US 11,806,048 B2
Robotically and manually operable uterine manipulators
Scott J. Prior, Branford, CT (US); Zachary Traina, Verona, NJ (US); Arvind Rajagopalan Mohan, Dracut, MA (US); Nikolai D. Begg, Wellesley, MA (US); and Kevin R. Slisz, Old Saybrook, CT (US)
Assigned to Covidien LP, Mansfield, MA (US)
Filed by Covidien LP, Mansfield, MA (US)
Filed on Feb. 10, 2021, as Appl. No. 17/172,222.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/987,393, filed on Mar. 10, 2020.
Prior Publication US 2021/0282814 A1, Sep. 16, 2021
Int. Cl. A61B 17/42 (2006.01); A61B 34/35 (2016.01); A61B 17/00 (2006.01); A61B 34/00 (2016.01); A61B 17/12 (2006.01)
CPC A61B 17/4241 (2013.01) [A61B 34/35 (2016.02); A61B 34/71 (2016.02); A61B 2017/0046 (2013.01); A61B 2017/00424 (2013.01); A61B 2017/00477 (2013.01)] 19 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A uterine manipulator comprising:
a housing configured to be coupled to an instrument drive unit of a robotic system;
a shaft extending distally from the housing;
a tip hub pivotably coupled to a distal end portion of the shaft;
an articulation assembly disposed within the housing and configured to pivot the tip hub relative to the shaft, the articulation assembly including a drive cable operably coupled to the tip hub and being actuatable manually by a user and robotically by the robotic system to pivot the tip hub relative to the shaft; and
a handle operably coupled to at least one of the shaft or the housing, the handle configured to be manually gripped by a user for manual use of the uterine manipulator, wherein the handle is pivotable relative to the housing or the shaft to pivot the tip hub relative to the shaft, and wherein the handle defines a window opening for permitting the articulation assembly to couple to the instrument drive unit of the robotic system when the handle is coupled to the housing.
 
14. A uterine manipulator comprising:
a housing configured to be coupled to an instrument drive unit of a robotic system;
a shaft extending distally from the housing;
a tip hub pivotably coupled to a distal end portion of the shaft;
an articulation assembly disposed within the housing and configured to pivot the tip hub relative to the shaft, the articulation assembly including a drive cable operably coupled to the tip hub and being actuatable manually by a user and robotically by the robotic system to pivot the tip hub relative to the shaft, wherein the articulation assembly includes:
a first driven member rotationally supported in the housing and having a proximal end portion configured to be operably coupled to a first drive member of the instrument drive unit; and
a first nut threadedly coupled to the first driven member, such that the first nut translates along the first driven member upon rotation of the first driven member, wherein a proximal end portion of the drive cable is operably coupled to the first nut and a distal end portion of the drive cable is operably coupled to the tip hub, such that the drive cable is configured to longitudinally translate with the first nut and relative to the first driven member in response to a rotation of the first driven member to articulate the tip hub relative to the shaft; and
a handle pivotably coupled to the housing via a hinge and movable between an unfolded configuration, where the handle extends substantially perpendicular relative to a surface of the housing, and a folded configuration, where the handle extends substantially parallel along the surface of the housing, the handle configured to be manually gripped by a user for manual use of the uterine manipulator, wherein the handle is pivotable relative to the housing to pivot the tip hub relative to the shaft.
 
18. A uterine manipulator comprising:
a housing configured to be coupled to an instrument drive unit of a robotic system;
a shaft extending distally from the housing;
a tip hub pivotably coupled to a distal end portion of the shaft;
an articulation assembly disposed within the housing and configured to pivot the tip hub relative to the shaft, the articulation assembly including a drive cable operably coupled to the tip hub and being actuatable manually by a user and robotically by the robotic system to pivot the tip hub relative to the shaft; and
a handle removably coupled to the housing, the handle configured to be manually gripped by a user for manual use of the uterine manipulator when the handle is coupled to the housing, wherein the handle is pivotable relative to the housing to pivot the tip hub relative to the shaft, and wherein the handle defines a window opening for permitting the articulation assembly to couple to the instrument drive unit of the robotic system when the handle is coupled to the housing.