Surgical instrument
First Claim
1. A locking mechanism for an articulating surgical instrument having an articulatable head at an end of a shaft, said instrument comprising articulation means for transferring work from a proximal end of said instrument to a distal end thereof in order to articulate the head of said instrument with respect to said shaft, said locking mechanism including head locking means for locking the head of said instrument at one or more angles of articulation, and means connecting said articulation means and said head locking means, whereby actuation of said articulation means through application of work causes release of said locking means, permitting articulation of said head, and stoppage of said application of work to said articulation means causes locking of said head by said locking means, preventing articulation of said head.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A surgical instrument for performing endoscopic surgical procedures. In one embodiment, the instrument includes a knife that remains unexposed until initiation of a cutting sequence, and returns to an unexposed position at the conclusion of the cutting sequence, minimizing the risk of injury to the person handling the instrument. In another embodiment, the instrument includes a flexible neck for articulating a surgical head assembly with respect to the shaft of the instrument. In another embodiment, a device for locking the articulated head at an angle of articulation is provided. In yet another embodiment, a mechanism for opening and closing an anvil assembly is disclosed.
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Citations
8 Claims
- 1. A locking mechanism for an articulating surgical instrument having an articulatable head at an end of a shaft, said instrument comprising articulation means for transferring work from a proximal end of said instrument to a distal end thereof in order to articulate the head of said instrument with respect to said shaft, said locking mechanism including head locking means for locking the head of said instrument at one or more angles of articulation, and means connecting said articulation means and said head locking means, whereby actuation of said articulation means through application of work causes release of said locking means, permitting articulation of said head, and stoppage of said application of work to said articulation means causes locking of said head by said locking means, preventing articulation of said head.
Specification