or more manipulators 140 coupled to each rail assembly 120). The manipulators 140 may include a kinematic structure of links coupled together by one or more joints. The manipulators 140 may move through various degrees of freedom of movement provided by the joints, thus moving an instrument 150 attached to the manipulators 140 relative to a work site. For example, some joints may allow the links to rotate relative to one another, other joints may allow the links to translate relative to one another, and some joints may allow both rotation and translation. Some or all of the joints may be powered joints, and a powered driving element may control the movement of the joints by the supply of power. Such powered driving elements may include, for example, electric motors, pneumatic or hydraulic actuators, etc. Additionally, some joints may be non-powered joints. The specific number and arrangement of links and joints is not limited, and the more links and joints included, the greater the degrees of freedom of movement of the manipulator 140.

[0035] As shown in FIGS. 1A-2, the proximal end portion of each manipulator 140 is movably coupled to the table assembly 101 via a rail assembly 120, as described in more detail below. The proximal end portion of each manipulator 140 may include a proximal arm 134 (e.g., proximal arms 134_1 and 134_2) and a rail coupling portion 135 (also referred to as a "coupling portion", e.g., coupling portions 135_1 and 135_2). (FIGS. 3A and 3B show the proximal arm 134 and rail coupling portion 135 of the manipulator 140, while other portions of the manipulator 140 are omitted from the figures for clarity.) The proximal arm 134 includes one or more proximal links. The rail coupling portion 135 is coupled to the rail assembly 120 (specifically, the carriage 126, described in more detail below), and the proximal arm 134 extends from the rail coupling portion 135. In some cases, the rail coupling portion 135 may be part of the proximal arm 134, such as rail coupling portion 135_1 shown in FIGS. 1A-3B. In other cases, the rail coupling portion 135 may be a separate component coupled to the proximal arm 134, such as rail coupling portion 135_2 shown in FIGS. 1A-3B. In a neutral state of the platform assembly 110 (e.g., the platform 110 is parallel to the ground or other support surface) and in a neutral state of the proximal arm 134, the proximal arm 134 extends horizontally from the rail coupling portion 135, as shown in FIGS. 1A-3B. However, in some embodiments, at least one of the proximal arms 134 may be oriented in other directions in other states, such as in the embodiments described below in connection with FIGS. 4A-4B. Each of the manipulators 140 may include an additional link (not labeled) coupled to and supported by the proximal arm 134.

[0036] Each coupling portion 135 includes one or more joints that enable movement of the proximal arm 134 (and thus movement of a more distal portion of the manipulator 140) relative to the rail assembly 120. In particular, the rail coupling portion 135 of each manipulator 140 includes at least one first rotational joint that enables the proximal arm 134, which is vertically aligned in the neutral state of the platform assembly 110 and in the neutral state of the proximal arm 134, to rotate about a first rotational axis 136 (e.g., axes 136_1 and 136_2; see FIGS. 1A, 3A, and 3B).

[0037] The manipulators 140 are configured to be arranged in a nested configuration, where a portion of one manipulator 140 can be nested within a portion of another manipulator 140. The nested configuration can be used in both the deployed and stowed states of the manipulator 140. The deployed state of the manipulator 140 includes a state in which the manipulator 140 is removed from a stowed position (e.g., below the platform 110) and at least partially deployed such that a distal end portion of the manipulator 140, which may include an instrument holder configured to carry an instrument 150, is positioned above a predetermined height, such as the height of the rail 121, the height of the bottom surface of the platform assembly 110, the height of the top surface of the platform assembly 110, etc. For example, in some embodiments, the aforementioned predetermined height includes the boundary of the sterile field, and the distal end of the manipulator 140 is positioned above the predetermined height when deployed, such that the distal end portion of the deployed manipulator 140 is generally located within the sterile field. In contrast, the manipulator 140 in the stowed state is generally compact (folded) and located in a storage location outside the sterile field (e.g., below the platform assembly 110) (see, e.g., manipulator 240 in FIG. 5 for an example of a stowed state). In some embodiments, the manipulator 140 remains within the sterile field during the deployed configuration. Thus, in some embodiments, the manipulator 140 remains within the sterile field when deployed and in the nested configuration. The manipulator 140 can also be placed in a nested configuration when stowed. The nested configuration of the manipulator 140 allows the manipulator 140 to be positioned completely or partially out of the longitudinal side 109b of the platform assembly 110 even when deployed, thereby freeing up space along the longitudinal side 109b for various operations.

[0038] 3B, the nested configuration includes a configuration in which each of the proximal arms 134 (e.g., its proximal-most link) is oriented at an angle of 180° or greater relative to the rail 121. In other words, in the nested configuration, the proximal arms 134 extend outwardly from the table assembly 101 and are oriented at an angle of 90° or greater relative to a line that is parallel to the lateral dimension 199 of the ground or platform assembly 110 and perpendicular to the longitudinal dimension 197 of the rail 121 (i.e., a line that is approximately perpendicular to the longitudinally extending side 109b of the platform 110). In other words, a nested configuration includes a configuration in which each of the proximal arms 134 is oriented parallel to the longitudinal dimension 197 of the rail 121 and / or the longitudinal dimension 198 of the platform assembly 110 (see, e.g., proximal arm 134_2 in FIG. 3B) or extends in a direction toward the center of the platform assembly 110 (see, e.g., proximal arm 134_1 in FIG. 3B). Furthermore, in a nested configuration, the proximal arms 134 of the manipulators 140 are positioned adjacent to one another near an end portion of the platform assembly 110 (e.g., near a foot end portion in some embodiments, as shown in FIG. 3B), and the proximal arms 134 overlap one another in at least one given direction. The nesting configuration described above allows the manipulator 140 to be moved completely or substantially completely out of the way of obstructing the longitudinally extending side 109b of the platform assembly 110, which may be beneficial for various tasks that require or benefit from free space along the longitudinally extending side 109b, such as transferring a patient from a gurney to the platform assembly 110.

[0039] The angles of the proximal arm relative to the rail referred to herein are measured in the direction shown in the figures, i.e., the angles are outward angles. In other words, if a sweep of the angle is traced starting from the rail, the angle is first swept outward from the rail. Such outward angles are also referred to herein as outward angles. If instead the angle of the proximal arm is measured in the opposite direction from the rail, the values ​​referred to herein would be inverted (e.g., a reference to "greater than 180°" would become "less than 180°" and vice versa).

[0040] In some embodiments, in the nested configuration, the proximal arms 134 of the manipulators 140 overlap each other vertically, one at a higher height than the other, as measured from the ground, as shown in FIG. 3B. This may be referred to herein as a vertical nested configuration or vertical nesting. In the vertical nested configuration, when the manipulator 140 needs to be moved from a position along the longitudinally extending side 109b of the platform assembly 110, as shown in FIG. 1A, the more distal portion of the manipulator 140 can be moved completely around the end portion of the platform assembly 110 to be positioned along the laterally extending side 109a (end portion) of the platform assembly 110, as shown in FIG. 1B. That is, the distal portion of the manipulator 140 moves in an arc around the end of the platform as the proximal arm 134 rotates, such that the distal portion of the manipulator 140 moves longitudinally (in the positive x-axis direction in FIG. 3B ) beyond the end of the platform 110, laterally inward (in the positive y-axis direction in FIG. 3B ) beyond the outer edge of the longitudinally extending side 109b of the platform 110, and to a position along the transversely extending side 109a of the platform 110. Thus, in some embodiments, the manipulator 140 can be moved completely off the longitudinally extending side 109b of the platform assembly 110 such that no portion of the manipulator 140 protrudes laterally outward (e.g., in the negative y-axis direction in FIG. 3B ) beyond the outer edge of the longitudinally extending side 109b of the platform assembly 110.

[0041] The vertically nested configuration shown in Figures 1B and 3B can be achieved by translating the manipulator 140 from Figure 1A along the rail 121 toward the foot end of the platform assembly 110 and rotating the proximal arm 134 of the manipulator 140 until it is parallel or more than parallel to the rail 121, i.e., at an outward angle φ of 180° or greater relative to the rail 121. For example, in Figure 3B, the proximal arms 134_1 and 134_2 are in a nested configuration and are oriented at outward angles φ_1 and φ_2, respectively, relative to the rail 121, with the outward angle φ_1 being greater than 180° and the outward angle φ_2 being equal to 180°. As the proximal arm 134 rotates to this position, the more distal portion of the manipulator 140 swings around the end of the platform and moves to a final position along the laterally extending side 109a. Thus, in the nested configuration, the manipulator 140 does not get in the way of or interfere with the longitudinally extending side 109b of the platform assembly 110. This may be desirable during various stages of a medical procedure, such as when transferring a patient from a gurney to the platform assembly 110. Furthermore, in this position, the manipulator 140 can optionally remain within the sterile field, such that moving the manipulator 140 off the longitudinally extending side 109b of the platform assembly 110 for a procedure (e.g., patient transfer) does not, in some embodiments, compromise the sterility of the manipulator 140. Thus, the manipulator 140 is covered with a sterile drape prior to a procedure and remains sterile during the completion of that procedure, without the need to move the manipulator 140 to a position outside the sterile field (e.g., a stowed or semi-stowed position).

[0042] In some embodiments, the vertical nesting of the proximal arms 134 described above is achieved by staggering the height of each of the proximal arms 134 relative to the rail 121, such that the height difference between the proximal arm 134 of one manipulator 140 (e.g., the proximal arm 134_1 in FIGS. 1A-1D ) and the proximal arm 134 of an adjacent manipulator 140 (e.g., the proximal arm 134_2 in FIGS. 1A-1D ) is sufficient to allow adjacent proximal arms 134 to move above or below each other without colliding. For example, as shown in FIGS. 1B and 2 , the top surface of the proximal arm 134_1 is positioned vertically a distance h1 below the bottom surface of the rail 121, and the proximal arm 134_2 is positioned vertically a distance h2 below the rail 121, such that the height difference Δh=h2-h1 is greater than the height dimension d of the proximal arm 134_1. As a result, the top surface of the proximal arm 134_2 is positioned below the bottom surface of the proximal arm 134_1, and thus the proximal arm 134_2 can move below the proximal arm 134_1 without colliding. In some embodiments, this vertical misalignment of the manipulator 140 is achieved by configuring the rail coupling portions 135 of the manipulator to have different height dimensions from one another. For example, in FIGS. 1A-3B, the rail coupling portion 135_1 is part of the proximal arm 134_1, while the rail coupling portion 135_2 is a vertically extending component that extends downward from the rail 121 and couples to the proximal arm 134_2. In other words, the rail coupling portion 135_2 and the proximal arm 134_2 coupled thereto form an L-shaped portion, one leg of the L-shaped portion (i.e., at least a portion of the rail coupling portion 135_2) is oriented vertically and the other leg (i.e., the proximal arm 134_2) is oriented horizontally in a nested configuration, thereby allowing the proximal arm 134_2 to be positioned lower than the proximal arm 134_1.Although FIG. 1B shows only two manipulators 140 in a nested configuration, it should be understood that any number of manipulators 140 can be nested in this manner, for example, by providing each successive manipulator 140 with an increasingly longer rail coupling portion 135 and thus an increasingly lower vertical position of the proximal arm 134 of the manipulator 140.

[0043] Although FIG. 1B shows the proximal arms 134 overlapping each other vertically for ease of illustration, in some embodiments of the system 100, the proximal arms 134 overlap horizontally. In some of these embodiments, the coupling portion 135 and the proximal arm 134 of one manipulator 140 form an L-shaped portion, and in the nested configuration, both legs of the L-shaped portion are oriented horizontally (i.e., in or parallel to the horizontal plane described above). This allows the proximal arms 134 of all manipulators 140 coupled to the same rail 121 to be horizontally overlapped adjacent to each other, while all are oriented at an outward angle of 180° or more relative to the rail 121. Such an embodiment of a system including horizontally overlapping proximal arms 134 is shown in FIGS. 8A and 8B and described further below. This may be referred to herein as a horizontally nested configuration or horizontal nesting. In embodiments in which the proximal arms are horizontally nested, portions of one of the manipulators may protrude slightly laterally (outward from the side) beyond the longitudinally extending side of the platform assembly such that the manipulator may be moved only partially off the longitudinally extending side of the platform assembly.

[0044] In some embodiments, the proximal arm 134 includes a prismatic joint, which allows the proximal arm 134 to extend or retract. That is, in some embodiments, the proximal arm 134 includes multiple links that can translate relative to each other via a prismatic joint, thus allowing the proximal arm 134 to extend or retract. In some embodiments, the proximal arm 134 can be coupled to an intermediate arm (including one or more links) via a third revolute joint, which in turn can be coupled to an additional, more distal link via an additional joint. In some embodiments, the first and / or second revolute joints of the rail coupling portion 135 and / or the prismatic joint of the proximal arm 134 are set-up joints, meaning that they are set up to establish a general position and orientation of the manipulator 140 during preparation for a procedure, but are not typically moved thereafter, and in some embodiments are locked mechanically and / or via software during the performance of a procedure under user control, while the more distal joints of the manipulator 140 can be moved throughout the procedure in response to user input.

[0045] In some embodiments, the rail-coupling portion 135 of at least one manipulator 140 further includes a second rotational joint (not shown) configured to rotate the attached proximal arm 134 about a second axis 137 (see FIGS. 1A and 4A-4D) that is parallel to the longitudinal dimension 197 of the rail 121. This rotation allows the proximal arm 134 to be tilted (head up) or tilted (head down) relative to a horizontal plane. The horizontal plane is a plane that is parallel to the lateral dimension 196 of the rail 121 (see FIG. 2) and the longitudinal dimension 197 of the rail 121 (see FIG. 1A). In some embodiments (e.g., embodiments in which the rail 121 is attached to the platform 110), the horizontal plane is also parallel to the longitudinal dimension 198 and the lateral dimension 199 of the platform assembly 110. In other embodiments (e.g., in which the rail 121 is attached to the support column 102), the horizontal plane may be parallel to the longitudinal dimension 198 and the lateral dimension 199 of the platform assembly 110 in the neutral state of the platform assembly 110, but need not be parallel in other states. In some embodiments (e.g., in which the rail 121 is coupled to the support column 102), the horizontal plane is also parallel to the ground or other support surface. In other embodiments (e.g., in which the rail 121 is coupled to the platform 110), the horizontal plane is parallel to the ground or other support surface in the neutral state of the platform 110, but need not be parallel in other states. Tilting the proximal arm 134 can increase the reach of the manipulator 140, for example, allowing the distal end portion of the manipulator 140, including the instrument mount, to reach beyond the platform assembly 110 (and the patient supported thereon) to a location on the longitudinal side of the platform assembly 110 opposite the rail assembly 120. This allows a manipulator 140 mounted on one side of the platform assembly 110 to reach locations that would normally require a manipulator 140 mounted on the opposite side of the platform assembly 110.This may be beneficial when more manipulators 140 are required on one side of the platform assembly 110 than are available, for example in embodiments where manipulators 140 are only provided on one side of the platform assembly 110.

[0046] 4A-4D show schematic diagrams of an embodiment of a system 160 that can be used as system 100. System 160 includes many of the same components as system 100, and therefore the same reference numbers are used for these components and redundant description will be omitted. System 160 includes manipulators 140, which include proximal arms 134 and coupling portions 135, as described above (only the proximal portion of the proximal arms 134 of each manipulator is shown in FIGS. 4A-4D). In the system 160, one of the manipulators 140 includes a coupling portion 135_2 that includes two rotation joints, specifically, a first rotation joint (not visible in the external view of the figure) that rotates the base arm 134_2 about a first axis 136_2 that is perpendicular to the longitudinal dimension 197 of the rail 121, and a second rotation joint (not visible in the external view of the figure) that rotates the base arm 134_2 about a second axis 137 that is aligned with the longitudinal dimension 197 of the rail 121. Figure 4A shows the coupling portion 135_2 and the base arm 134_2 in a neutral state, in which the base arm 134_2 is horizontal (i.e., parallel to a horizontal plane defined by the lateral dimension 196 and the longitudinal dimension 197 of the rail 121). FIG 4B shows the coupling portion 135_2 and the proximal arm 134_2 in a partially tilted position, where the proximal arm 134_2 rotates about the axis 137 such that the proximal arm 134_2 is tilted relative to the horizontal plane. FIG 4C shows the coupling portion 135_2 and the proximal arm 134_2 in a fully tilted position, where the proximal arm 134_2 rotates about the second axis 137 to a point where the proximal arm 134_2 is perpendicular to the horizontal plane. FIG 4D shows the coupling portions 135_1, 135_2 and the proximal arms 134_1, 134_2 in a nested configuration on one end portion of the platform assembly 110.As shown in FIG. 4D, in the neutral position of the manipulator 140, the proximal arm 134_2 is horizontal (extending generally perpendicular away from the longitudinal side 109b of the platform assembly 110) and the first axis 136_2 about which the proximal arm 134_2 rotates relative to the coupling portion 135_2 is vertical (perpendicular to the horizontal plane defined by the lateral dimension 196 and the longitudinal dimension 197 of the rail 121), but as the proximal arm 134_2 rotates about the second axis 137, the orientation of the first axis 136_2 changes. As shown in FIG. 4B and FIG. 4C, tilting the proximal arm 134_2 by rotating it about the second axis 137 increases the height of the distal end portion of the proximal arm 134_2, thereby expanding the reach of the more distal portion of the manipulator 140 coupled to the proximal arm 134_2.

[0047] As shown in FIGS. 4A-4D, in some embodiments, the coupling portion 135_2 including the first and second rotary joints can include a first portion 138 and a second portion 139. The first and second joints can be housed within the first portion 138 and the second portion 139. In some embodiments, the first portion 138 of the coupling portion 135_2 is movably coupled to the rail 121 via a first carriage 126 (not shown in FIGS. 4A-4D, see FIGS. 1A-1B), which can be coupled to or be part of the first portion 138. In some embodiments, the first portion 138 is rotatably coupled to the second portion 139 via the second rotary joint described above, whereby the second portion 139 can rotate about the second axis 137 relative to the first portion 138, as shown in FIGS. 4A-4C. In some embodiments, the second portion 139 is rotatably coupled to the proximal arm 134_2 via a first rotary joint, whereby the proximal arm 134_2 can rotate about a first axis 136_2 relative to the second portion 139. In some embodiments, the first and / or second rotary joints of the rail coupling portion 135_2 are non-powered joints. In other embodiments, the first and / or second rotary joints of the rail coupling portion 135_2 are powered joints driven by an actuator (such as a motor or other actuators familiar to those skilled in the art) that can be positioned inside the rail coupling portion 135 and / or on the proximal arm 134. The above arrangement of the first portion 138 and the second portion 139 is merely one embodiment, and other arrangements are contemplated and will be understood by those skilled in the art based on this disclosure. For example, in some embodiments, instead of or in addition to the second portion 139 being rotatably coupled to the proximal arm 134_2, the first portion 138 is rotatable about a vertical axis relative to the rail 121. Furthermore, in some embodiments, the coupling portion 135_2 may include more or fewer portions in addition to or instead of the first portion 138 and the second portion 139.Any configuration or parts and joints that provide the base arm 134_2 with at least the ability to rotate about the second axis 137 and the first axis 136 that is perpendicular to the second axis 137 may be used.

[0048] The configuration of the manipulator 140 that allows it to nest and move out of the way of the longitudinal side 109b of the platform 110 may also provide additional benefits. For example, the structure that allows the proximal arm 134 to be nested vertically in the deployed state may also allow the manipulator 140 to be stored more easily and / or more compactly. In embodiments in which the proximal arm 134 may be vertically nested in the deployed state, the same structural configuration may also allow the proximal arm 134 to be vertically nested in the stowed state (see FIG. 5 for one embodiment), thereby allowing the manipulator 140 to be stored more compactly beneath the platform assembly 110. In other words, in such a stowed state, the proximal arms 134 of those manipulators 140 may be oriented at an outward angle of 180° or more relative to the rails 121 (i.e., angled to extend parallel to the rails 121 or inward toward the center of the platform 110) and may be vertically overlapping (i.e., the proximal arms 134 are stacked vertically on top of each other). Similarly, in embodiments in which the proximal arms 134 may be horizontally nested in the deployed state, the same structural configuration also allows the proximal arms 134 to be horizontally nested in the stowed state (not shown).

[0049] 1A-2 and system 100, instrument 150 may be removably attached to manipulator 140 via an interface or may be permanently attached to manipulator 140. Instrument 150 may include any tool or instrument, including, for example, industrial instruments and medical instruments (e.g., surgical instruments, imaging instruments, diagnostic instruments, therapeutic instruments, etc.). In embodiments in which instrument 150 is removably attachable to manipulator 140, manipulator 140 may include an instrument manipulator mount (not shown) to which the instrument may be removably coupled. The instrument manipulator mount is disposed, for example, at a generally distal end portion of the manipulator 140 and has an interface (not shown) including an output coupler (not shown) that engages (directly or indirectly through an intermediary) with an input coupler (not shown) of the instrument 150 to provide drive or other input to the attached instrument 150 to control various degrees of freedom movement and / or other functions of the instrument 150 (e.g., moving the instrument's end effector, opening and closing jaws, driving various components of the instrument in translation and / or rotation, delivering material and / or energy from the instrument, and various other functions familiar to those of skill in the art). The output coupler may be driven by an actuator (e.g., electric servo motor, hydraulic actuator, pneumatic actuator) familiar to those of skill in the art. To maintain a sterile separation between the instrument 150 and the manipulator 140, an instrument sterile adapter (ISA) may be disposed between the instrument 150 and the instrument manipulator mounting interface. The instrument manipulator mount may also include other interfaces (not shown), such as an electrical interface for providing and / or receiving electrical signals to and from the instrument 150. In some embodiments, the system 100 may also include flux delivery transmission capabilities, for example, to supply electricity, fluid, vacuum pressure, light, electromagnetic radiation, etc. to the end effector. In other embodiments, such flux delivery transmission may be provided to the instrument via another auxiliary system 1008, described further below and familiar to those skilled in the art in the context of computer-assisted telemedicine systems.

[0050] In some embodiments, the manipulator 140 is a RAIL ASSEMBLY FOR TABLE MOUNTED RAIL ASSEMBLY by inventor Ryan Abbott. No. 63 / 336,773, entitled “TABLE-MOUNTED MANIPULATOR SYSTEM, AND RELATED DEVICES, SYSTEMS AND METHODS” to first inventor Steven Manuel. No. 63 / 336,840, entitled “MULTI-PORT SURGICAL ROBOTIC SYSTEM, AND RELATED DEVICES, SYSTEMS AND METHODS,” both of which were filed on April 29, 2022, or, for example, the manipulator described in Schena et al. No. 9,358,074 (filed May 31, 2013) entitled “REDUNDANT AXIS AND DEGREE OF FREEDOM FOR HARDWARE-CONSTRAINED REMOTE ARCHITECTURE” by Schena et al. No. 9,295,524, issued May 31, 2013, entitled “SURGICAL SYSTEM INSTRUMENT MOUNTING,” to Gomez et al., and U.S. Pat. No. 8,852,208, issued August 12, 2010, entitled “SURGICAL SYSTEM INSTRUMENT MOUNTING,” to Gomez et al., the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. Various other embodiments of the manipulator may include a manipulator configured as part of a medical system that is part of various da Vinci® surgical systems, such as the da Vinci X®, da Vinci Xi®, and da Vinci SP systems, commercialized by Intuitive Surgical, Inc. of Sunnyvale, California.

[0051] As shown in FIGS. 1A-2, the manipulator 140 is coupled to the table assembly 101 via at least one rail assembly 120. In some embodiments, multiple similar rail assemblies 120 are provided, for example, one on each longitudinal side of the platform assembly 110. For example, in some embodiments, a first rail assembly 120 may be provided on a first longitudinal side of the platform assembly 110 and a second rail assembly 120 may be provided on a second longitudinal side of the platform assembly 110. In such embodiments including multiple rail assemblies 120, the manipulators 140 may be coupled to the rail assemblies 120 in any number or combination, and since the rail assemblies 120 may be positioned along multiple sides of the platform assembly 120, the manipulators 140 may also be positioned along multiple sides of the platform assembly 140. In the following description, for ease of explanation, one rail assembly 120 is described, but other rail assemblies 120 (if present) may be similarly configured. The rail assembly 120 includes a rail 121 and two or more first carriages 126 (two are shown in the embodiment of FIGS. 1A-2) coupled to the rail 121 and the manipulator 140 to allow movement of the manipulator 140 along the rail 121. More specifically, the first carriages 126 may be coupled to (or may be part of) a rail coupling portion 135 of the manipulator 140. Each first carriage 126 is movable along a longitudinal dimension 197 of the rail 121 and couples a respective one of the manipulators 140 to the rail 121, thereby allowing the manipulator 140 to translate relative to the rail 121 along the longitudinal dimension 197 of the rail 121. In some embodiments, as shown in FIG. 1A, the longitudinal dimension 197 of the rail 121 is parallel to a longitudinal dimension 198 of the platform assembly 110 (e.g., parallel to the x-axis) in a neutral configuration of the platform assembly 110.

[0052] The rail 121 includes a first set of engagement features 122 configured to engage with complementary engagement features 128 of the first carriage 126. For example, as shown in FIG. 2, the first set of engagement features 122 can include a track including a flange extending along the longitudinal dimension 197, where the complementary engagement features 128 of the first carriage 126 are configured to engage with and move along the flange of the first set of engagement features 122. The first set of engagement features 122 can also include a track including a groove in which the complementary engagement features 128 are received. Other types of complementary engagement features that allow for relative translation upon engagement can be used as the complementary engagement features 128, and one of ordinary skill in the art would be familiar with the various complementary engagement features used in rail and carriage systems. In some embodiments, the first set of engagement features 122 and / or the complementary engagement features 128 can include bearing devices (such as wheels, balls, sliding bearing surfaces coated or otherwise provided with a low friction material, and other friction reducing mechanisms) configured to reduce friction to facilitate translation. 1A-2 show one first carriage 126 per manipulator 140, however multiple first carriages 126 can be provided to operably couple to and support a given manipulator 140.

[0053] In some embodiments, in addition to the manipulator 140 being movable along the rail 121, the rail 121 is also movable relative to the table assembly 101. In such embodiments, the rail assembly 120 also includes one or more second carriages 127 coupled to the rail 121 and the table assembly 101 to enable movement of the rail 121. More specifically, the one or more second carriages 127 couple the rail 121 to the table assembly 101 such that the rail 121 can translate relative to the table assembly 101 along the direction of the longitudinal dimension 197 of the rail 121. In particular, as shown in FIG. 2, the rail 121 includes a second set of engagement features 123 (e.g., tracks or other engagement features) that engage complementary engagement features 129 of the second carriage 127 to couple the rail 121 to the second carriage 127 and enable translation between the rail 121 and the second carriage 127. The engagement feature 123 and the complementary engagement feature 129 may be similar to the engagement feature 1212 and the complementary engagement feature 128 described above.

[0054] In some embodiments, translation between the rail 121 and the table assembly 101 is provided solely by relative movement between the second carriage 127 and the rail 121. For example, in some embodiments, the second carriage 127 is fixed relative to the table assembly 101, and the rail 121 and the second carriage 127 are movably coupled to one another, such that the rail 121 translates relative to the second carriage 127 along the direction of the longitudinal dimension 197 of the rail 121. In other embodiments, translation between the rail 121 and the table assembly 101 is provided solely by relative movement between the second carriage 127 and the table assembly 101. For example, in some embodiments, the second carriage 127 is fixed relative to the rail 121 and movably coupled to the table assembly 101, such that translation of the second carriage 127 along the longitudinal dimension 197 relative to the table assembly 101 also causes the rail 121 to translate relative to the table assembly 101. In some embodiments, translation between the rail 121 and the table assembly 101 is provided by a combination of relative motion between the second carriage 127 and the rail 121 and relative motion of the second carriage 127 and the table assembly 101. In some embodiments in which the second carriage 127 is movably coupled to the table assembly 101, the rail assembly 120 further includes a second rail 124 that may be coupled between the second carriage 127 and the table assembly 101. For example, the second rail 124 may include an engagement mechanism 125 for engaging the second carriage 127 such that the second carriage 127 can translate along the rail 124. In other embodiments, the second rail 124 is omitted. Although only one second carriage 127 is shown in FIGS. 1A-2 for ease of explanation, any number may be used.

[0055] The mobility of the rails 121 relative to the table assembly 101 (in those embodiments where such movement is provided) may allow for a greater range of motion for the manipulator 140 and / or a shorter rail 121 compared to configurations in which the rails are fixed relative to the table assembly 101. This may also facilitate moving the rail assembly 120 out of the way of the platform assembly 110 and avoid interference with the platform assembly 110 when moving the platform assembly 110 and / or its individual platform sections 103 in various configurations. However, in some embodiments, the rails 121 are fixed relative to the table assembly 101 and the manipulator 140 is positioned relative to the platform assembly 110 solely by movement of the manipulator 140 along the rails 121.

[0056] In some embodiments, the rail assembly 120 is coupled to one of the platform sections 103. In other embodiments, the rail assembly 120 is coupled to the support column 102. Which structure the rail assembly 120 is coupled to can make a difference in embodiments where the entire platform assembly 110 is movable relative to the support column 102, for example by tilting relative to the support column 102. In embodiments where the rail assembly 120 is coupled to one of the platform sections 103 (e.g., the middle section 103_2), the rail assembly 120, and thus the manipulator 140 coupled thereto, moves with the platform assembly 110 as the platform assembly 110 moves relative to the support column 102. This allows the manipulator 140 to automatically maintain a set attitude and position relative to the platform assembly 110, and thus a patient supported thereon, regardless of the configuration of the platform assembly 110 and without changing the position of the manipulator 140. Additionally, in some circumstances, collisions between the platform assembly 110 and the rail assembly 120 due to movement of the platform assembly 110 can be avoided by having them move together. In embodiments where the rail assembly 120 is coupled to the support column 102, as the platform assembly 110 moves relative to the support column 102, the rail assembly 120 and the coupled manipulator 140 remain on the support column 102 and do not move with the platform assembly 110. This can increase the stiffness of the rail assembly 120 relative to the base 105 (because there are fewer elements in the kinematic chain) and / or increase the relative range of motion between the manipulator 140 and the table assembly 110 (because the table assembly 110 can move along an additional degree of freedom of movement relative to the rail 121).

[0057] In some embodiments, a motor or other actuator (not shown, but known to those skilled in the art) is provided to drive the relative translation between the rail 121 and the first carriage 126. Similarly, in embodiments in which a second carriage 127 is present, a motor or other actuator (not shown) may be provided to drive the relative translation between the rail 121 and the second carriage 127 and / or the relative translation between the second carriage 127 and the table assembly 101. In some embodiments, the motor / actuator is housed within the rail 121. In some embodiments, the motor / actuator is housed within the first carriage 126 and / or the second carriage 127.

[0058] Movement of the manipulator 140 relative to the platform assembly 110, enabled by the rail assembly 120, can move the coupling portions 135 of the manipulator 140 adjacent to each other and adjacent to an end portion of the platform assembly 110 (e.g., near an end portion of the rail 121) such that, when the coupling portions 135 are so positioned and the manipulator 140 is disposed in the nested configuration described above, a tip portion of the manipulator 140 is positioned adjacent to a side 109a of the platform assembly 110 beyond the end of the platform assembly 110 during deployment. In the embodiment of FIGS. 1A-4D, the manipulator 140 is configured to move beyond the foot end of the platform assembly 110 in the nested configuration during deployment. In other embodiments, the manipulator 140 can move beyond the head end of the platform assembly 110, and in still other embodiments, the manipulator 140 can move beyond both the head and foot ends, respectively.

[0059] Returning to FIG. 1A, the user input and feedback system 1004, the control system 1006, and the auxiliary system 1008 will now be described. Some or all of these components may be located remotely from the table assembly 101. The user input and feedback system 1004 is operatively connected to the control system 1006 and includes one or more input devices for receiving input control commands to control the operation of the manipulator 140, the instruments 150, the rail assembly 120, and / or the table assembly 101. Such input devices may include, for example, but are not limited to, telepresence input devices, triggers, grip input devices, buttons, switches, pedals, joysticks, trackballs, data gloves, trigger guns, gaze detection devices, voice recognition devices, body motion or presence sensors, touch screen technology, or other types of devices for registering user input. In some cases, the input devices may have the same degrees of freedom as the associated instruments they control, and when the input devices are actuated, the instruments are controlled to follow or mimic the movements of the input devices via drive inputs from the manipulator assembly, thereby providing the user with the sensation of directly controlling the instruments. The telepresence input devices can provide the operator with telepresence, meaning the perception that the input devices are one with the instruments. The user input and feedback system 1004 can also include feedback devices, such as a display device (not shown) that displays an image (e.g., an image of the workspace captured by one of the instruments 1010), a haptic feedback device, an audio feedback device, or other graphical user interface forms of feedback.

[0060] The control system 1006 can control the operation of the system 100. In particular, the control system 1006 can send control signals (e.g., electrical signals) to the table assembly 101, the rail assembly 120, the manipulator 140, and / or the instrument 150 to control the movement and / or other operation of the various components. In some embodiments, the control system 1006 can also control the operation of some or all of the user input and feedback system 1004, the auxiliary system 1008, or other components of the system 100. The control system 1006 can include an electronic controller that controls and / or assists a user in controlling the operation of the manipulator assembly 1001. The electronic controller includes a processing circuit configured with logic for performing various operations. The logic of the processing circuit can include dedicated hardware for performing the various operations, software (machine-readable and / or processor-executable instructions) for performing the various operations, or any combination thereof. In examples where the logic includes software, the processing circuit includes a processor for executing the software instructions and a memory device for storing the software. A processor may include one or more processing devices capable of executing machine-readable instructions, such as, for example, a processor, processor core, central processing unit (CPU), controller, microcontroller, system-on-chip (SoC), digital signal processor (DSP), graphics processing unit (GPU), etc. In addition to or instead of a processor, where a processing circuit includes special-purpose hardware, the special-purpose hardware may include any electronic device configured to perform a particular operation, such as an application specific integrated circuit (ASIC), a field programmable gate array (FPGA), a complex programmable logic device (CPLD), a discrete logic circuit, a hardware accelerator, a hardware encoder, etc. A processing circuit may also include any combination of special-purpose hardware, a processor, and software.

[0061] Different degrees of user and autonomous control may be utilized in the system 100, and the embodiments disclosed herein may encompass systems that are fully user controlled, fully autonomous, and systems having any combination of user and autonomous control. In the case of user controlled operations, the control system 1006 generates control signals upon receiving corresponding user input commands via the user input and feedback system 1004. In the case of autonomously controlled operations, the control system 1006 may execute pre-programmed logic (e.g., software programs) to determine and transmit control commands based on the programming (e.g., in response to conditions or stimuli specified in the programming and detected). In some systems, some operations are user controlled and other operations are autonomously controlled. Additionally, some operations are partially user controlled and partially autonomously controlled. For example, a user input command may initiate the execution of a sequence of events, after which the control system 1006 may execute various operations associated with that sequence without requiring further user input.

[0062] In some embodiments, the control system 1006 can control the position of the manipulator 140 and the position or configuration of the rail assembly 120 and / or table assembly 101 by sending electrical signals to drive actuators that move the manipulator 140, the rail assembly 120, and / or the table assembly 101. In some embodiments, the control system 1006 can determine that a certain task needs to be performed, such as transferring a patient to the table assembly 101, and in response, automatically drive the manipulator 140 and / or the rail assembly 120 to move the coupling portion 135 of the manipulator 140 to one end of the platform assembly 110, and then drive the manipulator 140 to move into a nested configuration. Driving the manipulator 140 to move into the nested configuration may include driving one or more revolute joints of the coupling portion 135 to rotate the proximal arm 134 of the manipulator 140 at least 180° outward relative to the rail 121, and adjusting other joints of the manipulator 140 to obtain a desired pose of the manipulator 140. For example, the desired pose may be a pose in which the manipulator 140 is positioned completely off the longitudinal side 109b of the platform assembly 110. The control system 1006 may determine that a given task is to be performed by, for example, detecting one or more sensor signals (e.g., sensing that the gurney is in proximity to the table assembly 101 by sensing a wireless signal emitted by a device on the gurney) and / or receiving an input, command, or other signal from a user interface indicating that a task is to be performed (e.g., a user presses a button associated with initiating a task).

[0063] The auxiliary system 1008 may include various auxiliary devices that may be used in the operation of the system 100. For example, the auxiliary system 1008 may include a power supply unit, an auxiliary functional unit (e.g., functions such as cleaning, draining, energy supply, lighting, sensors, imaging, etc.). As an example, in a system 100 used in a medical procedure context, the auxiliary system 1008 may include a display device used by medical staff to assist with the procedure, while a user operating an input device may have access to a separate display device that is part of the user input and feedback system 1004. As another example, in a system 100 used in a medical context, the auxiliary system 1008 may include a flux supply unit that provides a surgical flux (e.g., power) to the instrument 150. Thus, the auxiliary system 1008 as used herein may include various components and need not be provided as an integrated unit.

[0064] Next, with reference to Figs. 5 to 7D, another embodiment of table-mounted manipulator system 200 (system 200) will be described below. System 200 can be used as system 100, and some components of system 200 can be used as components of system 100 described above. Thus, the description of the components of system 100 described above is applicable to related components of system 200, and duplicated descriptions of these components will be omitted below. Related components of systems 100 and 200 are given reference numerals with the same rightmost two digits (e.g., 105 and 205). System 200 is one embodiment of system 100, but system 100 is not limited to system 200.

[0065] As shown in FIGS. 5-7D, system 200 includes a table assembly 201, two rail assemblies 220 coupled to opposing ends of the longitudinal dimension of the table assembly, and a number of manipulators 240 coupled to rail assemblies 220. Each manipulator 240 is configured to carry one or more instruments (not shown) that are removably or permanently attached. System 200 may also include a control system (not shown), a user input and feedback system (not shown), and / or ancillary systems (not shown) similar to those described above in connection with system 100. In some embodiments, system 200 is configured as a computer-assisted, remotely operable medical system. In other embodiments, system 200 is configured as a remotely operable system for use in non-medical contexts.

[0066] 5 and 6, the table assembly 201 includes a platform assembly 210 (also referred to as "platform 210") configured to support a patient or inanimate workpiece, a support column 202 coupled to and supporting the platform assembly 210, and a base 205 coupled to the support column 202. The base 205 can be configured to contact the ground or other surface on which the table assembly 201 is placed, and in some embodiments, the base 205 includes wheels 206 to allow the system 200 to move along the ground or other surface. As shown in FIG. 6, in some embodiments, the support column 202 includes a telescoping support column that can raise or lower the platform assembly 210.

[0067] The platform assembly 210 includes a plurality of platform sections 203 configured to support a patient or workpiece. In particular, in the embodiment shown in FIGS. 5-7D, the platform assembly 210 includes a first end section 203_1 ("head section 203_1"), middle sections 203_2 and 203_3, and a second end section 203_4 ("foot section 203_4"), which are arranged in series and movably coupled to one another via joints 207. In some embodiments, the first end section 203_1 may be configured to support the patient's head, the second end section 203_4 may be configured to support the patient's feet and / or legs, and the more numerous middle sections 203_2 and 203_3 may be configured to support the patient's torso and / or other parts. The joints 207 allow adjacent platform sections 203 to pivot relative to one another about an axis of rotation parallel to a lateral dimension 299 of the platform assembly 210 (e.g., parallel to the y-axis in the figures). FIG. 5 illustrates the platform assembly 210 in a neutral configuration where all platform sections 203 are parallel to one another, and FIG. 6 illustrates the platform assembly 210 in an articulated configuration where some of the platform sections 203 are oriented at a non-zero angle relative to adjacent platform sections 203. In some embodiments, some of the joints 207 may also allow other motions between adjacent platform sections 203, such as relative movement along the longitudinal dimension 298, or relative rotation about a vertical axis parallel to the lateral dimension 299 and the height dimension orthogonal to the longitudinal dimension 298 (i.e., the z-axis in the figures). In some embodiments, the platform section 203 includes a harder support portion 203b and a softer cushion portion 203a attached to the support portion 203b, with the surface of the cushion portion 203a (i.e., the upper surface in the orientation shown in FIGS. 5 and 6) forming a support surface that contacts the patient or workpiece. In some embodiments, multiple platform sections 203 may share some components.For example, as shown in Figure 5, central platform sections 203_2 and 203_3 may share the same cushion portion 203a that extends across both platform sections 203_2 and 203_3. The cushion portion 203a shared by platform sections 203_2 and 203_3 may flex when platform sections 203_2 and 203_3 articulate relative to one another, as shown in Figure 6.

[0068] In addition to moving the individual platform sections 203 relative to adjacent platform sections 203, the entire platform assembly 210 is movable relative to the support column 202. In some embodiments, the middle section 203_3 is coupled to the support column 202 by one or more joints (not shown), allowing movement between the middle section 203_3 and the column 202. The other platform sections 203_1, 203_2, and 203_4 are coupled (directly or indirectly) to the middle section 203_3, such that as the middle section 203_3 moves relative to the support column 202, the entire platform assembly 210 moves relative to the support column 202. In some embodiments, as shown in FIG. 6, movement of the middle section 203_3 (and thus the entire platform assembly 210) relative to the support column 202 includes pivoting (tilting) (e.g., pitching degree of freedom) about a horizontal axis parallel to the lateral dimension 299. In some embodiments, other degrees of freedom of movement are provided between the mid-section 203_3 and the support column 202, including rotation (tilt) about a horizontal axis parallel to the longitudinal dimension 298 (e.g., a roll degree of freedom), rotation about a vertical axis (e.g., a yaw degree of freedom), and / or translation along the lateral dimension 299 and / or the longitudinal dimension 298. As shown in FIG. 6, in the neutral configuration of the platform assembly 210, the platform assembly 210 is parallel to the ground (or other surface on which the system 200 rests), and in particular, the support surface of the platform section 203 is parallel to the ground (or other surface).

[0069] As shown in FIGS. 5-7D, the platform assembly 210 also includes a plurality (one or more) of accessory rails 204 attached to the sides of the support portion 203 b of the platform section 203 .

[0070] As mentioned above, the system 200 includes a number of manipulators 240. In the embodiment shown in FIG. 5, there are four manipulators 240, two on each longitudinal side of the platform assembly 210. In other embodiments, more or fewer manipulators 240 may be used. In FIGS. 5 and 7D, the manipulators 240 are shown in a stowed state under the end section 203_4, while in FIGS. 6-7C, the manipulators 240 are shown in various deployed states (only two manipulators 240 located on one side of the platform assembly 210 are visible in FIGS. 6-7D, and only one of the manipulators 240 is in a deployed state in FIG. 6). The deployed state includes a state in which the manipulator 240 is not stowed, for example, a state in which the tip end of the manipulator 240 is positioned at or above the level of the platform assembly 110, and can include various configurations and positions of the manipulator 240, including but not limited to those shown in Figures 6-7C.

[0071] As shown in FIG. 5 to FIG. 7D, the manipulator 240 is coupled to the table assembly 201 via the rail assembly 220. One rail assembly 220 is provided on each of the two longitudinally extending sides of the platform assembly 210. In the following description, for ease of explanation, one rail assembly 220 is described, but the other rail assemblies 220 can be configured in a similar manner. As shown in FIG. 5 and FIG. 6, the rail assembly 220 includes a movable rail 221 (rail 221), a first carriage 226 coupled to the rail 221 and the manipulator 240 (at least one first carriage 226 per manipulator 240), and one or more second carriages 227 coupled to the rail 221 and the table assembly 201 (see FIG. 6). In the embodiment shown in Figures 5-7D, the rail 221 is movably coupled to the platform 210 via an engagement mechanism 223 such that the rail 221 translates along the longitudinal dimension 298 of the platform 210 and moves with the platform 210 relative to the support column 202.

[0072] Each first carriage 226 couples a respective one of the manipulators 240 to the rail 221 such that the manipulator 250 can translate relative to the rail 221 along a longitudinal dimension 297 of the rail 221. In particular, each first carriage 226 includes a complementary engagement mechanism coupled to an engagement mechanism 222 of the rail 221. Each first carriage 226 is coupled to (or is part of) a coupling portion 235 of a respective manipulator 240. The coupling portion 235 is coupled to (or is part of) a respective proximal arm 234. Each proximal arm 234 includes one or more links and is coupled to a more distal portion of the manipulator 240, which may include, for example, an intermediate arm 242, a distal arm 243, an instrument manipulator mount 241 configured to receive a removably attached instrument, and a number of joints 245 that movably couple the various arms of the distal portion together. The instrument manipulator mount 241 includes an interface with an output coupler for transmitting drive or other input to the instrument. In some embodiments, the proximal arm 234 and / or the intermediate arm 242 are telescoping arms, in which case the proximal arm 234 and / or the intermediate arm 242 can each include multiple links that are translatable relative to one another.

[0073] As shown in Fig. 6, the coupling portion 235_2 of one manipulator 240 has a greater height dimension than the coupling portion 235_1 of the other manipulator 240 coupled to the same rail 221, so that the base arm 234_2 coupled to the coupling portion 235_2 is positioned vertically (in the z-axis direction of the figure) lower than the base arm 234_1. The height difference between the base arm 234_1 and the base arm 234_2 is large enough that the base arm 234_2 can move below the base arm 234_1 without colliding, allowing the manipulator 240 to be arranged in a vertical nested configuration similar to the vertical nested configuration described above with respect to the system 100. For example, Figs. 7B, 9, and 10 show the manipulator 240 in an expanded nested configuration, and Fig. 7D shows the manipulator 240 in a stowed nested configuration. 7B, 9, and 10, in a nested configuration, the proximal arms 234 of manipulators 240 coupled to the same rail 221 are oriented at an outward angle of 180° or greater relative to the longitudinal dimension 297 of the rail 221 and overlap each other vertically (i.e., perpendicular to the lateral and longitudinal dimensions 296, 297 of the rail 221). For example, in FIG. 9, proximal arm 234_1 is at an outward angle φ_1 greater than 180° relative to the rail 221, and arm 243_2 is at an outward angle φ_2 equal to 180° relative to the rail 221. When the manipulator is in an unfolded and nested configuration, as shown in Figures 7B, 9, and 10, the distal portion of the manipulator (e.g., intermediate arm 242, distal arm 243, and instrument holder 241) is swung around the end portion of the platform 210 to a position along the laterally extending side 209a rather than along the longitudinally extending side 209b.

[0074] As shown in Fig. 6, the coupling portion 235_2 includes a first portion 238 and a second portion 239, similar to the coupling portion 135_2 shown in Figs. 4A-4D. The base arm 234_2 is rotatably coupled to the second portion 239 via a first rotary joint (not shown), so that the base arm 234_2 can rotate about a first axis 236 that is perpendicular to the base arm 234_2 (i.e., vertical when the base arm 234_2 is horizontal). The second portion 239 is rotatably coupled to the first portion 238 via a second rotary joint (not shown), so that the second portion 239 can rotate about a second axis 237 that is perpendicular to the first axis 236 and parallel to the longitudinal dimension 297 of the rail 221. The first portion 238 is coupled to the first carriage 226 (or the first carriage 226 is part of the first portion 238). As described above with respect to the coupling portion 135_2 of FIGS. 4A-4D, the multiple rotation joints of the coupling portion 235_2 allow the base arm 234_2 to be tilted or lowered relative to the horizontal plane, thereby increasing the range of motion of the more distal portion of the manipulator 240.

[0075] Additionally, each second carriage 227 couples the rail assembly 220 to the platform assembly 210 (e.g., to mid-section 203_3) such that the rail 221 can translate relative to the platform assembly 210 and support column 202 along a longitudinal dimension 297 of the rail 221. In the embodiment of FIGS. 5-7D , because the rail assembly 220 is coupled to the platform mid-section 203_3, the longitudinal dimension 297 of the rail 221 is parallel to the longitudinal dimension 298 of the platform assembly 210 regardless of how the platform assembly 210 moves or orients relative to the support column 202.

[0076] One or more second carriages 227 couple the rail 221 to the table assembly 201, and specifically to the mid-section 203_3 in the embodiment shown in FIGS. 3-5D, such that the rail 221 can translate relative to the platform assembly 210 and the support column 202 in the direction of the longitudinal dimension 297 of the rail 221. This translation between the rail 221 and the platform assembly 210 and / or the support column 202 is provided at least in part by the rail 221 translating relative to the second carriage 227. Because the second carriage 227 is mounted to the platform assembly 210, the relative translation between the second carriage 227 and the rail 221 causes the rail 221 to translate relative to the platform assembly 210 (i.e., in a frame of reference fixed to the platform assembly 210 or the ground, the second carriage 227 appears stationary and the rail 221 appears to translate).

[0077] 7A-7D show the platform assembly 210 and rail assembly 220 in various configurations, illustrating the range of motion provided by the rail assembly 220 in some embodiments, and various ranges of motion of the platform assembly 210. In FIG. 7A, the second carriage 227 is positioned at a mid-portion of the rail 221, which is located near the mid-sections 203_2 and 203_3 of the platform assembly 210, and a portion of its length extends near section 203_4. In FIG. 7A, the platform assembly 210 is in a neutral position, and the manipulator 240 is in a deployed state.

[0078] In FIG. 7B, the second carriage 227 (not visible in FIG. 7B) is positioned at the head end portion of the rail 221, which has been translated to the right from FIG. 7A and is positioned near the foot end portion of the platform 210 (below the middle section 203_3 and the foot section 203_4). FIG. 7B also shows optional tilt (head up) and tilt (head down) configurations in which the middle section 203_2 can be positioned in this arrangement of the rail 221 (the tilt (head down) configuration is shown in dashed lines). The positioning of the rail assembly 220 in the configuration of FIG. 7B allows the first end section 203_1 to be tilted (head up) or tilted (head down) (not shown) relative to the middle section 203_2 and / or the middle section 203_2 to be tilted (head up) or tilted (head down) relative to the middle section 203_3 without interfering with (colliding with) the rail assembly 220, as shown in FIG. Additionally, the illustrated configuration of rail 221 provides additional space below first end section 203_1 and / or middle section 203_2, allowing other equipment, such as a C-arm, X-ray equipment, etc., to be positioned near and / or below these sections 203. Additionally, in this configuration of rail assembly 220, both first carriages 226 can be positioned near the end of platform 210 (e.g., the foot end of platform 210 in FIG. 7B). Positioning first carriage 226 near the end of platform 210 allows proximal arm 234 to move in a nested configuration. When the proximal arm 234 is rotated into a nested configuration, the more distal portion of the manipulator 240 (e.g., the intermediate arm 242, the distal arm 243, and the instrument holder 241) can be swung around the foot end of the platform assembly 210 (i.e., beyond the foot section 203_4) so ​​that the manipulator 240 is positioned along the laterally extending side 209a of the platform assembly 210 rather than along the longitudinally extending side 209b, as shown in Figures 7B, 9, and 10.This allows the manipulator 240 to be positioned out of the way of operations that require space along the longitudinally extending side 209b of the platform assembly 210, such as transferring a patient from a litter to the platform assembly 210. For example, FIG. 9 illustrates a litter 270 positioned adjacent to the longitudinally extending side 209b of the platform assembly 210. As shown in FIG. 9, the manipulator 240 moves into a position along the laterally extending side 209a in a nested configuration, allowing the litter 270 to approach the platform assembly 210 flush with the longitudinally extending side 209b of the platform assembly 210 without interference from the manipulator 240. Additionally, this positioning of the manipulator 240 preserves free space along the opposite longitudinally extending side 209b, and also preserves free space around the head and / or foot of the table assembly 201, thereby allowing personnel to be positioned around the platform 210 to assist in transferring the patient from the gurney 270 to the platform 210 without fear of collision with the manipulator 240.

[0079] In Figure 7C, the second carriage 227 is positioned at a right end portion of the rail 221, which is near the left end portion of the platform assembly 210. This configuration of the rail assembly 220 allows the second end section 203_4 to tilt relative to the middle section 203_3 without colliding with the rail assembly 220. Figure 7C also shows the second end section 203_4 in a tilted configuration and a neutral configuration.

[0080] 7D illustrates the entire platform assembly 210 in tilted (head up) configurations (shown in dashed lines) and tilted (head down) configurations (shown in solid lines). These configurations can be achieved by rotating the mid-section 203_3 relative to the support column about an axis parallel to the lateral dimension 299. As shown in FIG. 7D, in these embodiments, the rail assembly 220 is attached to the platform assembly 210, so that the rail assembly 220 and manipulator 240 move with the platform assembly 210. In other embodiments (not shown), the rail assembly 220 can be attached to the support column 202.

[0081] Thus, the rail assembly 220 provides a wide range of motion for the manipulator 240, allowing the manipulator 240 to be positioned substantially anywhere along the longitudinal dimension 298 of the platform assembly 210, and beyond the head or foot ends (i.e., beyond the laterally extending sides) of the platform assembly to clear the entire longitudinal dimension 298 of the platform assembly 210. Moreover, the rail assembly 220 not only provides a wide range of motion for the manipulator 240, but also provides a wide range of motion for the manipulator 240 while minimizing interference between the rail assembly 220 and the manipulator 240, personnel, and other equipment. In particular, the rail assembly 220 is movable between different positions based on the configuration of the platform assembly 210 and / or based on the needs of a particular operation, and, if desired, the rail 221 is positioned so as not to get in the way of portions of the platform assembly 210, personnel, or other equipment.

[0082] The staggered vertical heights of the proximal arms 234 of the manipulator 240 allow the proximal arms 234 to nest vertically in the deployed state, which may also provide additional benefits. For example, the staggered vertical heights of the proximal arms 234 may facilitate easier and / or more compact storage of the manipulator 240. For example, as shown in FIG. 5, the staggered heights of the proximal arms 234 may allow the proximal arms 234 to be oriented at a 180° outward angle relative to the rails 221 and vertically overlap in the stowed state. This prevents the manipulator 240 from protruding laterally beyond the longitudinal sides of the platform 210 when stowed, thus allowing the entire table assembly 201 to be more easily stored and / or moved when the manipulator 240 is stowed.

[0083] Next, an embodiment of a table-mounted manipulator system 300 (system 300) will be described with reference to Figures 8A and 8B. System 300 can be used as system 100, and some components of system 300 can be used as components of system 100 described above. Thus, the above description of the components of system 100 is also applicable to related components of system 300, and duplicated descriptions of these components will be omitted below. Related components of systems 100 and 300 are given reference numerals with the same rightmost two digits (e.g., 110 and 310). System 300 is an embodiment of system 100, but system 100 is not limited to system 300.

[0084] As shown in FIGS. 8A and 8B, the system 300 includes a table assembly 301, a rail assembly 320 coupled to the table assembly, and a plurality of manipulators 340 coupled to the rail assembly 320. The table assembly 301 includes a platform assembly 310 (also referred to as “platform 310”) configured to support a patient or an inanimate workpiece, a support column 302 coupled to and supporting the platform assembly 310, and a base (not shown) coupled to the support column 302. The platform assembly 310, the rail assembly 320, the support column 302, and the base may be similar to the corresponding components described above in connection with FIGS. 1A-2, and therefore a redundant description will be omitted. The system 300 also includes a control system (not shown), a user input and feedback system (not shown), and / or ancillary systems (not shown) similar to those described above with respect to the system 100. In some embodiments, the system 300 is configured as a computer-assisted remotely operable medical system. In other embodiments, the system 300 is configured as a remotely operable system for use in a non-medical context.

[0085] Each manipulator 340 is configured to carry one or more instruments (not shown), which may be removably or permanently attached. In Figures 8A and 8B, only the proximal portion of the manipulator 340 is shown. The proximal end portion of the manipulator 340 includes a proximal arm 334, which is coupled to the rail 321 of the rail assembly 320 via a coupling portion 335. The coupling portion 335 may be part of the proximal arm 334 or may be a separate portion coupled to the proximal arm 334. The coupling portion 335 includes one or more joints (not shown) for allowing the proximal arm 334 to move relative to the rail 321, including at least one first rotational joint configured to allow the proximal arm 334 to rotate about an axis 336 that is vertically oriented as shown in FIGS. 8A and 8B (i.e., perpendicular to a horizontal plane defined by a lateral dimension 396 and a longitudinal dimension 397 of the rail 321. In some embodiments, the lateral dimension 396 and the longitudinal dimension 397 of the rail 321 are parallel to a lateral dimension 398 and a longitudinal dimension 399 of the platform assembly 310). The coupling portion 335 is movably coupled to the rail 321 (e.g., via a first carriage (not shown)) and can translate along the longitudinal dimension 397 of the rail 321. The proximal arm 334 is configured to extend horizontally (parallel to a horizontal plane defined by the lateral dimension 396 and the longitudinal dimension 397 of the rail 321). The coupling portion 335 includes a revolute joint that allows the proximal arm 334 to rotate relative to the rail 321 about an axis 336.

[0086] FIG 8A illustrates the system 300 with the manipulators 340 deployed and positioned along the longitudinal side 309b of the platform assembly 310. In FIG 8B, the coupling portion 335 of the manipulators 340 has been moved near an end portion (e.g., the foot end) of the platform assembly 310 and their proximal arms 334 have been rotated about their respective axes 336 to nest the proximal arms 334. Specifically, the proximal arm 334_1 is rotated through an outward angle φ_1 that is greater than or equal to 180°, and the proximal arm 334_2 is rotated through an outward angle φ_2 that is equal to 180°. However, unlike the embodiments shown in Figures 3A-7D, in which the nesting configuration includes a vertical nesting configuration, in system 300, the nesting configuration includes a horizontal nesting configuration in which the base arms 334 of two adjacent manipulators 340 are arranged side-by-side and overlap each other horizontally, specifically in a direction aligned with the lateral dimension 396 of the rail 321 (the y-axis direction in Figure 8B), and in some embodiments, also parallel to the lateral dimension 398 of the platform assembly 310.

[0087] To horizontally nest the base arms 334 as described above, one of the coupling portions 335 can be configured to offset the base arm 334 coupled to that one coupling portion 335 from the rotation axis 336. For example, as shown in Figures 8A and 8B, the coupling portion 335_2 includes an L-shaped bend 249, which offsets the base arm 334_2 from the axis 336. In other words, the coupling portion 335_2 extends a certain distance from the axis 336 in a direction different from (e.g., perpendicular to) the extension direction of the base arm 334_2, and then bends (at the bend 249) and begins to extend toward the base arm 334_2. Because the proximal arm 334_2 is offset from the axis 336, when the proximal arm 334_2 is rotated to be parallel to the longitudinal dimension 397 of the rail 327, the proximal arm 334_2 is now laterally offset relative to the rail 221 rather than aligned with the rail 221. As shown in FIG. 8B, this allows the proximal arm 334_2 to be positioned adjacent to and horizontally stacked with the proximal arm 334_1. This positioning allows the distal portion of the manipulator 340 to be moved closer to the laterally extending side 309a of the platform assembly 310, thereby providing some space along the longitudinally extending side 309b of the platform assembly 310. However, because the proximal arm portion 334_2 is now horizontally offset from the rail 221, the proximal arm portion 334_2 protrudes somewhat laterally (outwardly) beyond the rail 221. Thus, while horizontal nesting has the advantage of providing more space along the longitudinally extending side 309b, the embodiment of Figures 8A and 8B provides vertical nesting, and unlike some of the embodiments discussed above which leave the longitudinally extending side of the platform assembly completely clear, the longitudinally extending side 309b of the platform assembly 310 may not be completely clear of all obstructions in a nested configuration.Nonetheless, the partial clearance of the longitudinally extending sides 309b of the platform assembly 310 provided by the horizontal nesting may be sufficient for certain tasks. For example, some litters may be disposed with relatively open areas in certain portions thereof (e.g., under their foot ends) that align with the partially protruding proximal arm portions 334_2 when the litter is positioned adjacent to the platform assembly 310, thereby allowing the litter to be positioned flush or nearly flush with the platform assembly 310 despite the partially protruding proximal arm portions 334_2.

[0088] The embodiments described herein may be suitable for use in any of a variety of medical procedures, as discussed above. Such procedures may be performed, for example, on human patients, animal patients, human cadavers, animal cadavers, and human or animal anatomical parts. Medical procedures contemplated herein include any of those described herein, including non-surgical diagnostics, cosmetic procedures, imaging of the human or animal anatomy, data collection from the human or animal anatomy, training of medical or non-medical personnel, and procedures on tissue removed from the human or animal anatomy (without replacing it back in the human or animal anatomy). Even if suitable for use in such medical procedures, the embodiments may also be used for bench-top procedures on non-living materials and forms that are not part of the human or animal anatomy. Additionally, some embodiments may also be suitable for use in non-medical applications, such as industrial robotics use and sensing, inspecting, and / or manipulating non-tissue workpieces. In a non-limiting embodiment, the techniques, methods, and devices described herein may be used with or be part of a robotic computer-assisted surgical system, such as the da Vinci® Surgical System commercialized by Intuitive Surgical, Inc. of Sunnyvale, Calif. However, one of ordinary skill in the art will appreciate that aspects disclosed herein may be embodied and implemented in a variety of methods and systems, such as manually operated instruments and computer-assisted remotely operated systems, in both medical and non-medical applications. Reference to the da Vinci® Surgical System is exemplary and should not be considered as limiting the scope of the disclosure herein.

[0089] As used herein and in the claims, terms such as computer-assisted manipulator system, or teleoperated manipulator system, should be understood to refer broadly to any system that includes one or more controllable kinematic structures (manipulators) that can be moved and controlled at least in part with the aid of an electronic controller (with or without human input). Such systems may sometimes be referred to as robot-assisted systems or robotic systems in the art and in common usage. Such systems include systems controlled by a user (e.g., remotely), automatically by a computer (so-called autonomous control), or a combination of both. In instances where a user controls at least some of the movements of the manipulator, an electronic controller (e.g., a computer) can facilitate or assist the movements. The term "computer" as used in "computer-assisted manipulator system" refers broadly to any electronic control device for controlling the operation of the manipulator or for assisting the user in controlling the operation, and is not limited to those formally defined or colloquially referred to as "computers." For example, the electronic controller of a computer-aided manipulator system can vary from a traditional "computer" (e.g., a general-purpose processor and memory that stores instructions that the processor executes) to low-level dedicated hardware devices (analog or digital), such as discrete logic circuits or application specific integrated circuits (ASICs), or anything in between. Furthermore, manipulator systems can be implemented in a variety of contexts to perform a variety of procedures, both medical and non-medical. Thus, while some of the examples described in more detail herein focus on a medical context, the devices and principles described herein can be applied in other contexts, such as industrial manipulator systems.

[0090] It should be understood that both the general description and the detailed description provide examples of embodiments that are illustrative in nature and are intended to provide an understanding of the present disclosure without limiting the scope of the disclosure. Various mechanical, compositional, structural, electrical, and operational changes can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of this description and the claims. In some instances, well-known circuits, structures, and techniques have not been shown or described in detail so as not to obscure the embodiments. The same reference numerals in two or more figures represent the same or similar elements.

[0091] Furthermore, technical terms used herein to describe aspects of the invention, such as spatial and relational terms, are selected to aid the reader in understanding exemplary embodiments of the invention and are not intended to limit the invention. For example, as shown in the figures, spatial terms such as "beneath," "below," "lower," "above," "upper," "proximal," "distal," "up," "down," and the like may be used herein to describe a direction or a spatial relationship of one element or feature to another element or feature. These spatial terms are used with reference to the figures and are not limited to a particular frame of reference in the real world. Thus, for example, the direction "up" in the figures does not necessarily correspond to "up" in the world frame of reference (e.g., a direction away from the surface of the Earth). Furthermore, when a frame of reference different from that shown in the figures is considered, the spatial terms used herein below may need to be interpreted differently in that different frame of reference. For example, a direction referred to as "up" in relation to one of the figures may correspond to a direction referred to as "down" in relation to another frame of reference rotated 180° from the frame of reference of the figure. As another example, if the device is rotated 180° in the world frame of reference compared to the state shown in the figure, then an item described herein as being "above" or "over" a second item in relation to the figure will be "below" or "beneath" the second item in relation to the world frame of reference. Thus, the same spatial relationship or orientation can be described using different spatial terms depending on which frame of reference is considered. Furthermore, the poses of the items shown in the figures are selected for convenience of illustration and description, but in actual implementations the poses of the items may differ.

[0092] Furthermore, the singular forms "a," "an," and "the" are intended to include the plural, unless the context requires otherwise. In addition, terms such as "comprises," "comprises," "includes," and the like identify the presence of stated features, steps, operations, elements, and / or components, but do not exclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, steps, operations, elements, components, and / or groups. Components described as being coupled may be directly coupled electrically or mechanically, or may be indirectly coupled through one or more intermediate components, unless otherwise specified. Mathematical and geometric terms are not necessarily intended to be used in accordance with strict specifications, unless the context of the description requires otherwise. This is because a person skilled in the art will understand that, for example, substantially similar elements that function in a substantially similar manner may easily be included within the scope of the described term, even if the term is also strict.

[0093] Elements and their associated aspects that are described in detail with reference to one embodiment may be included in other embodiments where those aspects are not specifically shown or described, whenever practical. For example, if an element is described in detail with reference to one embodiment but not with reference to a second embodiment, it can still be claimed that the element is included in the second embodiment.

[0094] As used herein, "proximal" and "distal" are spatial / directional terms that describe a position or orientation based on a relationship to two ends of a kinetic chain. "Proximal" is associated with the end of the kinetic chain that is closer to the base or support of the kinetic chain, while "distal" is associated with the opposite end of the kinetic chain, often including an end effector of an instrument. When used to refer to a position or portion of a component, proximal and distal indicate the relative position of the position or portion to the base of the chain, with the proximal position or portion being closer to the base (close here refers to proximity along the kinetic chain, not absolute distance). When used to refer to a direction, "proximal" refers to the direction from a given position along the kinetic chain toward a more proximal position along the kinetic chain, and "distal" refers to the direction from a given position along the kinetic chain toward a more distal position.

[0095] Further modifications and alternative embodiments will be apparent to those skilled in the art in view of the disclosure herein. For example, the apparatus and methods may include additional components or steps omitted from the figures and descriptions for clarity of operation. This description should therefore be construed as illustrative only and for the purpose of teaching those skilled in the art the general manner of carrying out the present teachings. It should be understood that the various embodiments shown and described herein are to be taken as examples. Elements and materials, and the arrangements of those elements and materials, may be substituted for those shown and described herein, parts and processes may be reversed, and certain features of the present teachings may be utilized independently, all as would be apparent to one skilled in the art having the benefit of the description herein. The elements described herein may be modified without departing from the spirit and scope of the present teachings and the scope of the claims.

[0096] It should be understood that the particular examples and embodiments described herein are not limiting, and that changes in structure, dimensions, materials, and methodology may be made without departing from the scope of the present teachings.

[0097] Other embodiments in accordance with this disclosure will be apparent to those skilled in the art from consideration of the specification and practice of the invention disclosed herein. It is intended that the specification and examples be considered as exemplary only, and that the following claims are entitled to the fullest extent under applicable law, including equivalents.

Claims

1. 1. A remotely operable manipulator system, comprising: a table assembly including a platform configured to support a body; a rail coupled to the table assembly, the rail including a lateral dimension and a longitudinal dimension; first and second manipulators including respective proximal arms coupled to the rail and respective distal portions coupled to the proximal arms and configured to support an instrument attached to the proximal arms; the proximal arms of the first and second manipulators are translatable relative to the rail along the longitudinal dimension of the rail and rotatable relative to the rail about a first axis perpendicular to the longitudinal dimension of the rail; the proximal arms of the first and second manipulators are positionable in a nested configuration relative to one another; system.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the proximal arms of the first and second manipulators are positionable in a nested configuration relative to one another in a deployed state.

3. 3. The system of claim 1 or 2, wherein in the nested configuration, the proximal arms are oriented at respective outward angles of at least 180 degrees relative to the rail and overlap one another in a given direction.

4. The system of claim 3 , wherein the given direction is perpendicular to the lateral and longitudinal dimensions of the rail.

5. the platform includes a pair of opposed longitudinally extending sides and a pair of transversely extending sides connecting the longitudinally extending sides at opposed end portions of the platform; 5. The system of claim 4, wherein in the nested configuration and deployed state of the first and second manipulators, the respective tip portions of the first and second manipulators are positioned adjacent to a laterally extending side of the platform beyond one of the end portions of the platform.

6. The system of claim 5 , wherein in the nested configuration, no portion of the first or second manipulators protrudes laterally outwardly beyond a longitudinally extending side of the platform.

7. The system of claim 6 , wherein the respective proximal arms of the first and second manipulators are positioned at different heights relative to the rail.

8. the first and second manipulators further include respective coupling portions rotatably coupling the proximal arms to the rails; The system of claim 1 , wherein the coupling portion of the first manipulator has a greater height dimension than the coupling portion of the second manipulator.

9. the coupling portion of the first manipulator includes a first portion coupled to the rail and a second portion coupled to the first portion and to the proximal arm of the first manipulator; the second portion is rotatable relative to the first portion about a second axis parallel to the longitudinal dimension of the rail; The system of claim 8 , wherein the proximal arm of the first manipulator is rotatable relative to the second portion about the first axis.

10. the first and second manipulators further include respective coupling portions rotatably coupling the proximal arms to the rails; 2. The system of claim 1, wherein the coupling portion of the first manipulator enables the proximal arm of the first manipulator to rotate about the first axis and about a second axis parallel to the longitudinal dimension of the rail.

11. The system of claim 3 , wherein the given direction is parallel to the lateral dimension of the rail.

12. The system of claim 11 , wherein the proximal arm of the first manipulator is offset from the first axis.

13. the first and second manipulators further include respective coupling portions rotatably coupling the proximal arms to the rails; The system of claim 12 , wherein the coupling portion of the first manipulator includes a flexure between the first axis and the proximal arm of the first manipulator.

14. 2. The system of claim 1, wherein in the nested and deployed configuration, the distal portions of the first and second manipulators are positioned higher than the respective proximal arms of the first and second manipulators.

15. the distal end portions of the first and second manipulators include an instrument holder; The system of claim 1 , wherein in the nested configuration, the instrument holders of the first and second manipulators are positioned higher than the platform.

16. The system of claim 1 , wherein in the nested configuration, the proximal arms are positioned adjacent to one another at an end portion of one of the platform end portions.

17. The system of claim 1 , wherein the platform includes an assembly of sections movable relative to one another to change the configuration of the platform between a plurality of configurations.

18. the plurality of sections including a first end section, one or more intermediate sections, and a second end section positioned consecutively along a longitudinal dimension of the platform; 20. The system of claim 17, wherein each of the first and second end sections is independently pivotable relative to the one or more intermediate sections.

19. further comprising one or more first carriages; 2. The system of claim 1, wherein each first carriage movably couples a proximal arm of one of the proximal arms of the first and second manipulators to the rail, the proximal arm being translatable relative to the rail along a longitudinal dimension of the rail.

20. The system of claim 1 , further comprising a control system operably coupled to drive the first and second manipulators to position the proximal arm in the nested configuration.

21. a table assembly including a support column supporting said platform assembly; the platform is tiltable relative to the support column; The system of claim 1 , wherein the rail is configured to tilt with the platform relative to the support column.

22. 1. A remotely operable manipulator system, comprising: a table assembly including a platform configured to support a body; a rail coupled to the table assembly, the rail including a lateral dimension and a longitudinal dimension; a plurality of manipulators, each manipulator including a proximal arm coupled to the rail and a distal portion coupled to the proximal arm and configured to support an instrument attached to the proximal arm; the proximal arm of each manipulator is translatable relative to the rail along the longitudinal dimension of the rail and rotatable relative to the rail about a first axis perpendicular to the longitudinal dimension; the proximal arms of at least two of the plurality of manipulators have staggered heights relative to the rail along a direction perpendicular to the lateral and longitudinal dimensions of the rail. system.

23. 1. A remotely operable manipulator system, comprising: a table assembly including a platform configured to support a body; a rail coupled to the table assembly, the rail including a lateral dimension and a longitudinal dimension; a plurality of manipulators, each manipulator including a proximal arm coupled to the rail and a distal portion coupled to the proximal arm and configured to support an instrument attached to the proximal arm; the proximal arm of each manipulator is translatable relative to the rail along the longitudinal dimension of the rail and rotatable relative to the rail about a first axis perpendicular to the longitudinal dimension; with the proximal arms of the manipulators positioned adjacent one another on the same end portion of the platform, the proximal arms of the manipulators are each oriented at an outward angle relative to the longitudinal dimension of the rail, the outward angles all being 180° or greater. system.

24. 1. A medical system, comprising: a table assembly including a platform configured to support a body, the platform including a pair of opposing longitudinally extending sides and a pair of transversely extending sides connecting the longitudinally extending sides at opposing end portions of the platform; a rail coupled to the table assembly, the rail including a lateral dimension and a longitudinal dimension; first and second manipulators, each manipulator including a proximal arm coupled to the rail and a distal portion coupled to the proximal arm and configured to support an instrument attached to the proximal arm; the first and second manipulators are positionable between a stowed position and a plurality of deployed positions; in the stowed position, the first and second manipulators are each positioned beneath one of the end portions of the platform and do not protrude beyond the laterally and longitudinally extending sides of the platform; system.

25. the proximal arms of the first and second manipulators are translatable relative to the rail along the longitudinal dimension of the rail and rotatable relative to the rail about a first axis perpendicular to the longitudinal dimension; 25. The medical system of claim 24, wherein in the stowed position, the proximal arms of the first and second manipulators are at an outward angle of 180° or greater relative to the longitudinal dimension of the rail and overlap each other in a direction perpendicular to the lateral and longitudinal dimensions of the rail.

26. 1. A medical system, comprising: a table assembly including a platform configured to support a body, the platform being elongated along a longitudinal dimension; a rail coupled to the table assembly and extending parallel to a longitudinal dimension of the platform; first and second manipulators translatably coupled to the rail and movable in translation along the rail, each of the first and second manipulators including a proximal arm coupled to the rail and a distal portion coupled to the proximal arm and configured to hold a medical tool; the first and second manipulators are configurable such that at least their proximal arms are in a nested configuration; system.

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