Patents by Inventor Travis Michael Schuh

Travis Michael Schuh 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: 12376918
    Abstract: Provided are systems and techniques for providing multiple perspectives during medical procedures. In one aspect, a method includes positioning a plurality of cannulas in a plurality of anatomical quadrants of a patient, inserting first and second surgical tools coupled to corresponding robotic arms into the respective cannulas. The method may include inserting an articulatable camera coupled to another robotic arm into another of the cannulas, where the articulatable camera is capable of showing a first view including the first surgical tool in a first anatomical quadrant and articulating to show a second view including the second surgical tool in a second anatomical quadrant. The method may further involve performing a surgical procedure in at least one of the first anatomical quadrant or the second anatomical quadrant.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 14, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 5, 2025
    Assignee: Auris Health, Inc.
    Inventors: Joshua F. DeFonzo, Andrew F. O'Rourke, Travis Michael Schuh, Yanan Huang, Jason Tomas Wilson
  • Patent number: 12364557
    Abstract: A medical instrument can include alignment and attachment mechanisms for aligning and attaching the medical instrument to another device, such as an adapter on an instrument drive mechanism. For example, a medical system can include a medical instrument having an instrument handle and an elongated body. The system can include an alignment mechanism configured to provide rotational alignment between the medical instrument and an adapter. The system can also include an attachment mechanism configured to secure the medical instrument to the adapter. The attachment mechanism can include at least three locking elements positioned circumferentially about the axis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 26, 2020
    Date of Patent: July 22, 2025
    Assignee: AURIS HEALTH, INC.
    Inventors: Travis R. Marsot, Aren Calder Hill, Travis Michael Schuh, Spencer James Witte
  • Patent number: 12329486
    Abstract: A robotic surgical tool includes a handle providing a drive input, an elongate shaft extendable through the handle and having an end effector arranged at a distal end of the shaft, and an accumulator system housed within the handle and operatively coupled to the drive input such that actuation of the drive input operates the accumulator system. At least one drive cable is threaded through the accumulator system and extends distally along the shaft, wherein operation of the accumulator system acts on the at least one drive cable to operate the end effector.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 20, 2021
    Date of Patent: June 17, 2025
    Assignee: Cilag GmbH International
    Inventors: Andrew T. Beckman, Spencer James Witte, Charles J. Scheib, Benjamin D. Dickerson, Travis Michael Schuh, Eric N. Johnson, Jason Alan Hill
  • Publication number: 20250152281
    Abstract: A surgical system is disclosed that includes a surgical instrument that comprises a surgical effector having N degrees of movement, a wrist coupled to the surgical effector, the wrist comprising one or more stationary redirect surfaces, and at least N+1 cable segments that extend through the wrist to the surgical effector to actuate the surgical effector and to engage the one or more stationary redirect surfaces in order to effectuate movement of the surgical effector in N degrees of movement.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 15, 2025
    Publication date: May 15, 2025
    Applicant: Auris Health, Inc.
    Inventors: Travis Michael SCHUH, Bruce R. WOODLEY
  • Patent number: 12285229
    Abstract: A robotic system can include a surgical instrument with a wrist that allows N degrees of freedom of movement. The N degrees of freedom can be controlled by N+1 cable segments. The wrist can include a first set pulleys configured to rotate about a first axis and a second set of pulleys configured to rotate about a second axis. The wrist can further comprise one or more pulleys configured to engage two of the cable segments, wherein at least one of the pulleys is shared by a first cable segment and a second cable segment. The first cable segment and the second cable segment that share the pulley can be independent from one another. In some circumstances, the surgical instrument can be actuated N+1 degrees of movement by advancing or retracting at least two of N+1 cable segments.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 2, 2022
    Date of Patent: April 29, 2025
    Assignee: Auris Health, Inc.
    Inventors: Travis Michael Schuh, Bruce R. Woodley
  • Publication number: 20240407871
    Abstract: A method of manually operating a robotic surgical tool includes positioning the robotic surgical tool adjacent a patient, the robotic surgical tool including a drive housing having opposing first and second ends, a spline extending between the first and second ends, a carriage arranged within the drive housing and movable between the first and second ends, and a manual actuation mechanism arranged at the first or second end and including 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 engageable with a pinion gear operatively coupled to the spline coupling. The method further including grasping the robotic surgical tool and manually rotating the ring gear, and driving the ring gear against the pinion gear and thereby rotating the spline to manually actuate a function of the robotic surgical tool.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 9, 2023
    Publication date: December 12, 2024
    Applicant: Cilag GbmH International
    Inventors: Andrew T. BECKMAN, Charles J. SCHEIB, Travis Michael SCHUH, Benjamin D. DICKERSON
  • Patent number: 12138003
    Abstract: Certain aspects relate to medical instruments including wrists with hybrid redirect surfaces. Such medical instruments can include, for example, a shaft with a wrist positioned at a distal end. The wrist can include a proximal clevis connected to the shaft and a distal clevis pivotally connected to the proximal clevis. The wrist can also include a static redirect surface, such as a face of a clevis, and a dynamic redirect surface, such as a pulley. The instrument can include an end effector connected to the distal clevis. A plurality of pull wires can extend through the shaft and the wrist and engage with and actuate the wrist and the end effector. A first pull wire segment of the plurality of pull wires can engage the static redirect surface, and a second pull wire segment of the plurality of pull wires can engage the dynamic redirect surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 23, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 12, 2024
    Assignee: Auris Health, Inc.
    Inventor: Travis Michael Schuh
  • Patent number: 12035993
    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.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 21, 2021
    Date of Patent: July 16, 2024
    Assignee: Cilag GmbH International
    Inventors: Andrew T. Beckman, Charles J. Scheib, Travis Michael Schuh, Benjamin D. Dickerson, Erica Ding Chin, Eric N. Johnson, Jason Alan Hill
  • Publication number: 20240138938
    Abstract: Systems, devices and methods are provided in which an instrument can translate along an insertion axis. Rather than relying primarily on a robotic arm for instrument insertion, the instruments described herein have novel instrument based insertion architectures that allow portions of the instruments themselves to translate along an insertion axis. For example, an instrument can comprise a shaft, an end effector on a distal end of the shaft, and a handle coupled to the shaft. The architecture of the instrument allows the shaft to translate relative to the handle along an axis of insertion. The translation of the shaft does not interfere with other functions of the instrument, such as end effector actuation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 8, 2023
    Publication date: May 2, 2024
    Inventors: Aren Calder Hill, Travis Michael Schuh, Nicholas J. Eyre
  • Patent number: 11957428
    Abstract: A medical instrument can include a wrist, an end effector, pull wires that extend through the wrist toward for controlling a motion of the end effector, and a conductive cable that extends through the wrist to the end effector. The wrist can have proximal and distal clevises and proximal and distal pulleys through which the conductive cable passes. The conductive cable can extend over one or more redirect surfaces of the distal and/or proximal clevises.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 17, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2024
    Assignee: Auris Health, Inc.
    Inventor: Travis Michael Schuh
  • Patent number: 11950863
    Abstract: Certain aspects relate to systems and apparatuses with shielded wrists, and methods of actuating instruments with wrists. In one aspect, an instrument includes a shaft, an end effector, and a wrist connecting the shaft to the end effector. For example, the wrist may include a proximal clevis, a distal clevis, and an intermediary frame positioned between the proximal clevis and the distal clevis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 11, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2024
    Assignee: Auris Health, Inc
    Inventors: Erica Ding Chin, Travis Michael Schuh
  • Publication number: 20240090961
    Abstract: Certain aspects relate to systems and techniques for a bipolar medical instrument. In one aspect, the medical instrument includes a first end effector, a first set of one or more distal pulleys coupled to the first end effector, and a wrist configured to house the first set of distal pulleys. The medical instrument also includes a plurality of cables extending through the wrist and a first insulating member formed between the first end effector and the first set of one or more distal pulleys.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 13, 2023
    Publication date: March 21, 2024
    Inventors: Travis Michael Schuh, Erica Ding Chin, Alex J. Niswander
  • Publication number: 20240081933
    Abstract: A robotic surgical tool includes a drive housing having opposing first and second ends, a carriage arranged within the drive housing, a shaft extending from the carriage, a firing rod extending within the shaft and defining external threads, an end effector arranged at an end of the shaft and including a knife coupled to the firing rod such that movement of the firing rod moves the knife, and an activating mechanism coupled to the carriage. The activating mechanism including a motor mounted to the carriage and operable to rotate a drive gear, and a driven gear engageable with the drive gear such that rotation of the drive gear rotates the driven gear and actuates the activating mechanism. The driven gear defines internal threads and is rotatably mounted to the firing rod at the external threads such that rotation of the driven gear longitudinally moves the firing rod and the knife.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 21, 2023
    Publication date: March 14, 2024
    Applicant: Cilag GmbH International
    Inventors: Andrew T. BECKMAN, Charles J. SCHEIB, Travis Michael SCHUH
  • Publication number: 20240058087
    Abstract: Certain aspects relate to systems and techniques for medical robotic systems that leverage a versatile, open kinematic chain together with a set of medical-procedure-specific software-controlled actuation constraints in order to perform a variety of medical procedures. The robotic system can be operated in a first mode by identifying a remote center and constraining the actuation of motorized joints to maintain intersection of at least an insertion axis with the remote center. The robotic system can be operated in a second mode by identifying a virtual rail position and constraining the actuation of motorized joints to maintain alignment of the insertion axis along the virtual rail.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 25, 2023
    Publication date: February 22, 2024
    Inventors: David Stephen MINTZ, Bruce R. WOODLEY, Travis Michael SCHUH, Yanan HUANG, Matthew Reagan WILLIAMS
  • Patent number: 11896335
    Abstract: Certain aspects relate to systems and techniques for an articulating monopolar medical instrument. In one aspect, the medical instrument includes a wrist comprising a proximal clevis and a distal clevis; an end effector coupled to the distal clevis via a distal axle; at least one proximal pulley in the proximal clevis; at least one distal pulley in the distal clevis and coupled to the distal axle; a first cable configured to engage with the at least one proximal pulley and the at least one distal pulley; and a second cable configured to engage with the at least one proximal pulley without engaging the at least one distal pulley.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2024
    Assignee: Auris Health, Inc.
    Inventors: Travis Michael Schuh, Spencer James Witte, Alex J. Niswander
  • Patent number: 11857279
    Abstract: Certain aspects relate to systems and techniques for a bipolar medical instrument. In one aspect, the medical instrument includes a first end effector, a first set of one or more distal pulleys coupled to the first end effector, and a wrist configured to house the first set of distal pulleys. The medical instrument also includes a plurality of cables extending through the wrist and a first insulating member formed between the first end effector and the first set of one or more distal pulleys.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 26, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2024
    Assignee: Auris Health, Inc.
    Inventors: Travis Michael Schuh, Erica Ding Chin, Alex J. Niswander
  • Publication number: 20230404562
    Abstract: A method of operating a surgical anchoring system can include inserting an outer sleeve of a surgical instrument at least partially into a first natural body lumen, the outer sleeve having a working channel. The method can include inserting a channel arm of the surgical instrument through the working channel of the outer sleeve and into a second natural body lumen. The channel arm has at least one first anchor member coupled thereto and a control actuator operatively coupled to the at least one first anchor member. The method can include expanding the at least one first anchor member from an unexpanded state to an expanded state to form an anchor point at a portion of the second natural body lumen. The method can include controlling, by the control actuator, a motion of the channel arm to selectively manipulate an organ associated with the first and second natural body lumens.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 20, 2023
    Publication date: December 21, 2023
    Inventors: FREDERICK E. SHELTON, IV, Charles J. Scheib, Jason L. Harris, Alexander Tarek Hassan, Travis Michael Schuh
  • Patent number: 11839439
    Abstract: Systems, devices and methods are provided in which an instrument can translate along an insertion axis. Rather than relying primarily on a robotic arm for instrument insertion, the instruments described herein have novel instrument based insertion architectures that allow portions of the instruments themselves to translate along an insertion axis. For example, an instrument can comprise a shaft, an end effector on a distal end of the shaft, and a handle coupled to the shaft. The architecture of the instrument allows the shaft to translate relative to the handle along an axis of insertion. The translation of the shaft does not interfere with other functions of the instrument, such as end effector actuation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 28, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 12, 2023
    Assignee: Auris Health, Inc.
    Inventors: Aren Calder Hill, Travis Michael Schuh, Nicholas J. Eyre
  • Patent number: 11832908
    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, and an activating mechanism coupled to the carriage. The activating mechanism includes a motor mounted to the carriage and operable to rotate a drive gear, and a driven gear engageable with the drive gear such that rotation of the drive gear causes the driven gear to rotate and thereby actuate the activating mechanism.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 22, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 5, 2023
    Assignee: Cilag GmbH International
    Inventors: Andrew T. Beckman, Charles J. Scheib, Travis Michael Schuh
  • Patent number: 11832907
    Abstract: Certain aspects relate to systems and techniques for medical robotic systems that leverage a versatile, open kinematic chain together with a set of medical-procedure-specific software-controlled actuation constraints in order to perform a variety of medical procedures. The robotic system can be operated in a first mode by identifying a remote center and constraining the actuation of motorized joints to maintain intersection of at least an insertion axis with the remote center. The robotic system can be operated in a second mode by identifying a virtual rail position and constraining the actuation of motorized joints to maintain alignment of the insertion axis along the virtual rail.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 4, 2021
    Date of Patent: December 5, 2023
    Assignee: Auris Health, Inc.
    Inventors: David Stephen Mintz, Bruce R. Woodley, Travis Michael Schuh, Yanan Huang, Matthew Reagan Williams