Instrument adapter for robotic surgical instruments

1 . A surgical instrument for use with a robotic manipulator, the surgical instrument comprising:

an elongate shaft and a surgical end effector at a distal end of the elongate shaft,

a plurality of tendons operatively coupled to the end effector and extending through the elongate shaft, said plurality of tendons configured such that alteration of tension on at least one of said plurality of tendons causes movement of the end effector relative to the shaft;

an adapter at a proximal end of the shaft, the adapter including

an adapter body having a first face facing in a first, outward, direction and a second face facing in a second, outward, direction opposite to the first outward direction;

at least one first control input exposed at the first face and operatively coupled to at least a first one of the plurality of tendons; and

at least one second control input exposed at the second face and operatively coupled to at least a second one of the plurality of tendons

a first carriage operatively coupled to said at least a first one of the plurality of tendons, wherein application of force against the first input in a proximal or distal direction results in movement of the first carriage in the proximal or distal direction relative to the adapter body; and

a second carriage operatively coupled to said at least a second one of the plurality of tendons, wherein application of force against the second input in a proximal or distal direction results in movement of the second carriage in the proximal or distal direction relative to the adapter body.

2 . The surgical instrument of claim 1 , wherein each of the first carriage and the second carriage is independently moveable relative to the other of the first carriage and the second carriage.

3 . The surgical instrument of claim 1 , wherein the adapter includes a first rail and a second rail within the adapter body, and wherein the first carriage is longitudinally moveable on the first rail and the second carriage is longitudinally moveable on the second rail.

4 . The surgical instrument of claim 1 , wherein alteration of tension on at least one of said plurality of tendons causes articulation of the end effector relative to the shaft.

5 . The surgical instrument of claim 1 wherein the end effector has at least one jaw member, and wherein alteration of tension on at least one of said plurality of tendons causes movement of said at least jaw member relative to the shaft.

6 . The surgical instrument of claim 1 , further including:

at least one third control input exposed at the first face and operatively coupled to at least a third one of the plurality of tendons; and

at least one fourth control input exposed at the second face and operatively coupled to at least a second one of the plurality of tendons.

7 . The surgical instrument of claim 1 , wherein the first and second faces are generally parallel to each other.

8 . A surgical instrument for use with a robotic manipulator, the surgical instrument comprising:

an elongate shaft and a surgical end effector at a distal end of the elongate shaft, the elongate shaft having a longitudinal axis;

a plurality of tendons operatively coupled to the end effector, the plurality of tendons including first, second, third and fourth tendon legs extending through the elongate shaft in a proximal direction;

an adapter at a proximal end of the shaft, the adapter including

an adapter body having a first face having a first portion facing in a first outward direction and a second face having a second portion facing in a second outward direction opposite to the first outward direction;

a first control input and a second control input each exposed at the first portion of the first face, the first control input operatively coupled to the first tendon leg and the second control input operatively coupled to the second tendon leg;

a third control input and a fourth control input each exposed at the second portion of the second face, the third control input operatively coupled to the third tendon leg and the fourth control input operatively coupled to the fourth tendon leg;

wherein each of the first, second, third, and fourth control inputs is moveable relative to the adapter body in a direction parallel to the longitudinal axis and wherein the first, second, third and fourth control inputs are independently moveable relative to the adapter body to vary tension on the first, second, third and fourth tendon legs, respectively, to cause movement of the end effector relative to the shaft.

9 . The surgical instrument of claim 8 , wherein the adapter includes:

a first carriage operatively coupled to said first tendon leg, wherein application of force against the first input in a proximal or distal direction results in movement of the first carriage in the proximal or distal direction relative to the adapter body; and

a second carriage operatively coupled to said second tendon leg, wherein application of force against the second input in a proximal or distal direction results in movement of the second carriage in the proximal or distal direction relative to the adapter body; and

a third carriage operatively coupled to said third tendon leg, wherein application of force against the third input in a proximal or distal direction results in movement of the third carriage in the proximal or distal direction relative to the adapter body; and

a fourth carriage operatively coupled to said third tendon leg, wherein application of force against the fourth input in a proximal or distal direction results in movement of the fourth carriage in the proximal or distal direction relative to the adapter body.

10 . The surgical instrument of claim 8 , wherein the first and second faces are generally parallel to one another.

11 . The surgical instrument of claim 9 , wherein the adapter includes a first rail and a second rail within the adapter body, and wherein the first carriage is longitudinally moveable on the first rail and the second carriage is longitudinally moveable on the second rail.

12 . The surgical instrument of claim 8 , wherein alteration of tension on at least one of said plurality of tendons causes articulation of the end effector relative to the shaft.

13 . The surgical instrument of claim 8 , wherein the end effector has at least one jaw member, and wherein alteration of tension on at least one of said plurality of tendons causes movement of said at least jaw member relative to the shaft.

14 . The surgical instrument of claim 9 , wherein the elongate shaft has a longitudinal axis, and wherein each of the first, second, third and fourth carriages is moveable relative to the adapter body in a direction parallel to the longitudinal axis.

15 . A surgical instrument for use with a robotic manipulator, the surgical instrument comprising:

an elongate shaft and a surgical end effector at a distal end of the elongate shaft,

a plurality of tendons operatively coupled to the end effector and extending through the elongate shaft, said plurality of tendons configured such that alteration of tension on at least one of said plurality of tendons causes movement of the end effector relative to the shaft;

an adapter at a proximal end of the shaft, the adapter including

an adapter body having a first face facing in a first, outward, direction and a second face facing in a second, outward, direction opposite to the first outward direction;

at least one first control input exposed at the first face and operatively coupled to at least a first one of the plurality of tendons; and

at least one second control input exposed at the second face and operatively coupled to at least a second one of the plurality of tendons,

wherein the elongate shaft has a longitudinal axis, and wherein each of the first control input and the second control input is moveable relative to the adapter body in a direction parallel to the longitudinal axis.

16 . The surgical instrument of claim 15 , wherein the adapter includes:

a first carriage operatively coupled to said at least a first one of the plurality of tendons, wherein application of force against the first input in a proximal or distal direction results in movement of the first carriage in the proximal or distal direction relative to the adapter body; and

and a second carriage operatively coupled to said at least a second one of the plurality of tendons, wherein application of force against the second input in a proximal or distal direction results in movement of the second carriage in the proximal or distal direction relative to the adapter body.

17 . The surgical instrument of claim 16 , wherein the adapter includes a first rail and a second rail within the adapter body, and wherein the first carriage is longitudinally moveable on the first rail and the second carriage is longitudinally moveable on the second rail.

18 . The surgical instrument of claim 15 , wherein each of the first carriage and the second carriage is independently moveable relative to the other of the first carriage and the second carriage.

19 . The surgical instrument of claim 15 , wherein alteration of tension on at least one of said plurality of tendons causes articulation of the end effector relative to the shaft.

20 . The surgical instrument of claim 15 , wherein the end effector has at least one jaw member, and wherein alteration of tension on at least one of said plurality of tendons causes movement of said at least jaw member relative to the shaft.

21 . The surgical instrument of claim 15 , further including:

at least one third control input exposed at the first face and operatively coupled to at least a third one of the plurality of tendons; and

at least one fourth control input exposed at the second face and operatively coupled to at least a second one of the plurality of tendons.

22 . The surgical instrument of claim 15 , wherein the first and second faces are generally parallel to each other.