Teleoperated Surgical Instrument Drivetrain Switching Accuracy
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing minimally invasive robotic surgery systems often lack the necessary motor outputs to accommodate new surgical instruments, requiring adaptations that may limit surgical capabilities and necessitate modifications to the telesurgical systems, which is costly and inefficient.
Innovation Solution
A surgical system with a transmission mechanism that includes a first and second effector drivetrain, where a controller locks and aligns an output gear using different torques to determine proper alignment and braking, allowing for shifting between operational modes without modifying the existing telesurgical system, enabling greater degrees of freedom for surgical instruments.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If existing telesurgical systems are used with new surgical instruments, then the system structure remains unchanged and costs are reduced, but the surgical capabilities are limited due to insufficient motor outputs
Solution Approach 1:
The transmission system is divided into multiple independent drivetrains (first drivetrain with first output shaft, second drivetrain with second output shaft), each capable of being selectively engaged. This segmentation allows the system to accommodate different surgical instrument requirements by activating specific drivetrains, thereby improving adaptability without requiring complete system redesign.
Solution Approach 2:
The control system is designed to universally manage multiple drivetrains and selectively couple them to different surgical instruments based on operational requirements. The controller can determine when to engage each drivetrain and coordinate their operation, enabling a single system to perform multiple surgical functions without modification to the underlying telesurgical platform.
2Adaptability or versatility
If motor outputs are increased to accommodate new instruments, then surgical capabilities are enhanced, but the cost of system modification increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system employs dynamic engagement and disengagement of drivetrains based on real-time operational needs. The control system can selectively activate the first or second drivetrain depending on which surgical instrument is in use, allowing the system to adapt its capabilities without permanently adding all possible motor outputs. This dynamic approach enables cost-effective accommodation of various instruments.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes operational parameters by switching between different drivetrain configurations rather than permanently increasing motor outputs. The controller adjusts which drivetrain is active based on the surgical instrument requirements, effectively changing the system's capability parameters on-demand without physical modification to the telesurgical platform.
3Ease of operation
If drivetrains are selectively coupled to output shafts, then operational flexibility is improved, but control complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The control system incorporates feedback mechanisms to monitor the operational state of each drivetrain and surgical instrument. Based on this feedback, the controller automatically determines which drivetrain should be engaged and coordinates their operation, simplifying the control process despite the presence of multiple drivetrains. The feedback loop ensures smooth transitions and proper coordination without requiring complex manual intervention.
Data Source
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AI summary
A surgical system having a patient side cart having at least one telesurgically operated instrument, the at least one telesurgically operated instrument comprising a surgical end effector having a plurality of effector components. A transmission is coupled to a motor. The drive train includes at least a first effector drive train and a second effector drivetrain. A controller comprises at least one processor for controlling the transmission. The controller is performs a method by locking an output gear of the second effector drivetrain rotating a camshaft to shift coupling of the motor from the first effector drivetrain to the second effector drivetrain; determining that the output gear is aligned by driving the locked output gear using a first torque; determining that the output gear is properly braked by driving the locked output gear using a second torque; disengaging the lock from the output gear; and driving the second effector drivetrain using the motor.