Patent ID: 7021854

Claim:
A surgical arm system, comprising: a mounting component for mounting the surgical arm system to an object; a holding component holding a retaining element that is sized and shaped to retain a portion of a predetermined surgical instrument therein and wherein the retaining element includes an opening defined therein, wherein the opening is sized to accommodate a proximal end of the surgical instrument and at least one retention guard disposed within the retaining element, wherein each of the at least one retention guard is in contact with the surgical instrument while the retaining element is in a first position so as to define a transitional fit between each of the at least one guard and the surgical instrument and wherein the retaining element is transitionable to and from the first position by, respectively, supplying and discontinuing a supply of a pressurized gas to the retaining element; a plurality of arm segments for connecting the mounting component to the holding component, the plurality of arm segments including first and second components, the first component being connectable to the second component; a quick connect member attached to one of the first component or second component; and a quick connect adapter attached to the other one of the first component or the second component and having a stop disk, a ramp and actuator attached thereto, wherein the quick connect member is shaped to be insertable within the quick connect adapter to bring the first component or the second component into communication with the other of the first component or the second component, wherein such insertion is effective to cause the ramp and the actuator to be at least partially depressed from a first of each of the ramp and actuator positions to a depressed second position, and such that continued insertion of the quick connect member beyond a predetermined locus is effective to cause the ramp and actuator to return to their respective first positions to physically block separation of the quick connect member from the quick connect adaptor, and wherein the stop disk is positioned to substantially prevent movement of the quick connect member beyond the predetermined locus.