IP Library Granted Patent US 12,409,003
Granted Patent B2
US 12,409,003 · App. 17/686,749 · Granted Sep 9, 2025

Instrument cassette assemblies for robotic surgical instruments

Inventors: James A. Boonzaier (Cape Town, ZA); Jack A. Hornsby (Tempsford, GB); Akshaya Ahuja (St. Neots, GB); Aki Hannu Einari Laakso (Raleigh, NC); Hans C. Pflaumer (Apex, NC); Rupert A. Barton (Cambridge, GB); Adam R. Turner (Cambridge, GB); Paul Smitheman (Cambridge, GB); Matthew J. Brady (Cambridge, GB)
Assignee: Covidien LP
A61B34/37A61B34/35A61B34/71A61B90/50A61B2034/301A61B2034/302
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,409,003
App. No.
17/686,749
Granted
Sep 9, 2025
Kind
B2
Abstract

A surgical instrument of a robotic surgical system includes an elongated shaft assembly, and end effector, and an instrument cassette assembly. The elongated shaft assembly has a proximal end portion and a distal end portion. The end effector is supported the distal end portion of the elongated shaft assembly. The instrument cassette assembly is supported on the proximal end portion of the elongated shaft assembly. The instrument cassette assembly includes a cassette housing and an actuator system supported in the cassette housing. The actuator system is operably coupled to the end effector for operating the end effector.

Claims (47)

1. A robotic surgical system, comprising:

a drive unit;

a surgical instrument removably connected to the drive unit, the surgical instrument including:

an elongated shaft assembly having a proximal end portion and a distal end portion;

an end effector supported on the distal end portion of the elongated shaft assembly; and

an instrument cassette assembly supported on the proximal end portion of the elongated shaft assembly, the instrument cassette assembly including:

a cassette housing; and

an actuator system supported in the cassette housing and operably coupled to the end effector for operating the end effector, the actuator system including:

a cable actuator assembly including a plurality of cables that extends from the cassette housing to the end effector for manipulating the end effector;

an actuator shaft assembly supported in the elongated shaft assembly and defining a longitudinal axis, the actuator shaft assembly including a first inner shaft, and a second inner shaft slidably advanceable through the first inner shaft;

a rotation actuator assembly coupled to the first inner shaft of the actuator shaft assembly and positioned to rotate the first inner shaft of the actuator shaft assembly about the longitudinal axis and relative to the elongated shaft assembly for imparting rotational force to the end effector; and

an axial actuator assembly coupled to the second inner shaft of the actuator shaft assembly and positioned to axially translate the second inner shaft of the actuator shaft assembly relative to the longitudinal axis and relative to the elongated shaft assembly for imparting axial force to the end effector.

2. The robotic surgical system of claim 1 , wherein the cable actuator assembly includes a crank, a first slider, and a second slider, the first and second sliders coupled to the crank.

3. The robotic surgical system of claim 2 , wherein the crank is rotatable to linearly translate the first and second sliders relative to one another.

4. The robotic surgical system of claim 3 , wherein the first slider supports a first cable of the plurality of cables and the second slider supports a second cable of the plurality of cables.

5. The robotic surgical system of claim 3 , wherein the crank is coupled to a driver that is engaged with the drive unit, the driver configured to impart rotational force on the crank.

6. The robotic surgical system of claim 1 , wherein the rotation actuator assembly includes a drive wheel and a belt drive shaft supporting a belt, the belt coupled to the actuator shaft assembly and the drive wheel coupled to the belt drive shaft.

7. The robotic surgical system of claim 6 , wherein the drive wheel and the belt drive are disposed transverse to one another, the drive wheel configured to rotate the belt drive shaft.

8. The robotic surgical system of claim 6 , wherein rotation of the belt drive shaft rotates the belt to rotate the first inner shaft of the actuator shaft assembly.

9. The robotic surgical system of claim 1 , wherein the axial actuator assembly includes a drive disc, a drive arm coupled to the drive disc, and a drive plate coupled to the drive arm and to the shaft assembly.

10. The robotic surgical system of claim 9 , wherein the drive arm includes a first pin coupled to the drive disc and a second pin coupled to the drive plate, the drive plate defining a pin slot that receives the second pin, the second pin slidable along the pin slot to axially translate the drive plate and the second inner shaft of the actuator shaft assembly as the drive disc rotates.

11. A surgical system, comprising:

a cassette housing;

an elongated shaft assembly having a proximal end portion supported in the cassette housing, and a distal end portion supporting an end effector; and

an actuator system supported in the cassette housing and the elongated shaft, the actuator system including:

a cable actuator assembly including a plurality of cables;

an actuator shaft assembly supported in the elongated shaft assembly and defining a longitudinal axis, the actuator shaft assembly including a first inner shat, and a second inner shaft slidably advanceable through the first inner shaft;

a rotation actuator assembly coupled to the first inner shaft of the actuator shaft assembly and positioned to rotate the first inner shaft of the actuator shaft assembly about the longitudinal axis and relative to the elongated shaft assembly; and

an axial actuator assembly coupled to the second inner shaft of the actuator shaft assembly and positioned to axially translate the second inner shaft of the actuator shaft assembly relative to the longitudinal axis and relative to the elongated shaft assembly.

12. The surgical system of claim 11 , wherein the cable actuator assembly includes a crank, a first slider, and a second slider, the first and second sliders coupled to the crank.

13. The surgical system of claim 12 , wherein the crank is rotatable to linearly translate the first and second sliders relative to one another.

14. The surgical system of claim 13 , wherein the first slider supports a first cable of the plurality of cables and the second slider supports a second cable of the plurality of cables.

15. The surgical system of claim 13 , wherein the crank is coupled to a driver, the driver configured to impart rotational force on the crank.

16. The surgical system of claim 11 , wherein the rotation actuator assembly includes a drive wheel and a belt drive shaft supporting a belt, the belt coupled to the actuator shaft assembly and the drive wheel coupled to the belt drive shaft.

17. The surgical system of claim 16 , wherein the drive wheel and the belt drive are disposed transverse to one another, the drive wheel configured to rotate the belt drive shaft.

18. The surgical system of claim 16 , wherein rotation of the belt drive shaft rotates the belt to rotate the first inner shaft of the actuator shaft assembly.

19. The surgical system of claim 11 , wherein the axial actuator assembly includes a drive disc, a drive arm coupled to the drive disc, and a drive plate coupled to the drive arm and to the actuator shaft assembly.

20. A surgical instrument for a robotic surgical system, the surgical instrument comprising:

an elongated shaft assembly having a proximal end portion and a distal end portion;

an end effector supported at the distal end portion of the elongated shaft assembly; and

an instrument cassette assembly supported on the proximal end portion of the elongated shaft assembly, the instrument cassette assembly including:

a cassette housing; and

an actuator system supported in the cassette housing and operably coupled to the end effector for operating the end effector, the actuator system including:

a cable actuator assembly including a plurality of cables that extends from the cassette housing to the end effector for manipulating the end effector;

an actuator shaft assembly supported in the elongated shaft assembly and defining a longitudinal axis, the actuator shaft assembly including a first inner shat, and a second inner shaft slidably advanceable through the first inner shaft;

a rotation actuator assembly coupled to the first inner shaft of the actuator shaft assembly and positioned to rotate the first inner shaft of the actuator shaft assembly about the longitudinal axis and relative to the elongated shaft assembly for imparting rotational force to the end effector; and

an axial actuator assembly coupled to the second inner shaft of the actuator shaft assembly and positioned to axially translate the second inner shaft of the actuator shaft assembly relative to the longitudinal axis and relative to the elongated shaft assembly for imparting axial force to the end effector.

Assignments (2)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jul 5, 2023
From: TITAN MEDICAL INC.
To: COVIDIEN LP
Reel/Frame 064347/0923 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Mar 10, 2022
From: BOONZAIER, JAMES ANGUS; HORNSBY, JACK ALEXANDER; AHUJA, AKSHAYA; LAAKSO, AKI HANNU EINARI; PFLAUMER, HANS CHRISTIAN; BARTON, RUPERT ANTHONY; TURNER, ADAM RICHARD; SMITHEMAN, PAUL; BRADY, MATTHEW JAMES
To: TITAN MEDICAL INC.
Reel/Frame 059225/0425 →