End effector mechanism for a surgical instrument
First Claim
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1. A surgical instrument comprising an improved end effector assembly comprising:
- a housing;
a pivot driver disposed within said housing and configured to reciprocate longitudinally within said housing;
first and second gripping members extending from said housing;
first actuation means for moving said first gripping member relative to said second gripping member, wherein said first actuation means comprise a first actuator being attached to a first end of a first actuator rod, and wherein said first actuator rod reciprocates longitudinally within said housing and within said pivot driver;
wherein said first gripping member comprises a first jaw element, a second jaw element and a drive element and wherein said first jaw element comprises a first end pivotally connected to a first location of said housing and a second end pivotally connected to a first location of a first end of said second jaw element;
wherein said drive element comprises a first end pivotally connected to a first location of said pivot driver and a second end pivotally connected to a second location of said first end of said second jaw element; and
means for adjusting the distance between said first housing location and said first pivot driver location and wherein adjusting of said distance establishes a desired angular orientation between said first and second jaw elements.
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Abstract
Improved end effector mechanisms for a surgical instrument used in minimally invasive surgical instruments as well as instruments for general surgery or as part of robotically controlled end effectors. These end effector mechanisms include multiple grasping elements paired with drive links. Each grasping element also serves as a stabilizing link for the next most distal grasping element, forcing it to maintain its relative angle with respect to the opposing grasping elements.
839 Citations
22 Claims
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1. A surgical instrument comprising an improved end effector assembly comprising:
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a housing; a pivot driver disposed within said housing and configured to reciprocate longitudinally within said housing; first and second gripping members extending from said housing; first actuation means for moving said first gripping member relative to said second gripping member, wherein said first actuation means comprise a first actuator being attached to a first end of a first actuator rod, and wherein said first actuator rod reciprocates longitudinally within said housing and within said pivot driver; wherein said first gripping member comprises a first jaw element, a second jaw element and a drive element and wherein said first jaw element comprises a first end pivotally connected to a first location of said housing and a second end pivotally connected to a first location of a first end of said second jaw element; wherein said drive element comprises a first end pivotally connected to a first location of said pivot driver and a second end pivotally connected to a second location of said first end of said second jaw element; and means for adjusting the distance between said first housing location and said first pivot driver location and wherein adjusting of said distance establishes a desired angular orientation between said first and second jaw elements. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21)
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22. A method for setting any desired angular orientation between first and second jaw elements of a first gripping member of an end effector assembly for a surgical instrument, said method comprising:
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providing a housing; providing a pivot driver disposed within said housing and configured to reciprocate longitudinally within said housing; providing said first gripping member and a second gripping member wherein said first gripping member comprises said first and second jaw elements and a drive element; providing first actuation means for moving said first gripping member relative to said second gripping member, wherein said first actuation means comprise a first actuator being attached to a first end of a first actuator rod, and wherein said first actuator rod reciprocates longitudinally within said housing and within said pivot driver; pivotally connecting a first end of said first jaw element to a first location of said housing and a second end of said first jaw element to a first location of a first end of said second jaw element; pivotally connecting a first end of said drive element to a first location of said pivot driver and a second end of said drive element to a second location of said first end of said second jaw element, wherein said first housing location and said first pivot driver location are separated by an adjustable distance; providing means for adjusting said distance between said first housing location and said first pivot driver location; and adjusting the distance between said first housing location and said first pivot driver location thereby establishing a desired angular orientations between said first and second jaw elements.
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Specification