Patent ID: 7108688

Claim:
A surgical manipulator for moving an instrument about a desired spherical center of rotation at a desired location along the instrument, the manipulator comprising: a first linkage, including at least a first rod, pivotally mounted for rotation about a first axis; an instrument holder holding the instrument in a position so that the desired remote center of spherical rotation of the instrument intersects a second axis and the first axis; a second linkage, including at least a second rod, pivotally connected to the first linkage and the instrument holder such that the spherical center of rotation is maintained at the desired location along the instrument; and wherein the first or second linkages includes a flexible drive element comprising a pulley and a flexible element connected around the pulley, the pulley rotationally affixed to one of the rods such that a movement of one of the linkages is transmitted to the other of the linkages by the flexible drive element.