Methods of hook and pivot electro-mechanical interface for teleoperated surgical arms

Abstract

A robotic medical system that includes a quick-connect/disconnect feature to facilitate the connecting and disconnecting of a robotic medical arm to and from a set-up arm is disclosed. The robotic medical system includes a robotic medical arm including an interface having a downward-oriented hook located at an upper portion thereof, and an electrical connector located at a lower portion thereof. The system further includes a set-up arm including an interface having an upward-oriented hook located at an upper portion thereof, and an electrical connector located at a lower portion thereof. To connect the robotic medical arm to the set-up arm, a user links the downward-oriented hook to the upward-oriented hook, and pivots the robotic medical arm until the respective electrical connectors mate with each other. To disconnect the robotic medical arm from the set-up arm, a user pivots the robotic medical arm to disconnect the electrical connectors, and then de-links the hooks.

1 - 25 . (canceled) 
     
     
         26 . A method of attaching a robotic medical arm to a set-up arm in a robotic medical system, the method comprising:
 mating a first hook of a robotic medical arm with a second hook of a set-up arm;   pivoting the robotic medical arm about a rotational axis located proximate the second hook;   aligning the robotic medical arm with the set-up arm; and   securing the robotic medical arm to the set-up arm.   
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 26 , further comprising:
 aligning a first electrical connector of the robotic medical arm with a second electrical connector of the set-up arm.   
     
     
         28 . The method of  claim 26 , wherein
 securing the robotic medical arm to the set-up arm includes bolting the robotic medical arm to the set-up arm.   
     
     
         29 . The method of  claim 26 , wherein
 securing the robotic medical arm to the set-up arm includes latching the robotic medical arm to the set-up arm.   
     
     
         30 . The method of  claim 26 , wherein
 aligning the robotic medical arm to the set-up arm includes inserting a tapered key into a slot.   
     
     
         31 . The method of  claim 27 , wherein
 aligning the first electrical connector with the second electrical connector includes inserting a pair of tapered alignment pins into a pair of alignment holes, and   moving one of the first electrical connector, the second electrical connector, or both the first and second electrical connectors.   
     
     
         32 . The method of  claim 27 , wherein
 the first hook is a downward oriented hook located in a first portion of a first interface of the robotic medical arm, and the first electrical connector is located in a second portion of the first interface opposite the first portion; and   the second hook is an upward oriented hook located in a first portion of a second interface of the set-up arm, and the second electrical connector is located in a second portion of the second interface opposite the first portion.   
     
     
         33 . The method of  claim 32 , wherein
 the first portion of the first interface of the robotic medical arm is an upper portion of the first interface and the second portion of the first interface is a lower portion of the first interface, and   the first portion of the second interface of the set-up arm is an upper portion of the second interface and the second portion of the second interface is a lower portion of the second interface.   
     
     
         34 . A method of detaching a robotic medical arm from a set-up arm in a robotic medical system, the method comprising:
 removing a securing device that secures a robotic medical arm to a set-up arm;   pivoting the robotic medical arm about a rotational axis located proximate a linked pair of hooks located respectively at upper portions of respective first and second interfaces of the robotic medical arm and the set-up arm; and   de-linking the hook of the first interface from the hook of the second interface.   
     
     
         35 . The method of  claim 34 , wherein
 the pivoting to disconnect a first electrical connector located at a lower portion of the first interface from a second electrical connector located at a lower portion of the second interface.   
     
     
         36 . The method of  claim 34 , wherein
 removing the securing device includes removing one or more bolts that secure the robotic medical arm to the set-up arm.   
     
     
         37 . The method of  claim 34 , wherein
 removing the securing device includes unlatching a latch that secures the robotic medical arm to the set-up arm.   
     
     
         38 . The method of  claim 27 , wherein
 the first electrical connector is located in a bottom portion of a first interface opposite the first hook located in a top portion of the first interface;   the second electrical connector is located in a bottom portion of a second interface opposite the second hook located in a top portion of the second interface; and   the first hook is adapted to link and pivot with respect to the second hook to couple the first electrical connector of the robotic medical arm with the second electrical connector of the set-up arm.   
     
     
         39 . The method of  claim 38 , wherein
 the first electrical connector is movable with respect to the first interface to facilitate the mating of the first electrical connector to the second electrical connector.   
     
     
         40 . The method of  claim 38 , wherein
 the second electrical connector is movable with respect to the second interface to facilitate the mating of the second electrical connector to the first electrical connector.   
     
     
         41 . The method of  claim 38 , wherein
 the first and second electrical connectors are movable with respect to the first and second interfaces to facilitate the mating of the first electrical connector to the second electrical connector.   
     
     
         42 . The method of  claim 41 , wherein
 the first and second electrical connectors are linearly movable with respect to the first and second interfaces.