Patent ID: 8852208

Claim:
A surgical system, comprising: a base; a setup link operably coupled to the base, the setup link locating a remote center of motion for the surgical system; a proximal link operably coupled to the setup link; a distal link operably coupled to the proximal link; and a plurality of instrument manipulators rotatably coupled to a distal end of the distal link, each of the plurality of instrument manipulators including a plurality of actuator outputs and a frame, the plurality of actuator outputs distally protruding from a distal end of the frame; wherein at least one individual instrument manipulator of the plurality of instrument manipulators further includes instrument support features and a latching mechanism; and for the or each individual instrument manipulator, the instrument support features are mounted to the frame, the instrument support features are configured to support an associated individual instrument during engagement and disengagement of the plurality of actuator outputs with a corresponding plurality of actuator inputs of the associated individual instrument, the latching mechanism is configured to move the distal end of the frame toward a distal end of the instrument support features to operably engage the plurality of actuator outputs with the plurality of actuator inputs while the associated individual instrument is supported by the instrument support features, and the latching mechanism is further configured to move the distal face of the frame away from the distal end of the instrument support features to operably disengage the plurality of actuator outputs from the plurality of actuator inputs while the associated individual instrument is supported by the instrument support features.