Patent ID: 6371952
Filing Date: 2002-04-16
Classification: A61B,B25J,Y10T

Abstract:
A minimally invasive surgical system comprising:a positioning mechanism comprising a linkage structure having a distal end and a proximal end, said proximal end adapted to attach to a base, and a servomechanism that moves the proximal end relative to the base in a plurality of degrees of freedom and around a plurality of axes; an articulated surgical instrument including an elongate support member having a proximal portion and a distal end with a longitudinal axis therebetween, a pivotal wrist joint disposed at the distal end of the elongate support member, and a surgical end effector pivotally coupled to the wrist joint, said articulated instrument having a size and shape suitable for distal insertion into an internal surgical site through an aperture; and a drive system coupling the articulated instrument to the positioning mechanism, the drive system including at least one actuator mounted on the positioning mechanism and at least one drive element extending from the at least one actuator to the wrist joint.