Surgical instruments with dual articulation drivers
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A surgical instrument, comprising:
- a shaft, comprising;
a proximal end;
a distal end; and
a longitudinal axis extending between said proximal end and said distal end;
an end effector comprising an end effector frame rotatably coupled to said shaft about an articulation pivot, wherein said articulation pivot defines a fixed articulation axis, and wherein said fixed articulation axis is positioned laterally offset with respect to said longitudinal axis;
a first articulation driver selectively movable between a first neutral position, a first distal position, and a first proximal position in response to corresponding first articulation control motions applied thereto;
a first articulation link operably coupled to said first articulation driver, said first articulation link extending transverse to said longitudinal axis and coupled to said end effector frame at a first attachment location;
a second articulation driver selectively movable between a second neutral position, a second distal position, and a second proximal position in response to corresponding second articulation control motions applied thereto; and
a second articulation link operably coupled to said second articulation driver and extending transverse to said longitudinal axis and said first articulation link coupled to said end effector frame at a second attachment location.
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Abstract
A surgical instrument including a shaft and an end effector that is articulatable relative to the shaft is disclosed. First and second independently movable articulation drivers are coupled to the surgical end effector to apply articulation motions thereto. The first articulation driver is attached to the surgical end effector by a first link that extends transversely relative to a longitudinal axis defined by the shaft. The second articulation driver is attached to the surgical end effector by a second link that extends transversely relative to the longitudinal axis and the first link.
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Citations
21 Claims
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1. A surgical instrument, comprising:
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a shaft, comprising; a proximal end; a distal end; and a longitudinal axis extending between said proximal end and said distal end; an end effector comprising an end effector frame rotatably coupled to said shaft about an articulation pivot, wherein said articulation pivot defines a fixed articulation axis, and wherein said fixed articulation axis is positioned laterally offset with respect to said longitudinal axis; a first articulation driver selectively movable between a first neutral position, a first distal position, and a first proximal position in response to corresponding first articulation control motions applied thereto; a first articulation link operably coupled to said first articulation driver, said first articulation link extending transverse to said longitudinal axis and coupled to said end effector frame at a first attachment location; a second articulation driver selectively movable between a second neutral position, a second distal position, and a second proximal position in response to corresponding second articulation control motions applied thereto; and a second articulation link operably coupled to said second articulation driver and extending transverse to said longitudinal axis and said first articulation link coupled to said end effector frame at a second attachment location. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. A surgical instrument, comprising:
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a controller, comprising; a source of first articulation control motions; a source of second articulation control motions; and a source of firing control motions, wherein said surgical instrument further comprises; a surgical tool operably couplable to said controller, wherein said surgical tool comprises; a shaft, comprising; a proximal end; a distal end; and a longitudinal axis extending between said proximal end and said distal end; an end effector comprising an end effector frame rotatably coupled to said shaft about an articulation pivot, wherein said articulation pivot defines a fixed articulation axis, and wherein said fixed articulation axis is positioned laterally offset with respect to said longitudinal axis; a first articulation driver selectively movable between a first neutral position, a first distal position, and a first proximal position in response to corresponding first articulation control motions applied thereto by said source of first articulation control motions; a first articulation link operably coupled to said first articulation driver, said first articulation link extending transverse to said longitudinal axis and coupled to said end effector frame at a first attachment location; a second articulation driver selectively movable between a second neutral position, a second distal position, and a second proximal position in response to corresponding second articulation control motions applied thereto by said source of second articulation control motions; a second articulation link operably coupled to said second articulation driver and extending transverse to said longitudinal axis and said first articulation link coupled to said end effector frame at a second attachment location; and a firing member supported for selective axial travel between a starting and ending position within said end effector in response to firing control motions applied thereto by said source of firing control motions, wherein said source of first articulation control motions applies an amount of said first articulation control motions to said first articulation driver that correspond to a desired articulated position of said end effector, and wherein said source of second articulation control motions applies another amount of said second articulation control motions to said second articulation driver that correspond to said desired articulated position while said firing control motions are applied to said firing member. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17)
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18. A surgical instrument, comprising:
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a shaft, comprising; a proximal end; a distal end; and a longitudinal axis extending between said proximal end and said distal end; an end effector comprising an end effector frame rotatably coupled to said shaft about an articulation pivot, wherein said articulation pivot defines a fixed articulation axis, and wherein said fixed articulation axis is positioned laterally offset with respect to said longitudinal axis; a first articulation driver selectively movable through a first distal articulation stroke between a first neutral position and a first distal position and a first proximal articulation stroke between said first neutral position and a first proximal position in response to corresponding first articulation control motions applied thereto, said first articulation driver operably coupled to said end effector frame at a first attachment location located on an opposite side of said longitudinal axis from which said first articulation driver is movably supported; and a second articulation driver selectively movable through a second distal articulation stroke between a second neutral position and a second distal position and a second proximal articulation stroke between said second neutral position and a second proximal position in response to corresponding second articulation control motions applied thereto, said second articulation driver operably coupled to said end effector frame at a second attachment location located on another opposite side of said longitudinal axis from which said second articulation driver is movably supported, and wherein said first distal articulation stroke comprises a first length that differs from a second length of said second distal articulation stroke. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20)
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21. A surgical instrument, comprising:
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a shaft, comprising; a proximal end; a distal end; and a longitudinal axis extending between said proximal end and said distal end; an end effector rotatably coupled to said shaft about an articulation pivot, wherein said articulation pivot defines an articulation axis, and wherein said articulation axis is positioned laterally offset with respect to said longitudinal axis; a first articulation driver selectively movable in response to first articulation control motions applied thereto; a first articulation link operably coupled to said first articulation driver, wherein said first articulation link extends transverse to said longitudinal axis, and wherein said first articulation link is coupled to said end effector at a first attachment location; a second articulation driver selectively movable in response to second articulation control motions applied thereto; and a second articulation link operably coupled to said second articulation driver, wherein said second articulation link extends transverse to said longitudinal axis and said first articulation link, and wherein said second articulation link is coupled to said end effector at a second attachment location.
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Specification