Surgical instruments with articulating shafts
First Claim
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1. An articulatable surgical instrument comprising:
- an end effector to treat tissue, wherein the end effector comprises an ultrasonic blade;
a shaft extending proximally from the end effector along a longitudinal axis wherein the shaft comprises a flexible shaft portion;
a waveguide acoustically coupled to the ultrasonic blade and extending proximally through the shaft, wherein the waveguide comprises a bendable waveguide portion at about the flexible shaft portion, and wherein the waveguide comprises;
a first flange in contact with the waveguide at a first node of the waveguide distal from the bendable waveguide portion and coupled to an interior of the shaft; and
a second flange in contact with the waveguide at a second node of the waveguide proximate from the bendable waveguide portion and coupled to the interior of the shaft; and
an ultrasonic transducer acoustically coupled to the waveguide and positioned proximally from the waveguide; and
a first control member coupled to the first flange and extending proximally through the second flange and the shaft, such that proximal translation of the first control member pulls the first flange proximally, causing the shaft and the waveguide to pivot away from the longitudinal axis towards the first control member, wherein at least a portion of the first control member is positioned distally from the ultrasonic transducer.
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Abstract
Various embodiments described herein are directed to ultrasonic blades. For example, an ultrasonic blade may comprise a proximally positioned straight section extending along a longitudinal axis and a distally positioned curved section coupled to the straight section and curved away from the longitudinal axis. The curved section may define a radius of curvature and subtend a first angle. A point of tangency between the curved section and the straight section may be positioned at either a node of the ultrasonic blade or an anti-node of the ultrasonic blade.
1765 Citations
15 Claims
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1. An articulatable surgical instrument comprising:
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an end effector to treat tissue, wherein the end effector comprises an ultrasonic blade; a shaft extending proximally from the end effector along a longitudinal axis wherein the shaft comprises a flexible shaft portion; a waveguide acoustically coupled to the ultrasonic blade and extending proximally through the shaft, wherein the waveguide comprises a bendable waveguide portion at about the flexible shaft portion, and wherein the waveguide comprises; a first flange in contact with the waveguide at a first node of the waveguide distal from the bendable waveguide portion and coupled to an interior of the shaft; and a second flange in contact with the waveguide at a second node of the waveguide proximate from the bendable waveguide portion and coupled to the interior of the shaft; and an ultrasonic transducer acoustically coupled to the waveguide and positioned proximally from the waveguide; and a first control member coupled to the first flange and extending proximally through the second flange and the shaft, such that proximal translation of the first control member pulls the first flange proximally, causing the shaft and the waveguide to pivot away from the longitudinal axis towards the first control member, wherein at least a portion of the first control member is positioned distally from the ultrasonic transducer. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. An articulatable surgical instrument comprising:
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an ultrasonic blade; a shaft comprising a flexible shaft portion; a handle positioned proximally from the ultrasonic blade and adapted to receive an ultrasonic transducer, wherein the shaft extends distally from the handle; a waveguide coupled to the ultrasonic blade and extending proximally from the ultrasonic blade along a longitudinal axis, wherein the waveguide comprises a rigid waveguide portion and a flexible waveguide portion distal from the rigid waveguide portion; an ultrasonic transducer acoustically coupled to the waveguide and positioned proximally from the waveguide; a first flange at least partially enclosed by the shaft and in contact with the waveguide at a first node of the waveguide positioned in the rigid waveguide portion; a second flange at least partially enclosed by the shaft and in contact with the waveguide at a second node of the waveguide distal from the rigid waveguide portion; and a first control member coupled to the second flange at a first position offset from the longitudinal axis and extending through the first flange at a second position offset from the longitudinal axis, wherein proximal translation of the first control member exerts a proximally-directed force on the second flange, the proximally-directed force flexing the flexible shaft portion and pulling the ultrasonic blade away from the longitudinal axis and towards the first control member, and wherein at least a portion of the first control member is positioned distally from the ultrasonic transducer.
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Specification