# US 11,298,114 B2 · Adapter assembly with gimbal for interconnecting electromechanical surgical devices and surgical loading units, and surgical systems thereof > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 11,298,114 B2 - Document ID: US11298114B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 16/295,391 - Filed: 2019-03-07 - Published: 2019-07-04 - Granted: 2022-04-12 - Earliest claimed: 2015-04-10 - Assignees: Covidien LP - Applicants: Covidien LP - Inventors: David Nicholas; Russell Pribanic - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11298114B2 ## CPC - A61B 17/00: Surgical instruments, devices or methods (A61B18/00 takes precedence; dental tools A61C3/00; eye surgery A61F9/007; ear surgery A61F11/20) - A61B 17/07207: {the staples being applied sequentially} - A61B 2017/00398: {using powered actuators, e.g. stepper motors, solenoids} - A61B 2017/00473: {Distal part, e.g. tip or head (A61B2017/00464 takes precedence)} - A61B 2017/00477: {Coupling (A61B2017/0046 takes precedence)} - A61B 2017/0069: {with universal joint, cardan joint} - A61B 2017/07214: {Stapler heads} - A61B 2017/2927: {the angular position of the head being adjustable with respect to the shaft} - A61B: DIAGNOSIS; SURGERY; IDENTIFICATION (usefulness limited to only animals A61D) ## Abstract The present disclosure relates to adapter assemblies for use with and to electrically and mechanically interconnect electromechanical surgical devices and surgical loading units, and to surgical systems including handheld electromechanical surgical devices and adapter assemblies for connecting surgical loading units to the handheld electromechanical surgical devices. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An adapter assembly for selectively interconnecting a surgical device and a surgical loading unit, the adapter assembly comprising: a housing; an outer tube extending distally from the housing along a longitudinal axis; a firing assembly supported within the housing and the outer tube, the firing assembly including: a proximal firing shaft; a central tube intersecting the proximal firing shaft at a proximal universal joint, the central tube movable relative to the proximal firing shaft about the proximal universal joint; and a distal firing shaft intersecting the central tube at a distal universal joint, the distal firing shaft movable relative to the central tube about the distal universal joint; and an articulation assembly including a gimbal supported in a distal end portion of the outer tube, the gimbal defining a gimbal bore therethrough configured and adapted to receive the distal universal joint such that the gimbal is disposed around the distal universal joint. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The adapter assembly of claim 1, wherein the proximal firing shaft includes opposed distal tabs that form a first hinge of the proximal universal joint and the central tube includes opposed proximal tabs that form a second hinge of the proximal universal joint, the first and second hinges of the proximal universal joint interconnected by a proximal bearing assembly. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The adapter assembly of claim 2, wherein the first and second hinges of the proximal universal joint are pivotable about the proximal bearing assembly independently of each other and are rotatable together. ### Claim 4 (depends on 2) The adapter assembly of claim 2, wherein each of the opposed distal tabs of the proximal firing shaft and the opposed proximal tabs of the central tube includes an inner arcuate surface, and wherein the proximal bearing assembly has a plurality of outer arcuate surfaces, each outer arcuate surface disposed in one of the inner arcuate surfaces of the proximal firing shaft or the central tube. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The adapter assembly of claim 4, wherein the proximal bearing assembly includes a ring-shaped body defining the plurality of outer arcuate surfaces. ### Claim 6 (depends on 4) The adapter assembly of claim 4, wherein the proximal bearing assembly includes a plurality of ball bearing welded together and defining an opening therethrough, the plurality of ball bearings defining the plurality of outer arcuate surfaces. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The adapter assembly of claim 1, wherein the central tube includes opposed distal tabs that form a first hinge of the distal universal joint and the distal firing shaft includes opposed proximal tabs that form a second hinge of the distal universal joint, the first and second hinges of the distal universal joint interconnected by a distal bearing assembly. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The adapter assembly of claim 7, wherein the first and second hinges of the distal universal joint are pivotable about the distal bearing assembly independently of each other and are rotatable together. ### Claim 9 (depends on 7) The adapter assembly of claim 7, wherein each of the opposed distal tabs of the central tube and the opposed proximal tabs of the distal firing shaft includes an inner arcuate surface, and wherein the distal bearing assembly has a plurality of outer arcuate surfaces, each outer arcuate surface disposed in one of the inner arcuate surfaces of the central tube or the distal firing shaft. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The adapter assembly of claim 1, wherein a spring wire extends through a distal end portion of the proximal firing shaft, the central tube, and a proximal end portion of the distal firing shaft, the spring wire configured to bias the firing assembly along the longitudinal axis of the outer tube. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The adapter assembly of claim 1, wherein the articulation assembly includes a pair of sleeve assemblies supported in the housing, the pair of sleeve assemblies coupled to the gimbal by a plurality of cables. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The adapter assembly of claim 1, further including an articulation actuator secured to the housing. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The adapter assembly of claim 12, wherein the articulation actuator includes a support member disposed within the housing and a joystick pivotally coupled to the support member, the joystick extending outwardly from the housing. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The adapter assembly of claim 13, wherein the articulation actuator includes a plurality of directional switches disposed within the housing and the joystick includes a rocker configured and dimensioned to contact one or more of the directional switches upon movement of the joystick to cause a corresponding movement in the articulation assembly. ### Claim 15 An electromechanical surgical system, comprising: a surgical device including a handle housing supporting a plurality of rotatable drive shafts; a surgical loading unit including at least one axially translatable drive member; and an adapter assembly selectively connectable between the surgical device and the surgical loading unit, the adapter assembly including: a housing; an outer tube extending distally from the housing along a longitudinal axis, a distal end portion of the outer tube releasably couplable to the axially translatable drive member of the surgical loading unit; and a firing assembly supported within the housing and the outer tube, the firing assembly including: a proximal firing shaft; a central tube intersecting the proximal firing shaft at a proximal universal joint, the central tube movable relative to the proximal firing shaft about the proximal universal joint; a distal firing shaft intersecting the central tube at a distal universal joint, the distal firing shaft movable relative to the central tube about the distal universal joint; and an input socket releasably couplable to at least one of the plurality of rotatable drive shafts of the surgical device. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The electromechanical surgical system of claim 15, wherein the adapter assembly further includes an articulation assembly including a gimbal and a plurality of threaded sleeves, the plurality of threaded sleeves coupled to the gimbal by a plurality of cables. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The electromechanical surgical system of claim 16, wherein the adapter assembly further includes an articulation actuator secured to the housing and movement of the articulation actuator causes a corresponding movement in the articulation assembly. ### Claim 18 An electromechanical surgical system, comprising: a surgical device including a handle housing; a surgical loading unit; and an adapter assembly selectively connectable between the surgical device and the surgical loading unit, the adapter assembly including: a housing; an outer tube extending distally from the housing along a longitudinal axis; a firing assembly supported within the housing and the outer tube, the firing assembly including: a proximal firing shaft; a central tube intersecting the proximal firing shaft at a proximal universal joint, the central tube movable relative to the proximal firing shaft about the proximal universal joint; and a distal firing shaft intersecting the central tube at a distal universal joint, the distal firing shaft movable relative to the central tube about the distal universal joint; and an articulation assembly including a gimbal supported in a distal end portion of the outer tube, the gimbal defining a gimbal bore therethrough configured and adapted to receive the distal universal joint such that the gimbal is disposed around the distal universal joint.