Drive arrangements for articulatable surgical instruments
First Claim
1. A shaft assembly for a surgical instrument comprising a movable drive member, said shaft assembly comprising:
- a spine assembly operably couplable to the surgical instrument;
a surgical end effector coupled to said spine assembly by an articulation joint;
a proximal firing member interfacing with the movable drive member and supported for movable travel relative to said spine assembly;
an intermediate firing member supported for movable travel relative to said spine assembly;
a distal firing member interfacing with said intermediate firing member and supported for selective axial travel through at least a portion of said surgical end effector;
an articulation driver interfacing with said end effector to apply articulation motions thereto; and
a clutch system selectively movable between an articulation orientation and a firing orientation such that when said clutch system is in said articulation orientation, movement of said movable drive member is transmitted to said articulation driver through said proximal firing member and when said clutch system is in said firing orientation, movement of said movable drive member is transmitted to said distal firing member through said proximal firing member and said intermediate firing member.
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0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A shaft assembly for a surgical instrument that includes a movable drive member. In at least one form, the surgical instrument includes a spine assembly that is couplable to the surgical instrument and has a surgical end effector coupled thereto by an articulation joint. The shaft assembly in one form includes a proximal firing member and an intermediate firing member that is coupled to a distal firing member. The distal firing member is configured for selective travel through the surgical end effector. At least one articulation driver is coupled to the surgical end effector to apply articulation motions thereto. A clutch assembly interfaces with the primary and intermediate firing members and the articulation driver such that when in an articulation orientation, movement of the drive member results in movement of the articulation driver and when in a firing orientation, movement of the drive member results in movement of the intermediate and distal firing members. A separate articulation motor may be employed to actuate the articulation driver.
4928 Citations
20 Claims
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1. A shaft assembly for a surgical instrument comprising a movable drive member, said shaft assembly comprising:
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a spine assembly operably couplable to the surgical instrument; a surgical end effector coupled to said spine assembly by an articulation joint; a proximal firing member interfacing with the movable drive member and supported for movable travel relative to said spine assembly; an intermediate firing member supported for movable travel relative to said spine assembly; a distal firing member interfacing with said intermediate firing member and supported for selective axial travel through at least a portion of said surgical end effector; an articulation driver interfacing with said end effector to apply articulation motions thereto; and a clutch system selectively movable between an articulation orientation and a firing orientation such that when said clutch system is in said articulation orientation, movement of said movable drive member is transmitted to said articulation driver through said proximal firing member and when said clutch system is in said firing orientation, movement of said movable drive member is transmitted to said distal firing member through said proximal firing member and said intermediate firing member. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. A shaft assembly for a surgical instrument comprising a movable drive member, said shaft assembly comprising:
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a spine assembly operably couplable to the surgical instrument; a surgical end effector coupled to said spine assembly by an articulation joint; a proximal firing member interfacing with the movable drive member and supported for movable travel relative to said spine assembly; a distal firing member interfacing with said proximal firing member and supported for selective axial travel through at least a portion of said surgical end effector; at least one articulation driver interfacing with said end effector to apply articulation motions thereto; an articulation motor supported by said spine assembly and drivingly interfacing with said at least one articulation driver; and means for preventing movement of the movable drive member when said articulation motor is being actuated. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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Specification