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Articulating Steerable Clip Applier for Laparoscopic Procedures

  • US 20120265220A1
  • Filed: 04/06/2011
  • Published: 10/18/2012
  • Est. Priority Date: 04/06/2010
  • Status: Abandoned Application
First Claim
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1. An endoscopic surgical tool having a handle and a shaft member coupled to the handle and extending along a shaft axis from a proximal end to a distal end, wherein the distal end of the shaft member is adapted to receive an end effector, comprising:

  • A. a linear array of n phalanx sections, where n is an integer greater than 2, wherein the linear array includes a sequentially aligned proximal phalanx section, n−

    2 intermediate phalanx sections, and a distal phalanx section, wherein the ith phalanx section, wherein i is greater than or equal to 1 and less than or equal to n, extends along an associated central axis CAi between a proximal end PEi and a distal end DEL and includes;

    a tubular member TMi defininga. a central void region CVRi extending along the central axis CAi between the proximal end PEi and the distal end DEi,b. an exterior surface ESi disposed about the central void region CVRi and extending along the central axis CAi from the proximal end PEi to the distal end DEi,wherein the n phalanx sections are aligned whereby the central axis CAi of each phalanx section intersects with the central axis of phalanx sections adjacent thereto in the linear array,B. an end effector coupler EEC disposed at the distal end of the distal phalanx section and adapted for coupling the distal end to an end effector,C. a base coupling assembly BC disposed at the proximal end of the proximal phalanx section and adapted to couple to the proximal end of the proximal phalanx section to the distal end of the shaft member, whereby the shaft axis intersects the central axis of the proximal phalanx section and whereby the proximal phalanx section is movable with respect to the distal end of the shaft member substantially only in rotational motion about a transverse axis TA0 perpendicular to the central axis of the proximal phalanx section,D. n−

    1 phalanx section coupling assemblies PC, wherein each phalanx section coupling assembly is associated with an intermediate phalanx section and wherein the coupling assembly PCi associated with the ith phalanx section couples a distal end of the ith phalanx section to the proximal end of the adjacent i+1th phalanx section whereby the proximal end of the i+1th phalanx section is movable with respect to the distal end of the ith phalanx section substantially only in rotational motion about a transverse axis TAi perpendicular to the central axis of the ith phalanx section, wherein TAi and TA0 are mutually parallel, andwherein each of the base coupling assembly and the n−

    1 phalanx coupling assemblies are operative whereby a torque applied to the proximal end of the proximal phalanx section about an axis parallel to transverse axis TA0, effects a same-direction angular rotational displacement of each of the ith phalanx sections with respect to the adjacent phalanx sections about the respective transverse axes TAi.

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