SURGICAL INSTRUMENT WITH ARTICULATING AND AXIALLY TRANSLATABLE END EFFECTOR
First Claim
1. A surgical instrument, comprising:
- an elongate shaft assembly defining a shaft axis; and
a surgical end effector comprising a distal end and a proximal end, said proximal end being pivotally coupled to said elongate shaft assembly for selective pivotal travel about an articulation axis that extends transversely relative to said shaft axis, said surgical end effector selectively pivotable about said articulation axis from an unarticulated position wherein said distal end of said surgical end effector is located an unarticulated distance from said articulation axis to articulated positions wherein said distal end of said surgical end effector is located a corresponding articulated distance from said articulation axis that is less than said unarticulated distance.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A surgical instrument comprising an elongate shaft assembly that defines a shaft axis. The surgical instrument includes a surgical end effector that has a distal end and a proximal end. The proximal end is pivotally coupled to the elongate shaft assembly for selective pivotal travel about an articulation axis that extends transversely relative to the shaft axis. The surgical end effector is selectively pivotable about the articulation axis from an unarticulated position wherein the distal end of the surgical end effector is located an unarticulated distance from the articulation axis to articulated positions wherein the distal end of the surgical end effector is located a corresponding articulated distance from the articulation axis that is less than the unarticulated distance.
230 Citations
20 Claims
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1. A surgical instrument, comprising:
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an elongate shaft assembly defining a shaft axis; and a surgical end effector comprising a distal end and a proximal end, said proximal end being pivotally coupled to said elongate shaft assembly for selective pivotal travel about an articulation axis that extends transversely relative to said shaft axis, said surgical end effector selectively pivotable about said articulation axis from an unarticulated position wherein said distal end of said surgical end effector is located an unarticulated distance from said articulation axis to articulated positions wherein said distal end of said surgical end effector is located a corresponding articulated distance from said articulation axis that is less than said unarticulated distance. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. A surgical instrument, comprising:
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an elongate shaft assembly defining a shaft axis and comprising a distal shaft portion; and a surgical end effector defining an end effector axis and comprising a distal end and a proximal end, said proximal end being movably coupled to said distal shaft portion for selective travel between an unarticulated position wherein said end effector axis is aligned with said shaft axis and said distal end of said surgical end effector is located an unarticulated distance from said distal shaft portion of said elongate shaft assembly to articulated positions wherein said end effector axis is transverse to said shaft axis and said distal end of said surgical end effector is located a corresponding articulated distance from said distal shaft portion that is less than said unarticulated distance. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13)
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14. A surgical instrument, comprising:
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an elongate shaft assembly defining a shaft axis; a surgical end effector comprising a distal end and a proximal end, said proximal end being movably coupled to said elongate shaft assembly for selective pivotal travel about an articulation axis that extends transversely relative to said shaft axis and translational travel relative to said articulation axis; and an articulation system operably interfacing with said surgical end effector to selectively apply articulation motions thereto. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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Specification