{
  "patent_number": "US 12127807",
  "country": "US",
  "title": "How a Surgical Robot Attaches Tools and Stays Sterile",
  "original_title": "Surgical system instrument mounting",
  "summary": "Intuitive Surgical's patent details a robotic surgical system that securely mounts medical instruments, transfers precise movements, and ensures sterility through a unique rotating drape mechanism.",
  "what_it_does": "This surgical system uses a robot arm to hold and control medical instruments. It features an \"instrument manipulator interface\" that can attach and detach a medical instrument, placing it in a \"mounted state.\" This interface has multiple \"actuator outputs\" that connect to matching inputs on the instrument, allowing the robot to transfer control forces, like opening and closing surgical jaws. A key feature is that these actuator outputs extend from the mounting surface in directions \"substantially parallel to a shaft\" of the medical instrument (Claim 1). Once mounted, the instrument and its interface can rotate together around a \"roll axis\" relative to the robot arm's end, which helps with precise movements during surgery. The system also includes a \"sterile drape assembly\" with a \"rotatable seal\" (Claim 1) to keep the surgical area clean even as the instrument rotates.",
  "what_it_does_not_cover": [
    "Does not cover surgical systems where instruments are permanently attached to the robot arm, as it specifies a \"removably couple\" mechanism.",
    "Does not cover systems where the actuator outputs are not aligned parallel to the instrument's shaft, which is a specific claim requirement.",
    "Does not cover systems without a sterile drape assembly that includes a rotatable seal between the instrument interface and the arm.",
    "Does not cover systems where the instrument and its interface cannot rotate together about a roll axis relative to the arm's distal link."
  ],
  "filed": "2022-06-10",
  "granted": "2024-10-29",
  "expires": "2042-06-10",
  "status": "active",
  "holder": "Intuitive Surgical Operations",
  "holder_url": "https://patentbrief.org/company/intuitive-surgical-operations",
  "inventors": [
    {
      "name": "Thomas G. Cooper",
      "url": "https://patentbrief.org/inventor/thomas-g-cooper"
    },
    {
      "name": "Anthony K. McGrogan",
      "url": "https://patentbrief.org/inventor/anthony-k-mcgrogan"
    },
    {
      "name": "Daniel H. Gomez",
      "url": "https://patentbrief.org/inventor/daniel-h-gomez"
    },
    {
      "name": "Todd R. Solomon",
      "url": "https://patentbrief.org/inventor/todd-r-solomon"
    },
    {
      "name": "Craig R. Ramstad",
      "url": "https://patentbrief.org/inventor/craig-r-ramstad"
    },
    {
      "name": "Eugene F. Duval",
      "url": "https://patentbrief.org/inventor/eugene-f-duval"
    },
    {
      "name": "Jeffrey D. Brown",
      "url": "https://patentbrief.org/inventor/jeffrey-d-brown"
    },
    {
      "name": "Robert E. Holop",
      "url": "https://patentbrief.org/inventor/robert-e-holop"
    },
    {
      "name": "Theodore W. Rogers",
      "url": "https://patentbrief.org/inventor/theodore-w-rogers"
    }
  ],
  "times_cited": 0,
  "tags": [
    "medical_devices",
    "robotics",
    "mechanical",
    "software"
  ],
  "abstract": "A surgical system comprises a base, an arm assembly operably coupled to the base, and an instrument manipulator assembly coupled to a distal link of the arm assembly. The instrument manipulator assembly comprises an instrument manipulator interface to removably couple with a medical instrument and transfer actuation forces to the medical instrument. The instrument manipulator interface comprises a mounting surface and a plurality of actuator outputs to operably engage with respectively corresponding inputs of the medical instrument. The actuator outputs extend from the mounting surface along directions substantially parallel to a shaft of the medical instrument in a mounted state of the medical instrument to the instrument manipulator interface. In the mounted state of the medical instrument, the instrument manipulator interface and medical instrument are rotatable together about a roll axis of rotation relative to the distal link of the arm assembly.",
  "url": "https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/12127807/surgical-system-instrument-mounting",
  "markdown_url": "https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/12127807/surgical-system-instrument-mounting/md",
  "google_patents_url": "https://patents.google.com/patent/US12127807",
  "relatedPatents": [
    {
      "patentNumber": "12414825",
      "countryCode": "US",
      "title": "How a Surgical Robot Arm's Wrist Moves Instruments",
      "url": "https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/12414825/surgical-arm"
    },
    {
      "patentNumber": "10736702",
      "countryCode": "US",
      "title": "Surgical Tool with Flexible, Articulating, and Rotating End Effectors",
      "url": "https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/10736702/activating-and-rotating-surgical-end-effectors"
    },
    {
      "patentNumber": "11786761",
      "countryCode": "US",
      "title": "How a Robotic Surgical Tool Clamps Tissue Manually and Automatically",
      "url": "https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/11786761/ultrasonic-robotic-tool-actuation"
    },
    {
      "patentNumber": "9949801",
      "countryCode": "US",
      "title": "How Surgical Robots Reconfigure Their Arms Without Moving the Tool Tip",
      "url": "https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/9949801/systems-and-methods-for-commanded-reconfiguration-of-a-surgical-manipulator-usin"
    },
    {
      "patentNumber": "12114954",
      "countryCode": "US",
      "title": "Uniform Scaling of Haptic Forces in Surgical Systems",
      "url": "https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/12114954/uniform-scaling-of-haptic-actuators"
    }
  ]
}