Patent ID: 6246200
Filing Date: 2001-06-12
Classification: A61B,B25J,G05B,Y10S

Abstract:
A robotic surgery system comprising:a base;a surgical end effector; anda robotic linkage movably supporting the end effector relative to the base, the linkage comprising:a plurality of driven joints coupled to a servomechanism for moving the end effector so as to manipulate tissues;a plurality of releasably fixable joints for pre-configuring the linkage;a joint sensor system coupling the fixable joints to the servomechanism, the sensor system generating joint configuration signals; anda brake system coupled to the fixable joints, the brake system releasably inhibiting articulation of the fixable joints previously configured in an at least substantially fixed configuration, the brake system including a brake release actuator for releasing the fixable joints to a manually repositionable configuration in which the fixable joints can be manually articulated.