Patent ID: 11919153
Assignee: INTUITIVE SURGICAL OPERATIONS, INC.
Field: Medical technology (Instruments)
Classification: CPC B  A | IPC A  B

Claim 11:
12. A counterbalance apparatus comprising:
a spring coupled to a mechanical ground;
a first tension element;
a second tension element;
a force transformation mechanism coupled to the spring by the first tension element and coupled to the second tension element, the force transformation mechanism being coupled to the mechanical ground and including a first transform pulley rigidly coupled to a second transform pulley;
a plurality of counterbalance pulleys coupled to the second tension element; and
a counterbalance element coupled to the mechanical ground, the counterbalance element including a cylindrical segment rotationally coupled to the force transformation mechanism and rigidly coupled to the mechanical ground,
wherein the second tension element includes a first end portion coupled to the force transformation mechanism and a second end portion coupled to the counterbalance element,
wherein at least one of the plurality of counterbalance pulleys is coupled to a load that is moveable with reference to the mechanical ground,
wherein a force provided by the spring is modified in magnitude by the force transformation mechanism and is applied to the load via the second tension element, and
wherein the modification of the force is based on a drive ratio of the first transform pulley and the second transform pulley of the force transformation mechanism.