ROBOTICALLY-CONTROLLED SURGICAL END EFFECTOR SYSTEM
A surgical severing and stapling instrument, suitable for laparoscopic and endoscopic clinical procedures, clamps tissue within an end effector of an elongate channel pivotally opposed by an anvil. Various embodiments are configured to be operably attached to a robotic system to receive actuation/control motions therefrom.
1 . A surgical tool for use with a robotic system that has a tool drive assembly that is operatively coupled to a control unit of the robotic system that is operable by inputs from an operator and is configured to provide at least one rotary output motion to at least one rotatable body portion supported on the tool drive assembly, said surgical tool comprising:
a surgical end effector comprising at least one component portion that is selectively movable between first and second positions relative to at least one other component portion thereof in response to control motions applied at least to said selectively movable component portion; and
a sensor arrangement communicating with said control unit for providing a signal thereto when said selectively movable component portion is in said second position.
2 . The surgical tool of claim 1 wherein said another component portion of said end effector comprises a surgical staple cartridge and wherein one of said at least one component portion that is selectively movable comprises an anvil that is selectively movable between a first open position and a second closed position relative to said surgical staple cartridge.
3 . The surgical tool of claim 1 further comprising:
an elongated shaft assembly operably coupled to said surgical end effector, said elongated shaft assembly comprising:
an axially movable portion in operable communication with said at least one selectively movable component portion of said surgical end effector; and
a rotatably movable portion in operable engagement with said axially movable portion such that rotation of said rotatably movable portion causes said axially movable portion to move axially relative thereto and wherein said surgical tool further comprises a transmission arrangement in operable engagement with said at least one rotary body portions supported on the tool drive assembly and in operable engagement with said rotatably movable portion of said elongated shaft assembly to apply rotary actuation motions thereto from said at least one rotary body portion to cause said axially movable portion of said elongated shaft assembly to move said selectively movable component between said first and second positions.
4 . The surgical tool of claim 3 wherein said rotatably movable portion comprises a rotary drive shaft assembly comprising:
a closure drive nut in threaded engagement with said axially movable portion; and
a closure clutch assembly selectively movable between a neutral disengaged position to a first closure drive position wherein said closure clutch assembly is in driving engagement with said closure drive nut upon receipt of axial control motions from said transmission arrangement.
5 . The surgical tool of claim 4 wherein said elongated shaft assembly is coupled to a tool mounting portion that operably supports said transmission arrangement thereon, said tool mounting portion attachable to said tool drive assembly such that said transmission arrangement is in operable engagement with said at least one rotary body portion supported on the tool drive assembly of the robotic system.
6 . The surgical tool of claim 5 wherein said elongated shaft assembly further comprises a spine assembly comprising:
a proximal spine shaft that is operably supported on said tool mounting portion and has a distal end portion that protrudes from said tool mounting portion and a proximal end portion in operable engagement with said transmission arrangement;
a distal spine shaft that is coupled to an elongated channel supporting said surgical staple cartridge therein and is movably coupled to said distal end portion of said proximal spine shaft;
a drive sleeve coupled to a clutch plate portion of said closure clutch assembly, said drive sleeve movably supported on said distal spine shaft and coupled to said distal end portion of said proximal spine shaft such that axial movement of said proximal spine shaft causes said clutch plate portion to move between said neutral disengaged position and said first closure drive position; and
a drive shaft in operable engagement with said drive sleeve and said transmission arrangement to selectively apply rotary control motions to said drive sleeve.
7 . The surgical tool of claim 6 wherein said transmission arrangement comprises:
a shifter drive assembly supported on said tool mounting portion and operably interfacing with said proximal end portion of said proximal spine shaft, said shifter drive assembly operably coupled to one of said at least one rotatable body portions supported on the tool drive assembly such that upon application of a rotary output motion in a first direction to said shifter drive assembly by said at least one rotatable body portion, said shifter drive assembly axially moves said proximal spine shaft and said drive sleeve to bring said clutch plate into said driving engagement with said closure drive nut and upon application of said rotary output motion in a second direction to said shifter drive assembly, said shifter drive assembly axially moves said proximal spine shaft and drive sleeve in a second direction to move said clutch plate from said driving engagement with said closure drive nut to said neutral position; and
a rotary drive assembly supported on said tool mounting portion and operably coupled to said drive shaft, said rotary drive assembly operable coupled to another one of said at least one rotatable body portions supported on the tool drive assembly such that upon application of another rotary output motion in a first direction to said rotary drive assembly by said another one of said at least one rotatable body portions, said rotary drive assembly applies a rotary closure motion to said drive shaft which causes said closure drive nut to rotate and thereby axially drive said axially movable portion into closing engagement with said anvil and upon application of said another rotary output motion in a second direction to said rotary drive assembly by said another one of said at least one rotatable body portions, said rotary drive assembly applies another rotary closure motion to said drive shaft which causes said closure drive nut to rotate in a second direction and thereby axially drive said axially movable portion out of said closing engagement with said anvil into opening engagement therewith.
8 . The surgical tool of claim 7 wherein said surgical end effector further comprises a cutting instrument that is axially movable within said surgical staple cartridge between a starting position and an ending position in response to a firing motion applied thereto by said drive sleeve.
9 . The surgical tool of claim 8 wherein said clutch plate portion is configured to move between said neutral position and a firing position wherein said clutch plate portion is in driving engagement with a knife drive shaft assembly operably supported within said elongated shaft assembly and in operable engagement with said cutting instrument.
10 . The surgical tool of claim 9 further comprising a rotary end effector shaft operably supported within said surgical end effector and operably supporting said cutting instrument thereon such that rotation of said rotary end effector shaft in a first direction drives said cutting instrument from said starting position to said ending position and rotation of said rotary end effector shaft in a second direction drives said cutting instrument from said ending position to said starting position and wherein said knife drive assembly comprises a knife shaft segment in meshing engagement with said rotary end effector shaft and configured to be drivingly engaged by said clutch plate portion when said clutch plate portion is in said firing position.
11 . The surgical tool of claim 5 wherein said elongated shaft has a proximal end portion rotatably supported on said tool mounting portion for selective rotational travel about a longitudinal tool axis.
12 . The surgical tool of claim 11 wherein said transmission arrangement comprises a rotational gear assembly operably coupled to one of the at least one rotatable body portions supported on the tool drive assembly and in driving engagement with a portion of said proximal end portion of said elongated shaft assembly such that upon application of a rotary output motion in a first direction to said rotational gear assembly by said one of said at least one rotatable body portions, said rotational gear assembly rotates said elongated shaft assembly and said surgical end effector in a first rotary direction about said longitudinal tool axis and upon application of said rotary output motion in a second direction to said rotational gear assembly, said rotational gear assembly rotates said elongated shaft assembly and said surgical end effector about said longitudinal tool axis in a second rotary direction.
13 . The surgical tool of claim 3 wherein said elongated shaft assembly is coupled to a tool mounting portion that operably supports said transmission arrangement thereon, said tool mounting portion attachable to said tool drive assembly such that said transmission arrangement is in operable engagement with said at least one rotary body portions supported on the tool drive assembly of the robotic system.
14 . The surgical tool of claim 13 wherein said rotatably movable portion comprises:
a closure drive nut in threaded engagement with said axially movable portion; and
a closure drive shaft in driving engagement with said closure drive nut and wherein said transmission arrangement comprises a rotary drive assembly supported on said tool mounting portion and operably coupled to said closure drive shaft, said rotary drive assembly operable coupled to one of said at least one rotatable body portions supported on the tool drive assembly such that upon application of a rotary output motion in a first direction to said rotary drive assembly by said one of said at least one rotatable body portions, said rotary drive assembly applies a rotary closure motion to said closure drive shaft which causes said closure drive nut to rotate and thereby axially drive said axially movable portion into closing engagement with said anvil and upon application of said rotary output motion in a second direction to said rotary drive assembly by said one of said at least one rotatable body portions, said rotary drive assembly applies another rotary closure motion to said closure drive shaft which causes said closure drive nut to rotate in a second direction and thereby axially drive said axially movable portion out of said closing engagement with said anvil into opening engagement therewith.
15 . The surgical tool of claim 14 further comprising a cutting instrument that is axially movable within said surgical staple cartridge between a starting position and an ending position in response to a firing motion applied thereto.
16 . The surgical tool of claim 15 further comprising:
a knife bar attached to said cutting instrument and movably supported within said elongated shaft assembly; and
a knife drive assembly supported on said tool mounting portion and operably coupled to said knife bar, said knife drive assembly operably coupled to another one of said at least one rotatable body portions supported on the tool drive assembly such that upon application of another rotary output motion in a first direction to said knife drive assembly by said another one of said at least one rotatable body portions, said knife drive assembly applies said firing motion to said knife bar which causes said cutting instrument to move from said starting position to said ending position and upon application of said another rotary output motion in a second direction to said knife drive assembly by said another one of said at least one rotatable body portions, said knife drive assembly applies a retraction motion to said knife bar which causes said cutting instrument to be retracted from said end position to said starting position.
17 . The surgical tool of claim 16 wherein said knife drive assembly comprises:
first rotary drive gear operably supported on said tool mounting plate and operably coupled to said another one of said at least one rotatable body portions supported on the tool drive assembly;
a first rotary driven gear operably supported on said tool mounting plate and in meshing engagement with said first rotary drive gear;
a second rotary driven gear operably supported on said tool mounting plate and in meshing engagement with said first rotary driven gear;
a third rotary driven gear operably supported on said tool mounting plate and in meshing engagement with said second rotary driven gear; and
a fourth rotary driven gear operably supported on said tool mounting plate and in meshing engagement with said third rotary driven gear and a threaded portion of said knife bar.
18 . The surgical tool of claim 14 wherein said elongated shaft has a proximal end portion rotatably supported on said tool mounting portion for selective rotational travel about a longitudinal tool axis.
19 . A surgical tool for use with a robotic system that has a tool drive assembly that is operatively coupled to a controller of the robotic system that is operable by inputs from an operator and is configured to provide a plurality of rotary output motions to a plurality of corresponding rotatable body portions supported on the tool drive assembly, said surgical tool comprising:
an end effector, comprising:
an elongated channel;
a surgical staple cartridge supported within said elongated channel;
a cutting instrument axially movable within said surgical staple cartridge between a starting position and an ending position; and
an anvil movably supported relative to said elongated channel and being selectively movable between an open position relative to said surgical staple cartridge and a closed position relative to said surgical staple cartridge and wherein said surgical tool further comprises:
a sensor arrangement communicating with said control unit for providing a signal thereto when said anvil is in said closed position;
an elongated shaft assembly coupled to said elongated channel; and
a tool mounting portion coupled to a proximal end of elongated shaft assembly and configured to operably interface with the tool drive assembly of the robotic system when coupled thereto.
20 . A surgical tool for use with a robotic system that has a tool drive assembly that is operatively coupled to a controller of the robotic system that is operable by inputs from an operator and is configured to provide a plurality of rotary output motions to a plurality of corresponding rotatable body portions supported on the tool drive assembly, said surgical tool comprising:
an end effector, comprising:
an elongated channel;
a surgical staple cartridge supported within said elongated channel;
a cutting instrument axially movable within said surgical staple cartridge between a starting position and an ending position; and
an anvil movably supported relative to said elongated channel and being selectively movable between an open position relative to said surgical staple cartridge and a closed position relative to said surgical staple cartridge and wherein said surgical tool further comprises:
a sensor arrangement communicating with said control unit for providing signals thereto when said cutting instrument is in at least one of said staring and said ending positions;
an elongated shaft assembly coupled to said elongated channel; and
a tool mounting portion coupled to a proximal end of said elongated shaft assembly and configured to operably interface with the tool drive assembly of the robotic system when coupled thereto.