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

Claim 0:
1. 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 comprise a first drive track and a second drive track, wherein the first drive track and the second drive track are substantially co-planar, with the first drive track extending at least partially around the second drive track;
a first drive member section extending between the first drive tracks of the first pulley and the second pulley; and
a second drive member section extending between the second drive tracks of the first pulley and the second pulley,

wherein the first drive member section is wound around the first pulley in a first tensile direction and the second drive member section is wound around the first pulley in a second tensile direction opposite to the first tensile direction.