Notice of Pre-AIA or AIA Status
The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA .
The current application has the effective filing date of 11/08/2021 according to the priority chain on the record.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 103 which forms the basis for all obviousness rejections set forth in this Office action:
A patent for a claimed invention may not be obtained, notwithstanding that the claimed invention is not identically disclosed as set forth in section 102, if the differences between the claimed invention and the prior art are such that the claimed invention as a whole would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to a person having ordinary skill in the art to which the claimed invention pertains. Patentability shall not be negated by the manner in which the invention was made.
Claims 1-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Solomon et al. US 2007/0089557 A1 (hereinafter “Solomon”, cited in IDS) in view of Hashimoto et al. US 2020/0205645 A1 (hereinafter “Hashimoto”, cited in IDS).
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Regarding claim 1, Solomon discloses a surgical robotic system (Fig.2: robotic patient-side system 152) comprising:
a movable cart (base 202 has wheels and is movable, see [0032:2nd sentence] “a robotic patient-side system 152 (also referred to as a patient-side cart)” and [0047] mounting base 540 is cart mount); and
a robotic arm (156) operably coupled to the movable cart (see Fig. 2), the robotic arm (exemplary robotic surgical arm is shown in Fig. 6A-6E) including:
a first link (542) pivotally coupled to a second link (543) at a first joint (see annotated Fig. 6A) and including an actuator (motor 602; [0076: 1st sentence] “link 542 includes a motor 602”), the second link (543) including a first belt (626A, 626B) operably coupled to the actuator (602; see Fig.6D and [0076]);
a holder (544, 545, 546) pivotally coupled to the second link (543) at a second joint (see annotated Fig. 6A); and
an instrument drive unit (430 shaft) operably coupled to the holder (544, 545, 546) and configured to move linearly along a longitudinal axis of the holder (544, 545, 546; see [0046] each of 544,545 and 546 are slidable relative to one another, the combination of the sliding holder links 544-546 and tool 428 mounted on shaft 430 enables relative linear movement along the longitudinal axis).
Solomon does not disclose the holder including a first pulley, a second pulley, and a second belt coupled to the first pulley and the second pulley; and wherein the instrument drive unit operably coupled to the second belt and configured to move linearly along a longitudinal axis of the holder.
Hashimoto, another prior art reference in analogous art, teaches a surgery manipulator arm system (Fig.1: 100) comprising a movable cart (71) and a robotic arm (3) operably couple to the cart (Fig.1 and [0028]), the arm including: a first link (85) coupled to a second link (86) at a first joint (J36), a holder (63) pivotably coupled to the second link (86) at a second joint (J37), see Fig. 2 and [004]. Hashimoto further discloses the holder (63) including a first pulley (65), a second pulley (66), and a second belt (67) coupled to the first pulley and the second pulley (see Fig. 5 and [0063] “…the belt member 67 formed of an endless belt and wound around the first and second pulleys 65 and 66”); and wherein an instrument drive unit (drive unit 45 for tool/end effector 42) operably coupled to the second belt (as shown in Fig. 5, drive unit 45 is attached to unit 62 which is coupled to second belt 67) and configured to move linearly along a longitudinal axis of the holder (see Fig. 5 and [0038, 0052-0053] movement along axis Dt, via translation mechanism 35).
Since Solomon teaches using sliding links and a shaft (Fig. 6A: 544, 545, 546 and 430 for linear movement of a tool), it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art at the time of invention to replace said sliding links and a shaft, with the first and second pulley, and belt system for linear movement, in view of Hashimoto (Fig. 5: 65, 66, 67); the motivation for doing so is because these are known alternatives for providing linear movement of an attached instrument/tool, and the belt and pulley system has the added advantage of being housed within a link housing so as to avoid having mechanical part exposed to the environment.
Regarding claim 2, Solomon in view of Hashimoto teaches the surgical robotic system according to claim 1, wherein rotation of the actuator (602) in a first direction causes the instrument drive unit (Solomon: shaft 430, or Hashimoto: unit 62) to move along the longitudinal axis of the holder (Solomon: sliders 544,545, 546, Hashimoto:45) in a first linear direction and wherein rotation of the actuator in a second direction causes the instrument drive unit to move along the longitudinal axis of the holder in a second linear direction opposite the first linear direction. (See modification to claim 1: Hashimoto: [0053] and see Fig. 5 linear axis Dt is two-way linear movement; and Solomon: [0076] “The motor 602 actively moves the linkage of the arm 600 in response to commands from a computer processor 151 generated by the control input 160 at the console 150. Additional motors (shown in FIG. 6E) are mounted in the links of the robotic arm 600 to articulate a wrist 431 at the distal end of the tool 428 about at least one, and often two, degrees of freedom. An addition motor (shown in FIG. 6E) can be used to actuate an articulatable end effector 438 of the tool 428 for grasping tissues in the jaws of a forceps or the like.”)
Regarding claim 3, Solomon in view of Hashimoto teaches the surgical robotic system according to claim 1, wherein the instrument drive unit (Solomon: shaft 430, or Hashimoto: unit 62) is removably coupled to the second belt (Hashimoto: 67). (Hashimoto: [0039: first sentence] “…the tool holding part 36 [which is part of unit 62 is] detachably holds the instrument 42”)
Regarding claim 4, Solomon in view of Hashimoto teaches the surgical robotic system according to claim 1, further comprising a surgical instrument operably coupled to the instrument drive unit. (Solomon: tool 428 is attached to drive unit 430; Hashimoto: instrument 42 is attached to drive unit 62 via holder 36)
Regarding claim 5, Solomon further teaches the surgical robotic system according to claim 1, wherein the actuator (602) is integrated into the first link (542) and is configured to produce an output oriented coaxially with the first joint (see Solomon annotated Fig. 6A). (Solomon: Figs. 6D-6E output is oriented coaxially by means of belt/strap 624A and 624B)
Regarding claim 6, Solomon in view of Hashimoto further teaches the surgical robotic system according to claim 1, wherein the first pulley (65) is coupled to the first belt (626A, 626B) at the second joint. (see modification described in claim 1 above)
Regarding claim 7, Solomon further teaches the surgical robotic system according to claim 1, further comprising a third link (541) pivotally coupled to the first link (542) at a third joint (see Solomon annotated Fig. 6A).
Regarding claim 8, Solomon further teaches the surgical robotic system according to claim 7, further comprising a second actuator (motor 601) at the third joint (see Solomon annotated Fig. 6A), wherein the first link (543) further includes a third belt (not shown, but Solomon [0078: 1st sentence] “The straps in each link, drive the pitch axis of the robotic surgical arm.”) operably coupled to the second actuator (601), and wherein actuation of the second actuator (601) causes the first link to pivot relative to the third link and the second link. (see [0078] and Fig. 6A)
Regarding claim 9, Solomon in view of Hashimoto further teaches the surgical robotic system according to claim 1, wherein an angle between the holder (Solomon: 544, 545, 546, Hashimoto: 45) and the first link (Solomon: 542; Hashimoto: 85) does not change upon movement of the second link (Solomon:543; Hashimoto:86) relative to the first link. (See Solomon: Fig. 6A-the second joint can be adjust such that the angle between 542 and 544-546 do not change; Hashimoto: Fig.2 and [0052] “The seventh joint J37 [between 85 and 86] extends in a direction orthogonal to the axis direction Dt…” Also see [0042: last 2 sentences] “the arm 3 is formed as a multi-axis joint (seven-axis joint) arm having the multi-degree of freedom (seven degrees of freedom). Consequently, the arm 3 can change the overall orientation thereof without changing the position and orientation of the distal end portion of the arm 3.” Thus, the angle between the holder and the first link does not change upon movement of the second link relative to the first link.)
Regarding claim 10, Solomon teaches a robotic arm (156) for a surgical robotic system (Fig.2: robotic patient-side system 152), the robotic arm comprising:
a first link (542) pivotally coupled to a second link (543) at a first joint (see annotated Fig. 6A) and including an actuator (motor 602; [0076: 1st sentence] “link 542 includes a motor 602”), the second link (543) including a first belt (626A, 626B) operably coupled to the actuator (602; see Fig.6D and [0076]);
a holder (544, 545, 546) pivotally coupled to the second link (543) at a second joint (see annotated Fig. 6A); and
an instrument drive unit (430 shaft) operably coupled to the holder (544, 545, 546) and configured to move linearly along a longitudinal axis of the holder (544, 545, 546; see [0046] each of 544,545 and 546 are slidable relative to one another, the combination of the sliding holder links 544-546 and tool 428 mounted on shaft 430 enables relative linear movement along the longitudinal axis).
Solomon does not disclose the holder including a first pulley, a second pulley, and a second belt coupled to the first pulley and the second pulley; and wherein the instrument drive unit operably coupled to the second belt and configured to move linearly along a longitudinal axis of the holder.
Hashimoto, another prior art reference in analogous art, teaches a surgery manipulator arm system (Fig.1: 100) comprising a movable cart (71) and a robotic arm (3) operably couple to the cart (Fig.1 and [0028]), the arm including: a first link (84) coupled to a second link (86) at a first joint (J36), a holder (63) pivotably coupled to the second link (86) at a second joint (J37), see Fig. 2 and [004]. Hashimoto further discloses the holder (63) including a first pulley (65), a second pulley (66), and a second belt (67) coupled to the first pulley and the second pulley (see Fig. 5 and [0063] “…the belt member 67 formed of an endless belt and wound around the first and second pulleys 65 and 66”); and wherein an instrument drive unit (drive unit 45 for tool/end effector 42) operably coupled to the second belt (as shown in Fig. 5, drive unit 45 is attached to unit 62 which is coupled to second belt 67) and configured to move linearly along a longitudinal axis of the holder (see Fig. 5 and [0038, 0052-0053] movement along axis Dt, via translation mechanism 35).
Since Solomon teaches using sliding links and a shaft (Fig. 6A: 544, 545, 546 and 430 for linear movement of a tool), it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art at the time of invention to replace said sliding links and a shaft, with the first and second pulley, and belt system for linear movement, in view of Hashimoto (Fig. 5: 65, 66, 67); the motivation for doing so is because these are known alternatives for providing linear movement of an attached instrument/tool, and the belt and pulley system has the added advantage of being housed within a link housing so as to avoid having mechanical part exposed to the environment.
Regarding claims 11-16, these claims are rejected by Solomon in view of Hashimoto under the same rationale as discussed to claims 2-7 above.
Regarding claim 17, Solomon further discloses the robotic arm according to claim 16, further comprising a second actuator (601) disposed at the third joint (541). (See Solomon Fig. 6A and [0075])
Regarding claim 18, Solomon further discloses the robotic arm according to claim 17, wherein the first link (543) further includes a third belt (not shown, but Solomon [0078: 1st sentence] “The straps in each link, drive the pitch axis of the robotic surgical arm.”) operably coupled to the second actuator (601).
Regarding claim 19, Solomon further discloses the robotic arm according to claim 17, wherein actuation of the second actuator (601) causes the first link to pivot relative to the third link and the second link. (see [0078] and Fig. 6A).
Regarding claim 20, this claim is rejected by Solomon in view of Hashimoto under the same rationale as discussed to claim 9 above.
Conclusion
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/SHIRLEY X JIAN/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3792 January 10, 2026