US 12,329,472 B2
Cable length conserving medical instrument
Andrew C. Waterbury, Sunnyvale, CA (US); John Ryan Steger, Sunnyvale, CA (US); and Zhou Ye, Sunnyvale, CA (US)
Assigned to Intuitive Surgical Operations, Inc., Sunnyvale, CA (US)
Filed by Intuitive Surgical Operations, Inc., Sunnyvale, CA (US)
Filed on Dec. 23, 2021, as Appl. No. 17/561,294.
Application 17/561,294 is a continuation of application No. 16/462,114, granted, now 11,241,290, previously published as PCT/US2017/062258, filed on Nov. 17, 2017.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/424,744, filed on Nov. 21, 2016.
Prior Publication US 2022/0192764 A1, Jun. 23, 2022
Int. Cl. A61B 34/30 (2016.01); A61B 17/29 (2006.01); A61B 34/00 (2016.01); A61B 17/00 (2006.01); B25J 9/10 (2006.01); B25J 15/00 (2006.01); B25J 17/02 (2006.01)
CPC A61B 34/30 (2016.02) [A61B 34/71 (2016.02); A61B 2017/00323 (2013.01); A61B 2017/2932 (2013.01); A61B 2034/305 (2016.02); A61B 2034/715 (2016.02); B25J 9/104 (2013.01); B25J 15/00 (2013.01); B25J 17/02 (2013.01)] 14 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A medical instrument comprising:
a drive mechanism;
a first capstan in the drive mechanism;
a shaft extending from the drive mechanism;
an actuated mechanism on the shaft;
a first pair of cables having a first routing in the actuated mechanism and through the shaft to the drive mechanism, the first pair of cables being wound around the first capstan, wherein an actuation of a degree of freedom of the actuated mechanism causes a change in a path length of the first pair of cables in the actuated mechanism; and
a route-altering mechanism in the drive mechanism and engaged with the first pair of cables, wherein during the actuation, the route-altering mechanism autonomously changes a path length of the first pair of cables in the drive mechanism to compensate for the change in the path length of the first pair of cables in the actuated mechanism, the route-altering mechanism including:
a first spindle fixed on a chassis of the drive mechanism,
a first mounting for the first capstan, the first mounting permitting the first capstan to rotate about an axis of the first capstan and permitting the axis of the first capstan to move relative the first spindle, and
a drive coupling connecting the first spindle to the first capstan so that rotation of the first spindle causes the first capstan to rotate.