Articulatable surgical instrument system
First Claim
1. A surgical instrument assembly, comprising:
- a shaft comprising a first drive portion of a drive system;
an end effector comprising a second drive portion of said drive system; and
an articulation joint rotatably connecting said end effector to said shaft, wherein said end effector is rotatable between a first position comprising an unarticulated position and a second position comprising an articulated position about said articulation joint, wherein said first drive portion and said second drive portion are operably engageable and disengageable with each other as a result of the articulation of said end effector between said unarticulated position and said articulated position, wherein said first drive portion is separated from and not operably engaged with said second drive portion when said end effector is in said unarticulated position, and wherein said first drive portion is operably engaged with said second drive portion when said end effector is in said articulated position.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An instrument assembly can comprise a shaft comprising a first drive portion of a drive system, an end effector comprising a second drive portion of the drive system, and an articulation joint rotatably connecting the end effector to the shaft. The end effector is rotatable between a first position and a second position about the articulation joint, wherein the first drive portion is not operably engaged with the second drive portion when the end effector is in the first position, and operably engaged with the second drive portion when the end effector is in the second position. The end effector can comprise a first jaw and a second jaw, wherein the first jaw is movable relative to the second jaw between an open position and a closed position within a closure plane, and wherein the end effector is rotatable within an articulation plane which is co-planar with the closure plane.
7224 Citations
19 Claims
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1. A surgical instrument assembly, comprising:
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a shaft comprising a first drive portion of a drive system; an end effector comprising a second drive portion of said drive system; and an articulation joint rotatably connecting said end effector to said shaft, wherein said end effector is rotatable between a first position comprising an unarticulated position and a second position comprising an articulated position about said articulation joint, wherein said first drive portion and said second drive portion are operably engageable and disengageable with each other as a result of the articulation of said end effector between said unarticulated position and said articulated position, wherein said first drive portion is separated from and not operably engaged with said second drive portion when said end effector is in said unarticulated position, and wherein said first drive portion is operably engaged with said second drive portion when said end effector is in said articulated position. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. A surgical instrument assembly, comprising:
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a shaft, comprising; a proximal shaft end; a distal shaft end; and a longitudinal shaft axis extending between said proximal shaft end and said distal shaft end; an end effector, comprising; a first jaw; a second jaw, wherein said first jaw is movable relative to said second jaw between an open position and a closed position about a closure axis, wherein said closure axis is transverse to said shaft axis; an articulation joint rotatably connecting said end effector to said distal shaft end of said shaft, wherein said end effector is rotatable about an articulation axis, wherein said articulation axis is parallel to said closure axis, and wherein said closure axis is distal to said articulation axis. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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19. A surgical instrument assembly, comprising:
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a shaft; an end effector, comprising; a first jaw; and a second jaw, wherein said first jaw is movable relative to said second jaw between an open position and a closed position within a closure plane, and wherein said first jaw is movable relative to said second jaw about a closure axis; and an articulation joint rotatably connecting said end effector to said shaft, wherein said end effector is rotatable within an articulation plane, wherein said closure axis is distal to said articulation joint, and wherein said articulation plane is co-planar with said closure plane.
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Specification