Robotic assisted clip applier

1 . A medical instrument including:

an end effector devoid of a handle control, the end effector comprising,

a pair of repositionable jaws;

an occlusion clip detachably mounted to the pair of repositionable jaws;

a folding support concurrently mounted to the pair of repositionable jaws, the folding support repositionable between a folded position and an unfolded position, where the folded position has the pair of repositionable jaws in closer proximity to one another than in the unfolded position;

a first connection operatively coupled to the folding support and configured to be repositioned by an instrument removably coupled thereto, the first connection repositionable with respect to the folding support to facilitate repositioning of the folding support between the folded position and the unfolded position; and,

a second connection operatively coupled to the occlusion clip and at least one of the pair of repositionable jaws when the occlusion clip is mounted to the pair of repositionable jaws, the second connection being configured to be repositioned and discontinue operative coupling between at least one of the occlusion clip and at least one of the pair of repositionable jaws.

2 . The medical instrument of claim 1 , wherein the second connection comprises a line.

3 . The medical instrument of claim 2 , wherein:

the line includes a first wire and a second wire;

the first wire is concurrently mounted to the occlusion clip and a first of the pair of repositionable jaws;

the second wire is concurrently mounted to the occlusion clip and a second of the pair of repositionable jaws;

the line is repositionable to selectively dismount the first wire from at least one of the occlusion clip and the first of the pair of repositionable jaws, and is repositionable to selectively dismount the second wire from at least one of the occlusion clip and the second of the pair of repositionable jaws.

4 . The medical instrument of claim 2 , wherein:

the line includes a first wire;

the first wire is concurrently mounted to the occlusion clip and a first of the pair of repositionable jaws at a first location, and concurrently mounted to the occlusion clip and a second of the pair of repositionable jaws at a second location;

the line is repositionable to selectively dismount the occlusion clip and the first of the pair of repositionable jaws, as well as repositionable to selectively dismount the occlusion clip and the second of the pair of repositionable jaws.

5 . The medical instrument of claim 1 , wherein the folding support is operatively coupled to a pulley and a control line.

6 . The medical instrument of claim 5 , wherein the folding support includes:

a first link concurrently repositionably and operatively coupled to a first of the pair of repositionable jaws;

a second link concurrently repositionably and operatively coupled to a second of the pair of repositionable jaws;

a third link concurrently repositionably and operatively coupled to the first of the pair of repositionable jaws and the second link; and,

a fourth link concurrently repositionably and operatively coupled to the second of the pair of repositionable jaws and the first link;

wherein the third link is repositionably and operatively coupled to the fourth link.

7 . The medical instrument of claim 6 , wherein the folding support includes a fifth link concurrently repositionably and operatively coupled to a sixth link and to the first link, wherein the sixth link is concurrently repositionably and operatively coupled to the fifth link and to the second link.

8 . The medical instrument of claim 7 , wherein the fifth and sixth links are both mounted to and repositionable with respect to the pulley.

9 . The medical instrument of claim 7 , wherein:

the second joint includes a first camming surface to facilitate repositioning of the fifth link; and,

the second joint includes a second camming surface to facilitate repositioning of the sixth link.

10 . The medical instrument of claim 9 , wherein the first connection is operatively coupled to the fifth and sixth links.

11 . The medical instrument of claim 10 , wherein the first connection includes the pulley operatively coupled to the fifth and sixth links.

12 . The medical instrument of claim 1 , wherein the folding support comprises a folding pantograph support.

13 . A medical instrument comprising:

an end effector comprising a first jaw configured to be repositionable in parallel with respect to a second jaw, the first and second jaws removably mounted to an occlusion clip and configured to reposition the occlusion clip from a closed position to an open position when the first and second jaws are repositioned to an open position, the end effector also configured to be concurrently removably coupled to first and second robotic arms, wherein the end effector includes at least one of a cavity and a projection configured to be engaged by at least one of the first and second robotic arms, and wherein the occlusion clip includes dual beams interconnected to one another by dual springs to create a continuous path;

wherein the end effector includes a folding pantograph support operatively coupled to the first and second jaws.

14 . The medical instrument of claim 13 , wherein:

the end effector further comprises at least a first line and a second line;

the first line is concurrently operatively coupled to the occlusion clip and the first jaw;

the second line is concurrently operatively coupled to the occlusion clip and the second jaw; and,

the first and second lines are selectively repositionable to dismount the occlusion clip and the first and second jaws.

15 . The medical instrument of claim 13 , wherein:

a first line is operatively coupled to the folding pantograph support so that tensioning the first line beyond a predetermined amount is operative to reposition the folding pantograph support;

a second line is operatively coupled to the occlusion clip and the first and second jaws to facilitate dismounting the occlusion clip from the first and second jaws.

16 . The medical instrument of claim 13 , wherein the occlusion clip comprises:

a first occlusion beam;

a second occlusion beam;

a first C-shaped spring coupled to proximal ends of the first and second occlusion beams; and,

a second C-shaped spring coupled to distal ends of the first and second occlusion beams.