US 12,239,404 B2
Torque-based transition between operating gears
Chad P. Boudreaux, Cincinnati, OH (US)
Assigned to Cilag GmbH International, Zug (CH)
Filed by Cilag GmbH International, Zug (CH)
Filed on Dec. 30, 2020, as Appl. No. 17/137,852.
Prior Publication US 2022/0202514 A1, Jun. 30, 2022
Int. Cl. A61B 17/32 (2006.01); A61B 17/29 (2006.01); A61B 34/37 (2016.01); B25J 9/04 (2006.01); B25J 9/10 (2006.01); B25J 9/16 (2006.01); B25J 15/02 (2006.01); B25J 18/04 (2006.01); A61B 17/068 (2006.01); A61B 34/30 (2016.01)
CPC A61B 34/37 (2016.02) [A61B 17/29 (2013.01); A61B 17/2909 (2013.01); B25J 9/04 (2013.01); B25J 9/1035 (2013.01); B25J 9/1633 (2013.01); B25J 15/0213 (2013.01); B25J 18/04 (2013.01); A61B 17/068 (2013.01); A61B 2017/2923 (2013.01); A61B 2017/2943 (2013.01); A61B 2034/304 (2016.02); A61B 2034/305 (2016.02); A61B 2034/306 (2016.02)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A surgical tool configured to receive rotary inputs from a robotic surgical system, the surgical tool comprising:
a distal end effector comprising jaws for clamping tissue therebetween;
an intermediate shaft portion coupled to the distal end effector; and
a proximal housing coupled to the intermediate shaft portion, the proximal housing comprising an arrangement of rotary drives comprising a first rotary drive, the first rotary drive comprising:
an input shaft configured to receive a rotary input from the robotic surgical system to effect rotation of the input shaft about a rotation axis;
a transition nut rotatably driven by the input shaft about the rotation axis, wherein the transition nut is slidably positioned on the input shaft;
an output gear;
a high-speed gear configured to selectively drive the output gear;
a high-torque gear configured to selectively drive the output gear; and
a spring configured to apply a spring force to bias the transition nut along the input shaft toward a high-speed operating state, in which the transition nut is in driving engagement with the high-speed gear, wherein the application of a threshold torque to the transition nut is configured to overcome the spring force to move the transition nut toward a high-torque operating state, in which the transition nut is in driving engagement with the high-torque gear.