Teleoperated Surgical Instrument Transmission for Accurate Coupling Shift
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing minimally invasive telesurgical systems often lack the necessary motor outputs to accommodate all mechanisms of new surgical instruments, requiring adaptations that do not compromise surgical capabilities and cannot be easily integrated into existing systems without modifications.
Innovation Solution
A surgical system with a patient-side cart and a transmission mechanism that includes multiple effector mechanisms, a first and second effector drivetrain, and a controller to shift coupling between them, using torque alignment and braking techniques to ensure proper alignment and operation of the output gear, allowing for the integration of new surgical instruments without modifying the existing telesurgical system.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If new surgical instruments with multiple mechanisms are integrated into existing telesurgical systems, then surgical capabilities and versatility are enhanced, but the existing systems lack the necessary motor outputs to accommodate all mechanisms
Solution Approach 1:
The surgical instrument is divided into multiple independent mechanisms (e.g., cutting mechanism, stapling mechanism, grasping mechanism), each capable of being controlled by separate motor outputs. This segmentation allows the instrument to be adapted to existing telesurgical systems with limited motor outputs by selectively activating only the mechanisms needed for each surgical task.
Solution Approach 2:
The system dynamically allocates and switches motor output assignments to different mechanisms based on the current surgical task. The control system can reconfigure which motor drives which mechanism, allowing the same motor output to serve different functions at different times, thereby accommodating multiple mechanisms without requiring proportional increases in total motor outputs.
2Adaptability or versatility
If adaptations are made to integrate new instruments into existing telesurgical systems, then versatility is improved, but system modifications are required which increase complexity
Solution Approach 1:
The surgical instrument is designed with universal interfaces and control protocols that allow it to be integrated into multiple different existing telesurgical systems without requiring custom modifications to each system. The instrument can perform multiple surgical functions (cutting, stapling, grasping) through a single unified platform, eliminating the need to develop separate instruments for each surgical task and reducing overall system complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
A transmission mechanism acts as an intermediary between the motor outputs and the surgical mechanisms. This transmission system includes components such as gear trains, belts, or linkages that can selectively couple motor outputs to different mechanisms, providing a flexible interface that accommodates various instrument configurations without requiring direct modifications to the core telesurgical system architecture.
3Device complexity
If multiple effector mechanisms are coupled to a single motor output, then motor output requirements are reduced, but control precision and input accuracy may be compromised
Solution Approach 1:
Before the motor drives a particular mechanism, the control system performs preliminary alignment and positioning operations to ensure the mechanism is in the correct state for the intended surgical action. This preliminary action includes pre-positioning components, aligning mechanical linkages, and verifying sensor calibration, thereby maintaining control precision even when multiple mechanisms share a single motor output.
Solution Approach 2:
The system incorporates sensors and feedback mechanisms that continuously monitor the position, force, and operational state of each mechanism. This feedback is fed back to the control system, which adjusts motor commands in real-time to maintain precise control. The feedback loop compensates for mechanical play, friction, and other sources of imprecision, ensuring accurate control input even when multiple mechanisms are coupled to a single motor output.
Data Source
AI summary
A surgical system comprises a patient side cart, a motor, and a telesurgically operated instrument. The telesurgically operated instrument is coupled to the patient side cart and comprises a transmission and a surgical end effector having a plurality of end effector components. The transmission is driven by the motor and comprises a first effector drivetrain comprising a first gear, a first input gear, and a first locker arm, and a camshaft defining a longitudinal axis, the camshaft comprising a first power cam and a first locker cam. The motor is configured to drive the camshaft to a plurality of rotational states, the camshaft being configured to rotate about the longitudinal axis of the camshaft. In a first rotational state of the plurality of rotational states, the first power cam is configured to engage the first input gear with the first gear, and the first locker cam is configured to disengage the first locker arm from the first gear.