Patent Application
20250009413
Aspects of this disclosure relate generally to instrument end effectors and related devices, systems, and methods, for example, for use in computer-assisted teleoperated manipulator systems. More specifically, aspects of the disclosure relate to end effectors with a jaw mechanism and another movable component, and remotely-controlled instruments including such end effectors.
Remotely-controlled instruments generally comprise end effectors, which are often disposed at a distal end portion of the instrument and comprise one or more functional components, such as, for example, a jaw mechanism, a stapler, a knife, a camera, an electrode, a sensor, etc., to perform one or more functions of the instrument, such as cutting, sealing, grasping, imaging, etc. The functions performed by an end effector may be controlled and driven by mechanical forces or other inputs (e.g., electrical energy, illumination, irrigation, etc.) received by the instrument via various interfaces generally located at a proximal end portion of the instrument. In some such instruments, actuation elements run from the proximal end portion along an instrument shaft to transmit forces and/or other functionality from a transmission mechanism at the proximal end portion of the instrument to the end effector. Such remotely-controlled instruments can be manually operated, for example, via one or more manually-actuated inputs at a handle or other interface mounted at the proximal end portion. Alternatively, such remotely-controlled instruments may be coupled to or configured to be coupled to computer-assisted manipulator systems, which may be operably coupled to a remotely located console that provides the interface to receive input from a user.
One type of end effector comprises a jaw mechanism and a movable component configured for translational movement relative to the jaw mechanism, such as a cutting component, a staple firing mechanism, etc. The jaw mechanism comprises jaw members that are pivotable between open and closed configurations, for example to grasp an object and/or perform other operations on the object. While the object is grasped by the jaw mechanism, the movable component can be translated relative to the jaw mechanism to perform some other operation on the grasped object, such as cutting the grasped object, firing staples into the grasped object, etc. The jaw mechanism may also include additional functional elements, such as electrodes for electrosurgical functions. The aforementioned end effectors that have a jaw mechanism and a movable component may be referred to hereinafter as multiple degree of freedom of motion (“multiple-DOF”) end effectors because they have multiple components configured to move in various degrees of freedom relative to other parts of the end effector. For example, one degree of freedom of motion is associated with closing/opening the jaw mechanism and another degree of freedom of motion is associated with translation of the movable component. (The multiple degrees of freedom of motion being referred to above in relation to the term “multiple-DOF end effector” comprise motion of a component of the end effector relative to other components of the end effector, in contrast to degrees of freedom of motion of the entire end effector itself relative to an instrument shaft.) One example of a multiple-DOF end effector is a vessel sealer. In a vessel sealer, the jaw members comprise electrodes for supplying electrosurgical energy to seal a material (e.g., tissue) grasped between the jaw members and the movable element comprises a translating cutting element for cutting the material grasped between the jaw members.
In various applications, the shaft and end effector of an instrument are used in workspaces with relatively limited space. Remotely controlled instruments that utilize a multiple-DOF end effector may include, industrial instruments, medical instruments (e.g., surgical instruments, imaging instruments, diagnostic instruments, therapeutic instruments, etc.), or any other type of tool or instrument. For example, in the context of medical instruments, the workspace may comprise a portion of a patient's body and the end effector and shaft may be inserted into the workspace via an incision or natural orifice. Thus, it is generally desirable to provide instruments, and in particular the end effectors, that are relatively small and able to be used and manipulated within the relatively space-constrained regions found in various applications. For example, if components of an instrument that extend through the shaft, such as actuation elements, can be made to take up less space within the shaft, this may allow for the shaft diameter to be reduced, which may allow for less collateral tissue damage to occur as a result of insertion through the opening (e.g., a smaller incision may be made). As another example, if components of an instrument that extend through the shaft, such as actuation elements, can be made to take up less space within the shaft, this may also allow for additional components to be included within the same size shaft, thus expanding the capabilities of the instrument.
As size of instruments become smaller, however, challenges arise in the ability to accurately and effectively perform functions with the instrument, including instruments that are configured for multiple degrees of freedom motion. This is due to the general need to provide drive forces to actuate the various degrees of freedom motion, which can be challenging in small spaces due to frictional considerations, routing actuation elements through the shaft, transmitting large enough forces via the actuation elements, etc.
Accordingly, a need exists to provide end effectors configured for achieving multiple degree of freedom motion that are relatively small using actuation elements that occupy less space, and/or to otherwise improve performance of instrument end effectors.
Various embodiments of the present disclosure may solve one or more of the above-mentioned problems and/or may demonstrate one or more of the above-mentioned desirable features. Other features and/or advantages may become apparent from the description that follows.
In accordance with an embodiment, a medical instrument comprises a shaft comprising a proximal end portion and a distal end portion, and an end effector coupled to the distal end portion of the shaft. The end effector comprises a jaw mechanism, a movable element translatable relative to the jaw mechanism, a first actuation element operably coupled to the end effector and translatable relative to the shaft, and a second actuation element operably coupled to the end effector and translatable relative to the shaft. Translation of the first actuation element in a first direction relative to the shaft drives closing of the jaw mechanism. Translation of the second actuation element in a second direction relative to the shaft, opposite from the first direction, drives opening of the jaw mechanism. Translation of the second actuation element relative to the shaft in the first and second directions drives translation of the movable element relative to the jaw mechanism.
In accordance with another embodiment, a medical instrument comprises a shaft comprising a proximal end portion and a distal end portion, and an end effector. The end effector comprises a clevis supported by the distal end portion of the shaft, a jaw mechanism comprising two opposing jaw members pivotably coupled to the clevis, and an actuation link engaged with the jaw members and the clevis. The actuation link is moveable in translation relative to the clevis along a proximal direction to drive pivoting of the jaw members to open the jaw mechanism and in a distal direction to drive pivoting of the jaw members to close the jaw mechanism. The end effector further comprises a movable component moveable in translation relative to the jaw members along the proximal and distal directions. The medical instrument further comprises a first actuation element configured to push the actuation link in the distal direction to drive closing of the jaw mechanism and a second actuation element coupled to the movable component. Within a first range of motion, the second actuation element is translatable relative to the actuation link to drive translation of the movable component. Within a second range of motion, the second actuation element is translatable in the proximal direction relative to the shaft to pull the actuation link in the proximal direction to drive opening of the jaw mechanism.
In accordance with yet another embodiment, a method of operating an instrument comprising a shaft and an end effector coupled to the shaft, comprises closing a jaw mechanism of the end effector by translation of a first actuation element in a first direction relative to the shaft. The method further comprises translating a movable component of the end effector in the first direction over a first distance relative to the jaw mechanism, while the jaw mechanism is in a closed state, by translation of a second actuation element in the first direction relative to the shaft. The method further comprises translating the movable component in a second direction back over the first distance relative to the jaw mechanism, while the jaw mechanism is in the closed state, by translation of the second actuation element in the second direction relative to the shaft, the second direction being opposite the first direction. The method further comprises opening the jaw mechanism by continuing to translate the movable component in the second direction relative to the shaft over a second distance extending in the second direction from the first distance.
In accordance with yet another embodiment, a method of operating a medical instrument comprises closing a jaw mechanism of the medical instrument by translating a first actuation element to push an actuation link of the medical instrument to translate in a first direction. The method further comprises in a closed state of the jaw mechanism, extending or retracting a movable component relative to the jaw mechanism by translating a second actuation element coupled to the moveable component relative to the actuation link within a first range of motion. The method further comprises opening the jaw mechanism by translating the second actuation element in a second direction within a second range of motion to pull the actuation link to trans-late in the second direction.
The present disclosure can be understood from the following detailed description, either alone or together with the accompanying drawings. The drawings are included to provide a further understanding of the present disclosure and are incorporated in and constitute a part of this specification. The drawings illustrate one or more embodiments of the present teachings and together with the description explain certain principles and operation. In the drawings:
As noted above, it can be desirable to reduce the space occupied by components of an instrument, such as the actuation elements that extend through the shaft. This may allow the diameter of the end effector and/or the shaft of the instrument to be reduced, and/or it may allow for additional components to be used within the same sized shaft or end effector. In particular, in some instruments space might be relatively constrained when passing through joints that couple an end effector to a shaft, as the motion of the joints may even further limit the space available for internal components, and therefore reducing the space occupied by actuation elements extending through the joints may allow other components that might not have fit through the joints to now be routed through the joints.
End effectors also can be configured to carry out multiple functions using multiple degrees of freedom of motion. For example, some end effectors may have at least two components that are movable along at least two degrees of freedom of motion, such as, for example, pivoting (opening/closing) of jaw members relative to each other and translating a moveable component (e.g., translating a cutting element) relative to the jaw members. To drive these two differing motions, at least two actuation elements have been used in conventional instrument architectures. In addition, a relatively large amount of force may be needed to close the jaw mechanism, and therefore the actuation element that provides that driving force to the jaw mechanism may need to be relatively robust. Accordingly, the number and size of actuation elements extending to the end effector means that a significant amount of space within the shaft and joints (if present) is occupied, making it challenging to reduce the size of the shaft/joints or to add additional components in the shaft/joints. Furthermore, in instruments in which joints are present, the actuation elements need to be flexible enough to bend along with the joints, which excludes some types of actuation elements (e.g., rigid rods, sheet metal bars, or other actuation elements that provide sufficient rigidity along a longitudinal axis of the actuation element to transmit the force without buckling or bending), which can further complicate the configuration and arrangement of the actuation elements.
Accordingly, embodiments disclosed herein may provide multi-DOF end effectors with corresponding actuation elements that are configured to reduce the amount of space occupied by the actuation elements, while also still being usable in instruments having one or more joints. In some embodiments, multi-DOF end effector is configured such that a jaw closing motion is driven by a pushing motion of a first actuation element in a distal direction, a jaw opening motion is driven by a pulling motion of a second actuation element in a proximal direction, and translation of a movable component (e.g., a cutting element or staple firing mechanism) is driven by both pushing and pulling motions of the second actuation element along distal and proximal directions. (Proximal and distal directions referred to herein are as shown in the Figures).
In some embodiments, the first actuation element comprises a flexible push member (e.g., a push-coil, cut tube, etc.), which is an actuation element of a type that is flexible about its longitudinal axis in multiple degrees of freedom and capable of transmitting pushing forces in an axial direction. In some embodiments, the entirety of the length of the first actuation element is configured as a flexible push member, while in other embodiments part of the first actuation element is configured as a flexible push member and one or more other parts of the first actuation element are configured as relatively more rigid push members that can transfer pushing forces (e.g., a rigid tube, beam, etc.) but which do not exhibit lateral flexibility in multiple directions. Flexible push members are described in greater detail below.
The first actuation element is pushed against an actuation link in the distal direction to drive closure of the jaw mechanism. The jaw closing motion may require a relatively large amount of force, especially when, for example, an object is being compressed between the jaw members, and therefore the first actuation element, which can transfer relatively large forces when being pushed in an axial direction, is well suited for driving the jaw closing motion. The first actuation element can transfer large pushing forces because the flexible push member portion thereof, and the other portions thereof if present, are relatively strong (configured to bear a relatively high load) in axial compression. For example, in embodiments in which the flexible push member comprises a push-coil, when a pushing (compressive) force is applied longitudinally to one end of the push-coil, the push-coil relatively can transfer the load axially because each coil of the push-coil is pressed against adjacent coils and thus the coils cannot move relative to one another in the longitudinal direction. Thus, the coil-pipe under compression acts much like a rod, bar, or rigid tubular member with solid walls, transferring substantially all of the pushing forces applied to one end thereof along the length of coil to an object at the other end of the push-coil. Other types of fully flexible push members may act in a similar fashion. To prevent buckling and enable even stronger pushing forces to be applied, the flexible push member may be constrained laterally. Moreover, unlike a rigid compression member such as a rod, rigid tubular member, bar, etc., the flexible push member is flexible in lateral directions and can bend relatively freely while still delivering strong pushing forces, and thus the flexible push member is well suited for use with instruments that have one or more joints disposed between the end effector and the shaft, as it can pass through the one or more joints and due to its flexibility still permit those joints to articulate.
On the other hand, a flexible push member may not be as well suited for transmitting pulling forces, because they generally are relatively weak in tension. When a pulling (tensioning) force is applied longitudinally to one end of the flexible push member, the tension urges portions thereof (e.g., the coils of a push-coil) to pull apart from one another. Thus, the flexible push member under tension tends to stretch (deform and increase in length), much like a spring under tension. This stretching can be problematic when using a flexible push member to transmit a pulling force. Therefore the present disclosure contemplates various embodiments in which a second actuation element is used to drive the jaw opening motion, which involves pulling the actuation link in a proximal direction. The second actuation element comprises a flexible push-pull member, which is an actuation element of a type that is flexible in multiple lateral directions and capable of transmitting both pulling forces and pushing forces in an axial direction. In some embodiments, a flexible push-pull member may be formed from a flexible member that is relatively strong in tension but less strong in compression (e.g., a cable, wire, filament, or similar) by laterally supporting the flexible member to reduce buckling and increase its strength in axial compression and allow for transmitting compressive loads. In particular, in some embodiments the second actuation element comprises a cable routed through a hollow interior channel within the first actuation element, with the first actuation element laterally supporting the cable. The flexible push-pull member extends distally from a distal end of the first actuation element to extend through an opening of the actuation link to couple with the movable element on a distal side of the actuation link. The flexible push-pull member may be relatively strong (configured to bear a relatively high load) in tension, and thus may be well suited to pulling the actuation link in the proximal direction. The flexible push-pull member may also be strong enough in compression to drive distal motion of the movable component. Within a first range of motion of the second actuation element, the second actuation element can translate freely relative to the actuation link (though the opening in the actuation link) to drive translation of the movable component. Within a second range of motion of the second actuation element, further proximal pulling of the second actuation element causes the movable component, which is attached to the second actuation element, to come into contact with and pull the actuation link proximally. Thus, the second actuation element is able to pull the actuation link proximally to drive the jaw opening motion. The second actuation element is also flexible and can bend relatively freely, and thus is also well suited to pass through the joints of instruments without interfering with articulation of those joints.
Because the second actuation element is concentric with and housed within the first actuation element in some embodiments, the amount of space occupied by the actuation elements is greatly reduced. This allows for the shaft to be made smaller than it otherwise would be in a conventional instrument with two or more actuation elements for operating the end effector that are arranged side-by-side rather than one through another and/or for more components to be routed through the shaft of the same size. Moreover, in various embodiments because both actuation elements are concentric with the shaft and joints (i.e., the actuation elements pass through a central longitudinal axis), a change in length of the actuation elements resulting from articulation of the joints is minimized. Accordingly, a twisted lumen structure for routing the actuation elements through the joints, which may otherwise be used to reduce length change of actuation elements due to actuation of joints, may be omitted, thus reducing the complexity of the instrument, further reducing the diameter of the shaft and/or joints, and/or allowing more room for other components to be routed through the shaft and/or joints.
The description below focusses on a vessel sealer instrument that comprises a jaw mechanism with electrosurgical energy delivery functionality and a translating cutting element as a non-limiting embodiment of a multi-DOF end effector. But those having ordinary skill in the art would appreciate that the present disclosure is not limited to this particular type of end effector and that the principles described below are applicable to other types of multi-DOF end effectors. Another embodiment of such an end effector contemplated by this disclosure is a stapler comprising a jaw mechanism (analogous to the jaw mechanism of the vessel sealer) that grasps an object to be stapled (e.g., tissue) and from which staples are fired into the grasped object. In such a stapler, the movable component is a staple firing mechanism which is translated along one of the jaw members and has a ramp to push staples up out of the jaw member as the staple firing mechanism moves past (and thus has a degree of freedom of motion analogous to the translating cutting element of the vessel sealer). The staple firing mechanism may also comprise a blade, and may cut the grasped object while being translated to fire the staples. In another embodiment, the end effector is configured as a vessel sealer comprising a jaw mechanism with electrosurgical energy delivery functionality (e.g., bipolar electrosurgical sealing functionality) and an extendable/retractable monopolar electrode having additional electrode electrosurgical energy delivery functionality (e.g., monopolar electrosurgical cutting functionality). In such a vessel sealer, the movable component is the extendable/retractable monopolar electrode, which may be translated relative to the jaw mechanism between extended and retracted positions. Other embodiments of multi-DOF end effectors would be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art in view of the present disclosure and embodiments described herein.
Turning now to the figures, various embodiments are described below in greater detail.
As shown in
The jaw mechanism 250 comprises two jaw members 251, 252 which are coupled to each other to move relative to each other (e.g., by pivoting) between open and closed states. The movable component 280 is translatable distally and proximally relative to the jaw mechanism 250. For example, the end effector 293 may be configured as a tissue sealing instrument (e.g., a vessel sealing instrument), with the jaw members 251 and 252 comprising electrodes to deliver electrosurgical energy (e.g., bipolar electrosurgical energy) to tissue grasped between the jaw members 251 and 252 and with the movable component 280 comprising a cutting element to cut the grasped tissue. In embodiments in which the jaw members 251, 252 comprise electrodes, the electrodes may be formed from the body of the jaw member 251 or 252 itself, such as by different faces or surface features of the jaw member 251 or 252, or the electrodes may be formed as separate parts that are coupled to the body of the jaw members 251 or 252. Electrically conductive power transmission pathways, such as wires, extend through the shaft to the electrodes to electrically couple the electrodes to an electrical power source, such as an electrosurgical unit (ESU), which power source can be coupled to terminals at the force transmission system 292.
The instrument 202 may have various degrees of freedom of motion, which may include internal degrees of freedom of motion of the end effector 293 (e.g., opening and closing of the jaw mechanism 250, translating the movable element 280), as well as degrees of freedom of motion to move the shaft 291 and/or the end effector 293 about the workspace and change the pose of the entire end effector 293 relative to the remainder of the instrument 202. For example, the instrument 202 may comprise one or more articulable structures 295 to allow the end effector 293 to be moved relative to the remainder of the shaft 291. An articulable structure 295 may be any structure that allows for relative motion along one or more degrees of freedom of motion between two components attached to the articulable structure. In some embodiments, an articulable structure 295 may comprise one or more joints 296 arranged to provide the relative motion along the aforementioned one or more degrees of freedom of motion. In an articulable structure 295 comprising multiple joints 295, the joints 296 are coupled directly or indirectly together to form the articulable structure 295. In some embodiments, the degrees of freedom of motion provided by the one or more articulable structures 295 may include pitch, yaw, roll, or any combination thereof of the end effector 293 relative to the shaft 291. As another example of a type of degree of freedom of motion of the instrument 202, the shaft 291 may be rotatable so as to roll relative to the force transmission system 292 or otherwise have degrees of freedom of motion. Moreover, additional optional articulable structures (e.g., joints) (not shown in
As noted above, the force transmission system 292 may comprise drive inputs 223 that interface with and are driven by the drive outputs of a manipulator system, as described further below with reference to
In some embodiments, at least a portion of the first actuation element 299 comprises a flexible push member type actuation element. As used herein, a flexible push member is flexible in lateral directions (i.e., about its longitudinal axis) while still being able to transfer pushing forces in the axial direction (i.e., axially rigid) regardless of whether the member is bent. Specifically, in some embodiments, the flexible push member is flexible in at least two orthogonal lateral directions (e.g., pitch and yaw), in contrast to what is referred to herein as a partially flexible push member, which may be flexible in just one lateral direction (e.g., a thin beam). In some embodiments, the flexible push member is flexible in all lateral directions. One example of a flexible push members is a push-coil, which comprises an elongated strip or bar of material (e.g., wire) coiled around and along a longitudinal axis, with adjacent coils being in contact with one another (like a fully compressed spring) to allow for axial transmission of pushing forces. Another example of a flexible push member is a cut tube (e.g., laser cut tube), which comprises a hollow hypo tube that is cut (e.g., by a laser or other means) to form slits through its wall in a specific pattern (e.g., a spiral pattern) that allows the cut tube to flex in lateral directions while still transferring axial pushing forces in a manner similar to a push coil. Coil pipes and some cut tubes may be flexible in all lateral directions. Some examples of coil pipes, cut tubes, and other flexible push members are described in U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2019/0239967 A1, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety. In some embodiments, only a portion of the first actuation element 299 is configured as the flexible push member, with one or more other portions of the first actuation element 299 being configured as non-flexible or partially flexible push members that can transfer pushing forces in an axial direction but which are not flexible or are flexible in just one lateral direction (e.g., a rigid tube, bar, thin beam, etc.). For example, a first portion that runs through the shaft 291 may be configured as non-flexible or partially flexible member, and this first portion may be coupled to a second portion that runs through the joints 296, with the second portion being configured as a flexible push member (e.g., a coil-pipe) to allow bending through the joints 296. The first actuation element 299 is coupled to an actuation link (not illustrated) of the end effector 293, which the first actuation element 299 pushes on in the distal direction to drive closure of the jaw mechanism 250. The flexible push member portion and the other push member portions (if present) that form the first actuation element 299 can transfer relatively large forces when being pushed and, by positioning the flexible push member portion such that it runs through the joints 296, the first actuation element 299 can be sufficiently flexible to bend relatively freely while passing through the joints 296. The flexible push member portion of the first actuation element 299 may be stronger in pushing than it is in pulling. In other words, it may be stronger in compression than in tension. Fully flexible compression members, such as push-coils, laser-cut tubes, etc., are known in the art, and thus are not described in greater detail herein.
The second actuation element 298 comprises a translating actuation element of a type that can transfer forces by both pushing (compression) and pulling (tension) along a longitudinal direction, while also still being generally flexible in all lateral directions. Such an actuation element that is flexible and can transfer both pushing and pulling forces may be referred to herein as a “flexible push-pull member.” For example, a flexible push-pull member may comprise a flexible member that is relatively strong in tension and relatively weak in compression (when unsupported), such as a cable, wire, filament, or the like, which is surrounded by a supporting structure that laterally supports the flexible member along at least a portion of the length of the flexible member to prevent buckling and thus increase the compressive strength of the flexible member. Thus, laterally supporting the flexible member enables the flexible member to transfer both pulling and pushing forces, and therefore the laterally supported flexible member is one type of a flexible push-pull member. For example, a so-called push-cable or push-pull cable, which comprises a cable surrounded by a supporting structure, is one example of a flexible push-pull member. In some embodiments, the second actuation element 298 may be stronger in tension than in compression, but the second actuation element 298 may nevertheless be sufficiently strong in compression to allow the second actuation element 298 to transfer moderate pushing forces, including pushing forces sufficient to translate the movable component 280 distally and overcome a resisting force, such as may result from resistance of tissue to being cut in the case of cutting element, a resistance of staples to being fired in the case of a staple firing element, etc. In some embodiments, the second actuation element 298 may be roughly equally strong in compression and tension. The second actuation element 298 can translate relative to the actuation link in proximal and distal directions to drive the motion of the movable component 280, and can also pull the actuation link in a proximal direction to drive opening of the jaw mechanism 250. The second actuation element 298 is also flexible and can bend relatively freely while passing through the joints 296.
In some embodiments, the first actuation element 299 forms the lateral support structure for the second actuation element 298, with the second actuation element 298 being routed through a hollow interior channel of the first actuation element 299. The first actuation element 299 may thus act as a guide element and lateral support structure for the second actuation element 298, providing lateral constraining forces that prevent the second actuation element 298 from bending or buckling when being pushed (under moderate forces). In some other embodiments, the second actuation element 298 is routed alongside, rather than through, the first actuation element 299, and a separate supporting structure (e.g., tube, sleeve, coil pipe, etc.) may surround the second actuation element 298 to provide the lateral support to enable the second actuation element 298 to transfer pushing forces.
As noted above, in some embodiments the second actuation element 298 may comprise a flexible member, such as a cable. References herein to cable refer broadly to a tensioning member capable of transmitting tension forces, and also capable of transmitting compression forces when laterally supported. Cables formed from multiple twisted strands of metal are one example of a cable, but it should be understood that “cables” as used herein may also include members formed from non-metals and/or members comprising a single continuous strand (e.g., filament, wire, etc.).
The shaft 291 comprises an outer housing through which various components, such as actuation elements, are routed to transmit force or other functionality to the end effector 293. For example, the housing of the shaft 291 may be shaped as a tube through which one or more passages run to receive and route the various components. The tube may have a central bore and/or bores around a periphery of the tube, such as in a thickness of the housing wall. Components that are routed through the shaft 291 may include, for example, the actuation elements described above to drive movement and/or actuate movement of the instrument 202, electrical power transmission lines, data communication lines, vacuum suction delivery lines, fluid delivery lines, electromagnetic energy delivery lines, etc. As noted above, in some embodiments, the shaft 291 comprises one or more articulable structures 295, and articulation of the articulable structures 295 may also be driven by corresponding actuation elements that are routed through the shaft 291 and transmit force from the force transmission system 292. The end effector 293 is coupled to and supported at a distal portion of the shaft 291, directly or via intermediate parts such as an articulable structure 295. Although one articulable structure 295 is illustrated in
Although
Turning now to
Some parts of the end effector 393 are illustrated in multiple figures. As elements of the end effector 393 are described, one or a few figures which are thought to be particularly pertinent to the aspect will be noted, but it should be understood that other figures besides those that are identified may also illustrate the same part from other perspectives. Thus, the description below will not necessarily describe the figures
As shown in
The shaft 391 may house various components, as described above in relation to the shaft 291. In particular, the shaft 391 houses one or more actuation elements, including the actuation elements 399 and 398. The actuation elements transfer motion/forces/torques received from drive inputs at the force transmission system to the end effector 393, articulable structures 395 (e.g., joints 396), and/or other parts of the instrument (such as articulable structures along the shaft) to actuate functions (e.g., closing a jaw mechanism) of the instrument and/or drive other degrees of freedom of motion. For example, the actuation elements may be driven to translate along a longitudinal axis thereof, rotate about the longitudinal axis, or both, with the motion of the actuation elements driving motion of part of the instrument. The actuation elements 399 and 398 in particular are driven to translate along the distal and proximal directions to drive motions of the end effector 293.
Specifically, at least a portion of the first actuation element 399 comprises a flexible push member, such as a push-coil, laser-cut tube, etc. In some embodiments, a first portion of the first actuation element 399 is configured as a flexible push member and a second portion of the first actuation element 399 is configured as a non-flexible or partially-flexible push member, such as a rigid tube, with the first and second portions being coupled together and arranged in sequence along the longitudinal axis of the first actuation element 399. In some embodiments, more than two portions of the first actuation element 399 are configured non-flexible or partially-flexible push members, for example with the flexible push member portion being disposed between two non-flexible or partially-flexible member portions. In some embodiments, the flexible push member portion of the first actuation element 399 may comprise at least a portion that extends through an articulable structure 395, thus enabling the first actuation element 399 to bend with the articulable structure 395. The first actuation element 399 is pushed in the distal direction to drive a jaw closing motion of the jaw mechanism 350, as described above.
The second actuation element 398, on the other hand, comprises a flexible member configured to be capable of transferring both pushing (compressive) and pulling (tensioning) forces, such as a cable or the like that is laterally supported to protect against buckling when pushed (also referred to in the art as a push-pull cable). The second actuation element 398 is pushed in the distal direction to drive an extension motion of the movable component 380 and pulled in the proximal to drive both a retraction motion of the movable component 380 and also a jaw opening motion of the jaw mechanism 350. Specifically, when the second actuation element 398 is translated distally or proximally relative to the shaft 391, over a first range of motion, the motion of the second actuation element 398 drives translation of the movable component 380. Within a second range of motion of the second actuation element 398, proximal translation of the second actuation element 398 relative to the shaft 391 causes the jaw mechanism 350 to open. The configuration and operation of the actuation elements 399 and 398 will be described in greater detail below.
As noted above, in some embodiments the end effector 393 is coupled to the shaft 391 by an articulable structure 395, which in the embodiment shown is a pair of joints 396. In the embodiment illustrated in
The shaft 391 comprises one or more housing structures, including an outer housing 397 as shown in
As shown in
As noted above, the end effector 393 comprises a jaw mechanism 350. The jaw mechanism 350 may be used as the jaw mechanism 250 described above. The jaw mechanism 350 comprises two jaw members 351, 352 (see
More specifically, as shown in
Only one pivot pin 361 is visible in the
The jaw members 351 and 352 are driven to pivot about the pivot axis 341 by motion of an actuation link 370, which is coupled to the jaw members 351, 352, as shown in and
As noted above, the end effector 393 also comprises a movable component 380, which may be used as the movable component 280. In the embodiment illustrated in
The actuation link 370 is driven to translate relative to the clevis 360 along the proximal and distal directions by the actuation elements 398 and 399. Specifically, the first actuation element 399 is configured to drive translation of the actuation link 370 in the distal direction, thereby driving a jaw closing motion of the jaw mechanism 350. As shown in
The second actuation element 398, on the other hand, is configured to drive translation of the actuation link 370 in the proximal direction, thereby driving a jaw opening motion of the jaw mechanism 350. Although the second actuation element 398 is not fixedly coupled to the actuation link 370 and is generally free to translate relative to the actuation link 370 through the hole 372, the smallest inner diameter of the hole 372 is smaller than a proximal face of the movable component 380 (specifically, smaller than a diameter of the attachment portion 382 in the illustrated embodiment), and therefore the movable component 380 cannot pass through the hole 372. Accordingly, if the second actuation element 398 is pulled sufficiently far in the proximal direction, a portion of the movable component 380 (e.g., the attachment portion 382) will eventually engage with the actuation link 370 and continued pulling on the second actuation element 398 will in turn force the actuation link 370 to move in the proximal direction, thereby driving the jaw opening motion.
In addition to driving the jaw opening motion, translation of the second actuation element 398 can also drive translation of the moveable component 380 comprising the blade 381. The moveable component 380 is translatable between a first retracted position (a proximal position), a second retracted position (an intermediate position), and an extended position (a distal position). The first retracted position is illustrated in
Thus, there is a first range of motion of the cable 398 (i.e., between the extended and second retracted positions) within which the second actuation element 398 can freely translate relative to the actuation link 370 in distal and proximal directions as a result of the second actuation element 398 being driven to translate relative to the shaft 391, and there is a second range of motion (i.e., between the second retracted and first retracted positions) in which the second actuation element 398 cannot translate proximally relative to the actuation link 370. Instead, within the second range or motion, proximal translation of the actuation element 398 relative to the shaft 391 causes the actuation link 370 to move proximally along with the cable 398, thereby driving the jaw opening motion. Said another way, within the second range of motion, the actuation element 398 can translate relative to the actuation link 370 in a distal direction, while it translates with the actuation link 370 in a proximal direction.
The jaw members 351 and/or 352 may comprise a track 359 in the form of a trough or channel, as shown in
As noted above, in the embodiment illustrated in
The opening and closing of the jaw mechanism and the extending and retracting of the movable component described above are described below in greater detail with reference to
In some embodiments, the first state described above and illustrated in
In still other embodiments, the initial or default state may be a state (not illustrated) in which the jaw mechanism 350 is open, but in which the movable element is 380 is at a second retracted position B2, described below. This state is essentially the same as the state illustrated in
In those embodiments in which the moveable component 380 is at the first retracted position B1 in the first state, such as the embodiment illustrated in
In some of these embodiments, the moveable component 380 is driven to move from position B1 to position B2 entirely by forces transferred by the first actuation element 399 to the actuation link 370 and from the actuation link 370 to the moveable component 380. In other words, in these embodiments the second actuation element 398 is not driven to move (although it is allowed to move) while the first actuation element 399 is being pushed in the distal direction; instead the second actuation element 398 is passively dragged along in the distal direction by the actuation link 370 as a result of the actively driven translation of the first actuation element 399. The second actuation element 398 may resist being dragged along distally by the first actuation element 399, for example, because the drive inputs and drive outputs coupled to the second actuation element 398 resist being moved, but the forces applied to the first actuation element 399 may be sufficiently strong to overcome this resistance.
In other embodiments, the second actuation element 398 is driven to translate distally before and/or while the first actuation element 399 is being driven to move distally, and therefore the movement of the moveable component 380 from position B1 to position B2 may be primarily or at least in part driven by the active translation of the second actuation element 398. In some of these embodiments in which the second actuation element 398 is actively driven to help drives movement of the moveable component 380 from position B1 to position B2, the second actuation element 398 may begin moving distally prior to the first actuation element 399 beginning to move distally to avoid creating the aforementioned resistance to the distal translation of the actuation link 370.
Regardless of whether motion of the moveable component 380 from B1 to B2 is driven primarily by the first actuation element 399, primarily by the second actuation element 398, or some combination thereof, in each of the embodiments it is the first actuation element 399 alone that drives the motion of the actuation link 370 in the distal direction, and hence the jaw closing motion. Because the second actuation element 398 is not fixedly attached to the actuation link 370 and passes through the hole 372, the second actuation element 398 is essentially free to translate distally relative to the actuation link 370. Thus, when the moveable component 380 is moved from B1 to B2, even if the second actuation element 398 is driving that motion of the moveable component 380, the motion of the second actuation element 398 does not impart any forces to aid in the motion of the actuation link 370 other than some small frictional forces, but these friction forces are negligible compared to the overall driving forces of the first actuation element 399 and thus are not considered as contributing to the driving of the actuation link 370 for purposes of this disclosure.
In those embodiments (not illustrated) in which the moveable component 380 is already at the second retracted position B2 in the initial state of the end effector 393, then when transitioning from the first state to the second state, the moveable component 380 may remain stationary while the actuation link 370 is moved.
In the state of
While the second actuation element is 398 is being pulled in the proximal direction in the second range of motion to drive the jaw opening motion, the first actuation element 399 also translates proximally to allow the actuation link 370 to move proximally. In some embodiments, the first actuation element 399 is not actively driven to move proximally in this stage of motion, but instead is simply allowed to be pulled along proximally by the motion of the actuation link 370, which is driven entirely by the motion of the second actuation element 398. In other embodiments, the first actuation element 399 is actively driven by the force transmission system to move proximally along with (or prior to) the second actuation element 398, thus avoiding the need for the second actuation element 398 to pull the first actuation element 399 along with the actuation link 370.
In some of embodiments, the first actuation element 399 is not attached to the actuation link 370. Thus, if the first actuation element 399 is driven to move proximally along with the second actuation element 398, the first actuation element 399 does not actually transfer any forces to the actuation link 370. The first actuation element 399 may be driven to move proximally prior to or at the same time as the second actuation element 398.
In some embodiments, the first actuation element 399 is attached to the actuation link 370. Thus, if the first actuation element 399 is driven to move proximally while the second actuation element 398 is also being driven to pull the actuation link 370 proximally, the proximal motion of the first actuation element 399 may apply some pulling force to the actuation link 370, in addition to the pulling force supplied by the second actuation element 398. However, because the first actuation element 399 may be relatively weak at pulling, the pulling forces transferred to the actuation link 370 from the first actuation element 399 may be relatively small compared to the pulling forces transmitted to the actuation link 370 by the second actuation element 398.
Regardless of whether the first actuation element 399 is driven to move during the jaw opening mechanism or whether first actuation element 399 it is attached to the actuation link 370, it is the second actuation element 398 that primarily transmits the force to drive the jaw opening motion. As noted above, even in embodiments in which the first actuation element 399 is attached to the actuation link 370 and driven to move proximally with the second actuation element 398, first actuation element 399 contributes a relatively small proportion of the overall force that is exerted to drive the proximal motion of the actuation link 370, with the second actuation element 398 supplying the predominant proportion of the driving force. Thus, the second actuation element 398 may be considered as the primary driver of the jaw opening motion for purposes of this disclosure. The small amount of force that may be contributed by the first actuation element 399 in some embodiments is not sufficient in and of itself to “drive” the jaw opening motion and thus cannot be considered to be the primary or predominant force driving the motion of the actuation link 370; instead the first actuation element 399 may be regarded as assisting the second actuation element 398.
In those embodiments (not illustrated) in which the moveable element 380 is at the second retracted position B2 during the initial state, after the state illustrated in
In the progression of states described above, with the instrument being embodied as a vessel sealer, an electrosurgical sealing operation may also be performed on an object (e.g., vessel) grasped by the jaw mechanism 350. In particular, the electrosurgical sealing operation may be performed in the second state illustrated in
Turning now to
One difference between the end effector 393 and the end effector 493 is that in the end effector 493 there are two separate pivot axes 441a and 441b about which the jaw members 451 and 452 respectively pivot, rather than both jaw members pivoting about the same pivot axis 341 as in end effector 393. As shown in
In some embodiments, including the embodiment illustrated in
In some embodiments, the clevis 460 of the end effector 493 may have a larger diameter than the clevis 360 of the end effector 393, as a result of the pivot pins 461a and 461b being vertically spaced apart from one another. However, one benefit of the arrangement of the end effector 493 may be that a length of travel of the actuation link 470 in driving the jaw closing motion may be shorter than the length of travel of the actuation link 370 in the end effector 393 (compare arrow 602 in
Turning now to
In
As noted above, the end effector 1293 is configured as a stapler. Thus, one of the jaw members 1251 and 1252 (e.g., jaw member 1252 in
Moreover, the movable component 1280 comprises a staple firing element 1284. The staple firing element 1284 comprises a ramped (sloped) surface 1286 that is arranged to come into contact with complementary ramped surfaces of pushers 1298 positioned below the staples 1285 as the movable component 1280 is translated distally. Contact between the ramped surface 1286 and the pushers 1298 causes the pushers 1298 to move in a direction substantially perpendicular to the direction of translation of movable component 1280 (i.e., an upward direction in
In the illustrated embedment, the movable component 1280 also comprises a blade 1281. The blade 1281 translates along a track 1259, shown in
The staple firing element 1284 is coupled, directly or indirectly, to the attachment portion 1282, and thus is forced to move along with the attachment portion 1282 as the movable component 1280 is driven to translate. In the embodiment illustrated in
As shown in
Operation of the end effector 1293 will now be described, with reference to
Turning now to
The manipulator assembly 110 comprises one or more manipulators 114.
Each manipulator 114 may be configured to support and/or operate one or more instruments 102. In some examples the instruments 102 may be fixedly coupled to the manipulator 114, while in other examples one of the links 115 may be configured to have one or more separate instruments 102 removably coupled thereto. The instruments 102 may include any tool or instrument, including for example industrial instruments and medical instruments (e.g., surgical instruments, imaging instruments, diagnostic instruments, therapeutic instruments, etc.). The instrument 202 described above may be used as any one of the instruments 102.
The system 100 can also include a user input and feedback system 104 operably coupled to the control system 106. The user input and feedback system 104 comprises one or more input devices to receive input control commands to control operations of the manipulator assembly 110. Such input devices may include but are not limited to, for example, telepresence input devices, triggers, grip input devices, buttons, switches, pedals, joysticks, trackballs, data gloves, trigger-guns, gaze detection devices, voice recognition devices, body motion or presence sensors, touchscreen technology, or any other type of device for registering user input. In some cases, an input device may be provided with the same degrees of freedom as the associated instrument that they control, and as the input device is actuated, the instrument, through drive inputs from the manipulator assembly, is controlled to follow or mimic the movement of the input device, which may provide the user a sense of directly controlling the instrument. Telepresence input devices may provide the operator with telepresence, meaning the perception that the input devices are integral with the instrument. The user input and feedback system 104 may also include feedback devices, such as a display device (not shown) to display images (e.g., images of the worksite as captured by one of the instruments 102), haptic feedback devices, audio feedback devices, other graphical user interface forms of feedback, etc.
The control system 106 may control operations of the system 100. In particular, the control system 106 may send control signals (e.g., electrical signals) to the manipulator assembly 110 to control movement of the joints 116 and to control operations of the instruments 102 (e.g., through drive interfaces at the manipulators 114). In some embodiments, the control system 106 may also control some or all operations of the user input and feedback system 104, the auxiliary system 108, or other parts of the system 100. The control system 106 may include an electronic controller to control and/or assist a user in controlling operations of the manipulator assembly 110. The electronic controller comprises processing circuitry configured with logic for performing the various operations. The logic of the processing circuitry may comprise dedicated hardware to perform various operations, software (machine readable and/or processor executable instructions) to perform various operations, or any combination thereof. In examples in which the logic comprises software, the processing circuitry may include a processor to execute the software instructions and a memory device that stores the software. The processor may comprise one or more processing devices capable of executing machine readable instructions, such as, for example, a processor, a processor core, a central processing unit (CPU), a controller, a microcontroller, a system-on-chip (SoC), a digital signal processor (DSP), a graphics processing unit (GPU), etc. In examples in which the processing circuitry includes dedicated hardware, in addition to or in lieu of the processor, the dedicated hardware may include any electronic device that is configured to perform specific operations, such as an Application Specific Integrated Circuit (ASIC), a Field Programmable Gate Array (FPGA), a Complex Programmable Logic Device (CPLD), discrete logic circuits, a hardware accelerator, a hardware encoder, etc. The processing circuitry may also include any combination of dedicated hardware and processor plus software.
As noted above, differing degrees of user control versus autonomous control may be utilized in the system 100, and embodiments disclosed herein may encompass fully user-controlled systems, fully autonomously-controlled systems, and systems having any combination of user and autonomous control. For operations that are user-controlled, the control system 106 generates control signals in response to receiving a corresponding user input command via the user input and feedback system 104. For operations that are autonomously controlled, the control system 106 may execute pre-programmed logic (e.g., a software program) and may determine and send control commands based on the programming (e.g., in response to a detected state or stimulus specified in the programming). In some systems, some operations may be user controlled and others autonomously controlled. Moreover, some operations may be partially user controlled and partially autonomously controlled—for example, a user input command may initiate performance of a sequence of events, and then the control system 106 may perform various operations associated with that sequence without needing further user input.
The auxiliary system 108 may comprise various auxiliary devices that may be used in operation of the system 100. For example, the auxiliary system 108 may include power supply units, auxiliary function units (e.g., functions such as irrigation, evacuation, energy supply, illumination, sensors, imaging, etc.). As one example, in a system 100 for use in a medical procedure context, the auxiliary system 108 may comprise a display device for use by medical staff assisting a procedure, while the user operating the input devices may utilize a separate display device that is part of the user input and feedback system 104. As another example, in a system 100 for use in a medical context, the auxiliary system 108 may comprise flux supply units that provide surgical flux (e.g., electrical power) to instruments 102. An auxiliary system 108 as used herein may thus encompass a variety of components and does not need to be provided as an integral unit.
As noted above, one or more instruments 102 can be mounted to the manipulator 114. In some embodiments, an instrument carriage physically supports the mounted instrument 102 and has one or more actuators (not illustrated) to provide driving forces to the instrument 102 to control operations of the instrument 102. The actuators may provide the driving forces by actuating drive outputs (not illustrated), such as rotary disc outputs, joggle outputs, linear motion outputs, etc. The drive outputs may interface with and mechanically transfer driving forces to corresponding drive inputs of the instrument 102 (directly, or via intermediate drive outputs, which may be part of a sterile instrument adaptor (ISA) (not illustrated)). The ISA may be placed between the instrument 102 and the instrument carriage to maintain sterile separation between the instrument 102 and the manipulator 114. The instrument carriage may also comprise other interfaces (not illustrated), such as electrical interfaces to provide and/or receive electrical signals to/from the instrument 102.
The embodiments described herein (including the system 100, instrument 202, end effector 393, and end effector 493 described above) may be well suited for use in medical applications. In particular, some embodiments are suitable for use in, for example, surgical, teleoperated surgical, diagnostic, therapeutic, and/or biopsy procedures. Such procedures could be performed, for example, on human patients, animal patients, human cadavers, animal cadavers, and portions or human or animal anatomy. Some embodiments may also be suitable for use in, for example, for non-surgical diagnosis, cosmetic procedures, imaging of human or animal anatomy, gathering data from human or animal anatomy, training medical or non-medical personnel, and procedures on tissue removed from human or animal anatomies (without return to the human or animal anatomy). Even if suitable for use in such medical procedures, the embodiments may also be used for benchtop procedures on non-living material and forms that are not part of a human or animal anatomy. Moreover, some embodiments are also suitable for use in non-medical applications, such as industrial robotic uses, including, but not limited to, sensing, inspecting, and/or manipulating non-tissue work pieces. In non-limiting embodiments, the techniques, methods, and devices described herein may be used in, or may be part of, a computer-assisted surgical system employing robotic technology such as the da Vinci® Surgical Systems commercialized by Intuitive Surgical, Inc., of Sunnyvale, California. Those skilled in the art will understand, however, that aspects disclosed herein may be embodied and implemented in various ways and systems, including manually operated instruments and computer-assisted, teleoperated systems, in both medical and non-medical applications. Reference to the daVinci® Surgical Systems are illustrative and not to be considered as limiting the scope of the disclosure herein.
It is to be understood that both the general description and the detailed description provide example embodiments that are explanatory in nature and are intended to provide an understanding of the present disclosure without limiting the scope of the present disclosure. Various mechanical, compositional, structural, electrical, and operational changes may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of this description and the claims. Further, the terminology used herein to describe aspects of the invention, such as spatial and relational terms, is chosen to aid the reader in understanding example embodiments of the invention but is not intended to limit the invention. For example, spatially terms-such as “beneath”, “below”, “lower”, “above”, “upper”, “proximal”, “distal”, “up”, “down”, and the like—may be used herein to describe directions or one element's or feature's spatial relationship to another element or feature as illustrated in the figures. These spatial terms are used relative to the figures and are not limited to a particular reference frame in the real world. Thus, for example, the direction “up” in the figures does not necessarily have to correspond to an “up” in a world reference frame (e.g., away from the Earth's surface). Furthermore, if a different reference frame is considered than the one illustrated in the figures, then the spatial terms used herein may need to be interpreted differently in that different reference frame. For example, the direction referred to as “up” in relation to one of the figures may correspond to a direction that is called “down” in relation to a different reference frame that is rotated 180 degrees from the figure's reference frame. As another example, if a device is turned over 180 degrees in a world reference frame as compared to how it was illustrated in the figures, then an item described herein as being “above” or “over” a second item in relation to the Figures would be “below” or “beneath” the second item in relation to the world reference frame. Thus, the same spatial relationship or direction can be described using different spatial terms depending on which reference frame is being considered. Moreover, the poses of items illustrated in the figure are chosen for convenience of illustration and description, but in an implementation in practice the items may be posed differently.
As used herein, “proximal” and “distal” are spatial/directional terms that describe locations or directions based on their relationship. In the context of the present disclosure, the directions proximal and distal are labeled relative to the instrument in various figures, with proximal describing the direction along the instrument toward the force transmission system and distal describing the direction along the instrument toward the end effector. As such, the proximal and distal directions are not fixed in space, but rather are used herein to describe different end portions of the instrument itself regardless of its specific orientation in space.
In addition, the singular forms “a”, “an”, and “the” are intended to include the plural forms as well, unless the context indicates otherwise. And, the terms “comprises”, “comprising”, “includes”, and the like specify the presence of stated features, steps, operations, elements, and/or components but do not preclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, steps, operations, elements, components, and/or groups. Components described as coupled may be electrically or mechanically directly coupled, or they may be indirectly coupled via one or more intermediate components, unless specifically noted otherwise. Mathematical and geometric terms are not necessarily intended to be used in accordance with their strict definitions unless the context of the description indicates otherwise, because a person having ordinary skill in the art would understand that, for example, a substantially similar element that functions in a substantially similar way could easily fall within the scope of a descriptive term even though the term also has a strict definition.
Elements and their associated aspects that are described in detail with reference to one embodiment may, whenever practical, be included in other embodiments in which they are not specifically shown or described. For example, if an element is described in detail with reference to one embodiment and is not described with reference to a second embodiment, the element may nevertheless be claimed as included in the second embodiment.
Unless otherwise noted herein or implied by the context, when terms of approximation such as “substantially,” “approximately,” “about,” “around,” “roughly,” and the like, are used in conjunction with a stated numerical value, property, or relationship, such as an end-point of a range or geometric properties/relationships (e.g., parallel, perpendicular, straight, etc.), this should be understood as meaning that mathematical exactitude is not required for the value, property, or relationship, and that instead a range of variation is being referred to that includes but is not strictly limited to the stated value, property, or relationship. In particular, the range of variation around the stated value, property, or relationship includes at least any inconsequential variations from the value, property, or relationship, such as variations that are equivalents to the stated value, property, or relationship. The range of variation around the stated value, property, or relationship also includes at least those variations that are typical in the relevant art for the type of item in question due to manufacturing or other tolerances. Furthermore, the range of variation also includes at least variations that are within +5% of the stated value, property, or relationship. Thus, for example, a line or surface may be considered as being “approximately parallel” to a reference line or surface if any one of the following is true: the smallest angle between the line/surface and the reference is less than or equal to 4.5° (i.e., 5% of) 90°, the angle is less than or equal to manufacturing or other tolerances typical in the art, or the line/surface as constituted is functionally equivalent to the line/surface if it had been perfectly parallel.
Further modifications and alternative embodiments will be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art in view of the disclosure herein. For example, the devices and methods may include additional components or steps that were omitted from the diagrams and description for clarity of operation. Accordingly, this description is to be construed as illustrative only and is for the purpose of teaching those skilled in the art the general manner of carrying out the present disclosure. It is to be understood that the various embodiments shown and described herein are to be taken as exemplary. Elements and materials, and arrangements of those elements and materials, may be substituted for those illustrated and described herein, parts and processes may be reversed, and certain features of the present teachings may be utilized independently, all as would be apparent to one skilled in the art after having the benefit of the description herein. In some instances, well-known structures, systems, and techniques have not been shown or described in detail in order not to obscure the embodiments. Changes may be made in the elements described herein without departing from the scope of the present teachings and following claims.
Other embodiments in accordance with the present disclosure will be apparent to those skilled in the art from consideration of the specification and practice of the invention disclosed herein. It is intended that the specification and examples be considered as exemplary only, with the following claims being entitled to their fullest breadth, including equivalents, under the applicable law.
This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Application No. 63/279,500 (filed Nov. 15, 2021), titled “INSTRUMENT END EFFECTOR WITH JAW MECHANISM AND MOVEABLE COMPONENT AND RELATED DEVICES, SYSTEMS AND METHODS” the entire contents of which are incorporated by reference herein.
| Filing Document | Filing Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| PCT/US2022/049404 | 11/9/2022 | WO |
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 63279500 | Nov 2021 | US |
