# US 11,998,227 B2 · Ultrasonic surgical instrument with a distally grounded acoustic waveguide > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 11,998,227 B2 - Document ID: US11998227B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 17/076,959 - Filed: 2020-10-22 - Published: 2022-04-28 - Granted: 2024-06-04 - Earliest claimed: 2020-10-22 - Assignees: Cilag GmbH International - Applicants: Cilag GmbH International - Inventors: Brian D. Black; Matthew T. Stone; Andrew T. Beckman; Charles J. Scheib - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11998227B2 ## CPC - A61B 17/320092: {with additional movable means for clamping or cutting tissue, e.g. with a pivoting jaw} - A61B 34/37: Leader-follower robots (A61B34/35 takes precedence) - A61B 34/71: {Manipulators operated by drive cable mechanisms} - A61B 2017/00314: {Separate linked members} - A61B 2017/00477: {Coupling (A61B2017/0046 takes precedence)} - A61B 2017/2927: {the angular position of the head being adjustable with respect to the shaft} - A61B 2017/2929: {with a head rotatable about the longitudinal axis of the shaft} - A61B 2017/320071: {with articulating means for working tip} - A61B 2017/320093: {additional movable means performing cutting operation} - A61B 2017/320094: {additional movable means performing clamping operation} - A61B 2034/2051: {Electromagnetic tracking systems} - A61B 2034/2059: {Mechanical position encoders} - A61B 2034/306: {Wrists with multiple vertebrae} - A61B: DIAGNOSIS; SURGERY; IDENTIFICATION (usefulness limited to only animals A61D) ## Abstract An ultrasonic surgical instrument includes an end effector, a shaft assembly, and a waveguide grounding feature. The end effector includes an ultrasonic blade and a clamp arm movable between an open position and a closed position. The shaft assembly includes a proximal shaft portion extending along a longitudinal axis, an acoustic waveguide extending proximally from the ultrasonic blade, a distal shaft portion extending along a distal axis, and an articulation section interposed between the proximal shaft portion and the distal shaft portion. The articulation section can deflect the distal shaft portion and the end effector relative to the longitudinal axis between a straight configuration and an articulated configuration. The waveguide grounding feature inhibits the ultrasonic blade from shifting relative to the clamp arm along the distal axis as the end effector is driven between the straight configuration and the articulated configuration. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An ultrasonic surgical instrument, comprising: (a) an end effector, wherein the end effector comprises: (i) an ultrasonic blade, and (ii) a clamp arm configured to move relative to the ultrasonic blade between an open position and a closed position; (b) a shaft assembly, comprising: (i) a proximal shaft portion extending along a longitudinal axis, (ii) an acoustic waveguide extending proximally from the ultrasonic blade to a proximal waveguide end, wherein the acoustic waveguide comprises a flexible portion, (iii) a distal shaft portion extending along a distal axis, and (iv) an articulation section interposed between the proximal shaft portion and the distal shaft portion, wherein the flexible portion of the acoustic waveguide extends along the articulation section, wherein the articulation section is configured to deflect the distal shaft portion and the end effector relative to the longitudinal axis between a straight configuration and an articulated configuration; and (c) a waveguide grounding feature associated with the distal shaft portion and positioned closer to the ultrasonic blade than the proximal waveguide end, wherein the waveguide grounding feature is configured to inhibit the ultrasonic blade from shifting relative to the clamp arm along the distal axis as the end effector is driven between the straight configuration and the articulated configuration, wherein the acoustic waveguide comprises a distal flange housed within the distal shaft portion, and wherein the waveguide grounding feature is engaged with the distal flange. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The ultrasonic surgical instrument of claim 1, wherein the waveguide grounding feature comprises a pin extending through the acoustic waveguide. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The ultrasonic surgical instrument of claim 2, wherein the acoustic waveguide comprises a distal flange housed within the distal shaft portion, wherein the pin extends from the distal flange. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The ultrasonic surgical instrument of claim 3, wherein the distal flange defines a pin hole, wherein the pin extends within the pin hole. ### Claim 5 (depends on 3) The ultrasonic surgical instrument of claim 3, wherein the waveguide grounding feature comprises a flange sleeve surrounding the distal flange. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The ultrasonic surgical instrument of claim 5, wherein the flange sleeve defines a pin hole, wherein the pin extends through the pin hole. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The ultrasonic surgical instrument of claim 6, wherein the flange sleeve is longitudinally constrained within the distal shaft portion. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The ultrasonic surgical instrument of claim 7, wherein the flange sleeve is configured to impart a compressional force onto the distal flange. ### Claim 9 (depends on 6) The ultrasonic surgical instrument of claim 6, wherein the flange sleeve comprises an open proximal end configured to abut against an interior of the distal shaft portion. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The ultrasonic surgical instrument of claim 9, wherein the flange sleeve comprises an open distal end configured to abut again the interior of the distal shaft portion. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The ultrasonic surgical instrument of claim 1, wherein the acoustic waveguide comprises a proximal portion extending proximally from the flexible portion, wherein the proximal portion of the acoustic waveguide does not include a pin extending from the proximal portion. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The ultrasonic surgical instrument of claim 11, further comprising a drive chassis associated with the proximal shaft portion. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The ultrasonic surgical instrument of claim 12, wherein the drive chassis comprises a chassis frame and an articulation drive assembly configured to drive the articulation section, wherein the chassis frame rotatably supports the articulation drive assembly. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The ultrasonic surgical instrument of claim 13, further comprising a transducer assembly coupled with the acoustic waveguide, wherein the transducer assembly is coupled with the chassis frame such that the chassis frame is configured to rotate the transducer assembly about the longitudinal axis. ### Claim 15 An ultrasonic surgical instrument, comprising: (a) an end effector, wherein the end effector comprises: (i) an ultrasonic blade, and (ii) a clamp arm configured to move relative to the ultrasonic blade between an open position and a closed position; (b) a shaft assembly, comprising: (i) a proximal shaft portion extending along a longitudinal axis, (ii) an acoustic waveguide extending proximally from the ultrasonic blade, wherein the acoustic waveguide comprises a flexible portion and a distal flange, (iii) a distal shaft portion extending along a distal axis, and (iv) an articulation section interposed between the proximal shaft portion and the distal shaft portion, wherein the articulation section is configured to bend the flexible portion of the acoustic waveguide along a first arc length and deflect the distal shaft portion along a second arc length in order to drive the end effector into an articulated configuration; and (c) an axial location feature configured to inhibit the ultrasonic blade from shifting relative to the clamp arm along the distal axis as the end effector is driven into the articulated configuration, and wherein the axial location feature comprises a pin extending through the distal flange. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The ultrasonic surgical instrument of claim 15, wherein the axial location feature further comprises a sleeve surrounding the distal flange of the acoustic waveguide. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The ultrasonic surgical instrument of claim 16, wherein the pin extends through the sleeve and the distal flange. ### Claim 18 (depends on 15) The ultrasonic surgical instrument of claim 15, wherein the end effector further comprises a clamp pad coupled with the clamp arm. ### Claim 19 An ultrasonic surgical instrument, comprising: (a) an end effector, wherein the end effector comprises: (i) an ultrasonic blade, and (ii) a clamp arm configured to move relative to the ultrasonic blade between an open position and a closed position; (b) a shaft assembly, comprising: (i) a proximal shaft portion extending along a longitudinal axis, (ii) an acoustic waveguide extending proximally from the ultrasonic blade, wherein the acoustic waveguide comprises a flexible portion and a proximal portion extending proximally from the flexible portion, (iii) a distal shaft portion extending along a distal axis, and (iv) an articulation section interposed between the proximal shaft portion and the distal shaft portion, wherein the flexible portion of the acoustic waveguide extends along the articulation section, wherein the articulation section is configured to deflect the distal shaft portion and the end effector relative to the longitudinal axis between a straight configuration and an articulated configuration; and (c) a waveguide grounding feature associated with the distal shaft portion, wherein the waveguide grounding feature is configured to inhibit the ultrasonic blade from shifting relative to the clamp arm along the distal axis as the end effector is driven between the straight configuration and the articulated configuration, wherein the proximal portion of the acoustic waveguide does not include a pin extending from the proximal portion.