Flexible drive member
First Claim
1. A surgical tool, comprising:
- a shaft;
an end effector; and
a firing drive, comprising;
a rotatable input drive comprising a threaded transmission portion, wherein said rotatable input drive is rotatable in a first direction and a second direction;
a flexible output shaft, comprising;
a hollow body portion defining an outer surface and an inner surface;
a thread operably engaged with said threaded transmission portion, wherein said thread is disposed on at least a portion of said outer surface of said hollow body portion, wherein said flexible output shaft comprises a longitudinal axis and is constrained from revolving about said longitudinal axis; and
wherein said rotatable input drive is configured to translate said flexible output shaft toward said end effector when said rotatable input drive is rotated in said first direction, and wherein said rotatable input drive is configured to translate said flexible output shaft away from said end effector when said rotatable input drive is rotated in said second direction.
4 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A surgical tool can comprise an end effector, a shaft, an articulation joint rotatably connecting the end effector to the shaft, and a translatable drive member which can at least partially extend through the articulation joint. The drive member can be resiliently flexible or bendable to accommodate the articulation of the end effector. The drive member can comprise a body including a plurality of articulation joints defined therein. The articulation joints can be intrinsic to the drive member body and can form an array or lattice of articulation joints. The drive member can also comprise a drive thread extending around the body. The drive thread can be configured to outwardly constrain the portions of the body when the drive member is articulated. The drive member can also comprise a flexible inner core extending therethrough which can be configured to inwardly constrain the articulated body portions.
4307 Citations
21 Claims
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1. A surgical tool, comprising:
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a shaft; an end effector; and a firing drive, comprising; a rotatable input drive comprising a threaded transmission portion, wherein said rotatable input drive is rotatable in a first direction and a second direction; a flexible output shaft, comprising; a hollow body portion defining an outer surface and an inner surface; a thread operably engaged with said threaded transmission portion, wherein said thread is disposed on at least a portion of said outer surface of said hollow body portion, wherein said flexible output shaft comprises a longitudinal axis and is constrained from revolving about said longitudinal axis; and wherein said rotatable input drive is configured to translate said flexible output shaft toward said end effector when said rotatable input drive is rotated in said first direction, and wherein said rotatable input drive is configured to translate said flexible output shaft away from said end effector when said rotatable input drive is rotated in said second direction. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 10, 11, 13, 14)
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4. A surgical tool, comprising:
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a shaft; an end effector; and a firing drive, comprising; a rotatable input drive comprising a threaded transmission portion, wherein said rotatable input drive is rotatable in a first direction and a second direction; a flexible output shaft comprising a thread operably engaged with said threaded transmission portion, wherein said flexible output shaft comprises a longitudinal axis and is constrained from revolving about said longitudinal axis; and wherein said rotatable input drive is configured to translate said flexible output shaft toward said end effector when said rotatable input drive is rotated in said first direction, wherein said rotatable input drive is configured to translate said flexible output shaft away from said end effector when said rotatable input drive is rotated in said second direction, wherein said flexible output shaft comprises a body, wherein said thread extends around said body, wherein said thread comprises a spring including a plurality of coils, and wherein said body extends through said plurality of coils. - View Dependent Claims (5, 6, 9)
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7. A surgical tool, comprising:
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a shaft; an end effector; and a firing drive, comprising; a rotatable input drive comprising a threaded transmission portion, wherein said rotatable input drive is rotatable in a first direction and a second direction; a flexible output shaft comprising a thread operably engaged with said threaded transmission portion, wherein said flexible output shaft comprises a longitudinal axis and is constrained from revolving about said longitudinal axis; and wherein said rotatable input drive is configured to translate said flexible output shaft toward said end effector when said rotatable input drive is rotated in said first direction, wherein said rotatable input drive is configured to translate said flexible output shaft away from said end effector when said rotatable input drive is rotated in said second direction, wherein said flexible output shaft comprises a body, wherein said thread extends around said body, wherein said body comprises a longitudinal aperture extending therethrough, and wherein said flexible output shaft comprises a flexible core extending through said longitudinal aperture. - View Dependent Claims (8)
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12. A surgical tool, comprising:
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a shaft; an end effector; and a firing drive, comprising; a rotatable input drive comprising a threaded transmission portion, wherein said rotatable input drive is rotatable in a first direction and a second direction; a flexible output shaft comprising a thread operably engaged with said threaded transmission portion, wherein said flexible output shaft comprises a longitudinal axis and is constrained from revolving about said longitudinal axis; and wherein said rotatable input drive is configured to translate said flexible output shaft toward said end effector when said rotatable input drive is rotated in said first direction, wherein said rotatable input drive is configured to translate said flexible output shaft away from said end effector when said rotatable input drive is rotated in said second direction, wherein said flexible output shaft comprises an array of articulation joints comprising interlocking projections and recesses, wherein said flexible output shaft comprises a flexible body and a thread, and wherein said thread comprises a plurality of coils which at least partially surround and constrain said array of articulation joints.
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15. A surgical tool, comprising:
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a shaft; an end effector; and a firing drive, comprising; a rotatable input drive comprising a threaded transmission portion, wherein said rotatable input drive is rotatable in a first direction and a second direction; a flexible output shaft comprising a thread operably engaged with said threaded transmission portion, wherein said flexible output shaft comprises a longitudinal axis and is constrained from revolving about said longitudinal axis; and wherein said rotatable input drive is configured to translate said flexible output shaft toward said end effector when said rotatable input drive is rotated in said first direction, wherein said rotatable input drive is configured to translate said flexible output shaft away from said end effector when said rotatable input drive is rotated in said second direction, wherein said output shaft comprises a flexible body and a thread, wherein said thread comprises a plurality of coils, and wherein said flexible body extends through said plurality of coils. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17)
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18. A surgical tool, comprising:
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a shaft; an end effector comprising a movable cutting member; an articulation joint, wherein said end effector is movable relative to said shaft about said articulation joint; and a firing drive, comprising; a rotatable input drive comprising a threaded transmission portion, wherein said rotatable input drive is rotatable in a first direction and a second direction; and a flexible output shaft operably engageable with said movable cutting member, said flexible output shaft comprising; a flexible body, comprising; a proximal end; a distal end; an array of interlocked lattice portions extending between said proximal end and said distal end; and a thread operably engaged with said threaded transmission portion, wherein said thread is configured to constrain an outward movement of said array of interlocked lattice portions, wherein said rotatable input drive is configured to translate said flexible output shaft toward said end effector when said rotatable input drive is rotated in said first direction, and wherein said rotatable input drive is configured to translate said flexible output shaft away from said end effector when said rotatable input drive is rotated in said second direction. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20)
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21. A surgical tool, comprising:
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a shaft; an end effector; an articulation joint, wherein said end effector is movable relative to said shaft about said articulation joint; and a firing drive, comprising; a rotatable input drive system comprising a threaded transmission portion, wherein said rotatable input drive system is rotatable in a first direction and a second direction; and a flexible output shaft comprising; a body comprising a plurality of intrinsic articulation joints; a thread operably engaged with said threaded transmission portion, wherein said flexible output shaft comprises a longitudinal axis and is constrained from completing a revolution about said longitudinal axis; and wherein said rotatable input drive system is configured to translate said flexible output shaft toward said end effector when said rotatable input drive system is rotated in said first direction, and wherein said rotatable input drive system is configured to translate said flexible output shaft away from said end effector when said rotatable input drive system is rotated in said second direction.
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Specification