Minimally invasive surgical system
A patient-side support system includes a base, a platform movably coupled to the base, manipulator assemblies coupled to the platform, instruments, each of the instruments being coupled to a different one of the manipulator assemblies, each of the instruments including a body and a shaft extending from the body, and a guide tube common to the instruments. A first part of the shaft of each individual one of the instruments extends distally from the guide tube to the body. a second part of the shaft of each individual one of the instruments extends through at least a portion of the guide tube. The first part of the shaft of a first instrument of the instruments is articulatable between the body of the first instrument and the guide tube. The guide tube and the instruments are collectively rotatable about a longitudinal axis of the guide tube.
1. A patient-side support system comprising:
a base;
a platform movably coupled to the base;
a plurality of manipulator assemblies coupled to the platform;
a plurality of instruments, each of the plurality of instruments being coupled to a different one of the plurality of manipulator assemblies, each of the plurality of instruments including a body and a shaft extending from the body; and
a guide tube common to the plurality of instruments; wherein:
a first part of the shaft of each individual one of the plurality of instruments extends distally from the guide tube to the body;
a second part of the shaft of each individual one of the plurality of instruments extends through at least a portion of the guide tube; and
the guide tube and the plurality of instruments being collectively rotatable about a longitudinal axis of the guide tube.
2. The patient-side support system of claim 1 , wherein the first part of the shaft of a second instrument of the plurality of instruments is resiliently bent between the body of the second instrument and the guide tube.
3. The patient-side support system of claim 1 , wherein the guide tube is positioned so that a remote center of motion point of the platform is located on the guide tube, the remote center of motion point being adjacent a location at which the guide tube is configured to enter a patient.
4. The patient-side support system of claim 3 , wherein the longitudinal axis of the guide tube extends through the remote center of motion point.
5. The patient-side support system of claim 1 , wherein one of the plurality of instruments further comprises a parallel motion mechanism.
6. The patient-side support system of claim 5 , wherein the parallel motion mechanism comprises:
a first joint connected to a distal end of the second part of the shaft of the one of the plurality of instruments,
an elongate rigid body segment connected to the first joint, and
a second joint connected to the elongate rigid body segment and coupled to an end component, wherein:
the first and second joints are coupled by cables; and
moving the parallel motion mechanism heaves and sways the end component with reference to a longitudinal axis of the second part of the shaft of the one of the plurality of instruments without changing a pitch or a yaw of the end component.
7. The patient-side support system of claim 6 , wherein the end component comprises an end effector.
8. The patient-side support system of claim 6 , wherein the end component comprises an image capture component.
9. The patient-side support system of claim 6 , wherein the one of the plurality of instruments further comprises a wrist mechanism mounted between the parallel motion mechanism and the end component.
10. The patient-side support system of claim 1 , wherein a second instrument of the plurality of instruments further comprises an image capture unit coupled to a distal end of the second part of the shaft of the second instrument.
11. The patient-side support system of claim 1 , wherein the guide tube comprises a parallel motion mechanism and an image capture component.
12. The patient-side support system of claim 11 , wherein the parallel motion mechanism comprises:
a first joint connected to a distal end of the second part of the shaft of the one of the plurality of instruments,
an elongate rigid body segment connected to the first joint, and
a second joint connected to the elongate rigid body segment and coupled to an end component, wherein:
the first and second joints are coupled by cables; and
moving the parallel motion mechanism heaves and sways the end component with without changing a pitch or a yaw of the end component.
13. The patient-side support system of claim 11 , wherein:
the image capture component is mounted to a distal end of the parallel motion mechanism; and
moving the parallel motion mechanism heaves and sways the image capture component without changing a pitch or a yaw of the image capture component.
14. The patient-side support system of claim 1 , wherein the guide tube comprises an image capture component mounted at a distal end of the guide tube.
15. The patient-side support system of claim 1 , wherein a second instrument of the plurality of instruments exits the guide tube between a proximal end of the guide tube and a distal end of the guide tube.
16. The patient-side support system of claim 1 , wherein the guide tube comprises:
a proximal end; and
a distal end pivotably mounted to the proximal end.
17. The patient-side support system of claim 16 , wherein an image capture component is mounted to the distal end of the guide tube.
18. The patient-side support system of claim 1 , wherein the guide tube is rigid.
19. The patient-side support system of claim 1 , wherein:
the guide tube comprises a plurality of channels; and
the second part of the shaft of each individual one of the plurality of instruments extends through at least a portion of a corresponding one of the plurality of channels.
20. The patient-side support system of claim 1 , wherein:
the guide tube comprises a plurality of channels; and
a first channel of the plurality of channels has a cross-sectional shaped that allows only instruments of a specific type to be extended through the first channel.