阅读说明：本技术 具有夹持连杆的用户界面装置 (User interface device with clamping link ) 是由 J.萨瓦尔 A.A.L.沈 于 2018-11-28 设计创作，主要内容包括：本发明题为“具有夹持连杆的用户界面装置”。本发明描述了用于操纵外科机器人系统中的机器人外科工具的用户界面装置。用户界面装置可包括装置主体,所述装置主体含有跟踪传感器以响应于所述装置主体的移动而生成空间状态信号。所述空间状态信号可用于控制外科机器人系统致动器的空间运动。若干夹持连杆可枢转地联接到所述装置主体。夹持连杆位移传感器可监测所述夹持连杆相对于所述装置主体的移动,并且响应于所述移动而生成夹持信号。所述夹持信号可用于控制安装在所述外科机器人系统致动器上的机器人外科工具的夹持运动。还描述并要求保护其他实施方案。(The invention provides a user interface device with a clamping link. A user interface device for manipulating a robotic surgical tool in a surgical robotic system is described. A user interface device may include a device body containing a tracking sensor to generate a spatial status signal in response to movement of the device body. The spatial state signal may be used to control spatial movement of a surgical robotic system actuator. A number of clamp links are pivotably coupled to the device body. A clamp link displacement sensor may monitor movement of the clamp link relative to the device body and generate a clamp signal in response to the movement. The clamp signal may be used to control a clamping motion of a robotic surgical tool mounted on the surgical robotic system actuator. Other embodiments are also described and claimed.)

1. A user interface device for manipulating a robotic surgical tool in a surgical robotic system, comprising:

a device body having a body surface surrounding a central axis;

a plurality of clamp links, wherein each clamp link comprises a clamp crank pivotally coupled to the device body at a device-crank joint, and wherein the clamp links are configured to generate clamp signals in order to manipulate clamping motions of the robotic surgical tool; and

a tracking sensor mounted within the device body, wherein the tracking sensor is configured to track movement of the device body and generate an input spatial status signal to control spatial movement of the robotic surgical tool.

2. The user interface device of claim 1, wherein each clamp link comprises a follower arm pivotally coupled to the clamp crank at a follower-crank joint, wherein the follower arm is pivotally coupled to a slider at a follower-slider joint, and wherein the slider is slidably coupled to the body surface of the device body at a slider-body joint for movement along the central axis.

3. The user interface device of claim 2, wherein the device-crank joint, the follower-crank joint, and the follower-slider joint are rotational joints, and wherein the slider-body joint is a prismatic joint.

4. The user interface device of claim 3, wherein the clamp links have respective follower arms, and wherein the follower arms are coupled to the same slider.

5. The user interface device of claim 1, wherein the clamp links comprise a first set of clamp links having clamp cranks extending from the device body along respective planes that intersect along the central axis, and wherein the respective planes are equiangular about the central axis.

6. The user interface device of claim 5, further comprising a second set of clamping links having at least one clamping crank extending from the device body between the respective planes of the first set of clamping links.

7. The user interface device of claim 2, further comprising a biasing element having a first end coupled to the device body and a second end coupled to the slider to move the slider toward or away from one or more of the first end.

8. The user interface device of claim 7, wherein the biasing element is a linear actuator.

9. The user interface device of claim 7, further comprising a bi-stable latch mechanism, wherein the bi-stable latch mechanism includes a cam follower that moves along a cam between an unlatched position, an end-of-travel position, and a latched position, wherein the cam follower moves from the unlatched position to the end-of-travel position when the clamp crank is pivoted toward the device body between an open position and a closed position, and wherein the cam follower moves from the end-of-travel position to the latched position when the clamp crank is pivoted away from the device body between the closed position and a locked position.

10. The user interface device of claim 9, wherein the clamp crank is closer to the central axis in the closed position than in the locked position, and wherein the clamp crank is closer to the central axis in the locked position than in the open position.

11. The user interface device of claim 1, further comprising:

a clamp crank capacitive sensing pad mounted on the clamp crank; and

a user interface device processor electrically coupled to the clamp crank capacitance sensing pad to detect a change in capacitance of the clamp crank capacitance sensing pad, wherein the user interface device is configured to generate an interlock disconnect signal in response to detecting the change in capacitance of the clamp crank capacitance sensing pad.

12. The user interface device of claim 11, further comprising a second clamp crank capacitance sensing pad mounted on the clamp crank, wherein the user interface device processor is electrically coupled to the second clamp crank capacitance sensing pad to detect a sequence of changes in respective capacitances of the clamp crank capacitance sensing pad and the second clamp crank capacitance sensing pad.

13. The user interface device of claim 12, further comprising a finger clutch mounted on the device body, wherein the finger clutch includes electrically conductive pads extending about the central axis, and wherein the user interface device processor is electrically coupled to the electrically conductive pads to generate a clutch signal in response to detecting a change in capacitance of the electrically conductive pads.

14. A surgical robotic system comprising:

one or more robotic surgical tools, each robotic surgical tool mounted on a robotic arm;

one or more user interface devices, wherein each user interface device comprises

A device body having a body surface surrounding a central axis,

a plurality of clamp links, wherein each clamp link comprises a clamp crank pivotally coupled to the device body at a device-crank joint,

a tracking sensor configured to track movement of the device body in six degrees of freedom and generate input gesture signals to control spatial movement of a corresponding robotic surgical tool, an

A clamp link displacement sensor configured to generate a clamp signal in response to movement of the clamp link; and

one or more processors communicatively coupled to the one or more user interface devices and the one or more robotic surgical tools and configured to control the robotic surgical tools based on at least one of the input pose signal and the grip signal.

15. The surgical robotic system of claim 14, further comprising:

a clamp crank capacitive sensing pad mounted on the clamp crank; and

a user interface device processor electrically coupled to the clamp crank capacitance sensing pad to detect a change in capacitance of the clamp crank capacitance sensing pad, wherein the user interface device is configured to generate an interlock disconnect signal in response to detecting the change in capacitance of the clamp crank capacitance sensing pad.

16. The surgical robotic system according to claim 15, further comprising a finger clutch mounted on the device body, wherein the finger clutch includes electrically conductive pads extending about the central axis, wherein the user interface device processor is electrically coupled to the electrically conductive pads to generate a clutch signal in response to detecting a change in capacitance of the electrically conductive pads, and wherein the clutch signal pauses movement of one or more actuators of the surgical robotic system regardless of changes in the input gesture signal.

17. The surgical robotic system of claim 14, wherein the one or more user interface devices is a plurality of user interface devices, and wherein each user interface device generates a respective clamp signal to control a clamping motion of a respective robotic surgical tool coupled to a respective actuator of the surgical robotic system.

18. A method of manipulating a robotic surgical tool in a surgical robotic system using a user interface device, comprising:

tracking movement of the user interface device in a space of six degrees of freedom;

generating an input gesture signal representative of movement of the user interface device to control spatial motion of the robotic surgical tool;

detecting movement of one or more clamping links of the user interface device; and

generating a clamp signal to control a clamping motion of the robotic surgical tool.

19. The method of claim 18, further comprising:

receiving, by one or more processors of the surgical robotic system, one or more of the input gesture signal or the grip signal from the user interface device; and

actuating the robotic surgical tool based on at least one of the input gesture signal or the clamp signal.

20. The method of claim 19, further comprising:

detecting, by a user interface device processor of the user interface device, a change in capacitance of a clamp crank capacitance sensing pad mounted on the clamp crank; and

generating, by the user interface device processor, an interlock open signal in response to the change in the capacitance of the clamp crank capacitance sensing pad.

Technical Field

Embodiments related to a robotic system are disclosed. More particularly, embodiments related to surgical robotic systems and corresponding user interface devices are disclosed.

Background

Endoscopic surgery involves examining a patient's body and performing surgical procedures within the body using an endoscope and other surgical tools. For example, laparoscopic surgery may use a laparoscope to access the abdominal cavity and view the abdominal cavity. Endoscopic surgery may be performed using manual tools and/or surgical robotic systems with robotic aids.

The surgical robotic system may be remotely operated by a surgeon to control a robotic auxiliary tool located at an operating table. The surgeon may use a computer console located in the operating room, or it may be located in a different city, to command the robot to manipulate surgical tools mounted on the operating table. The robotically-controlled surgical tool may be a grasper mounted on a robotic arm. Thus, the surgical robotic system may be controlled by a remote surgeon to grasp tissue during robotic surgery.

Control of the surgical robotic system may require control inputs from the surgeon. For example, a surgeon may hold a user input device (such as a joystick or a computer mouse) in his hand, which the surgeon manipulates to generate signals of control commands that control the movement of surgical robotic system components (e.g., actuators, robotic arms, and/or surgical tools of the robotic system).

Disclosure of Invention

Existing user input devices include manual controls for commanding the surgical robotic system. The manual controller may include a clamp that the surgeon manipulates to remotely command movement of an actuator coupled to the surgical tool. In addition, the surgeon can manipulate the handles of the jaws to command the jaws of the surgical tool. However, existing manual controls do not allow for precise finger manipulation, such as rotation, rolling or twisting of the grip. Existing manual controls do not provide tactile feedback to the surgeon regarding the jaw gripping configuration (e.g., whether the jaws are in a closed or open configuration). Furthermore, existing manual controls are not able to lock the jaws in place and may require the surgeon to apply a constant clamping force to the clamping handle. Therefore, the dexterity and accuracy of the movements commanded by the existing manual controls may be limited, and the existing manual controls may cause user fatigue.

User interface devices for manipulating robotic surgical tools in a surgical robotic system are provided that can provide command signals for controlling highly dexterous, precise movement of robotic actuators and/or robotic surgical tools. In one embodiment, the user interface device includes several (e.g., at least three) clamping links coupled to the device body. Each clamp link may include a clamp crank pivotally coupled to the device body, a slider sliding over the device body, and a follower arm pivotally coupled between the clamp crank and the slider. Thus, the grip crank can be pinched between the user's fingers to change the position of the slider on the device body. The position of the slide can be measured by a clamp link displacement sensor to generate a clamp signal for manipulating a clamping motion of a robotic surgical tool of the surgical robotic system. The user interface device may also include a tracking sensor, such as a six degree-of-freedom electromagnetic tracker (e.g., on the device body thereof) for generating a spatial state signal (e.g., an input gesture signal) in response to movement of the device body. The spatial state signals may be used by the one or more processors to control spatial movement of an actuator of the surgical robotic system or the robotic surgical tool. Thus, the user interface device may be used to control the highly dexterous, precise movement of the robotic actuator and/or the robotic surgical tool.

In one embodiment, a user interface device having a clamping link includes a bi-stable latch mechanism. When the clamp links are fully squeezed inward, the bi-stable latch mechanism can hold the clamp links in the closed position. Once the clamp links are in the closed position, the clamp links can be released from the closed position and extended outward to the open position by again pinching the clamp links inward. The bi-stable latch mechanism allows a user to hold the graspers of the robotic surgical tool in a fully closed position without requiring the user to constantly pinch the user interface device. Accordingly, the bi-stable latch mechanism incorporated into the user interface device reduces the likelihood that the operator will experience hand fatigue.

The above summary does not include an exhaustive list of all aspects of the present invention. It is contemplated that the invention includes all systems and methods that can be practiced with all suitable combinations of the various aspects summarized above, as well as those systems and methods disclosed in the following detailed description and particularly pointed out in the claims filed concurrently with the application. Such combinations have particular advantages not explicitly recited in the summary above.

Drawings

Embodiments of the invention are illustrated by way of example, and not by way of limitation, in the figures of the accompanying drawings in which like reference numerals refer to similar elements. It should be noted that references to "an" embodiment of the invention in this disclosure are not necessarily to the same embodiment, and they mean at least one. In addition, for purposes of simplicity and reduced overall number of figures, a given figure may be used to illustrate features of more than one embodiment of the invention, and not all elements in a figure may be required for a given embodiment.

Fig. 1 is a diagrammatic view of an example surgical robotic system in a surgical site according to one embodiment.

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of a user interface device in an open configuration according to one embodiment.

Fig. 3 is a side view of a user interface device in an open configuration according to one embodiment.

Fig. 4 is an end view of a user interface device in an open configuration according to one embodiment.

Fig. 5 is a cross-sectional view, taken along line 5-5 of fig. 4, of the user interface device in an open configuration according to one embodiment.

Fig. 6 is a perspective view of a user interface device in a closed configuration according to one embodiment.

Fig. 7 is a perspective view of a bi-stable latch mechanism of a user interface device according to one embodiment.

FIG. 8 is a side view of touch-sensitive surfaces of a user interface device, according to one embodiment.

Fig. 9 is a cross-sectional view, taken along line 9-9 of fig. 6, of a user interface device in a closed configuration, according to an embodiment.

Fig. 10 is a flow diagram of a method of controlling a surgical robotic system using a user interface device, according to one embodiment.

Fig. 11 is a flow diagram of a method of controlling a surgical robotic system using a user interface device, according to one embodiment.

Fig. 12 is a block diagram of a computer portion of a surgical robotic system, according to one embodiment.

Fig. 13 is a perspective view of a user interface device in an open configuration being held in a hand according to one embodiment.

Detailed Description