Granted Patent B2

US 12,539,182 · App. 18/415,806 · Granted Feb 3, 2026

Inventors: Shane Farritor (Lincoln, NE); Nathan Wood (Lincoln, NE); Jeffrey Shasho (Brooklyn, NY); Dave Matsuura (Del Mar, CA); Belinko Matsuura (Encinitas, CA); Phil Simpson (Escondido, CA); Alexander Rissler (Sexau, DE)

Assignee: Virtual Incision Corporation

A61B34/30A61B1/00057A61B1/00128A61B1/00149A61B1/0057A61B1/3132A61B2017/00477

Abstract

Claims (80)

1 . A camera assembly for a robotic surgical system, the camera assembly comprising:

(a) an elongate camera shaft;

(b) a camera body coupled to a proximal end of the elongate camera shaft, the camera body comprising:

(i) a distal end comprising:

(A) a distal nose cone disposed around the elongate shaft; and

(ii) at least one actuation mechanism disposed within the camera body, the at least one actuation mechanism comprising:

(A) a rotatable shaft;

(B) a first drive carriage coupled to the rotatable shaft; and

(C) a second drive carriage coupled to the rotatable shaft;

(c) a steerable tip disposed at the distal end of the elongate camera shaft, the steerable tip comprising:

(i) a steerable tip body comprising a camera imager and an illumination component; and

(ii) a flexible section coupled to the elongate camera shaft and the steerable tip body, and

(d) a first cable coupled at a first end to the first drive carriage and coupled at a second end to the steerable tip; and

(e) a second cable coupled at a first end to the second drive carriage and coupled at a second end to the steerable tip;

(f) a first strain relief assembly associated with the camera body, the first strain relief assembly comprising:

(i) a first slidable body slidably disposed within the camera body, the first slidable body comprising a first lumen; and

(g) a second strain relief assembly associated with the camera body, the second strain relief assembly comprising:

(i) a second slidable body slidably disposed within the camera body, the second slidable body comprising a second lumen; and

wherein actuation of the actuation mechanism causes linear movement of the first and second drive carriages in opposite directions, whereby the first and second cables steer the steerable tip

wherein the first strain relief assembly comprises a first tension adjustment mechanism operably coupled to the first slidable body, and wherein the second strain relief assembly comprises a second tension adjustment mechanism operably coupled to the second slidable body

wherein the first tension adjustment mechanism comprises a first extendable barrel threadably coupled to a first adjustment nut associated with the first slidable body, and wherein the second tension adjustment mechanism comprises a second extendable barrel threadably coupled to a second adjustment nut associated with the second slidable body.

2 . The camera assembly of claim 1 , wherein the camera body further comprises:

(a) an external housing;

(b) a cylindrical heat sink structure, wherein the cylindrical heat sink structure is disposed within the external housing; and

(c) a coupling mechanism acceptance slot defined proximal to the distal nose cone.

3 . The camera assembly of claim 1 , wherein the steerable tip body is movable in relation to the elongate camera shaft via the flexible section.

4 . The camera assembly of claim 1 , wherein

the first strain relief assembly further comprises

a first spring operably coupled to the first slidable body, wherein the first spring is configured to be movable between an extended state, a relaxed state, and a compressed state; and wherein

the second strain relief assembly further comprises

a second spring operably coupled to the second slidable body, wherein the second spring is configured to be movable between an extended state, a relaxed state, and a compressed state.

5 . The camera assembly of claim 4 , wherein the first cable comprises a first cable housing and a first inner cable disposed within the first cable housing, and wherein the second cable comprises a second cable housing and a second inner cable disposed within the second cable housing.

6 . The camera assembly of claim 5 , wherein the first cable housing is operably coupled to the first slidable body and the first inner cable is disposed through the first lumen, and wherein the second cable housing is operably coupled to the second slidable body and the second inner cable is disposed through the second lumen.

7 . A camera assembly for a robotic surgical system, the camera assembly comprising:

(a) an elongate camera shaft;

(b) a camera body coupled to a proximal end of the elongate camera shaft, the camera body comprising at least one actuation mechanism disposed within the camera body, the at least one actuation mechanism comprising:

(i) a rotatable shaft;

(ii) a first drive carriage coupled to the rotatable shaft; and

(iii) a second drive carriage coupled to the rotatable shaft;

(c) a steerable tip disposed at the distal end of the elongate camera shaft, the steerable tip comprising:

(i) a steerable tip body comprising a camera imager and an illumination component; and

(ii) a flexible section coupled to the elongate camera shaft and the steerable tip body,

(d) a first cable comprising a first cable housing and a first inner cable disposed within the first cable housing, wherein a proximal end of the first inner cable is coupled to the first drive carriage and a distal end of the first cable is coupled to the steerable tip; and

(e) a second cable comprising a second cable housing and a second inner cable disposed within the second cable housing, wherein a proximal end of the second inner cable is coupled to the second drive carriage and a distal end of the second cable is coupled to the steerable tip;

wherein the actuation of the actuation mechanism causes linear movement of the first and second drive carriages in opposite directions, whereby the first and second cables steer the steerable tip;

(f) a first strain relief assembly associated with the camera body, the first strain relief assembly comprising:

(i) a first slidable body slidably disposed within the camera body, the first slidable body comprising a first lumen, wherein the first inner cable is slidably disposed through the first lumen; and

(ii) a first spring operably coupled to the first slidable body, wherein the first spring is configured to be movable between an extended state, a relaxed state, and a compressed state; and

(g) a second strain relief assembly associated with the camera body, the second strain relief assembly comprising:

(i) a second slidable body slidably disposed within the camera body, the second slidable body comprising a second lumen, wherein the second inner cable is slidably disposed through the second lumen; and

(ii) a second spring operably coupled to the second slidable body, wherein the second spring is configured to be movable between an extended state, a relaxed state, and a compressed state;

wherein the first slidable body comprises a first lip disposed at a distal end of the first slidable body, wherein the first spring is operably coupled to the first slidable body at the first lip, and wherein the second slidable body comprises a second lip disposed at a distal end of the second slidable body, wherein the second spring is operably coupled to the second slidable body at the second lip.

8 . The camera assembly of claim 7 , wherein the steerable tip body is movable in relation to the elongate camera shaft via the flexible section.

9 . The camera assembly of claim 7 , wherein the first strain relief assembly comprises a first tension adjustment mechanism operably coupled to the first slidable body, and wherein the second strain relief assembly comprises a second tension adjustment mechanism operably coupled to the second slidable body.

10 . The camera assembly of claim 9 , wherein the first tension adjustment mechanism comprises a first extendable barrel threadably coupled to a first adjustment nut associated with the first slidable body, and wherein the second tension adjustment mechanism comprises a second extendable barrel threadably coupled to a second adjustment nut associated with the second slidable body.

11 . A camera assembly for a robotic surgical system, the camera assembly comprising:

(a) an elongate camera shaft;

(b) a camera body coupled to a proximal end of the elongate camera shaft, the camera body comprising:

(i) at least one actuation mechanism disposed within the camera body, the at least one actuation mechanism comprising:

(A) a rotatable shaft;

(B) a first drive carriage threadably coupled to the rotatable shaft; and

(C) a second drive carriage threadably coupled to the rotatable shaft;

(ii) a first strain relief assembly associated with the camera body, the first strain relief assembly comprising:

(A) a first slidable body slidably disposed within the camera body, the first slidable body comprising a first lumen; and

(B) a first spring operably coupled to the first slidable body, wherein the first spring is configured to be movable between an extended state, a relaxed state, and a compressed state; and

(iii) a second strain relief assembly associated with the camera body, the second strain relief assembly comprising:

(A) a second slidable body slidably disposed within the camera body, the second slidable body comprising a second lumen; and

(B) a second spring operably coupled to the second slidable body, wherein the second spring is configured to be movable between an extended state, a relaxed state, and a compressed state;

(c) a steerable tip disposed at the distal end of the elongate camera shaft, the steerable tip comprising:

(i) a steerable tip body comprising a camera imager and an illumination component; and

(ii) a flexible section coupled to the elongate camera shaft and the steerable tip body,

(d) a first cable comprising a first cable housing and a first inner cable disposed within the first cable housing, wherein a proximal end of the first inner cable is coupled to the first drive carriage and a distal end of the first cable is coupled to the steerable tip; and

(e) a second cable comprising a second cable housing and a second inner cable disposed within the second cable housing, wherein a proximal end of the second inner cable is coupled to the second drive carriage and a distal end of the second cable is coupled to the steerable tip,

wherein actuation of the actuation mechanism causes linear movement of the first and second drive carriages in opposite directions, whereby the first and second cables steer the steerable tip

wherein the first slidable body comprises a first lip disposed at a distal end of the first slidable body, wherein the first spring is operably coupled to the first slidable body at the first lip, and wherein the second slidable body comprises a second lip disposed at a distal end of the second slidable body, wherein the second spring is operably coupled to the second slidable body at the second lip.

12 . The camera assembly of claim 11 , wherein a proximal end of the first cable housing is operably coupled to the first slidable body and the first inner cable is disposed through the first lumen, and wherein a proximal end of the second cable housing is operably coupled to the second slidable body and the second inner cable is disposed through the second lumen.

13 . The camera assembly of claim 11 , wherein the first strain relief assembly comprises a first tension adjustment mechanism operably coupled to the first slidable body, and wherein the second strain relief assembly comprises a second tension adjustment mechanism operably coupled to the second slidable body.

14 . The camera assembly of claim 13 , wherein the first tension adjustment mechanism comprises a first extendable barrel threadably coupled to a first adjustment nut associated with the first slidable body, and wherein the second tension adjustment mechanism comprises a second extendable barrel threadably coupled to a second adjustment nut associated with the second slidable body.

15 . The camera assembly of claim 11 ,

wherein the first and second drive carriages each are threadably coupled to the rotatable shaft.

Assignments (1)

Continuity (3)

References Cited (400)