IP Library Granted Patent US 12,642,610
Granted Patent B2
US 12,642,610 · App. 18/883,430 · Granted Jun 2, 2026

System and method for surgical tool insertion using multiaxis force and moment feedback

Inventors: Neil R. Crawford (Chandler, AZ); Norbert Johnson (North Andover, MA)
Assignee: Globus Medical Inc.
A61B34/30A61B5/064A61B17/1604A61B17/1626A61B17/7082A61B17/8875A61B34/20A61B90/96A61B90/98A61B2017/00022A61B2017/00115A61B2017/00119A61B2017/00477A61B2017/00876A61B17/1671A61B17/1757A61B2034/2051A61B2034/2055A61B2034/2057A61B2034/2072A61B2090/034A61B2090/062A61B2090/064A61B2090/066A61B2090/0811A61B90/11A61B2090/376A61B2090/3762A61B2090/3937A61B2090/3945A61B2090/3983A61B2505/05A61B2562/02
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,642,610
App. No.
18/883,430
Granted
Jun 2, 2026
Kind
B2
Abstract

Devices, systems, and methods for providing a degree of freedom to a guide tube associated with a robotic surgical system. The surgical robot system may be configured to have six degrees of freedom associated with a vertical lift, rotation about a shoulder, rotation about an elbow, roll of a forearm, pitch of the end-effector, and rotation of a guide tube independent from the end-effector. The robotic surgical system allows for the proper orientation of an instrument in the guide tube along a trajectory to the operational site of a patient.

Claims (16)

1 . A surgical robot system comprising:

a robot base;

a robot arm connected to and in electronic communication with the robot base;

a motorized end-effector connected to the robot arm and in electronic communication with the robot base, wherein the end-effector comprises a guide tube and is configured to receive a surgical instrument, wherein the guide tube comprises a central axis and is connected to the end-effector via a rotational bearing, and wherein the end-effector includes a servo motor for automatically rotating the guide tube;

an inertial sensor offset radially from the central axis of the guide tube, wherein the guide tube is configured to be automatically rotated to a fixed rotational orientation relative to a patient based on feedback from the inertial sensor;

and

a force sensor embedded in the guide tube and configured to provide feedback to rotate the guide tube, wherein, based on feedback from the force sensor, the guide tube is configured to automatically rotate about the central axis of the guide tube to maintain a desired orientation of the guide tube as the robot arm and the end-effector are moved along a trajectory to a surgical site.

2 . The surgical robot system of claim 1 , wherein the guide tube is at a fixed angle relative to the robot base is configured to be automatically rotated to preserve the fixed angle relative to the robot base as the robot arm and the end-effector are moved.

3 . The surgical robot system of claim 1 , further comprising a tracking system to track the position of the end-effector.

4 . The surgical robot system of claim 3 , wherein the tracking system is configured to be registered to a patient anatomy.

5 . A method of moving a surgical robot system relative to a patient comprising:

registering the surgical robot system of claim 1 to an anatomy of the patient;

moving the robot arm and the end-effector along a trajectory to the anatomy of the patient, wherein, based on feedback from the inertial sensor and the force sensor, the guide tube is automatically rotated about the central axis of the guide tube by the servo motor to maintain a desired orientation of the guide tube as the robot arm and end-effector are moved along the trajectory.

6 . The method of claim 5 , wherein the guide tube is at a fixed angle relative to the robot base and automatically rotates to preserve the fixed angle relative to the robot base as the robot arm and the end-effector are moved.

7 . The method of claim 5 , further comprising a tracking system to track the position of the end-effector.

8 . The method of claim 7 , wherein the tracking system is configured to be registered to a patient anatomy.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Sep 12, 2024
From: CRAWFORD, NEIL; JOHNSON, NORBERT
To: GLOBUS MEDICAL, INC.
Reel/Frame 068571/0474 →
Continuity (11)
Continuation 17317344 · May 11, 2021
Continuation In Part 17098958 · Nov 16, 2020
Continuation 15652914 · Jul 18, 2017
Continuation In Part 15371304 · Dec 7, 2016
Continuation In Part 15157444 · May 18, 2016
Continuation In Part 15095883 · Apr 11, 2016
Continuation In Part 14062707 · Oct 24, 2013
Continuation In Part 13924505 · Jun 21, 2013
Provisional Application 61800527 · Mar 15, 2013
Provisional Application 61662702 · Jun 21, 2012
Related Publication 20250072983A1 · Mar 6, 2025
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