Surgical instruments with articulating shafts
First Claim
1. An articulatable surgical instrument comprising:
- an end effector to treat tissue, wherein the end effector comprises an ultrasonic blade;
a hollow shaft extending proximally from the end effector along a longitudinal axis, the hollow shaft having an exterior wall and an interior wall, wherein the interior wall defines a groove within the hollow shaft, wherein the groove is parallel to a plane that intersects the longitudinal axis, and wherein the groove comprises a first position and a second position proximal from the first position;
a waveguide acoustically coupled to the ultrasonic blade and extending proximally through the hollow shaft;
a first interface member coupled to either the waveguide or the ultrasonic blade at a coupling point and extending proximally, wherein the first interface member comprises a first peg member positioned within the groove; and
a second interface member coupled to either the waveguide or the ultrasonic blade at the coupling point and extending proximally, wherein the second interface member comprises a second peg member positioned within the groove, and wherein upon rotation of the hollow shaft relative to the waveguide, the first and second peg members translate within the groove, causing bending of the first and second interface members and deflection of the first and second interface members away from the longitudinal axis.
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0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Various embodiments are directed to articulatable surgical instruments. Some embodiments comprise an end effector to treat tissue, where the end effector comprises an ultrasonic blade. A hollow shaft may extend proximally from the end effector along a longitudinal axis. A waveguide may extend through the shaft and may be acoustically coupled to the ultrasonic blade. The waveguide may comprise a distally positioned flange positioned within the hollow shaft proximally from the blade and may be held stationary at a first pivot point positioned within the hollow shaft proximally from the flange. A reciprocating wedge may be positioned within the hollow shaft such that distal motion of the wedge pushes the wedge between the flange and the hollow shaft, causing the ultrasonic blade to pivot about the first pivot point in a first direction.
2311 Citations
19 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 hollow shaft extending proximally from the end effector along a longitudinal axis, the hollow shaft having an exterior wall and an interior wall, wherein the interior wall defines a groove within the hollow shaft, wherein the groove is parallel to a plane that intersects the longitudinal axis, and wherein the groove comprises a first position and a second position proximal from the first position; a waveguide acoustically coupled to the ultrasonic blade and extending proximally through the hollow shaft; a first interface member coupled to either the waveguide or the ultrasonic blade at a coupling point and extending proximally, wherein the first interface member comprises a first peg member positioned within the groove; and a second interface member coupled to either the waveguide or the ultrasonic blade at the coupling point and extending proximally, wherein the second interface member comprises a second peg member positioned within the groove, and wherein upon rotation of the hollow shaft relative to the waveguide, the first and second peg members translate within the groove, causing bending of the first and second interface members and deflection of the first and second interface members away from the longitudinal axis. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
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7. An articulatable surgical instrument comprising:
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an ultrasonic blade having a tip; a shaft extending proximally from the ultrasonic blade along a longitudinal axis, wherein the shaft comprises an exterior wall surface and an interior wall surface, wherein the interior wall surface comprises a groove positioned at least partially about the longitudinal axis, and wherein the groove has a first position that is proximal from the tip by a first distance and a second position that is proximal from the tip by a second distance greater than the first distance; and an interface member, wherein the interface member comprises a distal end coupled to the ultrasonic blade at a position proximal from the tip and a proximal end, and wherein the proximal end comprises a peg positioned in the groove, and wherein the shaft is rotatable relative to the ultrasonic blade to move the peg from the first position in the groove to the second position in the groove to move the interface member proximally and articulate the ultrasonic blade towards the interface member. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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Specification