Articulating surgical apparatus
First Claim
1. An endoscopic instrument, comprising:
- a housing having a shaft extending therefrom that defines a longitudinal axis therethrough, the shaft including an articulating section, the articulating section having a plurality of stationary and rotatable links arranged in an alternating configuration along the articulating section, each rotatable link of the plurality of rotatable links rotatably seated within a corresponding stationary link of the plurality of stationary links to collectively define a central annulus therethrough;
an end effector assembly operatively connected to a distal end of the shaft including a pair of first and second jaw members; and
an articulation catheter operably disposed through the central annulus and configured to rotate the rotatable links with respect to the stationary links to articulate the shaft about the articulating section,wherein each stationary link of the plurality of stationary links includes a proximal face and a distal face, wherein the proximal face is perpendicular to the central annulus and the distal face is oriented at an angle that is different from the proximal face,wherein each rotatable link of the plurality of rotatable links includes a proximal face and a distal face, the proximal face of each rotatable link rests at least partially along a corresponding distal face of each stationary link such that rotation of the plurality of rotatable links cams the plurality of rotatable links to articulate the shaft about the articulating section.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An endoscopic instrument includes a housing having shaft. The shaft includes an articulating section disposed thereon. The articulating section includes a plurality of annular stationary and rotatable links arranged in an alternating configuration therealong. Each link of the plurality of rotatable links seated within a corresponding stationary link of the plurality of stationary links to collectively define a central annulus therethrough. An end effector assembly operatively connected to a distal end of the shaft includes a pair of first and second jaw members. An articulation catheter operably disposed through the central annulus is configured to rotate the rotatable links with respect to the stationary links to articulate the shaft about the articulating section.
1245 Citations
19 Claims
-
1. An endoscopic instrument, comprising:
-
a housing having a shaft extending therefrom that defines a longitudinal axis therethrough, the shaft including an articulating section, the articulating section having a plurality of stationary and rotatable links arranged in an alternating configuration along the articulating section, each rotatable link of the plurality of rotatable links rotatably seated within a corresponding stationary link of the plurality of stationary links to collectively define a central annulus therethrough; an end effector assembly operatively connected to a distal end of the shaft including a pair of first and second jaw members; and an articulation catheter operably disposed through the central annulus and configured to rotate the rotatable links with respect to the stationary links to articulate the shaft about the articulating section, wherein each stationary link of the plurality of stationary links includes a proximal face and a distal face, wherein the proximal face is perpendicular to the central annulus and the distal face is oriented at an angle that is different from the proximal face, wherein each rotatable link of the plurality of rotatable links includes a proximal face and a distal face, the proximal face of each rotatable link rests at least partially along a corresponding distal face of each stationary link such that rotation of the plurality of rotatable links cams the plurality of rotatable links to articulate the shaft about the articulating section. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
-
-
19. An endoscopic forceps, comprising:
-
a housing having a shaft extending therefrom that defines a longitudinal axis therethrough, the shaft including an articulating section disposed thereon, the articulating section having a plurality of stationary and rotatable links arranged in an alternating configuration along the articulating section, each rotatable link of the plurality of rotatable links rotatably seated within a corresponding stationary link of the plurality of stationary links to collectively define a central annulus therethrough,; an end effector assembly operatively connected to a distal end of the shaft for treating tissue includes a pair of first and second jaw members, at least one of the first and second jaw members movable relative to other jaw member from an open position, wherein the first and second jaw members are disposed in spaced relation relative to one another, to a clamping, position, wherein the first and second jaw members cooperate to grasp tissue therebetween; and an articulation catheter operably disposed through the central annulus and configured to rotate the rotatable links with respect to the stationary links to articulate the shaft about the articulating section, wherein the articulating catheter is configured to house a drive wire that is operably coupled to a cutting element in operable communication with the first and second jaw members, the drive wire translatable within the articulating catheter to translate the cutting element longitudinally through at least one of first and second jaw members, wherein each stationary link of the plurality of stationary links includes a proximal face and a distal face, wherein the proximal face is perpendicular to the central annulus and the distal face is oriented at an angle that is different from the proximal face, wherein each rotatable link of the plurality of rotatable links includes a proximal face and a distal face, the proximal face of each rotatable link rests at least partially along a corresponding distal face of each stationary link such that rotation of the plurality of rotatable links cams the plurality of rotatable links to articulate the shaft about the articulating section.
-
Specification