SURGICAL INSTRUMENT WITH SELECTIVELY ARTICULATABLE END EFFECTOR
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A surgical instrument comprising:
- a handle assembly;
an elongated shaft assembly operably interfacing with said handle assembly and defining a longitudinal axis;
a surgical end effector operably coupled to the elongated shaft assembly and configured to cut and staple tissue upon application of actuation motions thereto;
at least one articulation member operably supported by said elongated shaft assembly; and
an articulation system comprising;
an articulation transmission operably supported by said handle assembly and operably interfacing with said at least one articulation member; and
an actuator member rotatably supported on said handle member for selective rotation about an actuation axis that does not transversely intersect said longitudinal axis, said actuator member interfacing with said articulation transmission such that rotation of said actuator member in a first rotary direction about said actuation axis causes said at least one articulation member to articulate said surgical end effector relative to said longitudinal axis in a first articulation direction and rotation of said actuator member in a second rotary direction about said actuation axis causes said at least one articulation member to articulate said surgical end effector relative to said longitudinal axis in a second articulation direction relative to said longitudinal axis.
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Abstract
A surgical instrument that has an articulatable end effector. The instrument includes an articulation system that has a rotatable actuator member that interfaces with an articulation transmission. Rotation of the actuator member in a first rotary direction about an actuation axis causes at least one articulation member to articulate the surgical end effector in a first articulation direction and rotation of the actuator member in a second rotary direction causes at least one articulation member to articulate the surgical end effector in a second articulation direction.
1648 Citations
20 Claims
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1. A surgical instrument comprising:
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a handle assembly; an elongated shaft assembly operably interfacing with said handle assembly and defining a longitudinal axis; a surgical end effector operably coupled to the elongated shaft assembly and configured to cut and staple tissue upon application of actuation motions thereto; at least one articulation member operably supported by said elongated shaft assembly; and an articulation system comprising; an articulation transmission operably supported by said handle assembly and operably interfacing with said at least one articulation member; and an actuator member rotatably supported on said handle member for selective rotation about an actuation axis that does not transversely intersect said longitudinal axis, said actuator member interfacing with said articulation transmission such that rotation of said actuator member in a first rotary direction about said actuation axis causes said at least one articulation member to articulate said surgical end effector relative to said longitudinal axis in a first articulation direction and rotation of said actuator member in a second rotary direction about said actuation axis causes said at least one articulation member to articulate said surgical end effector relative to said longitudinal axis in a second articulation direction relative to said longitudinal axis. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. A surgical cutting and fastening instrument, comprising:
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an elongated channel; a surgical staple cartridge operably supported within said elongated channel; an anvil movably supported relative to said elongated channel between open and closed positions; a knife bar supported for movable travel from a proximal end of said elongated channel to a distal end of said elongated channel upon application of a firing motion thereto; a handle assembly; an elongated shaft assembly coupled to said handle assembly and said elongated channel and operably supporting at least a portion of said knife bar, said elongated shaft assembly defining a longitudinal axis and configured to apply said firing motion to said knife bar; a trigger assembly operably supported on said handle assembly and configured to apply said firing motion to said elongated shaft assembly; an articulation system comprising; an articulation transmission operably supported by said handle assembly and operably interfacing with said elongated shaft assembly; and an actuator member rotatably supported on said handle member for selective rotation about an actuation axis that does not intersect said longitudinal axis, said actuator member interfacing with said articulation transmission such that rotation of said actuator member in a first rotary direction about said actuation axis causes said elongated shaft assembly to articulate said surgical end effector relative to said longitudinal axis in a first articulation direction and rotation of said actuator member in a second rotary direction about said actuation axis causes said elongated shaft assembly to articulate said surgical end effector relative to said longitudinal axis in a second articulation direction relative to said longitudinal axis. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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20. A surgical cutting and fastening instrument, comprising:
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an end effector comprising; a channel configured to operably support a staple cartridge therein; and an anvil movably supported relative to said channel and wherein said surgical cutting and fastening instrument further comprises; an elongated shaft assembly defining a longitudinal axis and comprising; a substantially rigid proximal shaft segment; a substantially flexible articulation segment coupled to said substantially rigid distal shaft portion and said channel of said end effector; a knife bar having a substantially flexible portion corresponding with said substantially flexible articulation segment and having a tissue-cutting head formed on a distal end thereof; a knife tube operably interfacing with said knife bar to apply actuation motions; a first articulation band assembly operably supported by said substantially rigid proximal shaft segment and being coupled to one of said substantially flexible articulation joint and said channel on a first side of said longitudinal axis; and a second articulation band assembly operably supported by said substantially rigid proximal shaft segment and being coupled to said one of said substantially flexible articulation joint segment and said elongated channel on a second side of said longitudinal axis, and wherein said surgical cutting and fastening instrument further comprises; a handle assembly operably coupled to said substantially rigid proximal shaft segment; an actuator wheel rotatably supported on said handle assembly; a first articulation disc movably supported within said handle assembly and interfacing with said actuator wheel and said first articulation band assembly; and a second articulation disc movably supported within said handle assembly and interfacing with said actuator wheel and said second articulation band assembly, said first and second articulation discs configured such that rotation of said actuator wheel in a first rotary direction causes said first and second articulation discs to move axially toward each other to apply an articulation motion to said first articulation band assembly in a first axial direction and another articulation motion to said second articulation band assembly in a second axial direction that is opposite to said first axial direction; and a firing trigger operably supported on said handle assembly and interfacing with said knife tube such that application of an actuation motion to said firing trigger causes said actuation motion to be applied to said knife tube.
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Specification