Patents by Inventor S. Christopher Anderson

S. Christopher Anderson has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 7699855
    Abstract: A sterile adaptor, a sterile drape with the integrated sterile adaptor, and a telerobotic surgical system including the sterile drape with a drape interface are provided. The adaptor, drape, and system allow for draping portions of a telerobotic surgical system to maintain a sterile barrier between the sterile surgical field and the non-sterile robotic system while also providing an interface for transferring mechanical and electrical energy and signals between a robotic arm and a surgical instrument in the sterile field.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 2006
    Date of Patent: April 20, 2010
    Assignee: Intuitive Surgical Operations, Inc.
    Inventors: S. Christopher Anderson, Joseph Orban, III, Bruce Schena, Thomas G. Cooper, Roman Devengenzo
  • Patent number: 7691098
    Abstract: The present invention provides a robotic surgical tool for use in a robotic surgical system to perform a surgical operation. The robotic surgical tool includes a wrist mechanism disposed near the distal end of a shaft which connects with an end effector. The wrist mechanism includes a distal member configured to support the end effector, and a plurality of rods extending generally along an axial direction within the shaft and movable generally along this axial direction to adjust the orientation of the distal member with respect to the shaft. Advancement or retraction of a first rod generally along the axial direction tips the base through a first angle. The addition of a second angle allows the distal member to direct the end effector in essentially a compound angle. The robotic surgical tool may also include provisions for roll movement.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 18, 2006
    Date of Patent: April 6, 2010
    Assignee: Intuitive Surgical, Inc.
    Inventors: Daniel T. Wallace, S. Christopher Anderson, Scott Manzo
  • Patent number: 7666191
    Abstract: A sterile drape with integrated sterile adaptor, a telerobotic surgical system, and method of use are provided for draping portions of a telerobotic surgical system to maintain a sterile barrier between the sterile surgical field and the non-sterile robotic system while also providing an interface for transferring mechanical and electrical energy and signals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2005
    Date of Patent: February 23, 2010
    Assignee: Intuitive Surgical, Inc.
    Inventors: Joseph P. Orban, III, S. Christopher Anderson, Roman Devengenzo, Bruce Schena, Michael Prindiville, Thomas G Cooper, William Burbank
  • Patent number: 7320700
    Abstract: The present invention is directed to a tool having a wrist mechanism that provides pitch and yaw rotation in such a way that the tool has no singularity in roll, pitch, and yaw. In one embodiment, a minimally invasive surgical instrument comprises an elongate shaft having a working end, a proximal end, and a shaft axis between the working end and the proximal end; and an end effector. A wrist member has a flexible tube including an axis extending through an interior surrounded by a wall. The wall of the flexible tube includes a plurality of lumens oriented generally parallel to the axis of the flexible tube. The wrist member has a proximal portion connected to the working end of the elongate shaft and a distal portion connected to the end effector.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 2, 2003
    Date of Patent: January 22, 2008
    Assignee: Intuitive Surgical, Inc
    Inventors: Thomas G. Cooper, S. Christopher Anderson
  • Publication number: 20060161138
    Abstract: A sterile drape with integrated sterile adaptor, a telerobotic surgical system, and method of use are provided for draping portions of a telerobotic surgical system to maintain a sterile barrier between the sterile surgical field and the non-sterile robotic system while also providing an interface for transferring mechanical and electrical energy and signals.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 20, 2005
    Publication date: July 20, 2006
    Applicant: Intuitive Surgical INC.
    Inventors: Joseph Orban, S. Christopher Anderson, Roman Devengenzo, Bruce Schena, Michael Prindiville, Thomas Cooper, William Burbank
  • Patent number: 7066926
    Abstract: The present invention provides a robotic surgical tool for use in a robotic surgical system to perform a surgical operation. The robotic surgical tool includes a wrist mechanism disposed near the distal end of a shaft which connects with an end effector. The wrist mechanism includes a distal member configured to support the end effector, and a plurality of rods extending generally along an axial direction within the shaft and movable generally along this axial direction to adjust the orientation of the distal member with respect to the shaft. Advancement or retraction of a first rod generally along the axial direction tips the base through a first angle. The addition of a second angle allows the distal member to direct the end effector in essentially a compound angle. The robotic surgical tool may also include provisions for roll movement.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 14, 2004
    Date of Patent: June 27, 2006
    Assignee: Intuitive Surgical Inc
    Inventors: Daniel T. Wallace, S. Christopher Anderson, Scott Manzo
  • Publication number: 20050090809
    Abstract: The present invention is directed to a tool having a wrist mechanism that provides pitch and yaw rotation in such a way that the tool has no singularity in roll, pitch, and yaw. A positively positionable multi-disk wrist mechanism includes a plurality of disks or vertebrae stacked in series. Each vertebra is configured to rotate in pitch or in yaw with respect to each neighboring vertebra. Actuation cables are used to manipulate and control movement of the vertebrae. In specific embodiments, some of the cables are distal cables that extend from a proximal vertebra through one or more intermediate vertebrae to a distal vertebra, while the remaining cables are medial cables that extend from the proximal vertebra to one or more of the intermediate vertebrae. The cables are actuated by a pivoted plate cable actuator mechanism.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 1, 2004
    Publication date: April 28, 2005
    Applicant: Intuitive Surgical, Inc.
    Inventors: Thomas Cooper, Daniel Wallace, Stacey Chang, S. Christopher Anderson, Dustin Williams, Scott Manzo
  • Patent number: 6817974
    Abstract: The present invention is directed to a tool having a wrist mechanism that provides pitch and yaw rotation in such a way that the tool has no singularity in roll, pitch, and yaw. A positively positionable multi-disk wrist mechanism includes a plurality of disks or vertebrae stacked in series. Each vertebra is configured to rotate in pitch or in yaw with respect to each neighboring vertebra. Actuation cables are used to manipulate and control movement of the vertebrae. In specific embodiments, some of the cables are distal cables that extend from a proximal vertebra through one or more intermediate vertebrae to a distal vertebra, while the remaining cables are medial cables that extend from the proximal vertebra to one or more of the intermediate vertebrae. The cables are actuated by a pivoted plate cable actuator mechanism.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 2002
    Date of Patent: November 16, 2004
    Assignee: Intuitive Surgical, Inc.
    Inventors: Thomas G. Cooper, Daniel T. Wallace, Stacey Chang, S. Christopher Anderson, Dustin Williams, Scott Manzo
  • Publication number: 20040162547
    Abstract: The present invention provides a robotic surgical tool for use in a robotic surgical system to perform a surgical operation. The robotic surgical tool includes a wrist mechanism disposed near the distal end of a shaft which connects with an end effector. The wrist mechanism includes a distal member configured to support the end effector, and a plurality of rods extending generally along an axial direction within the shaft and movable generally along this axial direction to adjust the orientation of the distal member with respect to the shaft. Advancement or retraction of a first rod generally along the axial direction tips the base through a first angle. The addition of a second angle allows the distal member to direct the end effector in essentially a compound angle. The robotic surgical tool may also include provisions for roll movement.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 14, 2004
    Publication date: August 19, 2004
    Applicant: INTUITIVE SURGICAL, INC.
    Inventors: Daniel T. Wallace, S. Christopher Anderson, Scott Manzo
  • Publication number: 20040138700
    Abstract: The present invention is directed to a tool having a wrist mechanism that provides pitch and yaw rotation in such a way that the tool has no singularity in roll, pitch, and yaw. In one embodiment, a minimally invasive surgical instrument comprises an elongate shaft having a working end, a proximal end, and a shaft axis between the working end and the proximal end; and an end effector. A wrist member has a flexible tube including an axis extending through an interior surrounded by a wall. The wall of the flexible tube includes a plurality of lumens oriented generally parallel to the axis of the flexible tube. The wrist member has a proximal portion connected to the working end of the elongate shaft and a distal portion connected to the end effector.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 2, 2003
    Publication date: July 15, 2004
    Applicant: Intuitive Surgical, Inc.
    Inventors: Thomas G. Cooper, S. Christopher Anderson
  • Patent number: 6699235
    Abstract: The present invention provides a robotic surgical tool for use in a robotic surgical system to perform a surgical operation. The robotic surgical tool includes a wrist mechanism disposed near the distal end of a shaft which connects with an end effector. The wrist mechanism includes a distal member configured to support the end effector, and a plurality of rods extending generally along an axial direction within the shaft and movable generally along this axial direction to adjust the orientation of the distal member with respect to the shaft. The distal member has a base to which the rods are rotatably connected by orthogonal linkage assemblies. Advancement or retraction of a first rod generally along the axial direction tips the base through a first angle so that the distal member faces a first articulated direction, such as to provide pitch.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 2002
    Date of Patent: March 2, 2004
    Assignee: Intuitive Surgical, Inc.
    Inventors: Daniel T. Wallace, S. Christopher Anderson, Scott Manzo
  • Publication number: 20030036748
    Abstract: The present invention is directed to a tool having a wrist mechanism that provides pitch and yaw rotation in such a way that the tool has no singularity in roll, pitch, and yaw. A positively positionable multi-disk wrist mechanism includes a plurality of disks or vertebrae stacked in series. Each vertebra is configured to rotate in pitch or in yaw with respect to each neighboring vertebra. Actuation cables are used to manipulate and control movement of the vertebrae. In specific embodiments, some of the cables are distal cables that extend from a proximal vertebra through one or more intermediate vertebrae to a distal vertebra, while the remaining cables are medial cables that extend from the proximal vertebra to one or more of the intermediate vertebrae. The cables are actuated by a pivoted plate cable actuator mechanism.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 28, 2002
    Publication date: February 20, 2003
    Applicant: Intuitive Surgical, Inc.
    Inventors: Thomas G. Cooper, Daniel T. Wallace, Stacey Chang, S. Christopher Anderson, Dustin Williams, Scott Manzo
  • Publication number: 20030018323
    Abstract: The present invention provides a robotic surgical tool for use in a robotic surgical system to perform a surgical operation. The robotic surgical tool includes a wrist mechanism disposed near the distal end of a shaft which connects with an end effector. The wrist mechanism includes a distal member configured to support the end effector, and a plurality of rods extending generally along an axial direction within the shaft and movable generally along this axial direction to adjust the orientation of the distal member with respect to the shaft. The distal member has a base to which the rods are rotatably connected by orthogonal linkage assemblies. Advancement or retraction of a first rod generally along the axial direction tips the base through a first angle so that the distal member faces a first articulated direction, such as to provide pitch.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 28, 2002
    Publication date: January 23, 2003
    Applicant: Intuitive Surgical, Inc.
    Inventors: Daniel T. Wallace, S. Christopher Anderson, Scott Manzo