Patents Assigned to Intuitive Surgical Operations, Inc.
  • Patent number: 11864851
    Abstract: A medical instrument includes a roll mechanism that rotates an instrument shaft. The roll mechanism may include a first gear coupled to the instrument shaft and meshed with a second gear. One of gears may be a spur gear while the other gear may be a beveloid gear. Further, the spur gear and the beveloid gear may be in a gear train containing a compressible gear, e.g., a gear with an inner center piece, an outer ring, and a flexible interconnecting structure between the inner center piece and the outer ring. With a compressible gear, an interference fit of in the gear train may be within manufacturing variations of the gear train, and the compressible gear may deflect radially away from the interference fit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 6, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 9, 2024
    Assignee: Intuitive Surgical Operations, Inc.
    Inventors: Bram Gilbert Antoon Lambrecht, Thomas G. Cooper
  • Patent number: 11869379
    Abstract: A surgeon training apparatus includes a cassette, which includes biological tissue repurposed into a form consistent with the anatomical configuration of abdominal hernias, affixed into an anatomically correct silicon framework which replicates the abdominal anatomy. The framework positions the cassette in an anatomically correct position within the abdominal cavity, enabling surgeons to train using a properly positioned representation of the target anatomy, thus requiring the surgeon to properly use surgical tools to correct the pathologic condition caused by the hernia. The cassette is formed by applying biologic tissue to a specially designed “plate,” which affixes the tissue block into the anatomic framework, and is adapted for connection to a grounding device so the surgeon can use cautery during the simulated hernia repair.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 9, 2024
    Assignee: INTUITIVE SURGICAL OPERATIONS, INC.
    Inventors: John Alexander, W. Andrew Grubbs, Kaity Yu Emerson, Morgan Dominice Moore, Megan Harrison Dew, Samuel David Drew
  • Publication number: 20240000532
    Abstract: A drape includes a first drape portion configured to receive a manipulator arm of a surgical system and a pocket coupled to a distal portion of the first drape portion. The pocket is configured to receive a manipulator of the surgical system. The pocket includes a flexible membrane positionable between an output of the manipulator and an input of a surgical instrument mountable to the manipulator. In some embodiments, the flexible membrane is located at a distal end of the pocket. In some embodiments, the flexible membrane is configured to allow an actuating force to be transmitted from the output of the manipulator to the input of the surgical instrument. In some embodiments, the pocket provides a sterile barrier between the manipulator and the surgical instrument. In some embodiments, the drape further includes a rotatable seal configured to couple a proximal opening of the pocket to the first drape portion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 1, 2023
    Publication date: January 4, 2024
    Applicant: INTUITIVE SURGICAL OPERATIONS, INC.
    Inventors: Anthony K. McGrogan, Jeffrey D. Brown, Thomas G. Cooper, Eugene F. Duval, Daniel H. Gomez, Robert E. Holop, Craig R. Ramstad
  • Patent number: 11857188
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides a surgical instrument, such as a tissue sealing instrument, with an elongate shaft and an end effector movably coupled to the shaft with a joint or wrist assembly. The wrist assembly includes a first outer link, a second outer link, and an inner link. The first outer link is connected to the elongated shaft and movably coupled to the second outer link by the inner link. The inner link includes a pair of posts, and the first and second outer links each include a recess configured to receive a respective one of the pair of posts. The posts and recesses defining a rocking hinge, which permits the wrist assembly to accommodate a reduction in the size of the rolling radius to reduce the likelihood of grabbing and pinching tissue during articulation of the end effector without sacrificing the internal bend radius of the hinge joint.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 20, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2024
    Assignee: INTUITIVE SURGICAL OPERATIONS, INC.
    Inventor: Tibor Hites
  • Patent number: 11857284
    Abstract: A surgical instrument includes: an adjustable end effector; an elongated instrument shaft defining an internal bore; and a drive assembly including a housing coupled to an end of the instrument shaft and an input device configured to facilitate controlled adjustment of the end effector via a drive cable extending along the bore of the instrument shaft. The input device includes: a drive shaft attached to a first portion of the drive cable, the drive shaft including an upstanding stem portion having a radially tapered outer surface; and a capstan attached to a second portion of the drive cable, the capstan defining an internal bore sized to receive the stem portion of the drive shaft, at least a lower portion of the internal bore having a radially tapered inner surface. The capstan and drive shaft are configured to transition from a disengaged state to an engaged state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 17, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2024
    Assignee: INTUITIVE SURGICAL OPERATIONS, INC.
    Inventors: Grant M. Kadokura, William A. McDonald, II
  • Patent number: 11857645
    Abstract: Compositions and methods for visualizing tissue under illumination with fusion compounds of near-infrared radiation using near IR, closed chain, sulfo-cyanine dyes and prostate specific membrane antigen ligands are provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 4, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2024
    Assignee: Intuitive Surgical Operations, Inc.
    Inventor: Jonathan M. Sorger
  • Patent number: 11857280
    Abstract: A teleoperated system comprises a display, a master input device, and a control system. The control system is configured to determine an orientation of an end effector reference frame relative to a field of view reference frame, determine an orientation of a master input device reference frame relative to a display reference frame, establish an alignment relationship between the master input device reference frame and the display reference frame, and command, based on the alignment relationship, a change in a pose of the end effector in response to a change in a pose of the master input device. The alignment relationship is independent of a position relationship between the master input device reference frame and the display reference frame. In one aspect, the teleoperated system is a telemedical system such as a telesurgical system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 18, 2022
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2024
    Assignee: INTUITIVE SURGICAL OPERATIONS, INC.
    Inventors: Simon P. DiMaio, Gerard J. Labonville, Kollin M. Tierling
  • Patent number: 11863733
    Abstract: A calibration assembly may be used with an endoscopic imaging system having a field of view. The calibration assembly may comprise an interface configured for constraining engagement with the endoscopic imaging system and a target coupled with the interface so as to be within the field of view. The target may include a plurality of calibration features. The calibration assembly may be reconfigurable from a first spatial arrangement between the target and the endoscopic imaging system to a second spatial arrangement between the target and the endoscopic imaging system. The calibration assembly may also comprise a processor configured to obtain, from the endoscopic imaging system, first and second images of at least some of the calibration features of the target at the first and second spatial arrangements. The processor may also generate calibration data for the endoscopic imaging system using the first and second images.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 6, 2022
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2024
    Assignee: INTUITIVE SURGICAL OPERATIONS, INC.
    Inventors: Tao Zhao, Wenyi Zhao, David D. Scott
  • Patent number: 11850093
    Abstract: In one embodiment of the invention, a robotic surgical system includes a combined laser imaging robotic surgical tool, a control console, and a laser generator/controller. The tool is mounted to a first robotic arm of a patient side cart. The tool has a wristed joint and an end effector coupled together. The end effector has a laser-emitting device to direct a laser beam onto tissue in a surgical site and an image-capturing device to capture images of the tissue in the surgical site. The control console, in communication with the tool, receives the captured images of tissue in the surgical site and displays the captured images on a display device to a user. The laser generator/controller is coupled to the tool and the control console to control the emission of the laser beam onto tissue of the surgical site.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 6, 2021
    Date of Patent: December 26, 2023
    Assignee: Intuitive Surgical Operations, Inc.
    Inventors: Matthew R. Williams, Gregory W. Dachs, II, David Shafer
  • Patent number: 11850004
    Abstract: A system and method for performing a teleoperational medical procedure is provided. In an example, a medical system includes an imaging instrument, a processor coupled to the imaging instrument, and a non-transitory computer memory coupled to the processor. The non-transitory computer memory stores machine-executable instructions that, when executed, cause the processor to: receive, from the imaging instrument, an image of a patient anatomy, wherein the patient anatomy includes a tissue within a tissue bed; receive an ex vivo model of the tissue after removal of the tissue from the tissue bed; and determine an arrangement of the tissue in the tissue bed from the ex vivo model and the image of the patient anatomy.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 14, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 26, 2023
    Assignee: INTUITIVE SURGICAL OPERATIONS, INC.
    Inventors: Jonathan Michael Sorger, Ian E. McDowall
  • Patent number: 11847936
    Abstract: A system includes a sensor to sense a change in a position of an input control component and a tool; a storage medium embodies a collection of respective motion pictures, which show tool movement imparted by the control component in response to manual input provided by users, indexed based upon a metric; a storage medium embodies a set of instructions that cause a processor to perform operations comprising: determining a user's performance; recording a motion picture of the tool movement imparted by the master control component by the individual user; indexing the recorded motion picture to the collection of motion pictures; generating a user interface providing an interactive visual index; and displaying a selected motion picture on the display screen in response to user input at the interactive visual index.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 15, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 19, 2023
    Assignee: Intuitive Surgical Operations, Inc.
    Inventors: Anthony M. Jarc, Liheng Guo
  • Patent number: 11847932
    Abstract: Modified animal tissues, organs, and organ systems for use in simulated surgical procedures are disclosed. The tissues, organs, and/or organ systems can be modified by enhancing their electrical conductivity, by including simulated contents mimicking what would normally be present in live animals, and by having fake blood perfusing through them. Portions of different tissues, organs, or organ systems, which can be from the same or different animals, can be adhered to provide hybrid/chimeric tissues, organs, or organ systems, and also used for simulated surgical procedures. These modifications can provide surgeons with a more realistic experience during a simulated surgical procedure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 7, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 19, 2023
    Assignee: INTUITIVE SURGICAL OPERATIONS, INC.
    Inventors: John Alexander, W. Andrew Grubbs
  • Patent number: 11842503
    Abstract: The invention relates to a device for superimposing known patterns, characteristic of a region, on (real) images of said region. The device comprises, a memory in which patterns are stored, which are representative of a selected region, of known position and orientation with relation to a common reference and processing means, for determining a pattern representative of the selected portion in the memory, on receipt of the designation of at least one portion of an observed image of the selected region, taken at a selected angle and at least one representative attribute of said region, taking account of the attribute selected, then superimposing the determined pattern on the selected portion of the image taking account of the selected angle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 9, 2021
    Date of Patent: December 12, 2023
    Assignee: Intuitive Surgical Operations, Inc.
    Inventors: Eve Coste-Maniere, Thierry Vieville, Fabien Mourgues
  • Patent number: 11832911
    Abstract: A surgical module is supported by manipulators that are removably attached to the surgical module. The surgical module may enable operation of surgical tools by providing an integration between actuating mechanisms of the manipulators and actuating mechanisms of the surgical tools. Alternatively or additionally, the surgical module may enable operation of the surgical tools by providing physical access for deploying surgical tools that are operatively connected to the manipulators.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 2021
    Date of Patent: December 5, 2023
    Assignee: INTUITIVE SURGICAL OPERATIONS, INC.
    Inventors: David J. Rosa, Gary S. Guthart, Simon P. DiMaio
  • Patent number: 11832891
    Abstract: A medical robotic system includes a control system and a manipulator assembly including actuators to manipulate a flexible elongate body, including a rotation actuator to bend the flexible elongate body. The control system is configured to perform: determining an operational state of the system; detecting a fault in one or more components of the system; classifying the fault with one or more classifications of a plurality of classifications according to heuristics; and imposing a fault reaction state on the system based on the classifications to mitigate the fault. The control system is configured to impose a first fault reaction state for a motion actuation fault and impose a second fault reaction state for a non-motion actuation fault. The first fault reaction state includes controlling the rotation actuator to cause the elongate body to become compliant to external forces placed upon the elongate body by walls of an anatomical passageway.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 5, 2023
    Assignee: INTUITIVE SURGICAL OPERATIONS, INC.
    Inventors: Federico Barbagli, Christopher R. Carlson, Samuel Y. Chang, Nicola Diolaiti, Vincent Duindam, Salomon J. Trujillo
  • Patent number: 11832900
    Abstract: Systems and methods for operating an end effector include an end effector for grasping a material, a drive system coupled to the end effector, and a processor. The processor is configured to use the drive system to grasp a material using the end effector, determine a grasping separation parameter of the end effector, determine, based on the determined grasping separation parameter, a prediction of success or failure in configuring the end effector for firing a staple through the material, and based on the determined grasping separation parameter, output an indicator of whether it is safe to proceed with stapling of the material grasped by the end effector.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 3, 2021
    Date of Patent: December 5, 2023
    Assignee: Intuitive Surgical Operations, Inc.
    Inventors: David W. Weir, Grant Duque, Kevin Durant, Patrick Flanagan, Margaret M. Nixon, David W. Robinson, John W. Zabinski
  • Publication number: 20230386366
    Abstract: Implementations relate to anatomical models and surgical training. In some implementations, an anatomical training model includes a base portion and a top portion that form a hollow space between the base portion and top portion. A plurality of holes are positioned in the top portion. The model includes a plurality of cannula supports, where each cannula support is aligned with one or more corresponding holes in the top portion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 20, 2023
    Publication date: November 30, 2023
    Applicant: Intuitive Surgical Operations, Inc.
    Inventors: Anthony M. JARC, Christopher J. SANCHEZ, Timothy V. WHITE, Eugene T. NAGEL
  • Patent number: 11826017
    Abstract: Systems and methods for safe operation of a device include a control system having a memory and a processor coupled to the memory. The processor is configured to determine, using one or more sensors, whether an operator is in contact with an input control of a console coupled to the system. The processor is further configured to affect commanded motion of the device using the input control in response to the determination of operator contact with the input control. In some embodiments, affecting the commanded motion includes limiting commanded motion of the device using the input control in response to determining the operator is not in contact with the input control. In some embodiments, the limited commanded motion is an insertion motion of the elongate device, a retraction motion of the elongate device, or a steering motion of a distal end of the elongate device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 30, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 28, 2023
    Assignee: INTUITIVE SURGICAL OPERATIONS, INC.
    Inventors: Nicola Diolaiti, David W. Bailey
  • Patent number: 11828586
    Abstract: A multi-core fiber includes multiple optical cores, and for each different core of a set of different cores of the multiple optical cores, a total change in optical length is detected. The total change in optical length represents an accumulation of all changes in optical length for multiple segments of that different core up to a point on the multi-core fiber. A difference is determined between the total changes in optical length for cores of the set of different cores. A twist parameter and/or a bend angle associated with the multi-core fiber at the point on the multi-core fiber is/are determined based on the difference.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 24, 2022
    Date of Patent: November 28, 2023
    Assignee: Intuitive Surgical Operations, Inc.
    Inventors: Mark E. Froggatt, Justin W. Klein, Dawn K. Gifford, Stephen T. Kreger
  • Patent number: 11819190
    Abstract: A tissue visualization system comprises a flexible elongate shaft through which a lumen extends. The system also comprises a pliable visualization device coupled to a distal portion of the flexible elongate shaft. The pliable visualization device includes a chamber configured to receive a fluid. The system also comprises a piercing instrument configured to extend through the lumen and to penetrate a surface of the pliable visualization device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 28, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 21, 2023
    Assignee: INTUITIVE SURGICAL OPERATIONS, INC.
    Inventors: David Miller, Zachary J. Malchano, Ruey-Feng Peh, Christopher A. Rothe, Vahid Saadat, Edmund Tam, Aseem K. Thakur