INCORPORATION BY REFERENCE TO ANY PRIORITY APPLICATIONS

Any and all applications for which a foreign or domestic priority claim is identified in the Application Data Sheet as filed with the present application are hereby incorporated by reference under 37 CFR 1.57.

BACKGROUND

1. Field

This disclosure relates generally to robotic surgery systems and more particularly to a hand grip apparatus for receiving operator input for controlling the robotic surgery system to perform surgical procedures.

2. Description of Related Art

Robotic surgery systems generally include an operator interface that receives operator input from a surgeon and causes corresponding movements of surgical tools within a body cavity of a patient to perform a surgical procedure. For example, the operator may grasp and move a hand grip while the operator interface senses movements of the hand grip. The operator interface and hand grip may operate to sense inputs responsive to movement of the operator's hand in several different degrees of freedom, thus providing inputs for causing the surgical tool to mimic movements of the operator's hand. Additional movements such as opening and closing of jaws of an end effector associated with the surgical tool may also be initiated in response to additional operator inputs received at the operator interface.

SUMMARY

In accordance with one disclosed aspect there is provided a hand grip apparatus for receiving operator input for controlling a surgical tool in a robotic surgery system. The apparatus includes a generally tubular body having a proximal end shaped to be grasped by a hand of the operator and a distally located interface end operably configured to be coupled to an input apparatus for controlling the surgical tool. The apparatus also includes a first control lever attached to the body at a first pivot joint and extending along the body away from the proximal end, the first control lever terminating in a finger grip end configured to receive one of the operator's fingers, the first control lever being laterally moveable away from the body about the first pivot joint. The apparatus further includes a second control lever attached to the body at a second pivot joint on a generally opposing side of the body to the first pivot joint, the second control lever extending along the body away from the proximal end and terminating in a thumb grip end configured to receive the operator's thumb, the second control lever being laterally moveable away from the body about the second pivot joint. Movement of at least one of the first and second control levers is operable to produce a first control signal representing the movement. The apparatus also includes an input control on an upper surface of the body and generally interposed between the finger and thumb grip ends, the input control having an actuator surface that is angled towards the finger grip end and being operably configured to produce a second control signal in response to actuation of the actuator surface by one of the operator's fingers.

The first control signal may include an electrical control signal and the apparatus may further include a sensor for producing the electrical control signal in response to lateral movement of at least one of the first and second control levers.

The first control signal may include a mechanical movement of a linkage coupled to at least one of the first and second control levers.

The actuator surface of the input control may be oriented such that the operator's knuckles will be generally parallel to the actuator surface when grasped by the hand of the operator in a generally neutral position.

The control button may be surrounded by a land disposed generally parallel to the actuator surface of the input control.

The first and second pivot joints may be spaced apart on the body by a distance corresponding to a distance between the metacarpophalangeal joints of the thumb and index finger of an average operator.

The first and second control levers may be sized such that when grasped by the hand of an average operator, the finger grip end and thumb grip end on the respective levers are positioned to receive distal phalanges of the operator's finger and thumb.

The finger grip may be configured to receive the operator's index finger, and the actuator surface of the input control may be angled to be actuated by the index finger moving between the finger grip and the input control.

The finger grip may be configured to receive the operator's middle finger, and the actuator surface of the input control may be angled to be actuated by the index finger.

The proximal end of the body may be configured to receive one of a plurality of different removable end caps, the removable end cap facilitating configuration of the apparatus in accordance with the operator's preference.

The proximal end of the body may have a rounded shape operable to receive and support a portion of the operator's palm when the body is grasped in the hand of the operator.

The proximal end of the body may be angled with respect to the tubular body.

The tubular body may have a neck portion interposed between the proximal end and the interface end, the neck portion having reduced cross sectional extent with respect to the proximal end.

The first and second control levers may be mechanically coupled such that movement of one of the control levers causes a corresponding opposing lateral movement of the other of the control levers.

The first and second control levers may be mounted to constrain the lateral movement of each of the levers to a range corresponding to an ergonomically comfortable lateral movement of the thumb and finger of an average operator.

At least one of the finger and thumb grip ends may include a retaining loop operably configured to retain the operator's finger or thumb for actuating the respective levers.

The retaining loop associated with the first control lever may include a loop portion and an open portion, the open portion being disposed to permit lateral movement of the operator's finger between the finger grip and the input control.

The retaining loop of the at least one of the finger and thumb grip ends may be oriented downwardly at an angle corresponding to a natural orientation of the operator's thumb or finger when the body is grasped such that the operator's palm rests on an upper surface of the body.

Each of the first and second control levers may be disposed within respective sculpted portions on generally opposing sides of the body, each extending forwardly from the proximal end toward the interface end, the respective sculpted portions being operable to receive the operator's finger and thumb when the body is grasped from behind the proximal end.

The apparatus may include at least one proximity sensor disposed to sense one of the operator's hand grasping the hand grip apparatus, and a position of the operator's hand with respect to the tubular body.

In accordance with another disclosed aspect there is provided a method for receiving operator input in a robotic surgery system. The method involves receiving a hand of the operator at a generally tubular body having a proximal end shaped for to be grasped by the operator's hand, the tubular body having a distally located interface end operably configured to be coupled to the input apparatus. The method also involves receiving one of the operator's fingers in a finger grip end of a first control lever attached to the body at a first pivot joint and extending along the body away from the proximal end, the first control lever being laterally moveable away from the body about the first pivot joint. The method further involves receiving the operator's thumb in a thumb grip end of a second control lever attached to the body at a second pivot joint on a generally opposing side of the body to the first pivot joint, the second control lever extending along the body away from the proximal end and being laterally moveable away from the body about the second pivot joint. The method also involves receiving one of the operator's fingers at an input control on an upper surface of the body and generally interposed between the finger and thumb grip ends, the input control having an actuator surface that is angled towards the finger grip end. The method further involves producing a first control signal at the interface in response to lateral opening and closing movements of the operator's finger and thumb causing corresponding lateral movement of the first and second control levers, and producing a second control signal at the interface end in response to actuation of the input control.

The method may involve receiving the first control signal at an input apparatus for controlling a surgical tool, the first control signal being operable to control opening and closing functions open of a jaw of an end effector associated with the surgical tool.

The method may involve receiving the second control signal at an input apparatus for controlling a surgical tool, the second control signal being operable to control additional functions associated with the surgical tool.

The additional functions may include one of supply of an electrical current through the jaws of the surgical tool for electro-cauterization of tissue, and functions associated with a surgical viewing system for generating views of a surgical site.

The method may involve receiving a signal from at least one proximity sensor disposed to sense one of the operator's hand grasping the hand grip apparatus and a position of the operator's hand with respect to the tubular body.

Other aspects and features of the present invention will become apparent to those ordinarily skilled in the art upon review of the following description of specific embodiments of the invention in conjunction with the accompanying figures.

