Manipulator arm with proximal and distal control balls
US5520678A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Nov 30, 1994 |
| Grant date | May 28, 1996 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Nov 30, 2014 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC A)Human Necessities
- CPC primaryA61B2017/2927
- WIPO fieldMedical technology
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
A surgical manipulator arm has a first and a second control ball rotatably mounted and disposed at a proximal end and a distal end of an outer-shaft tube, respectively. The control balls are coupled to each other through coupling elements such, for example, as control wires so that rotational movements of the first control ball can be transmitted correspondingly to the second control ball or vice versa. The manipulator arm has an actuator portion connected to the first control ball and a follower portion connected to the second control ball for selectively and detachably mounting a handling part and an effector part of an instrument. The first and second control balls are mounted in such a way so as to permit their respective actuator and follower portions to rotate and pivot about the longitudinal axis of the outer-shaft tube. The central bore defines a connective passage from the actuator portion, through the outer-shaft tube, and to the follower portion. The connective passage thus formed allows a user to insert a flexible surgical instrument therethrough.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.