Surgical instruments with reconfigurable shaft segments
First Claim
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1. A surgical instrument comprising:
- a handle assembly;
a flexible spine assembly operably coupled to said handle assembly and protruding therefrom;
an elongated shaft assembly received on said flexible spine assembly and having a reconfigurable shaft segment that is selectively reconfigurable between a linear configuration wherein all portions of said reconfigurable shaft segment are substantially coaxially aligned with each other and configurations wherein at least one said portion of said reconfigurable shaft segment is orientated in a non-linear orientation relative to at least one other said portion of said reconfigurable shaft segment, said elongated shaft assembly further having a closure tube segment that is axially movable relative to said reconfigurable shaft segment in response to firing motions applied thereto from a firing system operably supported in said handle assembly;
a locking system for selectively locking tubular links in a desired orientation relative to each other, said locking system comprising;
at least one selectively expandable locking bladder extending through said reconfigurable shaft segment of said elongated shaft assembly and being selectively expandable with a fluid material pumped therein by a fluid pumping system operably supported by said handle assembly, such that when each said selectively expandable locking bladder is in an expanded condition, said tubular links are substantially immovable relative to each other.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A surgical instrument having a handle assembly and an elongated shaft assembly protruding therefrom. Various embodiments of the elongated shaft assemblies include reconfigurable shaft segments that have portions that may be selectively arranged in coaxial alignment with each other and in other configurations wherein at least some portions thereof are not in coaxial alignment with each other. Various locking arrangements are disclosed for releasably locking the reconfigurable shaft segments in desired orientations. A movable closure tube is supported on the elongated shaft segment and is oriented to provide actuation motions to an end effector coupled to the distal end of the elongated shaft.
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Citations
14 Claims
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1. A surgical instrument comprising:
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a handle assembly; a flexible spine assembly operably coupled to said handle assembly and protruding therefrom; an elongated shaft assembly received on said flexible spine assembly and having a reconfigurable shaft segment that is selectively reconfigurable between a linear configuration wherein all portions of said reconfigurable shaft segment are substantially coaxially aligned with each other and configurations wherein at least one said portion of said reconfigurable shaft segment is orientated in a non-linear orientation relative to at least one other said portion of said reconfigurable shaft segment, said elongated shaft assembly further having a closure tube segment that is axially movable relative to said reconfigurable shaft segment in response to firing motions applied thereto from a firing system operably supported in said handle assembly; a locking system for selectively locking tubular links in a desired orientation relative to each other, said locking system comprising; at least one selectively expandable locking bladder extending through said reconfigurable shaft segment of said elongated shaft assembly and being selectively expandable with a fluid material pumped therein by a fluid pumping system operably supported by said handle assembly, such that when each said selectively expandable locking bladder is in an expanded condition, said tubular links are substantially immovable relative to each other. - View Dependent Claims (3, 4, 5)
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2. A surgical instrument comprising:
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a handle assembly; a flexible spine assembly operably coupled to said handle assembly and protruding therefrom; an elongated shaft assembly received on said flexible spine assembly and including a reconfigurable shaft segment defining a shaft axis and comprising a plurality of movably interconnected tubular links that cooperate to form a hollow passage therethrough to operably support said flexible spine assembly therein, each said tubular link configured to rotatably move relative to each adjacent said tubular link in any radial direction about said shaft axis to enable said reconfigurable shaft segment to be selectively reconfigurable between a linear configuration wherein all portions of said reconfigurable shaft segment are substantially coaxially aligned with each other and configurations wherein at least one said portion of said reconfigurable shaft segment is orientated in a non-linear orientation relative to at least one other said portion of said reconfigurable shaft segment, said elongated shaft assembly further having a closure tube segment that is axially movable relative to said reconfigurable shaft segment in response to firing motions applied thereto from a firing system operably supported in said handle assembly; a locking means on each said tubular link for selectively preventing any relative movement between said adjacent said tubular links when said adjacent said tubular links are in a locked configuration; and an end effector coupled to said flexible spine assembly and having first and second jaw members movable relative to each other from an open position to closed positions in response to axial movement of said closure tube segment.
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6. A surgical instrument comprising:
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a handle assembly; a flexible spine assembly operably coupled to said handle assembly and protruding therefrom; an elongated shaft assembly received on said flexible spine assembly and operably coupled to said handle assembly, said elongated shaft assembly comprising; a reconfigurable shaft segment comprising; a plurality of movably interconnected tubular links, each said tubular link having a tubular body portion having a spherically-shaped coupler formed on one end thereof and having a passage therethrough that extends into a hollow spherical socket formed on another end thereof that is sized to rotatably receive said spherically-shaped coupler of another said tubular link therein; and a locking means on each said tubular link for locking adjacent said tubular links in a desired orientation relative to each other to prevent any relative motion therebetween and wherein said elongated shaft assembly further comprises a closure tube segment movably supported on a corresponding portion of said spine assembly for selective axial travel thereon in a distal direction away from said handle assembly and in a proximal direction towards said handle assembly and wherein said surgical instrument further comprises; a firing system operably supported by said handle assembly and interfacing with said closure tube segment to selectively cause said closure tube segment to axially move in said distal and proximal directions on said corresponding portion of said spine assembly; and an end effector coupled to said spine assembly and having first and second jaw members movable relative to each other from an open position to closed positions, said first jaw member configured to support a staple cartridge therein, said first and second jaw members configured to be moved between said open and closed positions in response to axial movement of said closure tube segment on said spine assembly. - View Dependent Claims (7, 8)
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9. A surgical instrument comprising:
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a handle assembly; a flexible spine assembly operably coupled to said handle assembly and protruding therefrom; an elongated shaft assembly received on said flexible spine assembly and operably coupled to said handle assembly, said elongated shaft assembly comprising; a reconfigurable shaft segment comprising; a plurality of movably interconnected tubular links, each said tubular link having a tubular body portion having a spherically-shaped portion formed on one end thereof and having a passage therethrough that extends into a hollow spherical socket formed on another end thereof that is sized to rotatably receive said spherically-shaped portion of another said tubular link therein; and at least one selectively expandable locking bladder extending through said plurality of movably interconnected tubular links and being coupled to a fluid pumping assembly operably supported in said handle assembly such that when each said locking bladder is in an expanded condition, said tubular links are immovable relative to each other and wherein said elongated shaft assembly further comprises a closure tube segment movably supported on a portion of said spine assembly for selective axial travel thereon in a distal direction away from said handle assembly and in a proximal direction towards said handle assembly and wherein said surgical instrument further comprises; a firing system operably supported by said handle assembly and interfacing with said closure tube segment to selectively cause said closure tube segment to move on said corresponding portion of said flexible spine assembly; and an end effector coupled to said spine assembly and having first and second jaw members movable relative to each other from an open position to closed positions, said first and second jaw members configured to be moved between said open and closed positions in response to axial movement of said closure tube segment. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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Specification