Hydraulically and electrically actuated articulation joints for surgical instruments
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A surgical instrument, comprising:
- a handle assembly;
a proximal tube segment attached to said handle assembly;
a distal tube segment;
an articulating joint assembly pivotally coupling said distal tube segment to said proximal tube segment, said articulating joint assembly comprising;
a ball member non-movably coupled to an end of one of said proximal and distal tube segments and rotatably received in a corresponding socket in an end of the other of said of proximal tube segment and distal tube segment; and
an actuator assembly coupled between the ends of the distal and proximal tube segments, said actuator assembly retaining a portion of said ball member in said socket and selectively rotating said ball member portion therein to articulate said distal tube segment relative to said proximal tube segment; and
a surgical implement attached to said distal tube segment.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Articulation joints for use in connection with a surgical instrument that has a portion that must be passed through a trocar or similar structure and then articulated relative to another portion of the instrument received within the trocar. Various embodiments of the articulation joint include at least one fluid-actuated cylinder or flexible driven member to articulate the surgical implement relative to the handle assembly of the instrument.
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Citations
39 Claims
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1. A surgical instrument, comprising:
a handle assembly;
a proximal tube segment attached to said handle assembly;
a distal tube segment;
an articulating joint assembly pivotally coupling said distal tube segment to said proximal tube segment, said articulating joint assembly comprising;
a ball member non-movably coupled to an end of one of said proximal and distal tube segments and rotatably received in a corresponding socket in an end of the other of said of proximal tube segment and distal tube segment; and
an actuator assembly coupled between the ends of the distal and proximal tube segments, said actuator assembly retaining a portion of said ball member in said socket and selectively rotating said ball member portion therein to articulate said distal tube segment relative to said proximal tube segment; and
a surgical implement attached to said distal tube segment. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. A surgical instrument, comprising:
a handle assembly;
a proximal tube segment attached to said handle assembly;
a distal tube segment;
an articulating joint assembly pivotally coupling said distal tube segment to said proximal tube segment, said articulating joint assembly comprising;
a ball member non-movably coupled to a distal end of end of one of said proximal and distal tube segments and rotatably received in a corresponding socket in an end of the other of said of proximal tube segment and distal tube segment; and
an actuator assembly coupled between said one of said distal and proximal tube segments that has said socket therein and said ball member to retain a portion of said ball member in said socket and selectively rotate said ball member portion therein to articulate said distal tube segment relative to said proximal tube segment; and
a surgical implement attached to said distal tube segment. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22)
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23. A surgical instrument, comprising:
a handle assembly;
a proximal tube segment attached to said handle assembly;
a distal tube segment;
an articulating joint assembly pivotally coupling said distal tube segment to said proximal tube segment, said articulating joint assembly comprising;
a disc-like member non-movably coupled to an end of one of said proximal and distal tube segments and rotatably received in a corresponding socket in an end of the other of said of proximal tube segment and distal tube segment; and
an actuator assembly coupled between the ends of the distal and proximal tube segments, said actuator assembly retaining said disc-like member in said socket and selectively rotating said disc-like member therein to articulate said distal tube segment relative to said proximal tube segment; and
a surgical implement attached to said distal tube segment. - View Dependent Claims (24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32)
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33. A surgical instrument, comprising:
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a handle assembly;
a proximal tube segment attached to said handle assembly;
a distal tube segment;
an articulating joint assembly pivotally coupling said distal tube segment to said proximal tube segment, said articulating joint assembly comprising;
a disc-like member non-movably coupled to an end of one of said proximal and distal tube segments and rotatably received in a corresponding socket in an end of the other of said of proximal tube segment and distal tube segment; and
an actuator assembly coupled between said one of said distal and proximal tube segments that has said socket therein and said disc-like member to retain a portion of said disc-like member in said socket and selectively rotate said disc-like member portion therein to articulate said distal tube segment relative to said proximal tube segment; and
a surgical implement attached to said distal tube segment. - View Dependent Claims (34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39)
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Specification