Robotic arm for surgical tasks

Citation

(2001), "Robotic arm for surgical tasks", Industrial Robot, Vol. 28 No. 5. https://doi.org/10.1108/ir.2001.04928ead.006

Robotic arm for surgical tasks

Keywords: Patents, Robots, Surgery

Applicant: United States Surgical CorporationPatent number: US6,231,565Publication date: 15 May 2001Title: Robotic arm DLUs for performing surgical tasks

This patent presents disposable loading units (DLUs) configured for mounting to a robotic arm and having at least one automatically actuated surgical tool for performing a surgical task. For minimally invasive procedures such as laparoscopic and endoscopic procedures accurate and precise manipulation of surgical instruments at or near a surgical site is required. For such procedures it is advantageous to provide DLUs configured for mounting to a robotic arm of a robotic system and having at least one surgical tool extending from one end for performing a surgical task. The DLU would be actuated by an actuation assembly operatively associated with the robotic arm for controlling the operation and movement of the DLU. The DLU would include an electro-mechanical assembly operatively associated with the actuation assembly for controlling the operation and movement of the surgical tool. The surgical tool may include a cutting assembly, an aortic hole punch assembly, a lasing assembly, a coring assembly, or a vascular suturing assembly.