Patent ID: 8528440

Claim:
A method for manipulating a surgical tool, the tool comprising: a tool shaft having a proximal end and a working end; a wrist member having a proximal end and a distal end, the proximal end of the wrist member coupled to the distal end of the tool shaft by a pivotal connection defining a pitch axis; a base coupled to the distal end of the wrist member, the base supporting an end effector; first and second pulleys coaxially positioned on the pitch axis; first and second tangent surfaces attached to the bottom of the base, the first and second tangent surfaces sharing a distal roll axis perpendicular to the pitch axis; a pitch pulley coaxially positioned with the first and second pulleys on the pitch axis; a first elongate element engaging the first tangent surface and the first pulley, an end of the first elongate element running through the tool shaft; and a second elongate element engaging the second tangent surface and the second pulley, an end of the second elongate element running through the tool shaft; the method comprising: pulling the first elongate element to rotate the base in a first direction, and pulling the second elongate element to rotate the base in a second direction opposite the first direction; and pulling a pitch elongate element to rotate the proximal end of the wrist member about the pitch axis, the pitch elongate element being anchored on the pitch pulley, the pitch elongate element running through the wrist member through the tool shaft.