Patent application number | Description | Published |
20130331826 | SURGICAL INSTRUMENT - A surgical instrument for minimally invasive surgery. The surgical instrument includes a manipulator, a proximal universal joint mounted to the manipulator, a tube mounted to the proximal joint, a distal universal joint mounted to the tube, and an end effector including at least one movable jaw mounted to the distal joint. Cables operatively couple the manipulator, proximal joint, and distal joints and concurrently operatively couple the manipulator and the end effector. Four cables may control two degrees of freedom of the distal joint and one degree of freedom of the jaw. Pivoting of the manipulator and a proximal yoke of the proximal joint results in a corresponding motion in a distal yoke of the distal joint. Actuation of an anchor in the manipulator results in operation of any moveable jaws in the end effector. The distal universal joint and the end effector may be integrated into one end segment part. | 12-12-2013 |
20150119901 | SURGICAL TOOL - A surgical instrument including a manipulator, a proximal joint mounted to the manipulator, a hollow elongated member mounted to the proximal joint, a distal joint mounted to the hollow elongated member, and an end effector mounted to the distal joint. The proximal joint and the distal joint may each include a base at each end with a central feature disposed between the bases. The central features may provide for articulation about two perpendicular axes, may be substantially ball-shaped, and may define guides in their surfaces to receive cables, and perpendicular slots may be provided to receive projections from the bases. Cables engage the central features to operatively couple the manipulator, proximal joint, and distal joint, and may concurrently operatively couple the manipulator and the end effector. | 04-30-2015 |
20150342585 | SURGICAL INSTRUMENT - An end effector comprises a base portion defining a linear elongated slot extending along a longitudinal axis. A distal end of the base portion is adapted to be operatively mounted to an articulation mechanism. Each link of a first pair of links is pivotally connected to the base portion at a fixed pivot point. Each link of a second pair of links is pivotally connected at a fixed pivot point to one or the other of the first pair of links. The second pair of links is pivotally connected together through the slot of the base portion for linear movement along the slot relative to the base portion constraining movement of the first pair of links to relative rotation only in opposite directions. | 12-03-2015 |
Patent application number | Description | Published |
20120143173 | SURGICAL TOOL - A surgical tool for minimally invasive surgery. The surgical tool in one embodiment includes a manipulator as a user interface, a proximal universal joint mounted to the manipulator, a hollow elongated member such as a tube mounted to the proximal universal joint, and a distal universal joint mounted to the other end of the elongated member. An end effector is mounted to the distal universal joint second end. Pivoting of the first end of the proximal universal joint causes the second end of the distal universal joint to move in a corresponding motion, and cabling operatively couples the proximal and distal universal joints. The proximal and distal universal joints may each include two yokes and a center block. Cabling may include four cables that each engage two round elements at the proximal and distal universal joints mounting locations to the center block. | 06-07-2012 |
20140188159 | SURGICAL TOOL - A surgical tool for minimally invasive surgery. In one embodiment, the surgical tool includes a proximal joint and a distal joint at opposite ends of a tube that constrain pivoting of adjacent parts to be about two perpendicular, intersecting axes. Three articulation control cable lengths engage and operatively couple the joints to control the two degrees of freedom of the distal joint. A manipulator and an end effector may be operatively coupled, with one cable controlling the opening and closing of jaws. In another embodiment, a surgical tool includes two flexible articulation elements mounted to opposite ends of a tube assembly. The tube assembly includes a proximal tube element and a distal tube element, with their ends rotatably mounted to each other. The mode of operation the tool may be changed between motion-following and motion-mirroring by rotating the distal tube element relative to the proximal tube element. | 07-03-2014 |
20150112363 | SURGICAL TOOL - A surgical tool for minimally invasive surgery. The surgical tool in one embodiment includes a manipulator as a user interface, a proximal universal joint mounted to the manipulator, a hollow elongated member such as a tube mounted to the proximal universal joint, and a distal universal joint mounted to the other end of the elongated member. An end effector is mounted to the distal universal joint second end. Pivoting of the first end of the proximal universal joint causes the second end of the distal universal joint to move in a corresponding motion, and cabling operatively couples the proximal and distal universal joints. The proximal and distal universal joints may each include two yokes and a center block. Cabling may include four cables that each engage two round elements at the proximal and distal universal joints mounting locations to the center block. | 04-23-2015 |
Patent application number | Description | Published |
20100111656 | THREE PIECE LIFT ARM APPARATUS AND METHOD - The present invention is a refuse truck lift arm with sections that are bolted, not welded, together. Where the sections are joined together there is a recess and key arrangement. The key is seated in the recess of each half and straddles the inner face that divides them. In this way, shear forces that would otherwise be entirely borne by the bolts are also placed on the key. Each of the three sections, called “weldments,” are welded together in a novel way. The welding placement and sequence reduces welding distortion. Two C-shaped steel pieces are used for each straight section of each weldment. First, interior reinforcing brackets are welded into each C-section. Next, the two C-shaped sections are welded together, with the weld being between the edges that will form the thin side of the arm. | 05-06-2010 |
20130302119 | CONTROL APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR REFUSE TRACK EXTENDABLE ARMS - A lift arm controller for a refuse truck has a lift arm, a gripper dimensioned for gripping and holding a refuse container, a carriage on the lift arm to translate along it and a gripper mounted on the carriage. A lift actuator is operationally attached to the carriage to translate the carriage, gripper and the refuse container along the lift arm. At least one sensor is configured to sense when the carriage is entering a near end portion of the lift arm and a signal to a controller. The controller is in operative communication with the sensor and the lift actuator and is configured to signal the lift actuator to operate at a slower speed when a signal is received from the sensor. The sensor may be an inclinometer. The inclinometer may also be used to maintain the gripper in a substantially level orientation. | 11-14-2013 |
20140182133 | THREE PIECE LIFT ARM APPARATUS AND METHOD - A method of assembling a weldment for a refuse truck loading arm includes providing a left-handed C-section and a right-handed C-section and at least one buttress, welding a first buttress into a concave end portion of the left-handed or right-handed C-section, welding a first edge of the left-handed C-section to a matching edge of the right-handed C-section, welding another matching edge of the left-handed C-section to a matching edge of the right-handed C-section, the edge welding steps defining a slot between the edges, said slot being at an end portion of said weldment, and welding a joint section into the slot, with the joint section having an inner face, bolt holes and a key recess. | 07-03-2014 |