Robotic Devices And Systems For Performing Single Incision Procedures And Natural Orifice Translumenal Endoscopic Surgical Procedures, And Methods Of Configuring Robotic Devices And Systems

Abstract

Example embodiments relate to systems for performing a surgical action. The system includes an instrument assembly transitionable between insertion and non-insertion configurations. Instrument assembly includes an instrument arm having a shoulder section, first and second arm sections, wrist section, and end effector section. A second end of the securing portion is secured to a first end of the shoulder section. Instrument assembly is in the insertion configuration when: the shoulder section, first arm section, second arm section, and end effector section are arranged along a central axis; and a distance between the end effector section and second end of the securing portion is greater than a distance between the shoulder section and second end of the securing portion. Instrument assembly is in the non-insertion configuration when the shoulder section, first arm section, second arm section, and/or end effector section are not arranged along the central axis.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A surgical system comprising:
 an instrument arm assembly, the instrument arm assembly transitionable between an insertion configuration and a non-insertion configuration, the instrument arm assembly having:
 an instrument arm, the instrument arm having a serially connected arrangement of:
 a shoulder section, the shoulder section having a first end and a second end; 
 a first arm section, the first arm section having a first end and a second end; 
 a shoulder joint, the shoulder joint connecting the second end of the shoulder section to the first end of the first arm section, the shoulder joint configured to pivot the first arm section relative to the shoulder joint; 
 an elbow section, the elbow section having a first end and a second end, the first end of the elbow section secured to the second end of the first arm section, the elbow section configured to pivot a second arm section relative to the elbow section; 
 the second arm section, the second arm section having a first end and a second end, the first end of the second arm section secured to the second end of the elbow section; 
 a wrist section, the wrist section having a first end and a second end, the first end of the wrist section secured to the second end of the second arm section, the wrist section configured to pivot an end effector section relative to the wrist section; and 
 the end effector section, the end effector section secured to the second end of the wrist section, the end effector section having an end effector; and 
 
 a securing portion, the securing portion being an elongated member having a first end and a second end, the second end opposite to the first end, the second end of the securing portion secured to the first end of the shoulder section; 
   wherein the instrument arm assembly is in the insertion configuration when:
 the shoulder section, the first arm section, the second arm section, and the end effector section are coaxially arranged along a common central axis, the common central axis being an axis that is parallel to a central axis formed through the securing portion; and 
 a distance between the end effector section and the first end of the securing portion is greater than a distance between the shoulder section and the first end of the securing portion; 
   wherein the instrument arm assembly is in the non-insertion configuration when:
 at least one of the shoulder section, the first arm section, the second arm section, and the end effector section are not coaxially arranged along the common central axis. 
   
     
     
         2 . The surgical system of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a port assembly, the port assembly having a proximal end, a distal end, and a central access channel;   wherein the central access channel is formed through the port assembly between the proximal and distal ends of the port assembly.   
     
     
         3 . The surgical system of  claim 2 ,
 wherein a length of the securing portion is greater than a sum of a length of the port assembly and a collective length of the serially connected arrangement of the shoulder section, the first arm section, the elbow section, the second arm section, the wrist section, and the end effector section.   
     
     
         4 . The surgical system of  claim 1 ,
 wherein a length of the securing portion is greater than or equal to a length of the serially connected arrangement of the shoulder section, the first arm section, the elbow section, the second arm section, the wrist section, and the end effector section.   
     
     
         5 . The surgical system of  claim 1 ,
 wherein at least a portion of the shoulder section is configured to secure the instrument arm assembly to the port assembly.   
     
     
         6 . The surgical system of  claim 1 ,
 wherein at least a portion of the securing portion is configured to secure the instrument arm assembly to the port assembly.   
     
     
         7 . The surgical system of  claim 1 ,
 wherein the shoulder section and the securing portion are configured to cooperate to secure the instrument arm assembly to the port assembly.   
     
     
         8 . The surgical system of  claim 1 ,
 wherein the insertion configuration is a configuration in which a line drawn from the first end of the shoulder section to the second end of the shoulder section is a line that points towards the first end of the securing portion.   
     
     
         9 . The surgical system of  claim 2 ,
 wherein the insertion configuration is a configuration in which the instrument arm assembly, when secured to the port assembly, is arranged to be parallel to a central axis of the port assembly and point towards the proximal end of the port assembly.   
     
     
         10 . The surgical system of  claim 2 ,
 wherein the first end of the securing portion is for use to guide the instrument arm assembly through the port assembly.   
     
     
         11 . The surgical system of  claim 2 ,
 wherein the central access channel of the port assembly includes a groove for housing at least a portion of the securing portion of the instrument arm assembly.   
     
     
         12 . The surgical system of  claim 11 ,
 wherein the groove in the central access channel of the port assembly is configured in such a way as to receive the securing portion of the instrument arm assembly and persistently maintain an orientation of the securing portion of the instrument arm assembly to be parallel to the port assembly.   
     
     
         13 . The surgical system of  claim 1 ,
 wherein the instrument arm is configured to provide at least 7 degrees of freedom.   
     
     
         14 . The surgical system of  claim 13 ,
 wherein the instrument arm includes at least one integrated motor to achieve each degree of freedom.   
     
     
         15 . The surgical system of  claim 1 ,
 wherein the shoulder section is configured to provide at least two degrees of freedom; and   wherein the shoulder section is configurable to move in such a way as to transition the instrument arm assembly between a forward-directed position and a reverse-directed position.   
     
     
         16 . The surgical system of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a controller, the controller configured to communicate with and control at least one of the following:
 the securing portion; 
 the shoulder section; 
 the elbow section; 
 the wrist section; and 
 the end effector section. 
   
     
     
         17 . The surgical system of  claim 2 , further comprising:
 an external anchor assembly securable to a fixedly positioned object, the external anchor assembly configurable to secure to the proximal end of the port assembly, the external anchor assembly configurable to provide at least 3 degrees of freedom.   
     
     
         18 . A surgical system comprising:
 a port assembly, the port assembly having a proximal end, a distal end, and a central access channel, the central access channel formed through the port assembly between the proximal and distal ends of the port assembly; and   an instrument arm assembly, the instrument arm assembly having:
 an instrument arm, the instrument arm configured to be inserted through the central access channel, the instrument arm transitionable between an insertion configuration and a non-insertion configuration, the instrument arm having a serially connected arrangement of:
 a shoulder section, the shoulder section having a first end and a second end; 
 a first arm section, the first arm section having a first end and a second end; 
 a shoulder joint, the shoulder joint connecting the second end of the shoulder section to the first end of the first arm section, the shoulder joint configured to pivot the first arm section relative to the shoulder joint; 
 an elbow section, the elbow section having a first end and a second end, the first end of the elbow section secured to the second end of the first arm section, the elbow section configured to pivot a second arm section relative to the elbow section; 
 the second arm section, the second arm section having a first end and a second end, the first end of the second arm section secured to the second end of the elbow section; 
 a wrist section, the wrist section having a first end and a second end, the first end of the wrist section secured to the second end of the second arm section, the wrist section configured to pivot an end effector section relative to the wrist section; and 
 the end effector section, the end effector section secured to the second end of the wrist section, the end effector section having an end effector; and 
 
 a securing portion, the securing portion being an elongated member having a first end and a second end, wherein the second end of the securing portion is secured to the first end of the shoulder section; 
   wherein the instrument arm assembly is in the insertion configuration when:
 the shoulder section, first arm section, shoulder joint section, elbow section, second arm section, wrist section, and end effector section are coaxially arranged along a first central axis, the first central axis being an axis that is parallel to a central axis formed through the securing portion; 
   wherein the instrument arm assembly is in the non-insertion configuration when:
 at least one of the shoulder section, first arm section, shoulder joint section, elbow section, second arm section, wrist section, and end effector section are not coaxially arranged along the first central axis. 
   
     
     
         19 . The surgical system of  claim 18 ,
 wherein the instrument arm assembly is in the insertion configuration when a distance between the end effector section and the second end of the securing portion is greater than a distance between the shoulder section and the second end of the securing portion.   
     
     
         20 . The surgical system of  claim 18 ,
 wherein a length of the securing portion is greater than or equal to a length of the serially connected arrangement of the shoulder section, first arm section, elbow section, second arm section, wrist section, and end effector section.   
     
     
         21 . The surgical system of  claim 18 ,
 wherein a length of the securing portion is greater than a sum of a length of the port assembly and a collective length of the serially connected arrangement of the shoulder section, first arm section, elbow section, second arm section, wrist section, and end effector section.   
     
     
         22 . The surgical system of  claim 18 ,
 wherein at least a portion of the shoulder section is configured to secure the instrument arm assembly to the port assembly.   
     
     
         23 . The surgical system of  claim 18 ,
 wherein at least a portion of the securing portion is configured to secure the instrument arm assembly to the port assembly.   
     
     
         24 . The surgical system of  claim 18 ,
 wherein the shoulder section and the securing portion are configured to cooperate to secure the instrument arm assembly to the port assembly.   
     
     
         25 . The surgical system of  claim 18 ,
 wherein the insertion configuration is a configuration in which a line drawn from the first end of the shoulder section to the second end of the shoulder section is a line that points towards the first end of the securing portion.   
     
     
         26 . The surgical system of  claim 18 ,
 wherein the insertion configuration is a configuration in which the instrument arm assembly, when secured to the port assembly, is arranged to be parallel to a central axis of the port assembly and point towards the proximal end of the port assembly.   
     
     
         27 . The surgical system of  claim 18 ,
 wherein the central access channel of the port assembly includes a groove for housing at least a portion of the securing portion of the instrument arm assembly.   
     
     
         28 . The surgical system of  claim 27 ,
 wherein the groove in the central access channel of the port assembly is configured in such a way as to receive the securing portion of the instrument arm assembly and persistently maintain an orientation of the securing portion of the instrument arm assembly to be parallel to the port assembly.   
     
     
         29 . The surgical system of  claim 18 ,
 wherein the instrument arm is configured to provide at least 7 degrees of freedom.   
     
     
         30 . The surgical system of  claim 29 ,
 wherein the instrument arm includes at least one integrated motor to achieve each degree of freedom.   
     
     
         31 . The surgical system of  claim 18 ,
 wherein the shoulder section is configured to provide at least two degrees of freedom; and   wherein, when the shoulder section is secured to the port assembly, the shoulder section is configured to move in such a way as to transition the instrument arm assembly between a forward-directed position and a reverse-directed position.   
     
     
         32 . The surgical system of  claim 18 , further comprising:
 a controller, the controller configured to communicate with and control at least one of the following:
 the securing portion; 
 the shoulder section; 
 the elbow section; 
 the wrist section; and 
 the end effector section. 
   
     
     
         33 . The surgical system of  claim 18 , further comprising:
 an external anchor assembly securable to a fixedly positioned object, the external anchor assembly configurable to secure to the proximal end of the port assembly, the external anchor assembly configurable to provide at least 3 degrees of freedom.