Patent ID: 8485484

Claim:
An instrument assembly support apparatus for supporting an instrument assembly relative to a patient positioned adjacent to an external frame, comprising: a base fixedly mountable onto the external frame; a pivot assembly mounted relative to the base and including a housing, a first pivot structure pivotably mounted to the housing and fixedly mounted to the base, and a second pivot structure pivotably mounted to the housing, the housing being configured to pivot relative to the first pivot structure and the external frame about a first pivot axis, and the second pivot structure being configured to pivot relative to the housing about a second pivot axis, wherein the housing includes two opposed and spaced side portions and a base portion connecting the two side portions to define a gap between the two side portions, the second pivot structure being disposed within the gap with at least one surface of the second pivot structure extending through the gap over a range of pivot positions about the second pivot axis; an arm assembly extending along a longitudinal axis and having a first portion mounted to the at least one surface of the second pivot structure for pivoting relative to the housing, and a second portion extending distally of the first portion; a support assembly mounted to the second portion and configured to support the instrument assembly on the arm assembly; and a first lock assembly mounted to the housing and configured to be remotely actuated to lock the first pivot structure relative to the housing, the first lock assembly including first and second opposing planar faces intersected by the first pivot axis, a first stop, and a biasing mechanism, wherein the first face is mounted to the first pivot structure, wherein the second face is disposed to move normal to the first face, wherein the first stop is configured to prevent pivoting of the second face about the first pivot axis, and wherein the biasing mechanism is configured to selectively bias the second face toward the first face.