In-Line Shoulder Joint Architecture for Trocar-Ready Surgical Robotics
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current robotic surgical systems for minimally invasive procedures, such as the Da Vinci system, are costly, require extensive training, and have a large footprint, making them unsuitable for smaller hospitals and limiting accessibility due to their complex nature and high dexterity requirements.
Innovation Solution
A single-armed robotic device with an in-line shoulder joint design that allows for compactness and ease of insertion through standard trocar ports, featuring a differential yoke and nested driveshafts to minimize cross-sectional diameter and facilitate three degrees of freedom, enabling independent positioning and reduced complexity.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a traditional robotic surgical system like Da Vinci is used, then surgical functionality and dexterity are improved, but system cost, complexity, and footprint increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies nesting by placing the second driveshaft inside the first driveshaft, and the shoulder joint components inside the elongate device bodies. This nested configuration allows multiple functional components to occupy the same spatial envelope, reducing the overall system footprint and complexity while maintaining multiple degrees of freedom for surgical dexterity
Solution Approach 2:
The robotic system is segmented into modular components: elongate device bodies, driveshafts, bevel gears, and shoulder joints that can be independently positioned and controlled. This segmentation allows each component to be optimized separately and assembled in a compact configuration, reducing overall system complexity while preserving surgical functionality
2Adaptability or versatility
If a traditional robotic system with large footprint is used, then surgical capability is maintained, but accessibility to smaller hospitals and operating rooms is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The nested configuration of driveshafts and joint components within the elongate device bodies dramatically reduces the spatial footprint of the robotic system. The second driveshaft is positioned within the first driveshaft, and the shoulder joint is contained within the second elongate device body, allowing the entire system to occupy minimal operating room space while maintaining full surgical capability
Solution Approach 2:
The patent utilizes the longitudinal dimension of the elongate device bodies to accommodate multiple components along the length rather than spreading them out in planar space. The driveshafts and joints are arranged axially within the elongated structure, transforming a two-dimensional footprint problem into a three-dimensional space-efficient configuration
3Measurement precision
If complex robotic systems are deployed, then surgical precision is improved, but training requirements and operational difficulty increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the mechanical parameters of the system by using bevel gears to convert rotational motion from the driveshafts into precise angular movements of the shoulder joint. This mechanical parameter transformation provides precise control over the arm's position and orientation while using straightforward rotational actuation, reducing operational complexity while maintaining surgical precision
4Object-affected harmful factors
If standard trocar ports are used for insertion, then minimally invasive access is achieved, but the robotic device must have very compact cross-sectional dimensions
Solution Approach 1:
The nested configuration of the second driveshaft within the first driveshaft, and the shoulder joint components within the second elongate device body, minimizes the cross-sectional dimensions of the robotic arm. This allows the entire robotic system to pass through standard trocar ports while maintaining all necessary functional components for minimally invasive surgery
Data Source
AI summary
Disclosed herein are various robotic surgical devices and systems that include first and second elongate bodies, first and second driveshafts disposed through the second elongate body, and an in-line shoulder joint with a robotic arm coupled thereto. In certain implementations, the in-line shoulder joint has a differential yoke and a dual shaft disposed within the yoke lumen.