Interchangeable input handles for a surgeon console of a robotic surgical system

Abstract

A user interface for a surgical robotic system includes a plurality of handles, each removably attachable to a user interface assembly by a quick release connector. The selection of handles can include handles of varying size, degree of complexity, handles adapted for laparoscopic motion, handles adapted for true cartesian motion or handles customized to surgeon anthropometric data, etc.

Claims

1. A user interface for a surgical robotic system, comprising: a base; an interface assembly connected to the base and moveable relative to the base to generate signals for use by a surgical robotic system to control motion of a surgical instrument; a plurality of handles, each removably attachable to the interface assembly by a quick release connector, wherein a first one of the plurality of handles includes a handle body moveable relative to the base, and a joystick on the handle body, the joystick moveable with respect to the handle body; wherein the user interface is operable to cause movement of a first surgical instrument having an elongate shaft with an articulating distal portion, wherein the handle body of the first one of the plurality of handles is moveable relative to the base to cause the robotic system to move the first instrument shaft relative to an incision through which the first instrument extends, and wherein the joystick is moveable relative to the handle body to cause articulation of the articulating distal portion relative to the shaft.

2. The user interface according to claim 1, wherein the quick release connector has an engaged position in which the handle is fixed to the interface assembly, and a disengaged position in which the handle is removable from the interface assembly, wherein the quick release connector is connector moveable between the locked position and the unlocked position without use of a separate tool to allow attachment and detachment of the corresponding handle from the interface assembly.

3. The user interface according to claim 2, wherein the quick release connector is a twist lock.

4. The user interface according to claim 2, wherein the quick release connector is a straight insertion lock.

5. The user interface according to claim 2, wherein the quick release connector is a latch lock.

6. The user interface according to claim 1, wherein a first one of the plurality of handles is customized to surgeon anthropometric data.

7. The user interface according to claim 1, wherein the user interface is further operable to cause movement of second and third surgical instruments, wherein the handle body of the first one of the plurality of handles is moveable relative to the body to cause the robotic system to move the third instrument, and wherein the joystick is operable to cause movement of the second surgical instrument.

8. The user interface according to claim 1, wherein a first one of the plurality of handles includes electronic components, and wherein the quick release connector is configured to wirelessly transmit power between the user interface and the electronic components.

9. The user interface according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the plurality of handles includes an input for initiating delivery of energy to tissue by a surgical instrument.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an example of a robot-assisted surgical system having a surgeon console of a type with which the configurations described herein may be use;

(2) FIG. 2 is a side view of a first example of a grip for a user input device;

(3) FIG. 3 is a side view of a second example of a grip for a user input device;

(4) FIG. 4 schematically depicts a user interface device having interchangeable handles;

(5) FIG. 5 shows a latch lock type of connection for an interchangeable handle interface;

(6) FIG. 6 shows a twist lock type of configuration for an interchangeable handle interface;

(7) FIG. 7 illustrates a user interface device and a collection of interchangeable handles.

(8) FIGS. 8A and 8B illustrate detachment of an exemplary interchangeable handle from a user interface device;

(9) FIG. 9 is a rear view of the handle of FIG. 8A;

(10) FIG. 10 shows the handle of FIG. 8A with the paddles separated from the handle.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

(11) The purpose of the disclosed invention is to provide a user interface device 60 configured to allow surgical staff to customize a user interface or a surgical robotic system to the specific instrument and/or user preference. The user interface device 60 is preferably part of a surgeon console for a robotic surgical system (see, for example, surgeon console 12 of FIG. 1). The concepts described here are suitable for use with any type of user interface device 60 that is manipulated by a user to generated input to a surgical robotic system for manipulation of a corresponding surgical instrument. Examples include the user interface of the surgeon console of the Senhance Surgical System marketed by TransEnterix, Inc., Morrisville, N.C., a user interface device of the type described in co-pending and commonly owned U.S. application Ser. No. 16/513,670 (“Haptic User Interface for Robotically Controlled Surgical Instruments”) and any other type of interface.

(12) FIG. 4 schematically depicts a user interface device 60. User interface device 60 has a handle 62 that a user manipulates to generate input to a surgical robotic system to cause movement of a corresponding surgical instrument within the patient's body. A base 64 that remains stationary during use is coupled by an interface assembly 66 (e.g. linkages, and/or gimbals, sliding interfaces, and/or other structures that permit movement of the handle relative to the base). The interface assembly includes sensors (not shown) such as encoders or the like convert motion of components of the interface assembly resulting from movement of the handle into signals used to control movement of the corresponding surgical instrument. A connector 68 releasably connects one of a plurality of interchangeable handles 62a-62d to the interface assembly 66. Connector includes a first part 70 on the interface assembly 66 and a second part 72 on the removable handle. The connector 68 is preferably a quick-release connector, defined herein to mean any type of connector whose parts may be securely engaged/disengaged without use of a separate tool. Examples include twist locks, straight insertion locks (FIG. 6), latch locks (FIG. 5), any of a variety of quick release couplings used to connect two comments (including, without limitation, ones similar to types used to connect fluid lines in medical and industrial fields). The connectors 68 may include poka-yoke features to ensure the handles are installed in the proper orientation and, where there are left- and right-handed versions for a two-interface surgeon console, on the correct side of the console.

(13) FIG. 7 illustrates one example of a user interface device 60 in which the interface assembly 66 (a portion of which is shown) is the type described in co-pending U.S. application Ser. No. 16/513,670 (“Haptic User Interface for Robotically Controlled Surgical Instruments”) and in which various non-limiting examples of handles 62a-f are shown.

(14) In use, the quick release connector is released and the handle that is on the interface assembly is withdrawn from the interface assembly as indicated in FIG. 8B. A replacement handle is then mounted to the interface assembly using the quick release connector.

(15) The selection of handles 62a-f can include handles of varying degree of complexity, handles of different sizes and/or shapes, handles adapted for laparoscopic motion, handles adapted for true cartesian motion 62f, handles having different grip configurations (e.g. scissor grip, pistol grip, etc.) or jaw actuation mechanisms (e.g. scissor handle type arrangements, two- or one-lever mechanisms, triggers, finger loops, paddle arrangements (described in connection with FIG. 9), and/or handles customized to surgeon anthropometric data. Examples of the handle types described above in the Background may be included.

(16) Some handles may incorporate tactile (e.g. vibratory) motors and/or brushed/brushless DC motors for haptic feedback. Some, as with the embodiment shown in FIGS. 8A-9, can incorporate mechanical or optical joystick control features 76. In one configuration in which a surgical instrument having pitch and jaw articulation at its distal end (e.g. one of the type described in U.S. Ser. No. 16/732,306, entitled Articulating Surgical Instrument), movement of the handle itself will control instrument yaw and pitch motion etc., while the joystick will be moved by the user (e.g. thumb control) to cause pitch/yaw articulating at the end effector). In other embodiments, the joystick is used to control movement of another surgical instrument, such as the camera that is positioned on the body. This may control laparoscopic movement of the camera (as moved by the robotic arm supporting it), or articulation/bending at the distal end of the instrument. Other uses for the joystick include menu selection functions.

(17) The FIG. 8A-9 handle 62a further includes paddle members 80 for jaw open/close functions. Note that in alternative handles only one of the paddle members 80 might be used. As illustrated in FIG. 10, the interchangeable handles 62a might include interchangeable features on them, allowing components of the handle itself to be modified according to the intended surgical task, anthropometrics, surgeon preference, human factors, etc. In this example, the paddles 80 of the interchangeable handle may be replaced with alternative paddles 80a that have different properties such as different size, shape, contact surface contour, open/close ranges etc. In other embodiments, triggers, finger loops, joystick members or other components can be interchangeable.

(18) Handles might also include additional buttons, switches and/or toggles to provide additional forms of input to the surgical system used to control various other features, including clutching (suspension of the control relationship between handle motion and instrument), application of energy by the surgical instrument, and/or enabling/disabling certain features of the surgical robotic system. For example, a switch may be used to instruct the system to turn on eye-tracking camera control of the type described in commonly owned U.S. patent Ser. No. 10/251,713).

(19) In some cases, the interchangeable handles may be provided as sterile, sterilizable, or disposable, options which would allow the surgeon to operate the interface while scrubbed in in the surgical field. In sterile embodiments, the handle may be placed under a sterile drape. In a sterilizable embodiment, the handle is designed to withstand cleaning and sterilization processes. Disposable embodiments are designed as single-use, disposable components.

(20) In some configurations, mechanical and/or electrical/electronic controls 74 (FIG. 4) may be routed through the connector 68. This can allow sensitive motors and electronics used for functions of the handle (e.g. joystick operation, vibrational or jaw activation haptics, switch operation) to reside in the interface assembly rather than in the handle, reducing the cost of the handles and allowing the handles to be disposable. Mechanical controls 74 can include rods, cables, shafts, linkages and the like.

(21) It may also be advantageous to transmit data and power between the handle and the surgeon console without contacts. Methods of contactless power and data transmission are described in U.S. application Ser. No. 16/051,466 (“Contactless Power and Data Transmission for Surgical Robotic System”) and U.S. application Ser. No. 16/732,935, filed on the same day as the present application (“Optical Data Transmission in a Wireless Power Transmitter for a Surgical Robotic System”)(Attorney Ref: TRX-14700R).

(22) In a handle configuration with a brushless DC motor, hall sensor, encoders, or other IO, there can be upwards of 20 signals transmitted between the handle and the interface assembly. Directly transmitting large numbers of signals such as these would require a large connector that may be unrealistic for a user mechanism of the desired size. The connector and associated wire harness would add weight to the mechanism and decrease its reliability. An embodiment therefore includes a PCBA that serializes the various signals communicated through the handle to reduce the number of signals transmitted between the handles and the console. In this embodiment, there would be an associated PCBA to deserialize the handle signal to extract the individual signals. One embodiment for a serialized communication scheme with a representative handle configuration could implement power and data transmission through the connector 68 in 8 pins: 3 pins for the motor winding, and pins for each of serializer power, serializer ground, serializer signal A, serializer signal B, and an earth ground.

(23) Another embodiment for power transfer to the handle includes incorporating battery power into the handle. The battery could be designed for a single-use, disposable handle, could be designed with capacity for a finite use life, or it could be rechargeable between procedures using either contacts or wireless charging (e.g. Qi, PMA or proprietary standard). Incorporating a battery into the handle is another method to reduce the number of contacts at the handle interface and to enable improved design for sterility/sterilization.

(24) All patents and patent applications referenced herein, including for purposes of priority, are incorporated herein by reference.