Surgical Robot Arm Interface Assembly for Sterile Instrument Exchange
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing surgical robotic systems face challenges in quickly and easily exchanging instruments during operations while maintaining a sterile barrier, as the robot arm is not sterilized and requires a sterile drape to prevent contamination.
Innovation Solution
An interface assembly with a locking element that securely attaches a surgical instrument to a surgical robot arm, maintaining a sterile barrier through a drape, and allows for easy detachment and attachment of instruments, using a locking mechanism that ensures the interface structure remains attached to the robot arm during instrument exchange.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a sterile drape is placed over the robot arm to maintain sterility, then contamination risk is reduced, but instrument exchange time increases due to the need to maintain the sterile barrier
Solution Approach 1:
The interface assembly is segmented into a non-sterile portion (fasteners on robot arm side) and a sterile portion (locking element on instrument side), separated by the sterile drape. This allows the non-sterile fasteners to remain attached to the robot arm while the sterile locking element moves with the instrument, enabling quick instrument exchange without disturbing the sterile barrier.
Solution Approach 2:
The sterile drape acts as an intermediary between the non-sterile robot arm and the sterile instrument. The interface assembly is designed to work through this drape, with fasteners penetrating it to attach to the robot arm while the locking element remains on the sterile side, facilitating instrument exchange while maintaining sterility.
2Ease of operation
If instruments are made detachable for easy exchange, then operational flexibility improves, but the risk of contamination increases due to frequent exposure of the robot arm
Solution Approach 1:
The fasteners are preliminarily attached to the robot arm through the sterile drape before instrument exchange begins. This preliminary action establishes a stable non-sterile attachment point that remains in place during instrument exchanges, eliminating the need to repeatedly expose or reattach to the robot arm and thus preventing contamination.
Solution Approach 2:
The locking element is extracted as a separate sterile component that moves with the instrument, while the fasteners remain fixed to the non-sterile robot arm. This separation allows the sterile instrument with its locking element to be quickly detached and replaced without affecting the non-sterile fastener attachment to the robot arm, maintaining sterility while enabling easy exchange.
3Reliability
If a locking mechanism is added to secure the interface structure to the robot arm, then connection reliability improves, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The locking element is designed to be movable between locked and unlocked positions, providing dynamic control over the interface connection. This movable locking mechanism allows the instrument to be securely attached when needed while enabling quick release when instrument exchange is required, achieving reliable connection without excessive complexity.
Data Source
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AI summary
An interface assembly for detachably interfacing a surgical robot arm to a surgical instrument, the interface assembly comprising: an interface structure comprising: a base portion comprising a first surface for facing the surgical instrument and a second surface for facing the surgical robot arm; and a rear portion attached to a rear edge of the base portion, the rear portion comprising one or more fasteners for fastening the interface structure to a proximal exposed surface of the surgical robot arm; and a locking element moveably mounted on the rear portion, the locking element moveable between a locked position and an unlocked position, wherein when the locking element is in the locked position the locking element biases the one or more fasteners inward and when the locking element is in the unlocked position the locking element does not bias the one or more fasteners inward.