US 12,239,394 B2
Medical tool with length conservation mechanism for actuating tension bands
Isabelle Heye, Sunnyvale, CA (US)
Assigned to Intuitive Surgical Operations, Inc., Sunnyvale, CA (US)
Appl. No. 17/617,645
Filed by INTUITIVE SURGICAL OPERATIONS, INC., Sunnyvale, CA (US)
PCT Filed Jun. 11, 2020, PCT No. PCT/US2020/037265
§ 371(c)(1), (2) Date Dec. 9, 2021,
PCT Pub. No. WO2020/252184, PCT Pub. Date Dec. 17, 2020.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/860,938, filed on Jun. 13, 2019.
Prior Publication US 2023/0329807 A1, Oct. 19, 2023
Int. Cl. A61B 17/00 (2006.01); A61B 17/29 (2006.01); A61B 34/00 (2016.01); A61B 34/30 (2016.01); A61B 34/37 (2016.01)
CPC A61B 34/30 (2016.02) [A61B 17/29 (2013.01); A61B 2017/00327 (2013.01); A61B 34/70 (2016.02)] 12 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. An apparatus, comprising:
a shaft of a medical instrument, the shaft comprising a proximal end and a distal end;
an end effector coupled to the distal end of the shaft;
a housing coupled to the proximal end of the shaft;
a first actuator rotatably supported in the housing;
a second actuator rotatably supported in the housing;
a first tension member comprising a first end portion and a second end portion, the first end portion of the first tension member being coupled to the first actuator, the second end portion of the first tension member being coupled to the end effector;
a second tension member comprising a first end portion and a second end portion, the first end portion of the second tension member being coupled to the first actuator, the second end portion of the second tension member being coupled to the end effector, the first actuator is configured to move the first tension member in a first direction and the second tension member in a second direction, opposite to the first direction, to actuate the end effector in a first degree of freedom;
the second actuator comprising a first guide structure, the first guide structure comprising a first guide surface and a second guide surface, the first guide surface being in contact with the first end portion of the first tension member, the second guide surface being in contact with the first end portion of the second tension member; and
movement of the second actuator actuates both the first tension member and the second tension member in the first direction to actuate the end effector in a second degree of freedom.