Abstract: A robotic surgical tool includes a handle providing a first drive input and a second drive input, an elongate shaft extendable through the handle and having an end effector arranged at a distal end thereof, and a rack extending along a portion of the shaft and operatively coupled to a knife located at the end effector. Actuation of the first drive input transitions the rack between a locked configuration, where the rack is locked to the shaft, and a released configuration, where the rack is released from the shaft. Actuation of the second drive input with the rack in the locked configuration drives the rack and causes z-axis translation of the shaft through the handle. Actuation of the second drive input with the rack in the released configuration drives the rack relative to the shaft and thereby advances or retracts the knife at the end effector.

Abstract: An end effector for use with a surgical stapling instrument is disclosed. The end effector comprises a first jaw, a second jaw movable relative to the first jaw to grasp tissue therebetween, and a staple cartridge. The staple cartridge comprises staples deployable into the tissue. The end effector further comprises a magnetic sensor configured to measure a parameter indicative of an identifying characteristic of the staple cartridge, an impedance sensor configured to measure a parameter indicative of an impedance of the tissue, and a processing unit in communication with the impedance sensor. The processing unit is configured to determine a property of the tissue based on an output of the impedance sensor.

Abstract: A robotic surgical tool includes a drive housing having first and second ends, a spline extending between the ends and including a drive gear that rotates with spline rotation, and a carriage mounted to the spline. A shaft extends from the carriage, penetrates the first end, and has an end effector arranged at a distal end. An activating mechanism is housed in the carriage and includes an input gear operatively coupled to the drive gear such that rotation of the drive gear correspondingly rotates the input gear, and a firing rod defining external threads threadably engageable with internal threads of the input gear. The firing rod is coupled to a knife at the end effector such that movement of the firing rod correspondingly moves the knife in the same direction. The drive gear is rotated to rotate the input gear and thereby move the firing rod and the knife.

Abstract: A robotic surgical tool includes a drive housing having first and second ends, a carriage movably mounted to the drive housing, and a shaft extending from the carriage and penetrating the first end, the shaft having an end effector arranged at a distal end. An activating mechanism is secured to the carriage and includes a transmission link pivotably coupled to the carriage, a transmission drive gear rotatably mounted to a transmission link, a drive gear rotatably mounted to the carriage and operatively coupled to the transmission drive gear, and a transmission driven gear rotatably mounted to the transmission link and driven by rotation of the transmission drive gear. The transmission link is pivotable between a first and second positions to actuate the activating mechanism to perform first and second functions, respectively, of the end effector.

Abstract: A robotic surgical tool comprises a handle having a first end and a second end, a lead screw and at least one spline extendable between the first and second ends of the handle, and a carriage movably mountable to the lead screw at a carriage nut. The carriage includes an elevator layer and one or more additional layers removably coupled to the elevator layer. An elongate shaft may be provided that extends distally from the one or more additional layers and penetrates the elevator layer and the first end when the one or more additional layers are coupled to the elevator layer. An end effector may be arranged at a distal end of the elongate shaft.

Abstract: A robotic surgical tool comprises a lead screw and at least one spline extending between first and second end, and a drive puck movably mounted to the lead screw and the spline and movable between the first and second ends. A spline coupling is rotatably coupled to the drive puck and receives the spline such that rotation of the spline correspondingly rotates the spline coupling. An instrument drive output is rotatably coupled to the drive puck and operatively coupled to the spline coupling, such that rotation of the spline coupling correspondingly rotates the instrument drive output. A drive housing is mountable to the drive puck and includes a drive input rotatably mounted to the drive housing and matable with the instrument drive output such that rotation of the instrument drive output correspondingly rotates the drive input.

Abstract: A robotic surgical tool includes a drive housing having a first end, a second end, and a lead screw extending between the first and second ends, a carriage movably mounted to the lead screw at a carriage nut secured to the carriage, and an elongate shaft extending from the carriage and extending through the first end, the shaft having an end effector arranged at a distal end thereof. Rotation of the lead screw moves the carriage and the carriage nut axially between the first and second ends and thereby moves the end effector distally or proximally.

Abstract: A robotic surgical tool includes a drive housing having a first end, a second end, and a lead screw extending between the first and second ends, a carriage movably mounted to the lead screw at a carriage nut secured to the carriage, and an activating mechanism including a drive gear rotatably mounted to the carriage and rotatable to actuate the activating mechanism. A torsion cable extends between the drive gear and a drive input arranged at the first end, wherein rotating the drive input rotates the torsion cable and thereby transmits a torsional load along the torsion cable to the drive gear to actuate the activating mechanism.

Abstract: A surgical stapling instrument comprising a handle, a shaft extending from the handle, an end effector, a replaceable staple cartridge, a drive system, and a battery pack is disclosed. The handle comprises a battery mount. The end effector comprises a cartridge jaw and an anvil jaw. The drive system comprises an electric motor, a control circuit in communication with the electric motor, a firing member driveable by the electric motor during a firing stroke to eject staples from the staple cartridge. The battery pack is removably attachable to the battery mount. The battery pack comprises an outer housing, a battery cell, an electrical contact, a metal heat sink disposed within the outer housing, and control electronics in communication with the battery cell and the electrical contact that is operable to supply power to the control circuit when the battery pack is attached to the battery mount.

Abstract: A robotic surgical tool includes an elongate shaft extendable through a handle providing a drive input, a drive cable extending along a portion of the shaft and having a proximal end anchored to the shaft proximal to the handle and a distal end anchored to the shaft distal to the handle, an actuation system housed within the handle and operatively coupled to the drive input such that actuation of the drive input operates the actuation system, and a toggle mechanism arranged at a proximal end of the shaft and actuatable to close or open opposing jaws of an end effector arranged at a distal end of the shaft. The drive cable is threaded through portions of the actuation system and the toggle mechanism such that operation of the actuation system acts on the drive cable and thereby actuates the toggle mechanism to close or open the opposing jaws.

Abstract: An electronic system for a surgical instrument is disclosed. The electronic system comprises a main power supply circuit configured to supply electrical power to a primary circuit. A supplementary power supply circuit configured to supply electrical power to a secondary circuit. A short circuit protection circuit coupled between the main power supply circuit and the supplementary power supply circuit. The supplementary power supply circuit is configured to isolate itself from the main power supply circuit when the supplementary power supply circuit detects a short circuit condition at the secondary circuit. The supplementary power supply circuit is configured to rejoin the main power supply circuit and supply power to the secondary circuit, when the short circuit condition is remedied.

Abstract: A surgical tool comprising a drive housing having first and second ends, a lead screw extending between the first and second ends and rotatably coupled to the first end at a drive input, a carriage mounted to the lead screw at a carriage nut and movable within the drive housing between the first and second ends, and an instrument driver arranged at an end of a robotic arm and matable with the first end. A drive output is matable with the drive input such that rotation of the drive output correspondingly rotates the drive input and the lead screw to thereby translate the carriage nut along the lead screw. A fin may be connected to the carriage and accessible by a user from an exterior of the drive housing to manually translate the carriage along the lead screw and thereby backdrive the drive output.

Abstract: A surgical tool comprising a drive housing having a first end and a second end, a spline extending between the first and second ends and being rotatably coupled to the first end at a drive input, a drive gear coupled to and rotatable with the spline, a carriage movably mounted to the spline and housing an activating mechanism operatively coupled to the drive gear such that rotation of the spline actuates the activating mechanism, and a bailout mechanism arranged at the second end. The bailout mechanism may include a lever that is movable relative to the spline, from a first position, where the spline is disengaged from the lever, to a second position, where the spline engages the lever such that rotation of the lever correspondingly rotates the spline.

Abstract: A surgical tool comprising a drive housing having a first end and a second end, a spline extending between the first and second ends, a carriage provided in the drive housing and movable between the first and second ends, and a mechanism for manually actuating the spline. The mechanism may be arranged at the first or second end of the drive housing. The mechanism may further include a frame, a spline coupling rotatably mounted to the frame to receive an end of the spline, and a ring gear rotatable about the frame and operatively coupled to a pinion gear attached to the spline coupling such that rotation of the ring gear about the frame correspondingly actuates the spline.

Abstract: A robotic surgical tool includes a drive housing having first and second ends, at least one spline extending between the first and second ends and including a drive gear that rotates with rotation of the spline, and a carriage mounted to the spline. A closure tube extends from the carriage through the first end and has an end effector arranged at a distal end. An activating mechanism is housed in the carriage and includes a driven gear coupled to the drive gear such that rotation of the drive gear rotates the driven gear, and a carrier arranged at a proximal end of the closure tube and coupled to the driven gear such that rotation of the driven gear moves the carrier and the closure tube axially along a longitudinal axis of the closure tube. Moving the closure tube along the longitudinal axis closes or opens end effector jaws.

Abstract: An electronic system for a surgical instrument is disclosed. The electronic system comprises a main power supply circuit configured to supply electrical power to a primary circuit. A supplementary power supply circuit configured to supply electrical power to a secondary circuit. A short circuit protection circuit coupled between the main power supply circuit and the supplementary power supply circuit. The supplementary power supply circuit is configured to isolate itself from the main power supply circuit when the supplementary power supply circuit detects a short circuit condition at the secondary circuit. The supplementary power supply circuit is configured to rejoin the main power supply circuit and supply power to the secondary circuit, when the short circuit condition is remedied.

Abstract: A surgical instrument includes a drive housing, a spline, a carriage, an elongate shaft assembly, an end effector, and an activating mechanism. The at least one spline includes a drive gear rotatable with the spline. The elongate shaft assembly extends from the carriage. The activating mechanism includes a barrel cam extending along a rotational axis and having a first cam profile radially extending about the rotational axis. The barrel cam is operatively coupled to the drive gear such that rotation of the drive gear is configured to actuate the activating mechanism to move at least a portion of the end effector. The first cam profile defines a plurality of slopes relative to the rotational axis such that the first cam profile is configured to drive movement of the end effector or the elongate shaft assembly at different rates according to the plurality of slopes.

Abstract: A device including smart sensors with a local signal processor is disclosed. The device includes an end-effector including at least one sensor and a signal processing component corresponding to the at least one sensor; and a handle configured to receive processed information from the signal processing component. The processed information is generated by the signal processing component at the end-effector based on data received from the at least one sensor at the end-effector.

Abstract: An end effector for use with a surgical stapling instrument is disclosed. The end effector comprises a first jaw, a second jaw movable relative to the first jaw to grasp tissue therebetween, and a staple cartridge. The staple cartridge comprises staples deployable into the tissue. The end effector further comprises a magnetic sensor configured to measure a parameter indicative of an identifying characteristic of the staple cartridge, an impedance sensor configured to measure a parameter indicative of an impedance of the tissue, and a processing unit in communication with the impedance sensor. The processing unit is configured to determine a property of the tissue based on an output of the impedance sensor.

Abstract: A robotic surgical tool includes a shaft extendable through a handle, an end effector arranged at a distal end of the shaft and including a first and second jaws providing first and second jaw extension, a plurality of drive members extending along the shaft and actuatable by the handle, and an articulable wrist interposing the end effector and the distal end. The wrist includes a proximal clevis, a distal clevis rotatably coupled to the proximal clevis, first and second pulleys rotatably mounted to the distal clevis, the first jaw extension being pinned to the first pulley and the second jaw extension being pinned to the second pulley, and a linkage mounted to the jaws. The plurality of drive members terminate at the first and second pulleys and are antagonistically operable to open and close the jaws and articulate the end effector in pitch and yaw.