Surgical end effectors with dual cam actuated jaw closing features
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A surgical instrument, comprising:
- an elongate shaft assembly defining a shaft axis;
an end effector mounting assembly movably coupled to said elongate shaft assembly for selective articulation between an unarticulated position and articulated positions about an articulation axis that is transverse to said shaft axis;
first and second jaws movably coupled to said end effector mounting assembly such that said first and second jaws are each movable relative to each other and said shaft axis about a common pivot axis between an open position and closed positions, said first jaw comprising a first point and said second jaw comprising a second point wherein said first and second points lie along a common axis that is perpendicular to said shaft axis and wherein said first point is a first distance from said shaft axis when said first jaw is in said open position and wherein said second point is a second distance from said shaft axis when said second jaw is in said open position and wherein said second distance is different from said first distance at least when said end effector is in said unarticulated position;
means for biasing said first and second jaws away from each other to said open position; and
means for applying closure motions to said first and second jaws to move said first and second jaws toward each other to said closed positions, said means for applying closure motions comprising an axially movable end effector closure sleeve configured to simultaneously engage portions of said first and second jaws when said end effector closure sleeve is axially moved in a first direction.
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Abstract
A surgical instrument comprising an elongate shaft assembly that defines a shaft axis. An end effector mounting assembly may be movably coupled to the elongate shaft assembly for selective articulation about an articulation axis that is transverse to the shaft axis. First and second jaws may be movably coupled to the end effector mounting assembly such that the first and second jaws are each movable relative to each other and the shaft axis about a common pivot axis between an open position and closed positions. The first and second jaws may close at different closure rates upon the simultaneous application of closure motions thereto.
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Citations
30 Claims
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1. A surgical instrument, comprising:
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an elongate shaft assembly defining a shaft axis; an end effector mounting assembly movably coupled to said elongate shaft assembly for selective articulation between an unarticulated position and articulated positions about an articulation axis that is transverse to said shaft axis; first and second jaws movably coupled to said end effector mounting assembly such that said first and second jaws are each movable relative to each other and said shaft axis about a common pivot axis between an open position and closed positions, said first jaw comprising a first point and said second jaw comprising a second point wherein said first and second points lie along a common axis that is perpendicular to said shaft axis and wherein said first point is a first distance from said shaft axis when said first jaw is in said open position and wherein said second point is a second distance from said shaft axis when said second jaw is in said open position and wherein said second distance is different from said first distance at least when said end effector is in said unarticulated position; means for biasing said first and second jaws away from each other to said open position; and means for applying closure motions to said first and second jaws to move said first and second jaws toward each other to said closed positions, said means for applying closure motions comprising an axially movable end effector closure sleeve configured to simultaneously engage portions of said first and second jaws when said end effector closure sleeve is axially moved in a first direction. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. A surgical instrument, comprising:
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an elongate shaft assembly defining a shaft axis; an end effector mounting assembly movably coupled to said elongate shaft assembly for selective articulation about an articulation axis that is transverse to said shaft axis; first and second jaws movably coupled to said end effector mounting assembly such that said first and second jaws are each movable relative to each other and said shaft axis between an open position and closed positions such that upon application of a closing motion to said first and second jaws causes one of said first and second jaws to move to one of said closed positions at a closure rate that differs from another closure rate at which the other of said first and second jaws moves to said one of said closed positions; and means for selectively applying said closing motion to said first and second jaws and an opening motion to said first and second jaws to selectively move said first and second jaws from said closed positions to said open position. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. A surgical instrument, comprising:
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an elongate shaft assembly defining a shaft axis; an end effector mounting assembly movably coupled to said elongate shaft assembly for selective articulation about an articulation axis that is transverse to said shaft axis; first and second jaws movably coupled to said end effector mounting assembly such that said first and second jaws are each movable relative to each other and said shaft axis about a common pivot axis between an open position and closed positions, said first jaw comprising a first point and said second jaw comprising a second point wherein said first and second points lie along a common axis that is perpendicular to said shaft axis and wherein said first point is a first distance from said shaft axis when said first jaw is in said open position and wherein said second point is a second distance from said shaft axis when said second jaw is in said open position and wherein said second distance is different from said first distance; means for biasing said first and second jaws away from each other to said open position; and means for applying closure motions to said first and second jaws to move said first and second jaws toward each other to said closed positions, said means for applying comprising an axially movable end effector closure sleeve configured to simultaneously engage portions of said first and second jaws when said end effector closure sleeve is axially moved in a first direction. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23)
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24. A surgical instrument, comprising:
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an elongate shaft assembly defining a shaft axis; an end effector mounting assembly movably coupled to said elongate shaft assembly for selective articulation about an articulation axis that is transverse to said shaft axis; first and second jaws movably coupled to said end effector mounting assembly such that said first and second jaws are each movable relative to each other and said shaft axis between an open position and closed positions such that upon application of a closing motion to said first and second jaws causes one of said first and second jaws to move to one of said closed positions at a closure rate that differs from another closure rate at which the other of said first and second jaws moves to said one of said closed positions; means for selectively applying said closing motion to said first and second jaws and an opening motion to said first and second jaws to selectively move said first and second jaws from said closed positions to said open position; a first cam slot on said end effector mounting assembly, said first cam slot defining a first closure wedge portion and a first opening wedge portion; and a second cam slot on said end effector mounting assembly, said second cam slot defining a second closure wedge portion and a second opening wedge portion, and wherein said first jaw comprises a pair of first opening members and a pair of first closing members wherein one of said first opening members and one of said first closing members are movably received within said first cam slot and wherein another one of said first opening members and another one of said first closing members are received within said second cam slot and wherein said second jaw comprises a pair of second opening members and a pair of second closing members wherein one of said second opening members and one of said second closing members are movably received in said first cam slot and wherein another one of said second opening members and another one of said second closing members are movably received within said second cam slot and wherein said means for selectively applying is configured to move said first and second jaws in a first direction so as to cause said one of said first closing members and said one of said second closing members to movably enter said first closure wedge portion and said another one of said first closing members and said another one of said second closing members to movably enter said second closure wedge portion to thereby cause said first and second jaws to move toward each other to one of said closed positions, said means for selectively applying being further configured to move said first and second jaws in a second direction so as to cause said one of said first opening members and said one of said second opening members to move into said first opening wedge portion and said another one of said first opening members and said another one of said second opening members to move into said second opening wedge portion to thereby cause said first and second jaws to move away from each other to said open position. - View Dependent Claims (25, 26, 27, 28, 29)
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30. A surgical instrument, comprising:
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an elongate shaft assembly defining a shaft axis; an end effector mounting assembly movably coupled to said elongate shaft assembly for selective articulation about an articulation axis that is transverse to said shaft axis; first and second jaws movably coupled to said end effector mounting assembly such that said first and second jaws are each movable relative to each other and said shaft axis between an open position and closed positions such that upon application of a closing motion to said first and second jaws causes one of said first and second jaws to move to one of said closed positions at a closure rate that differs from another closure rate at which the other of said first and second jaws moves to said one of said closed positions, said first jaw comprising a pair of first opening members and said second jaw comprising a pair of second opening members; and means for selectively applying said closing motion to said first and second jaws and an opening motion to said first and second jaws to selectively move said first and second jaws from said closed positions to said open position, said means for selectively applying comprising an end effector closure sleeve that is axially movable in first and second directions in response to applications of said closing and opening motions thereto, said end effector closure sleeve comprising; a first opening tab corresponding to one of said first opening members and one of said second opening members for operable contact therewith when said end effector closure sleeve is moved in said second direction; and a second opening tab corresponding to another one of said first opening members and another one of said second opening members for operable contact therewith when said end effector closure sleeve is moved in said second direction.
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Specification