CENTER ROBOTIC ARM WITH FIVE-BAR SPHERICAL LINKAGE FOR ENDOSCOPIC CAMERA

Abstract

A robotic arm including a parallel spherical five-bar linkage with a remote center of spherical rotation. The robotic arm movably supports an endoscopic camera. Two outboard links are pivotally coupled together. At least one of the two outboard links supports the endoscopic camera. Two inboard links are respectively pivotally coupled to the two outboard links such that the two inboard links are able to cross over one another. The two inboard links moveably support the two outboard links. A ground link is pivotally coupled to the two inboard links. The ground link moveably supports the two inboard links.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a plan view of a surgical suite in which embodiments of the invention are used.

FIG. 2 is a plan view of a portion of the operating suite of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a side view of a portion of the operating suite of FIG. 2.

FIG. 4 is a schematic view of a parallel five-bar linkage.

FIG. 5 is a schematic view of a parallel spherical five-bar linkage.

FIG. 6 is a schematic view of another parallel spherical five-bar linkage.

FIG. 7 is a pictorial view of an embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 8 is a view of a first side of an embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 9 is a bottom view of the embodiment of the invention shown in FIG. 8.

FIG. 10 is view of a second side of the embodiment of the invention shown in FIG. 8.

FIG. 11 is a top view of the embodiment of the invention shown in FIG. 8.

FIG. 12 is an end view of the embodiment of the invention shown in FIG. 8.

FIG. 13 is a pictorial view of a portion of the embodiment as shown in FIG. 12.

FIG. 14 is a bottom view of the embodiment of the invention as shown in FIG. 9 in a different operative position.

FIG. 15 is a bottom view of another embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 16 is an end view of another embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 17 is a schematic view of a parallel spherical five-bar linkage.

FIG. 18 is a schematic view of another parallel spherical five-bar linkage.

FIG. 19 is a pictorial view of another embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 20 is a schematic view of the parallel spherical five-bar linkage shown in FIG. 19.

FIG. 21 is a pictorial view of another embodiment of the invention.

Claims

1. A robotic arm including a parallel spherical five-bar linkage with a remote center of spherical rotation, the robotic arm comprising: an endoscopic camera;two outboard links pivotally coupled together, at least one of the two outboard links to support the endoscopic camera;two inboard links respectively pivotally coupled to the two outboard links such that the two inboard links are able to cross over one another, the two inboard links to moveably support the two outboard links; anda ground link pivotally coupled to the two inboard links, the ground link to moveably support the two inboard links.

2. The robotic arm of claim 1, further including two motors coupled by the ground link in spaced apart positions, each of the two motors respectively coupled to one of the two inboard links to rotate the coupled inboard link and thereby move the endoscopic camera about the remote center of spherical rotation.

3. The robotic arm of claim 2, wherein each of the two motors is respectively coupled to one of the two inboard links by a right angle drive.

4. The robotic arm of claim 2, further including a first drive shaft coupled to one of the two motors at a driven end and to one of the two inboard links at an opposite end, the first drive shaft extending from the driven end toward the remote center of spherical rotation; anda second drive shaft coupled to one of the two motors at a driven end and to one of the two inboard links at an opposite end, the second drive shaft extending from the driven end away from the remote center of spherical rotation;such that each of the two inboard links may cross over the ground link.

5. The robotic arm of claim 2, further including a controller coupled to the two motors to provide signals to the motors.

6. The robotic arm of claim 5, wherein the controller limits the rotation of the inboard links such that the robotic arm is limited to a range of compact poses.

7. The robotic arm of claim 1, wherein the endoscopic camera is movable along an insertion axis passing through the remote center of spherical rotation.

8. The robotic arm of claim 1, wherein the two outboard links are constrained to have a minimum angle between them.

9. The robotic arm of claim 4, wherein the minimum angle between the two outboard links is fifteen degrees.

10. The robotic arm of claim 1, wherein the robotic arm is limited to a range of compact poses.

11. A parallel spherical five-bar linkage with a remote center of spherical rotation, the linkage comprising: a ground link having two spaced apart axes of rotation;two inboard links, each inboard link pivotally coupled to the ground link at one of the two axes of rotation, each inboard link having an intermediate axis spaced apart from the axis of rotation;two outboard links, each outboard link pivotally coupled to one of the inboard links at the inboard link's intermediate axis, the two outboard links pivotally coupled together at an outboard axis that is spaced apart from the intermediate axes; anda constraint to limit the rotation of the outboard links about the outboard axis such that a minimum angle between the outboard links is at least fifteen degrees;wherein all axes pass through the remote center of spherical rotation and each of the two inboard links is constrained such that the intermediate axis of the inboard link is disposed to a same side of the axis of rotation of the inboard link as the other axis of rotation when the inboard links lies in the same plane as the ground link.

12. The linkage of claim 11, wherein the constraint further includes a mechanical stop.

13. The linkage of claim 12, wherein the mechanical stop directly limits the rotation of one of the outboard links about the outboard axis relative to the other outboard link.

14. The linkage of claim 11, wherein the ground link and the two inboard links have substantially the same angular length.

15. The linkage of claim 14, wherein the two outboard links have substantially the same angular length.

16. The linkage of claim 14, wherein the two outboard links have substantially the same angular length as the ground link.

17. The linkage of claim 11, wherein the constraint includes: two motors, each motor coupled to the ground link and to one of the two inboard links at one of the two axes of rotation; anda controller to cause each of the two motors to rotate the coupled inboard link about one of the two axes of rotation with a limited range of rotation.

18. The linkage of claim 11, wherein the ground link and the two inboard links are constructed and coupled such that each one of the two inboard links and its coupled outboard link can freely pass the ground link and the other of the two inboard links and its coupled outboard link.

19. The linkage of claim 11, further comprising: two rotary encoders, each rotary encoder coupled to one of the inboard links at its axis of rotation; anda computer coupled to the two rotary encoders to receive the bearing of each of the inboard links and compute the position of the outboard axis.

20. The linkage of claim 11, wherein one of the outboard links further includes an insertion axis spaced apart from the outboard axis and the intermediate axis, the insertion axis passing through the remote center of spherical rotation.

21. The linkage of claim 11, wherein one of the outboard links further includes an insertion axis coincident with the outboard axis, the insertion axis passing through the remote center of spherical rotation.

22. A robotic arm comprising: a first motor coupled to a first axis of rotation, the first axis of rotation extending from the first motor toward a remote center of spherical rotation;a second motor coupled to a second axis of rotation, the second axis of rotation extending from the second motor away from the remote center of spherical rotation;a ground link coupled between the first axis of rotation and the second axis of rotation;a first pair of pivotally coupled links having a first end coupled to the first axis of rotation such that the first pair of links can pass a first side of the first and second motors;a second pair of pivotally coupled links having a first end coupled to the second axis of rotation such that the second pair of links can pass a second side of the first and second motors, the second side of the first and second motors opposite the first side, a second end of the second pair of links pivotally coupled to a second end of the first pair of links;wherein all joints that pivotally couple links together allow rotation around an axis that passes through the remote center of spherical rotation.

23. The robotic arm of claim 22, wherein one of the first and second pair of links further includes a support for a surgical instrument having a tool shaft with an insertion axis, the insertion axis being spaced apart from the joint that pivotally couples the first and second pair of links, the insertion axis passing through the remote center of spherical rotation.

24. The robotic arm of claim 23, wherein the joint that pivotally couples the first and second pair of links together is between the insertion axis and the first end of the pair of links that includes the support.

25. The robotic arm of claim 23, wherein the insertion axis, a first axis of rotation for the joint that pivotally couples the first and second pair of links together, and a second axis of rotation for the joint that pivotally couples the pair of links that includes the support are coplanar.

26. The robotic arm of claim 22, wherein the first outboard link further includes a support for a surgical instrument having a tool shaft with an insertion axis, the insertion axis being coincident with the outboard axis, the insertion axis including the remote center of spherical rotation.

27. The robotic arm of claim 22, wherein one of the first and second pair of links further includes a support for a surgical instrument having a tool shaft with an insertion axis, the insertion axis being coincident with an axis of rotation for the joint that pivotally couples the first and second pair of links together, the insertion axis passing through the remote center of spherical rotation.

28. The robotic arm of claim 22, further comprising a constraint to limit the rotation of the links at the joint that pivotally couples the first and second pair of links such that a minimum angle between the links is at least fifteen degrees.

29. The robotic arm of claim 22, further comprising a constraint to limit the rotation of the links at the joint that pivotally couples the first and second pair of links such that a minimum angle between the links is at least thirty degrees.

30. The robotic arm of claim 22, wherein the first motor is coupled to the first axis of rotation at a first angle, and the second motor is coupled to the second axis of rotation at a second angle.

31. The robotic arm of claim 22, wherein the first motor is coupled to the first axis of rotation at a right angle, and the second motor is coupled to the second axis of rotation at a right angle.

32. A robotic arm comprising: a first inboard link coupled to a first axis of rotation, the first inboard link having a first intermediate axis spaced apart from the first axis of rotation;a first outboard link pivotally coupled to the first inboard link at the first intermediate axis, the first outboard link having an outboard axis spaced apart from the first intermediate axis;a second inboard link coupled to a second axis of rotation spaced apart from the first axis of rotation, the second inboard link having a second intermediate axis spaced apart from the second axis of rotation;a second outboard link pivotally coupled to the second inboard link at the second intermediate axis and to the first outboard link at the outboard axis;a ground link coupling the first axis of rotation to the second axis of rotation;a first motor coupled to the first axis of rotation;a second motor coupled to the second axis of rotation;wherein the five axes all pass through a remote center of spherical rotation that is spaced apart from all five links; anda controller to provide signals to the first and second motors to respectively rotate the first inboard link and the second inboard link such that a first directional vector from the first axis of rotation to the first intermediate axis has the same direction as a second directional vector from the first axis of rotation to the second axis of rotation when the first inboard link lies in the same plane as the ground link, anda third directional vector from the second axis of rotation to the second intermediate axis has the same direction as a fourth directional vector from the second axis of rotation to the first axis of rotation when the second inboard link lies in the same plane as the ground link.

33. The robotic arm of claim 32, wherein the first outboard link further includes a support for a surgical instrument having a tool shaft with an insertion axis, the insertion axis being spaced apart from the outboard axis and the first intermediate axis, the insertion axis passing through the remote center of spherical rotation.

34. The robotic arm of claim 32, wherein the insertion axis is spaced further apart from the first intermediate axis than the outboard axis is spaced apart from the first intermediate axis.

35. The robotic arm of claim 34, wherein the insertion axis, the outboard axis, and the first intermediate axis are coplanar.

36. The robotic arm of claim 32, wherein the first outboard link further includes a support for a surgical instrument having a tool shaft with an insertion axis, the insertion axis being coincident with the outboard axis, the insertion axis including the remote center of spherical rotation.

37. The robotic arm of claim 32, further comprising a constraint to limit the rotation of the first outboard link about the outboard axis such that a minimum angle between the first outboard link and the second outboard link is at least fifteen degrees.

38. The robotic arm of claim 32, further comprising a constraint to limit the rotation of the first outboard link about the outboard axis such that a minimum angle between the first outboard link and the second outboard link is at least thirty degrees.

39. The robotic arm of claim 32, wherein the first motor is coupled to the first inboard link at a first angle to the first axis of rotation, and the second motor is coupled to the second inboard link at a second angle to the second axis of rotation.

40. The robotic arm of claim 32, wherein the first motor is coupled to the first inboard link at a right angle to the first axis of rotation, and the second motor is coupled to the second inboard link at a right angle to the second axis of rotation.

41. The robotic arm of claim 40, further comprising: a first drive shaft coupled to the first motor at a driven end and to the first inboard link at an opposite end, the first drive shaft extending from the driven end toward the remote center of spherical rotation; anda second drive shaft coupled to the second motor at a driven end and to the second inboard link at an opposite end, the second drive shaft extending from the driven end away from the remote center of spherical rotation.

42. A system comprising: a first robotic arm including a first parallel spherical five-bar linkage having a ground link; two motors coupled to the ground link, each motor having an axis of rotation, the two axes of rotation intersecting at a first remote center of spherical rotation,two inboard links, each inboard link coupled to one of the motors at the motor's axis of rotation, each inboard link having an intermediate axis spaced apart from the motor's axis of rotation, the two intermediate axes passing through the first remote center of spherical rotation, andtwo outboard links, each outboard link pivotally coupled to one of the inboard links at the inboard link's intermediate axis, the two outboard links pivotally coupled together at an outboard axis that is spaced apart from the intermediate axes and passing through the first remote center of spherical rotation; anda controller to cause each of the two motors of the first robotic arm to rotate the respectively coupled inboard links about the motors' axes of rotation such that the two intermediate axes are on the same side of a plane that includes the outboard axis and the axis of rotation of either one of the motors.

43. The system of claim 42, wherein one of the outboard links further includes a surgical instrument having an insertion axis spaced apart from the outboard axis, the insertion axis passing through the first remote center of spherical rotation.

44. The system of claim 43, wherein the insertion axis is spaced further apart from the intermediate axis of the one of the outboard links than the outboard axis is spaced apart from that intermediate axis.

45. The system of claim 44, wherein the insertion axis, the outboard axis, and the intermediate axis of the one of the outboard links are coplanar.

46. The system of claim 42, wherein one of the outboard links further includes a surgical instrument having an insertion axis coincident with the outboard axis, the insertion axis passing through the first remote center of spherical rotation.

47. The system of claim 42, wherein the first robotic arm further includes a mechanical stop to limit the rotation of one of the outboard links about the intermediate axis such that an angle between the motor's axis of rotation, the intermediate axis, and the outboard axis cannot exceed 160 degrees.

48. The system of claim 42, wherein the first robotic arm further includes a mechanical stop to limit the rotation of one of the outboard links about the intermediate axis such that an angle between the motor's axis of rotation, the intermediate axis, and the outboard axis cannot exceed 120 degrees.

49. The system of claim 42, wherein the two axes of rotation are spaced apart on the ground link.

50. The system of claim 42, wherein the two axes of rotation are coincident on the ground link.

51. The system of claim 42, further comprising a second robotic arm including a second parallel spherical five-bar linkage having: two motors, each motor having an axis of rotation, the two axes of rotation intersecting at a second remote center of spherical rotation,two inboard links, each inboard link coupled to one of the motors at the motor's axis of rotation, each inboard link having an intermediate axis spaced apart from the motor's axis of rotation, the two intermediate axes passing through the second remote center of spherical rotation, andtwo outboard links, each outboard link pivotally coupled to one of the inboard links at the inboard link's intermediate axis, the two outboard links pivotally coupled together at an outboard axis that is spaced apart from the intermediate axes and passing through the second remote center of spherical rotation;the controller to further cause each of the two motors of the second robotic arm to rotate the respectively coupled inboard links about the motors' axes of rotation such that the two intermediate axes are on the same side of a plane that includes the outboard axis and one of the axes of rotation, and further such that the two intermediate axes of the second robotic arm are on the opposite side of the plane as they would be for the first robotic arm.

52. A robotic arm for a minimally invasive surgical system, the robotic arm comprising: a parallel five-bar spherical linkage having a range of compact poses, the parallel five-bar spherical linkage to spherically rotationally move a robotic surgical tool coupled to the parallel five-bar spherical linkage about a remote center of spherical rotation; anda constraint coupled to the robotic arm, the constraint to limit the parallel five-bar spherical linkage to the range of compact poses.

53. The robotic arm of claim 52, wherein the robotic arm includes a first motor and a second motor to provide two parallel rotary motion inputs to the parallel five-bar spherical linkage; andthe constraint is a controller coupled to the first motor and the second motor to control the parallel five-bar spherical linkage to maintain the range of compact poses.

54. The robotic arm of claim 52, wherein the parallel five-bar spherical linkage has an outboard joint, andthe constraint includes a mechanical stop coupled to the an outboard joint to limit the parallel five-bar spherical linkage to the range of compact poses.

55. The robotic arm of claim 52, wherein the robotic arm further includes a ground link;the first pair of links is coupled at a first end of the first pair of links to the ground link;the second pair of serial pivotally coupled links is coupled at a first end of the second pair of links to the ground link; anda second end of the first pair of links and a second end of the second pair of links are coupled together at an outboard joint.

56. The robotic arm of claim 52, wherein the first pair of links and the second pair of links have arcuate shapes lying on a plurality of spheres of differing radii.

57. The robotic arm of claim 52, wherein the constraint provides clearance for other surgical equipment around the robotic arm.

58. The robotic arm of claim 52, wherein the parallel five-bar spherical linkage has a ground link to couple to a table to support the robotic arm over a patient.

59. The robotic arm of claim 58, further comprising: a set-up arm coupled between the parallel five-bar spherical linkage and the table to support the robotic arm over a patient.

60. A method for a robotic arm in a minimally invasive surgical system, the method comprising: posing a parallel five-bar spherical linkage into a compact pose;moving the parallel five-bar spherical linkage with a spherical motion about a remote center of spherical rotation; andconstraining the spherical motion of the parallel five-bar spherical linkage within a range of compact poses.

61. The method of claim 60, wherein points of the parallel five-bar spherical linkage move over differing spherical surfaces to spherically move the parallel five-bar spherical linkage.

62. The method of claim 60, wherein the method further includescoupling a link of the parallel five-bar spherical linkage to a table to support the robotic arm over a patient.

63. The method of claim 60, further comprising: coupling a link of the parallel five-bar spherical linkage to a table with a set-up arm to support the robotic arm over a patient.

64. The method of claim 60, wherein the robotic arm has a first motor and a second motor coupled to the parallel five-bar spherical linkage, andin constraining the spherical motion of the parallel five-bar spherical linkage within the range of compact poses, controlling the first motor and the second motor to constrain the spherical motion of the parallel five-bar spherical linkage within the range of compact poses.