Surgical-Drape Kinematic Coupling for Robotic Arm Attachment
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Solution Overview
Problem
Robotic surgical arms face challenges in attaching end effectors through surgical drapes without obstructing attachment mechanisms, necessitating improved attachment mechanisms that allow for secure coupling over or through drapes.
Innovation Solution
The development of kinematic couplings that engage with surgical arms and end effectors, featuring various configurations such as recesses, contacts, fasteners, levers, and magnets, enabling attachment through surgical drapes while maintaining sterility.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If surgical drapes are placed over robotic arms to maintain sterility, then surgical integrity is maintained, but attachment mechanisms are obstructed
Solution Approach 1:
A drape-piercing fastener acts as an intermediary element that transitions from a non-piercing state to a piercing state. The fastener includes a piercing portion that can penetrate the surgical drape material, allowing the end effector to be securely attached to the robotic arm while the drape remains in place to maintain surgical sterility.
Solution Approach 2:
The fastener is designed with dynamic characteristics, transitioning between a first position (non-piercing) and a second position (piercing). This dynamic behavior allows the system to adapt: the fastener remains non-piercing during approach, then pierces the drape when engagement is required, resolving the contradiction between maintaining drape integrity and achieving secure attachment.
2Reliability
If end effectors are attached to robotic arms through surgical drapes, then sterility is maintained, but attachment security may be compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The drape-piercing fastener serves as a mediator that penetrates the drape material to create a direct mechanical connection between the end effector and the robotic arm. This piercing action maintains the drape as a barrier while establishing secure attachment through the fastener's engagement features.
Solution Approach 2:
The fastener is segmented into distinct functional portions: a piercing portion for penetrating the drape, an engagement portion for securing the end effector, and a threaded recess for final fixation. This segmentation allows each portion to optimize its specific function while working together to achieve both sterility maintenance and secure attachment.
3Adaptability or versatility
If modular robotic surgical arms with interchangeable end effectors are used, then surgical versatility is improved, but attachment mechanism complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The attachment mechanism is designed with universal features including a standardized interface with recesses and contacts, a drape-piercing fastener that can penetrate various drape materials, and engagement features that work with different end effector types. This universality allows a single attachment mechanism design to accommodate multiple end effectors while maintaining consistent attachment procedures.
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
Facilitates secure and sterile attachment of end effectors to robotic arms, ensuring unobstructed operation and maintaining surgical integrity by allowing attachment through surgical drapes.
Implementation Method 1
the fastener is configured to pierce a drape positioned over the robotic arm when transitioned from the first position to the second position
Implementation Method 2
various configurations such as recesses, contacts, fasteners, levers, and magnets, enabling attachment through surgical drapes
Data Source
AI summary
Kinematic couplings for affixing an end effector to a robotic arm covered in a surgical drape are provided. A kinematic coupling can include one or more attachment mechanisms for affixing the kinematic coupling to the robotic arm with or without piercing the surgical drape positioned thereover. The kinematic coupling can be configured to interchangeably engage with a number of different end effectors, including surgical instruments, cutting guides or jigs, tool holders, and so on.