SURGICAL TOOL WITH A TWO DEGREE OF FREEDOM WRIST

摘要

Surgical tools having a two degree-of-freedom wrist, wrist articulation by linked tension members, mechanisms for transmitting torque through an angle, and minimally invasive surgical tools incorporating these features are disclosed. An elongate intermediate wrist member is pivotally coupled with a distal end of an instrument shaft so as to rotate about a first axis transverse to the shaft, and an end effector body is pivotally coupled with the intermediate member so as to rotate about a second axis that is transverse to the first axis. Linked tension members interact with attachment features to articulate the wrist. A torque-transmitting mechanism includes a coupling member, coupling pins, a drive shaft, and a driven shaft. The drive shaft is coupled with the driven shaft so as to control the relative orientations of the drive shaft, the coupling member, and the driven shaft.

主权项

1. A method for manufacturing a surgical tool, comprising:
pivotally coupling an intermediate member to a tool shaft for rotation about a first axis, the tool shaft having a proximal end, a distal end, and an elongate axis defined between the proximal end and the distal end; pivotally coupling an end effector to the intermediate member for rotation about a second axis; and coupling an actuation mechanism to the end effector, the actuation mechanism operable to articulate the end effector relative to the elongate axis; wherein the first axis is orthogonal to the elongate axis; wherein the second axis is orthogonal to the first axis and to the elongate axis; wherein the intermediate member is pivotable relative to the tool shaft at a first joint, the first joint comprising a single pivot shaft extending through the intermediate member; wherein the end effector is pivotable relative to the intermediate member at a second joint, the second joint comprising two coaxial pivot shafts, one of the two coaxial pivot shafts extending outwards from a first side of the intermediate member, and the other of the two coaxial pivot shafts extending outwards from a second side of the intermediate member that is opposite the first side; and wherein at least a portion of the actuation mechanism is routed outside of and is laterally separated from the intermediate member.