Rotatable carriage for an instrument holder
An instrument holder generally includes a carriage rotatable with respect to a carriage support, a light pipe extending axially through the carriage, and an electrical conductor extending through the carriage radially outward of the light pipe. The light pipe can transmit light energy and the electrical conductor can transmit electricity between a proximal end portion and a distal end portion of the carriage to a medical instrument. The rotatable carriage may include a sterile adapter assembly positioned at the proximal and/or distal end portions of the rotatable carriage. The sterile adapter assembly may include a roll disk rotatable with respect to the outer frame, an inner disk rotatable with respect to the roll disk, and a light pipe to transmit light energy through the roll disk. The inner disk can transfer movement of an actuator between the rotatable carriage and the instrument.
1. An apparatus, comprising:
a carriage and a carriage support, wherein:
the carriage comprises a proximal end portion, a distal end portion, and a longitudinal axis extending between the proximal end portion and the distal end portion, the longitudinal axis defining an axis of rotation of the carriage,
the carriage is coupled with and rotatable relative to the carriage support, and
the carriage is configured to removably couple an instrument to the carriage;
a light pipe extending axially through the carriage and configured to transmit light energy between the proximal end portion and the distal end portion of the carriage and toward the instrument in a coupled state of the instrument to the carriage; and
an electrical conductor extending through the carriage radially outward of the light pipe, wherein the electrical conductor is configured to transmit electricity between the proximal end portion and the distal end portion of the carriage and toward the instrument in a coupled state of the instrument to the carriage.
2. The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising an instrument holder comprising an instrument holder base member, wherein the carriage support and carriage are configured to translate relative to the instrument holder base member.
3. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein rotation of the carriage about the longitudinal axis causes a roll of the instrument in a coupled state of the instrument to the carriage.
4. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the distal end portion of the carriage is configured to removably couple to a proximal end portion of the instrument, wherein the distal end portion of the carriage is configured to be positioned between a surgical field and the proximal end portion of the carriage, and wherein the carriage comprises at least one drive element configured to articulate the instrument.
5. The apparatus of claim 4 , further comprising a sterile adapter positioned between the carriage and the instrument, wherein the sterile adapter is configured to transmit mechanical movement, light energy, and/or electricity between the carriage and the instrument.
6. The apparatus of claim 5 , wherein the sterile adapter further comprises a catch projecting axially away from the distal end portion of the carriage, and wherein the catch has a catch protrusion configured to limit an axial separation distance of the instrument from the carriage.
7. The apparatus of claim 4 , further comprising a sterile adapter positioned at the proximal end portion of the carriage, wherein the sterile adapter is configured to transmit mechanical movement, light energy, and/or electricity between a connector and the carriage.
8. The apparatus of claim 4 , further comprising:
an alignment projection extending outwardly from one of the distal end portion of the carriage and the proximal end portion of the instrument; and
an alignment recess extending into the other of the distal end portion of the carriage and the proximal end portion of the instrument,
wherein the alignment projection has a shape corresponding to a shape of the alignment recess to bring the carriage and the instrument into alignment in a lateral direction.
9. The apparatus of claim 8 , further comprising:
a clocking projection extending outwardly from the alignment projection; and
a clocking recess extending into the alignment recess,
wherein the clocking projection has a shape corresponding to a shape of the clocking recess to orient the instrument and the carriage into a clocked position.
10. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the light pipe is coupled to a cable configured to connect to the proximal end portion of the carriage and transmit electricity to the electrical conductor and light energy to the instrument.
11. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the electrical conductor is configured to transmit one or more of data and power to the instrument.
12. The apparatus of claim 2 , further comprising:
an axial drive element operably coupled to a transmission member extending to the carriage support; and
a rotational drive element operably coupled to a transmission member extending to the carriage support,
wherein the axial drive element is configured to drive translation of the carriage support so as to axially position the carriage support with respect to the instrument holder base member, and wherein the rotational drive element is configured to drive rotation of the carriage about the longitudinal axis so as to angularly position the carriage with respect to the instrument holder base member.
13. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the carriage further comprises a catch projecting axially away from the distal end portion of the carriage, and wherein the catch has a catch protrusion configured to limit an axial separation distance of the instrument from the carriage.
14. The apparatus of claim 13 , wherein the instrument comprises an indentation configured to interface with the catch to rotationally orient the instrument with respect to the carriage, and wherein the indentation has a wall configured to interface with the catch protrusion to limit the axial separation distance of the instrument from the carriage.