초록 ▼

An instrument support apparatus is disclosed. In some embodiments, the instrument support apparatus may be for supporting an instrument having a shaft extending along a shaft axis relative to a patient positioned adjacent to an external frame. In some embodiments, the instrument support apparatus ma

An instrument support apparatus is disclosed. In some embodiments, the instrument support apparatus may be for supporting an instrument having a shaft extending along a shaft axis relative to a patient positioned adjacent to an external frame. In some embodiments, the instrument support apparatus may include a base fixedly mountable onto the external frame, a pivot assembly mounted for pivoting relative to the base, an arm assembly extending along a longitudinal axis, and a support assembly configured to support the instrument on the arm assembly.

대표청구항 ▼

What is claimed is: 1. An instrument support apparatus for supporting an instrument having a shaft extending along a shaft axis relative to a patient positioned adjacent to an external frame, comprising: a base fixedly mountable onto the external frame; a pivot assembly mounted relative to the base

What is claimed is: 1. An instrument support apparatus for supporting an instrument having a shaft extending along a shaft axis relative to a patient positioned adjacent to an external frame, comprising: a base fixedly mountable onto the external frame; a pivot assembly mounted relative to the base and including a frame, a first pivot element pivotably mounted to the frame and fixedly mounted to the base, and a second pivot element pivotably mounted to the frame, the frame being configured to pivot relative to the first pivot element and the external frame about a first pivot axis, the second pivot element being configured to pivot relative to the frame about a second pivot axis; an arm assembly extending along a longitudinal axis and having an outer arm mounted to the second pivot element for pivoting relative to the frame, and an inner arm configured to slide within the outer arm and pivot about the longitudinal axis relative to the outer arm; a support assembly mounted to the inner arm and configured to support the instrument on the arm assembly; and a first lock assembly mounted to the frame and configured to be remotely actuated to lock the frame relative to the first pivot element, wherein the first lock assembly includes first and second opposing planar faces intersected by the first pivot axis, a first stop, and a biasing mechanism, wherein the first face is mounted to the first pivot element, wherein the second face is disposed to move normal to the first face, wherein the first stop is configured to prevent pivoting of the second face relative to the frame about the first pivot axis, and wherein the biasing mechanism is configured to selectively bias the second face toward the first face. 2. The instrument support apparatus of claim 1, wherein the second face includes a circular region concentric with the first pivot axis. 3. The instrument support apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first stop includes an extension extending between the second face and the frame. 4. The instrument support apparatus of claim 3, wherein the lock assembly includes a second lock element having the second face, and the extension extends radially distally of the second face. 5. The instrument support apparatus of claim 4, wherein the extension is formed integrally with the second lock element. 6. The instrument support apparatus of claim 3, wherein the first stop includes a pin having opposite ends braced relative to the extension and the frame, respectively. 7. The instrument support apparatus of claim 3, wherein the lock assembly includes a second lock element having the second face, wherein the first stop includes a pin having opposite ends braced relative to the second lock element and the frame. 8. The instrument support apparatus of claim 7, wherein the pin includes first and second portions, wherein the second lock element includes at least one aperture sized to receive the first portion of the pin, and wherein the frame is configured to secure the second portion of the pin. 9. The instrument support apparatus of claim 8, wherein the frame includes at least one recess sized to receive the second portion of the pin. 10. The instrument support apparatus of claim 7, wherein the pin is parallel to first pivot axis, and wherein the pin is movable relative to one or both of the second lock element and the frame. 11. The instrument support apparatus of claim 1, wherein the biasing mechanism includes a control device connected to a pressurized gas supply, wherein the control device is configured to selectively provide pressurized gas to the first lock assembly to urge the second face towards the first face. 12. The instrument support apparatus of claim 1, wherein the second pivot axis is at least substantially perpendicular to the first pivot axis. 13. The instrument support apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a second lock assembly mounted to the frame and configured to be remotely actuated to lock the second pivot element, wherein the second lock assembly includes third and fourth opposing planar faces and a second stop, the third face is mounted to the second pivot element for co-pivoting with the second pivot element, the fourth face is disposed to move normal to the third face, and the second stop is configured to prevent pivoting of the fourth face about the second pivot axis. 14. The instrument support apparatus of claim 13, wherein the biasing mechanism is configured to selectively bias the fourth face towards the third face. 15. The instrument support apparatus of claim 13, wherein the biasing mechanism includes a control device connected to a pressurized gas supply, wherein the control device is configured to selectively provide pressurized gas to the first lock assembly to urge the second face towards the first face. 16. The instrument support apparatus of claim 15, wherein the control device is configured to selectively provide the pressurized gas to the second lock assembly to urge the fourth face towards the third face. 17. An instrument support apparatus for supporting an instrument having a shaft extending along a shaft axis relative to a patient positioned adjacent to an external frame, comprising: a base fixedly mountable onto the external frame; a pivot assembly mounted relative to the base and including a frame, a first pivot element pivotably mounted to the frame and fixedly mounted to the base, and a second pivot element pivotably mounted to the frame, the frame being configured to pivot relative to the first pivot element and the external frame about a first pivot axis, the second pivot element being configured to pivot relative to the frame about a second pivot axis; an arm assembly extending along a longitudinal axis and having a first portion mounted to the second pivot element for pivoting relative to the frame, and a second portion spaced from the first portion and configured to pivot about the longitudinal axis relative to the first portion, wherein the first pivot and second pivot axes are orthogonal to each other when viewed from a plane parallel to those axes, and the second pivot and longitudinal axes are orthogonal to each other when viewed from a plane parallel to those axes; a support assembly mounted to the second portion and configured to support the instrument on the arm assembly; and a first lock assembly mounted to the frame and configured to be remotely actuated to lock the frame relative to the first pivot element, wherein the first lock assembly includes first and second opposing planar faces intersected by the first pivot axis, a first stop, and a biasing mechanism, the first face being mounted to the first pivot element, the second face being disposed to move normal to the first face, the first stop being configured to prevent pivoting of the second face relative to the frame about the first pivot axis, the biasing mechanism including a control device connected to a pressurized gas supply, the control device being configured to selectively bias the second face toward the first face. 18. The instrument support apparatus of claim 17, wherein the first portion of the arm assembly includes an outer arm, and the second portion of the arm assembly includes an inner arm, the inner arm being configured to slide within the outer arm and to pivot about the longitudinal axis relative to the outer arm. 19. The instrument support apparatus of claim 18, further comprising a second lock assembly mounted to the frame and configured to be remotely actuated to lock the second pivot element. 20. The instrument support apparatus of claim 19, further comprising a third lock assembly mounted to the arm assembly and configured to lock and prevent the inner arm from sliding within the outer arm and from pivoting about the longitudinal axis. 21. The instrument support apparatus of claim 17, wherein the pivot assembly further includes a first flexible membrane disposed adjacent to the second face and configured to flex toward the second face, and wherein the control device is configured to selectively flex the first flexible membrane to move the second face toward the first face. 22. The instrument support apparatus of claim 21, wherein the frame includes an outer containment adjacent to the flexible membrane, the outer containment and the flexible element defining a receiving space configured to contain pressurized gas from the control device. 23. The instrument support apparatus of claim 17, wherein the frame includes a first frame aperture and a second frame aperture, the first frame aperture being configured to pivotably receive the first pivot element, the second frame aperture being configured to pivotably receive the second pivot element, the first frame aperture at least partially intersecting the second frame aperture. 24. An instrument support apparatus for supporting an instrument having a shaft extending along a shaft axis relative to a patient positioned adjacent to an external frame, comprising: a base fixedly mountable onto the external frame; a pivot assembly mounted relative to the base and including a frame, a first pivot element pivotably mounted to the frame and fixedly mounted to the base, and a second pivot element pivotably mounted to the frame, the frame being configured to pivot relative to the first pivot element and the external frame about a first pivot axis, the second pivot element being configured to pivot relative to the frame about a second pivot axis; an arm assembly extending along a longitudinal axis and having a first portion mounted to the second pivot element for pivoting relative to the frame, and a second portion spaced from the first portion and configured to pivot about the longitudinal axis relative to the first portion; a support assembly mounted to the second portion and configured to support the instrument on the arm assembly; and a first lock assembly mounted to the frame and configured to be remotely actuated to lock the frame relative to the first pivot element, wherein the first lock assembly includes a first flexible membrane, first and second opposing planar faces intersected by the first pivot axis, a first stop, and a biasing mechanism, the first face being mounted to the first pivot element, the second face being disposed to move normal to the first face, the first flexible membrane being disposed adjacent to the second face and configured to flex toward the second face, the first stop being configured to prevent pivoting of the second face relative to the frame, the biasing mechanism including a control device connected to a pressurized gas supply, the control device being configured to selectively flex the first flexible membrane to move the second face toward the first face. 25. The instrument support apparatus of claim 24, wherein the frame includes a first outer containment adjacent to the first flexible membrane, the first outer containment and the first flexible element defining a first receiving space configured to contain pressurized gas from the control device. 26. The instrument support apparatus of claim 25, further comprising a second lock assembly mounted to the frame and configured to be remotely actuated to lock the second pivot element, wherein the second lock assembly includes a second stop and third and fourth opposing planar faces intersected by the second pivot axis, wherein the third face is mounted to the second pivot element for co-pivoting with the second pivot element, wherein the fourth face is disposed to move normal to the third face, wherein the second stop is configured to prevent pivoting of the fourth face about the second pivot axis, and wherein the biasing mechanism is further configured to selectively bias the fourth face toward the third face. 27. The instrument support apparatus of claim 26, wherein the pivot assembly further includes a second flexible membrane disposed adjacent to the fourth face and configured to flex toward the fourth face, and wherein the control device is further configured to selectively flex the second flexible membrane to move the fourth face toward the third face. 28. The instrument support apparatus of claim 27, wherein the frame further includes a second outer containment adjacent to the second flexible membrane, the second outer containment and the second flexible element defining a second receiving space configured to contain pressurized gas from the control device. 29. The instrument support apparatus of claim 28, wherein the frame further includes a channel fluidly connecting the first and second receiving spaces. 30. The instrument support apparatus of claim 28, wherein the frame further includes a single connector that fluidly connects the first and second receiving spaces to the control device. 31. The instrument support apparatus of claim 24, wherein the first portion of the arm assembly includes an outer arm, and the second portion of the arm assembly includes an inner arm, the inner arm being configured to slide within the outer arm and to pivot about the longitudinal axis relative to the outer arm. 32. The instrument support apparatus of claim 31, further comprising a second lock assembly mounted to the frame and configured to be remotely actuated to lock the second pivot element. 33. The instrument support apparatus of claim 32, further comprising a third lock assembly mounted to the arm assembly and configured to lock and prevent the inner arm from sliding within the outer arm and from pivoting about the longitudinal axis. 34. The instrument support apparatus of claim 24, wherein the frame includes a first frame aperture and a second frame aperture, the first frame aperture being configured to pivotably receive the first pivot element, the second frame aperture being configured to pivotably receive the second pivot element, the first frame aperture at least partially intersecting the second frame aperture.