IP Library Granted Patent US 10,136,954
Granted Patent B2
US 10,136,954 · App. 15/180,135 · Granted Nov 27, 2018

Surgical tool systems and method

Inventors: Norbert Johnson (North Andover, MA); Robert Stevens (North Chelmsford, MA); Hisham Salem (Newton, MA); Yuan Cheng (Andover, MA)
Assignee: Globus Medical, Inc.
A61B34/30A61B5/061A61B5/062A61B34/10A61B34/20A61B34/74A61B90/98B25J5/007B25J13/065B60B19/003A61B2017/00212A61B2034/2046A61B2034/2051A61B2034/2055A61B2034/742A61B2090/064A61B2090/3979A61B2090/3983
View Patent ↗
Loading inventors, assignments & file history…
Monitor This Case
Get email alerts when status or documents change.
Order Certified Copies
Most orders are placed with the USPTO same day — all within 24 business hours.
Order via The Patent Place →
Pre-filled with this patent's details
Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 10,136,954
App. No.
15/180,135
Granted
Nov 27, 2018
Kind
B2
Abstract

Devices, Systems, and Methods for controlled movement of the robot system. The surgical robot system may include a robot having a robot base, a robot arm coupled to the robot base, and an end-effector coupled to the robot arm. The robot may include a plurality of omni-directional wheels affixed to the robot base allowing multiple-axis movement of the robot. The robot may further include sensors for detecting a desired movement of the robot base and a control system responsive to the plurality of sensors for controlling the multiple-axis movement of the robot by actuating two or more of the plurality of omni-directional wheels.

Claims (33)

1. A surgical robot system comprising:

a robot having a robot base, a robot arm coupled to the robot base, and an end-effector coupled to the robot arm, the end-effector including a plurality of tracking markers detectable by at least one camera;

a plurality of omni-directional wheels affixed to the robot base allowing multiple-axis movement of the robot;

a plurality of sensors for detecting a desired movement of the robot base; and

a control system responsive to the plurality of sensors for controlling the multiple-axis movement of the robot by actuating two or more of the plurality of omni-directional wheels.

2. The surgical robot system of claim 1 , wherein each of the plurality of omni-directional wheels includes a central hub with a plurality of rollers mounted to the central hub.

3. The surgical robot system of claim 2 , wherein the plurality of rollers are mounted at an angle relative to a central axis of the central hub.

4. The surgical robot system of claim 1 , wherein the multiple axis movement is selected from the group consisting of: movement in a plane; movement in a 2-D coordinate system; and three axis movement in a forward-backward direction, movement in a side direction and rotation about a defined axis perpendicular to the forward-backward and side directions.

5. The surgical robot system of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of sensors for detecting a desired movement are selected from the group consisting of a strain gauge, force-sensing resistor, a piezoelectric sensor, a piezo capacitive pressure sensor, a piezo resistor and a microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) micro-scale strain gauge.

6. The surgical robot system of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of sensors for detecting a desired movement are mounted in left-and-right handles of the robot base.

7. The surgical robot system of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of sensors for detecting a desired movement are mounted in a joystick of the robot base, and wherein the desired movement is indicated by a movement of the joystick.

8. The surgical robot system of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of sensors are operable to sense a desired front left wheel force in a forward/backward direction, a desired rear left wheel force in the forward/backward direction, a desired rear left wheel force in a side direction, a desired front right wheel force in a forward/backward direction, a rear right wheel force in a side direction and a rear right wheel force in a backward/forward direction.

9. The surgical robot system of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of sensors comprises a sensor array mounted in a planar configuration selected from the group consisting of a generally circular array, a generally elliptical array, a generally rectangular array and a generally square array.

10. The surgical robot system of claim 1 , further comprising at least one motor under control of the control system for providing power to each of the plurality of omni-directional wheels.

11. The surgical robot system of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of tracking markers in the end-effector are active markers having an active state and an inactive state, the active state emitting an infrared signal detected by the at least one camera, and the inactive state not emitting the infrared signal such that the plurality tracking markers are not detected by the at least one camera.

12. The surgical robot system of claim 1 , further comprising a surgical instrument having one or more tracking markers to be tracked by the robot system, the surgical instrument configured to be positioned in the end-effector in order to align the surgical instrument along a given trajectory for a surgical procedure.

13. A surgical robot system comprising:

a robot having a robot base, a robot arm coupled to the robot base, and an end-effector coupled to the robot arm, the end-effector including a guide tube for receiving at least one instrument;

a plurality of omni-directional wheels attached to the robot base allowing three-axis movement of the robot in a general area of a plane;

a plurality of sensors for detecting a desired movement of the robot base; and

a control system responsive to the plurality of sensors for controlling the three-axis movement of the robot base by actuating two or more of the plurality of omni-directional wheels.

14. The surgical robot system of claim 13 , wherein each of the plurality of omni-directional wheels includes a central hub with a plurality of rollers mounted to the central hub.

15. The surgical robot system of claim 13 , wherein the plurality of sensors for detecting a desired movement are selected from the group consisting of a strain gauge, force-sensing resistor, a piezoelectric sensor, a piezo capacitive pressure sensor, a piezo resistor and a microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) micro-scale strain gauge.

16. The surgical robot system of claim 13 , further comprising a plurality of motors, one motor for each of the plurality of omni-directional wheels, each motor controlled by the control system for independently powering one of the plurality of omni-directional wheels.

17. The surgical robot system of claim 13 , wherein the plurality of sensors are operable to sense a desired front left wheel force in a forward/backward direction, a desired rear left wheel force in the forward/backward direction, a desired rear left wheel force in a side direction, a desired front right wheel force in a forward/backward direction, a rear right wheel force in a side direction and a rear right wheel force in a backward/forward direction.

18. The surgical robot system of claim 13 , wherein the plurality of sensors comprises a sensor array mounted in a planar configuration selected from the group consisting of a generally circular array, a generally elliptical array, a generally rectangular array and a generally square array.

19. A surgical robot system comprising:

a robot having a robot base and a robot arm coupled to the robot base;

a plurality of omni-directional wheels affixed to the robot base allowing multiple-axis movement of the robot;

a plurality of sensors for detecting a desired movement of the robot base; and

a control system responsive to the plurality of sensors for controlling the multiple-axis movement of the robot by actuating two or more of the plurality of omni-directional wheels;

wherein each of the plurality of omni-directional wheels includes a central hub with a plurality of rollers mounted to the central hub.

20. The surgical robot system of claim 19 , wherein the plurality of rollers are mounted at an angle to a central axis of the central hub.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jun 15, 2016
From: JOHNSON, NORBERT; STEVENS, ROBERT; SALEM, HISHAM; CHENG, YUAN
To: GLOBUS MEDICAL, INC.
Reel/Frame 038921/0977 →
Continuity (6)
Continuation In Part 15095883 · Apr 11, 2016
Continuation In Part 14062707 · Oct 24, 2013
Continuation In Part 13924505 · Jun 21, 2013
Provisional Application 61662702 · Jun 21, 2012
Provisional Application 61800527 · Mar 15, 2013
Related Publication 20170354468A1 · Dec 14, 2017
Cited By (56)
US 12,193,636 US 12,193,766 US 12,207,817 US 12,226,151 US 12,226,166 US 12,228,987 US 12,232,729 US 12,235,697 US 12,239,320 US 12,239,353 US 12,256,995 US 12,293,432 US 12,295,674 US 12,303,159 US 12,310,586 US 12,315,036 US 12,318,152 US 12,329,437 US 12,329,467 US 12,354,186 US 12,369,960 US 12,369,994 US 12,376,855 US 12,376,896 US 12,383,115 US 12,396,806 US 12,433,508 US 12,444,094 US 12,458,351 US 12,462,439 US 12,472,019 US 12,472,023 US 12,488,512 US 12,493,996 US 12,496,148 US 12,500,948 US 12,505,584 US 12,514,584 US 12,521,191 US 12,533,207 US 12,535,796 US 12,549,622 US 12,574,434 US 12,575,855 US 12,582,457 US 12,629,194 US 12,639,250 US 12,648,789 US 12,653,628 US 12,661,188 US 12,670,670 US 12,672,922 US 12,682,578 US 12,682,579 US 12,697,178 US 12,708,427