WRIST MECHANISM FOR SURGICAL INSTRUMENT

摘要

A wrist mechanism for a surgical instrument is disclosed. In some implementations, a surgical instrument includes an end effector and a unitary wrist mechanism coupled to the end effector, where the wrist mechanism is formed from a single piece of material. The wrist mechanism provides at least one degree of freedom to the end effector, and includes a plurality of link members linked together as well as one or more flexures, where at least one of the flexures includes a chain of a connected plurality of segments. Each flexure connects associated adjacent link members and enables rotational movement of the associated link members relative to each other to provide an associated degree of freedom to the end effector.

主权项

1. A surgical instrument comprising:
an end effector; and a unitary wrist mechanism coupled to the end effector, the unitary wrist mechanism formed from a single piece of material and providing at least one degree of freedom to the end effector, wherein the unitary wrist mechanism includes:
a plurality of linked link members; andone or more flexures, wherein at least one of the flexures includes a chain of a connected plurality of segments, each flexure connecting associated adjacent link members and enabling rotational movement of the associated link members relative to each other to provide an associated degree of freedom to the end effector.