Instrument Adaptor Compliance Features for Misalignment Compensation

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing instrument adaptors face challenges in achieving positive engagement between couplers and drive outputs/inputs due to misalignment, which impedes efficient force and motion transfer, particularly in sterile environments where sterility is crucial.

Innovation Solution

The instrument adaptor incorporates compliance features such as tilt features and flexible support members that allow the coupler to tilt or flex, enabling alignment and engagement of engagement features despite initial misalignment, ensuring secure coupling while maintaining sterility.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Force

If rigid coupling is used between drive output interface and instrument, then force transfer efficiency is improved, but alignment precision deteriorates due to misalignment

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveforce transfer efficiencyVSAvoidalignment precision

Core Design Contradiction:

ForceVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The coupler is designed with compliance features that allow it to dynamically adjust its orientation and position to accommodate misalignment between the drive output interface and the instrument. This dynamic adaptation enables the system to maintain both force transfer efficiency and alignment precision by allowing the coupler to flex and tilt as needed during operation.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The compliance features modify the physical parameters of the coupler by introducing flexibility through tilt features and flexible support members. These features allow the coupler to change its angular orientation and positional parameters to achieve proper alignment while still maintaining effective force transfer to the instrument.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

2Adaptability or versatility

If compliance features are added to the coupler, then alignment capability is improved, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvealignment capabilityVSAvoiddevice complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The coupler is segmented into distinct functional regions: rigid portions for force transfer and compliant portions with tilt features and flexible support members for alignment adjustment. This segmentation allows the system to achieve alignment capability through localized compliance features rather than making the entire coupler complex and flexible.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The compliance features act as intermediary elements between the rigid drive output interface and the rigid instrument. These intermediate compliant elements absorb the misalignment while maintaining the structural integrity and force transfer capability of the overall coupling system, thereby improving alignment capability without significantly increasing overall device complexity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

The solution facilitates reliable and efficient coupling of instruments to drive interfaces by allowing for alignment adjustments, ensuring effective force transfer and maintaining a sterile barrier, thus enhancing the performance of remotely controllable instruments in sterile medical and industrial procedures.

Implementation Method 1

The coupler also comprises one or more compliance features configured to allow a first input engagement feature of the input engagement features to move towards the instrument in a state in which the coupler is engaged with the drive output and a second input engagement feature of the input engagement features is in contact with a coupler facing surface of the drive input

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectElasticity: Elasticity

Implementation Method 2

In some embodiments, the compliance features comprise tilt features configured to contact the drive output such that the coupler is tiltable about a tilt axis defined by the tilt features in an engaged state of the coupler with the drive output

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectMechanical Force: Mechanical Force

Data Source

PatentUS20250221779A1Instrument adaptor, and related devices, systems and methods

Publication Date: 2025.07.10 INTUITIVE SURGICAL OPERATIONS INC

AI summary

An adaptor for operatively coupling a drive output of a drive output interface to a drive input of an instrument comprises a frame and a coupler coupled to the frame. The frame comprises a first face configured to mount to the drive output interface and a second face configured to receive the instrument mounted thereon. The coupler comprises one or more first engagement features configured to engage with the drive output and one or more second engagement features configured to engage with the drive input. The coupler also comprises one or more compliance features configured to allow a first input engagement feature of the input engagement features to move towards the instrument in a state in which the coupler is engaged with the drive output and a second input engagement feature of the input engagement features is in contact with a coupler facing surface of the drive input.