Patent ID: 11957427
Assignee: INTUITIVE SURGICAL OPERATIONS, INC.
Field: Medical technology (Instruments)
Classification: CPC A  B  F | IPC A  B  F

Claim 10:
11. A manipulator for articulating a surgical instrument, the manipulator comprising:
an instrument holder configured to couple with the surgical instrument and to rotate in a plane that passes through a remote center of manipulation; and
a linkage assembly coupled to the instrument holder and configured to produce motion of the instrument holder that is limited to rotation about a first axis that intersects the remote center of manipulation, wherein the linkage assembly comprises:
a first linkage arm comprising:
a first pulley and a second pulley, wherein each of the first pulley and the second pulley includes an outer drive track and an inner drive track nested within the outer drive track;
a first drive member section extending between the inner drive tracks of the first pulley and the second pulley; and
a second drive member section extending between the outer drive tracks of the first pulley and the second pulley, wherein rotation of the first pulley in a first direction causes a rotation of the second pulley in the first direction, and

wherein rotation of the first pulley in a second direction causes a rotation of the second pulley in the second direction.