Surgical End Effector Articulation and Rolling Mechanism
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current surgical instruments for robotic surgeries lack efficient mechanisms for articulation, firing, and rolling of end effectors, which limits their precision and versatility in grasping, clamping, and stapling tissue during minimally invasive procedures.
Innovation Solution
The design incorporates an end effector with a jaw and anvil that can move between open, grasping, and clamping positions, coupled with a knife firing subsystem and articulation joint, allowing for precise articulation and rolling of the end effector, enabling effective tissue grasping, clamping, and stapling through a combination of pivot pins, ramp surfaces, and cable articulation systems.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If a surgical instrument includes multiple independently actuated subsystems for closing, articulation, rolling, and firing of the end effector, then the precision and versatility of tissue manipulation is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The surgical instrument is divided into multiple independently actuated subsystems: a closing subsystem for closing and opening the end effector, an articulation subsystem for articulating the end effector, a roll subsystem for rolling the end effector, and a firing subsystem for firing staples. Each subsystem operates independently to provide precise control over different aspects of tissue manipulation, thereby achieving high versatility while maintaining manageable complexity through functional segmentation.
2Manufacturing precision
If the anvil is movable between open, grasping, and clamping positions with a knife slidably coupled to it, then the precision of tissue grasping and clamping is improved, but the mechanism complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The anvil is designed as a movable component that can dynamically transition between open, grasping, and clamping positions based on surgical requirements. The knife is slidably coupled to the anvil, allowing it to move relative to the anvil during the stapling and cutting process. This dynamic configuration enables precise control over tissue grasping and clamping while maintaining a relatively simple mechanical structure through straightforward motion paths and coupling mechanisms.
Data Source
AI summary
A surgical instrument designed to operate with a robotic platform is disclosed. The surgical instrument assembly includes a shaft, an end effector, a knife firing subsystem to actuate functions of the end effector, an articulation subsystem that is actuatable to articulate the end effector, an articulation joint about which the end effector articulates, a roll subsystem to roll the shaft, and a housing that couples to the robotic platform. The end effector includes a jaw. The end effector includes an anvil coupled to the jaw and movable between an open position, a grasping position, and a clamping position. The end effector includes a knife slidably coupled to the anvil to move the anvil between the open position, the grasping position, and the clamping position.