ARTICULATABLE SURGICAL INSTRUMENTS WITH SEPARATE AND DISTINCT CLOSING AND FIRING SYSTEMS
First Claim
1. A surgical instrument, comprising:
- a surgical end effector comprising first and second end effector portions wherein the second end effector portion is selectively movable relative to the first end effector portion in a first direction upon application of an opening motion to said second end effector portion, said second end effector portion being further selectively movable in a second direction upon application of a closing motion to said second end effector portion;
an elongated shaft assembly defining a longitudinal tool axis and operably coupled to said surgical end effector, said elongated shaft assembly including an articulation portion for facilitating selective articulation of said surgical end effector relative to said longitudinal tool axis in said first and second directions upon application of articulation motions to said surgical end effector;
a firing member operably supported for operable movement within said surgical end effector upon application of firing and retraction motions thereto;
a firing system configured to selectively apply said firing and retraction motions to said firing member;
a closure system configured to selectively apply said opening and closing motions to said first and second end effector portions; and
an articulation control system for applying said articulation motions to said surgical end effector.
4 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A surgical instrument that has an articulatable end effector that includes a second jaw that is selectively moveable in a first direction relative to a first jaw upon application of a closing motion to the second jaw from a closure system and is further movable in a second direction relative to the first jaw upon application of an opening motion to the second jaw from the closure system. An elongated shaft assembly is coupled to the end effector and defines a longitudinal tool axis. The end effector is selectively articulatable in the first and second directions relative to the longitudinal tool axis upon application of articulation motions to the end effector. The end effector may include a firing member that is operable in response to firing motions applied thereto from a firing system. The closing system and firing system may be selectively independently operable from each other.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. A surgical instrument, comprising:
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a surgical end effector comprising first and second end effector portions wherein the second end effector portion is selectively movable relative to the first end effector portion in a first direction upon application of an opening motion to said second end effector portion, said second end effector portion being further selectively movable in a second direction upon application of a closing motion to said second end effector portion; an elongated shaft assembly defining a longitudinal tool axis and operably coupled to said surgical end effector, said elongated shaft assembly including an articulation portion for facilitating selective articulation of said surgical end effector relative to said longitudinal tool axis in said first and second directions upon application of articulation motions to said surgical end effector; a firing member operably supported for operable movement within said surgical end effector upon application of firing and retraction motions thereto; a firing system configured to selectively apply said firing and retraction motions to said firing member; a closure system configured to selectively apply said opening and closing motions to said first and second end effector portions; and an articulation control system for applying said articulation motions to said surgical end effector. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. A surgical instrument comprising:
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a housing; a closure system operably supported by said housing and configured to selectively generate opening and closing motions; a firing system operably supported by said housing, said firing system configured to selectively generate firing and refraction motions; a surgical end effector comprising; an elongated channel configured to removably support a surgical staple cartridge; an anvil movably supported relative to said elongated channel, said anvil movable in a first direction from an open position to a closed position upon application of said closing motion to said anvil, said anvil being further movable from said closed position to said open position in a second direction upon application of said opening motion to said anvil; and a firing member operably supported for operable movement within said surgical end effector upon application of said firing and retraction motions thereto and wherein said surgical instrument further comprises; an elongated shaft assembly defining a longitudinal tool axis and operably coupled to said elongated channel of said surgical end effector, said elongated shaft assembly including an articulation portion for facilitating selective articulation of said surgical end effector relative to said longitudinal tool axis in said first and second directions upon application of articulation motions to said surgical end effector from an articulation system operably supported by said housing. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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18. A surgical stapling instrument comprising:
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an elongated channel configured to removably support a surgical staple cartridge; an anvil movably supported relative to said elongated channel; a cutting head comprising; a vertically extending portion including an upper end and a lower end and a tissue cutting portion oriented between said upper end and said lower end; at least one bottom tab protruding from said lower end of said vertically extending portion and configured to movably engage a bottom portion of said elongated channel; at least one upper tab portion protruding from said upper end of said vertically extending portion and configured to engage a portion of said anvil; and a firing bar assembly operably coupled to said cutting head and operably interfacing with a firing system, the firing bar assembly comprising; an upper firing bar segment coupled to said upper end of said vertically extending portion of said cutting head; and a lower firing bar segment coupled to said lower end of said vertically extending portion of said cutting head. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20)
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Specification