Master having redundant degrees of freedom
US6714839B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Sep 17, 1999 |
| Grant date | Mar 30, 2004 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Jul 8, 2020 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
- CPC primaryY10S128/923
- WIPO fieldMedical technology
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
The invention provides an input device for robotic surgical techniques and other applications. The input device has a handle supported by a linkage having joints with a redundant degree of freedom, with the joints being movable with at least one more degree of freedom than the handle. At least one joint of the linkage is actively driven to prevent the linkage from approaching singularities of the joint system, motion limits of the joints, or the like, and also to drive the linkage toward a freely articulatable configuration. In one embodiment, a robotic master controller includes an arm assembly supporting a gimbal having such a redundant linkage, with the arm primarily positioning the gimbal in a three dimensional controller workspace and the gimbal coupling the arm to the handle with four rotational degrees of freedom. One or more additional degrees of freedom may also be provided for actuation of the handle.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.