Patent application number | Description | Published |
20100168510 | SURGICAL INSTRUMENTS WITH SHEATHED TENDONS - A flexible surgical instrument employs sheaths around tendons that actuate an end effector or other mechanisms in a distal tip of the instrument. A liquid lubricant can be introduced in the sheaths to reduce friction, and the sheaths can be porous or non-porous. The lubricant can be confined, for example, with an o-ring or a bellow seal, to keep lubricant from leaking where the tendons extend out of the sheaths. More generally, the distal end of the instrument is sealed to prevent leakage of lubricant into a patient. To further reduce risks, a non-toxic water-based lubricant can be used. | 07-01-2010 |
20110071347 | CANNULA MOUNTING FIXTURE - A robotic surgical system is configured with rigid, curved cannulas that extend through the same opening into a patient's body. Surgical instruments with passively flexible shafts extend through the curved cannulas. The cannulas are oriented to direct the instruments towards a surgical site. Various port features that support the curved cannulas within the single opening are disclosed. Cannula support fixtures that support the cannulas during insertion into the single opening and mounting to robotic manipulators are disclosed. The support fixtures include arms that swing in an arc to insert a curved cannula, repositionable arms coupled to a stable cannula base, and an insertion cap that holds a cannula. A teleoperation control system that moves the curved cannulas and their associated instruments in a manner that allows a surgeon to experience intuitive control is disclosed. | 03-24-2011 |
20110071473 | SURGICAL PORT FEATURE - A robotic surgical system is configured with rigid, curved cannulas that extend through the same opening into a patient's body. Surgical instruments with passively flexible shafts extend through the curved cannulas. The cannulas are oriented to direct the instruments towards a surgical site. Various port features that support the curved cannulas within the single opening are disclosed. In one aspect, surgical instrument channels extend at different angles between top and bottom surfaces of a port feature. In another aspect, a funnel portion and a tongue portion are separated by a waist portion, and surgical instrument channels extend from the funnel portion through the waist portion. Cannula support fixtures that support the cannulas during insertion into the single opening and mounting to robotic manipulators are disclosed. A teleoperation control system that moves the curved cannulas and their associated instruments in a manner that allows a surgeon to experience intuitive control is disclosed. | 03-24-2011 |
20110071541 | CURVED CANNULA - A robotic surgical system is configured with rigid, curved cannulas that extend through the same opening into a patient's body. Surgical instruments with passively flexible shafts extend through the curved cannulas. The cannulas are oriented to direct the instruments towards a surgical site. Various port features that support the curved cannulas within the single opening are disclosed. Cannula support fixtures that support the cannulas during insertion into the single opening and mounting to robotic manipulators are disclosed. A teleoperation control system that moves the curved cannulas and their associated instruments in a manner that allows a surgeon to experience intuitive control is disclosed. | 03-24-2011 |
20110071542 | CURVED CANNULA SURGICAL SYSTEM - A robotic surgical system is configured with rigid, curved cannulas that extend through the same opening into a patient's body. Surgical instruments with passively flexible shafts extend through the curved cannulas. The cannulas are oriented to direct the instruments towards a surgical site. Various port features that support the curved cannulas within the single opening are disclosed. Cannula support fixtures that support the cannulas during insertion into the single opening and mounting to robotic manipulators are disclosed. A teleoperation control system that moves the curved cannulas and their associated instruments in a manner that allows a surgeon to experience intuitive control is disclosed. | 03-24-2011 |
20110071544 | CURVED CANNULA INSTRUMENT - A robotic surgical system is configured with rigid, curved cannulas that extend through the same opening into a patient's body. Surgical instruments with passively flexible shafts extend through the curved cannulas. Force isolation elements within the flexible shafts prevent shaft bending from affecting end effector actuation elements that extends through the shafts. The cannulas are oriented to direct the instruments towards a surgical site. Various port features that support the curved cannulas within the single opening are disclosed. Cannula support fixtures that support the cannulas during insertion into the single opening and mounting to robotic manipulators are disclosed. A teleoperation control system that moves the curved cannulas and their associated instruments in a manner that allows a surgeon to experience intuitive control is disclosed. | 03-24-2011 |
20110118749 | METHOD AND SYSTEM TO SENSE RELATIVE PARTIAL-POSE INFORMATION USING A SHAPE SENSOR - A shape-sensing segment traverses through at least a portion of a kinematic chain of a tele-operated slave surgical instrument in a tele-operated minimally-invasive surgical system. The shape-sensing segment includes a pre-set perturbation. Shape information from the pre-set perturbation allows determination of relative partial-pose information for at least one link in the kinematic chain. | 05-19-2011 |
20110119023 | METHOD AND SYSTEM TO SENSE RELATIVE PARTIAL-POSE INFORMATION USING A SHAPE SENSOR - A shape-sensing segment traverses through at least a portion of a kinematic chain of a tele-operated slave surgical instrument in a tele-operated minimally-invasive surgical system. The shape-sensing segment includes a pre-set perturbation. Shape information from the pre-set perturbation allows determination of relative partial-pose information for at least one link in the kinematic chain. | 05-19-2011 |
20120289946 | MEDICAL INSTRUMENT WITH SNAKE WRIST STRUCTURE - A medical instrument includes a snake wrist structure further including: a first joint disk having a first rim having a first tooth slot and a first toothed gear with the first tooth slot opposite the first toothed gear along the first rim; and a first strut having a first slot bearing and a first hole bearing connected by a first connection strut with the first slot bearing in the first tooth slot. | 11-15-2012 |
20120289973 | INSTRUMENT INTERFACE - A mechanical interface for a robotic medical instrument permits engagement of the instrument and a drive system without causing movement of an actuated portion of the instrument. An instrument interface can include a symmetrical, tapered or cylindrical projection on one of a medical instrument or a drive system and a complementary bore in the other of the drive system or the medical instrument. Symmetry of the projection and the bore allows the projection to be compression fit to the bore regardless of the rotation angle of the drive system relative to the medical instrument. | 11-15-2012 |
20120289974 | INSTRUMENT ACTUATION INTERFACE - A system includes a medical instrument that includes a termination fixture, an actuated element, and drive members coupled to the actuated element and extending to the termination fixture. The termination fixture provides an interface that exposes portions of the drive member to direct movement by an external system that may include a manipulator and a sterile barrier. | 11-15-2012 |
20120290134 | ESTIMATION OF A POSITION AND ORIENTATION OF A FRAME USED IN CONTROLLING MOVEMENT OF A TOOL - A robotic system includes a camera having an image frame whose position and orientation relative to a fixed frame is determinable through one or more image frame transforms, a tool disposed within a field of view of the camera and having a tool frame whose position and orientation relative to the fixed frame is determinable through one or more tool frame transforms, and at least one processor programmed to identify pose indicating points of the tool from one or more camera captured images, determine an estimated transform for an unknown one of the image and tool frame transforms using the identified pose indicating points and known ones of the image and tool frame transforms, update a master-to-tool transform using the estimated and known ones of the image and tool frame transforms, and command movement of the tool in response to movement of a master using the updated master-to-tool transform. | 11-15-2012 |
20130267964 | CANNULA MOUNTING FIXTURE - A cannula mounting fixture may include a base, a first arm with a first cannula mounting bracket and a second arm with a second cannula mounting bracket. The first arm may be coupled to the base so that a first cannula mounted at the first mounting bracket is positioned within an opening in a patient's body. The second arm may be coupled to the base and includes a joint that allows a second cannula mounted at the second mounting bracket to be inserted through the opening. A cannula stabilizing fixture may include a base and a repositionable arm. The base may be configured to be securely and removably coupled to a first cannula that extends into an opening in a patient's body. The repositionable arm may include a first cannula holder coupled to the base and is configured to support a second cannula that extends into the opening. | 10-10-2013 |
20130276557 | METHOD AND SYSTEM TO SENSE RELATIVE PARTIAL-POSE INFORMATION USING A SHAPE SENSOR - A shape-sensing segment traverses through at least a portion of a kinematic chain of a tele-operated slave surgical instrument in a tele-operated minimally-invasive surgical system. The shape-sensing segment includes a pre-set perturbation. Shape information from the pre-set perturbation allows determination of relative partial-pose information for at least one link in the kinematic chain. | 10-24-2013 |
20130331857 | INSTRUMENT INTERFACE - A mechanical interface for a robotic medical instrument permits engagement of the instrument and a drive system without causing movement of an actuated portion of the instrument. An instrument interface can include a symmetrical, tapered or cylindrical projection on one of a medical instrument or a drive system and a complementary bore in the other of the drive system or the medical instrument. Symmetry of the projection and the bore allows the projection to be compression fit to the bore regardless of the rotation angle of the drive system relative to the medical instrument. | 12-12-2013 |
20140194895 | SURGICAL INSTRUMENTS HAVING IMPROVED WEAR RESISTANCE, AND METHODS OF MAKING THE SAME - A surgical apparatus includes a cannula and a surgical instrument. The cannula includes a curved longitudinal axis along at least a portion of its length. The surgical instrument includes an elongated shaft having a distal end and a proximal end, and an end effector coupled to the distal end of the elongated shaft. At least a portion of the end effector is configured to contact an inner surface of the cannula during insertion of the surgical instrument into the curved cannula. A threshold galling stress between the portion of the end effector and an inner surface of the curved cannula is at least 10,000 pounds per square inch. | 07-10-2014 |
20140277106 | SURGICAL INSTRUMENT DRIVE ELEMENT, AND RELATED DEVICES, SYSTEMS, AND METHODS - A surgical instrument including a shaft, an end effector, and a push/pull drive element is provided. The push/pull drive element may include a head extending perpendicular to a push/pull direction of the push/pull element. The head of the push/pull drive element may have end portions each having a cross-section that differs from a cross-section of a main portion of the head between the end portions. The push/pull drive element may include an engagement portion in contact with the end effector to actuate the end effector. The engagement portion may have a first width and an end portion may have a second width, with the second width being greater than the first width. A surgical instrument is also provided that may include an electrical connector connecting at least one conduit providing electrical energy to the end effector. The end effector may be in sliding contact with a portion of the connector. | 09-18-2014 |
Patent application number | Description | Published |
20090161286 | ELECTROSTATIC CHUCK SUPPORT ASSEMBLY - A method of tuning the thermal conductivity of an electrostatic chuck (ESC) support assembly comprises measuring the temperature at a plurality of sites on a support assembly surface in which each site is associated with a given cell, determining from the measurements any fractional reduction in area suggested for each cell, and removing material from the support assembly surface within each cell in accordance with the suggested fractional reduction in order to decrease thermal conductivity in that cell. The material removal can result in an improvement to the equilibrium temperature uniformity of the electrostatic chuck support assembly at the chuck surface of an electrostatic chuck bonded to the support assembly surface, or can result in an equilibrium temperature profile of the ESC support assembly which approaches or achieves a target equilibrium temperature profile. Thermal conductivity tuning can thus take place by a method comprising defining a cell structure, determining the target areal density of each cell and removing a fractional area of material to achieve the target areal density for that cell. Material removal can be effected by drilling, routing, laser machining or grit blast machining on an X-Y table. | 06-25-2009 |
20100159712 | Method of determining a target mesa configuration of an electrostatic chuck - A method of modifying the heat transfer coefficient profile of an electrostatic chuck by configuring the areal density of a mesa configuration of an insulating layer of the chuck is provided. A method of modifying the capacitance profile of an electrostatic chuck by adjustment or initial fabrication of the height of a mesa configuration of an insulating layer of the chuck is further provided. The heat transfer coefficient at a given site can be measured by use of a heat flux probe, whereas the capacitance at a given site can be measured by use of a capacitance probe. The probes are placed on the insulating surface of the chuck and may include a plurality of mesas in a single measurement. A plurality of measurements made across the chuck provide a heat transfer coefficient profile or a capacitance profile, from which a target mesa areal density and a target mesa height are determined. The target density and height are achieved mechanically; the target density by mechanically adjusting the areal density of existing mesas; and the target height by creating or deepening low areas surrounding planned or existing mesas, respectively. This can be accomplished using any of known techniques for controlled material removal such as laser machining or grit blast machining on an X-Y table. | 06-24-2010 |
20110063772 | METHOD OF DETERMINING A TARGET MESA CONFIGURATION OF AN ELECTROSTATIC CHUCK - A method of modifying the heat transfer coefficient profile of an electrostatic chuck by configuring the areal density of a mesa configuration of an insulating layer of the chuck is provided. A method of modifying the capacitance profile of an electrostatic chuck by adjustment or initial fabrication of the height of a mesa configuration of an insulating layer of the chuck is further provided. The heat transfer coefficient at a given site can be measured by use of a heat flux probe, whereas the capacitance at a given site can be measured by use of a capacitance probe. The probes are placed on the insulating surface of the chuck and may include a plurality of mesas in a single measurement. A plurality of measurements made across the chuck provide a heat transfer coefficient profile or a capacitance profile, from which a target mesa areal density and a target mesa height are determined. The target density and height are achieved mechanically; the target density by mechanically adjusting the areal density of existing mesas; and the target height by creating or deepening low areas surrounding planned or existing mesas, respectively. This can be accomplished using any of known techniques for controlled material removal such as laser machining or grit blast machining on an X-Y table. | 03-17-2011 |
20150187619 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR CONTROLLING SPATIAL TEMPERATURE DISTRIBUTION - A chuck for a plasma processor comprises a temperature-controlled base, a thermal insulator, a flat support, and a heater. The temperature-controlled base is controlled in operation a temperature below the desired temperature of a workpiece. The thermal insulator is disposed over at least a portion of the temperature-controlled base. The flat support holds a workpiece and is disposed over the thermal insulator. A heater is embedded within the flat support and/or mounted to an underside of the flat support. The heater includes a plurality of heating elements that heat a plurality of corresponding heating zones. The power supplied and/or temperature of each heating element is controlled independently. The heater and flat support have a combined temperature rate change of at least 1° C. per second. | 07-02-2015 |
Patent application number | Description | Published |
20090120583 | METHODS OF MAKING GAS DISTRIBUTION MEMBERS FOR PLASMA PROCESSING APPARATUSES - Methods for making gas distribution members for plasma processing apparatuses are provided. The gas distribution members can be electrodes, gas distribution plates, or other members. The methods include fabricating gas injection holes in a gas distribution member by a suitable technique, e.g., a mechanical fabrication technique, measuring gas flow through the gas distribution member, and then adjusting the permeability of the gas distribution member by the same fabrication technique, or by a different technique, e.g., laser drilling. The permeability of the gas distribution member can be adjusted at one or more zones of the member. | 05-14-2009 |
20110262315 | SUBSTRATE SUPPORT HAVING DYNAMIC TEMPERATURE CONTROL - A substrate support useful for a plasma processing apparatus includes a metallic heat transfer member and an overlying electrostatic chuck having a substrate support surface. The heat transfer member includes one or more passage through which a liquid is circulated to heat and/or cool the heat transfer member. The heat transfer member has a low thermal mass and can be rapidly heated and/or cooled to a desired temperature by the liquid, so as to rapidly change the substrate temperature during plasma processing. | 10-27-2011 |
20140034608 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR CONTROLLING THE SPATIAL TEMPERATURE DISTRIBUTION ACROSS THE SURFACE OF A WORKPIECE SUPPORT - A chuck for a plasma processor comprises a temperature-controlled base, a thermal insulator, a flat support, and a heater. The temperature-controlled base has a temperature below the desired temperature of a workpiece. The thermal insulator is disposed over the temperature-controlled base. The flat support holds a workpiece and is disposed over the thermal insulator. A heater is embedded within the flat support and/or disposed on an underside of the flat support. The heater includes a plurality of heating elements that heat a plurality of corresponding heating zones. The power supplied and/or temperature of each heating element is controlled independently. | 02-06-2014 |