Ultrasonic surgical instruments with distally positioned transducers
AssigneeEthicon Endo-Surgery, Inc.
InventorsRichard W. Timm, Timothy G. Dietz, Gary W. Knight
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Various embodiments are direct to a surgical instrument comprising and end effector, an articulating shaft and an ultrasonic transducer assembly. The end effector may comprise an ultrasonic blade. The articulating shaft may extend proximally from the end effector along a longitudinal axis and may comprise a proximal shaft member and a distal shaft member pivotably coupled at an articulation joint. The ultrasonic transducer assembly may comprise an ultrasonic transducer acoustically coupled to the ultrasonic blade. The ultrasonic transducer assembly may be positioned distally from the articulation joint.
Claims20
A surgical instrument comprising:
- an end effector to treat tissue, wherein the end effector comprises an ultrasonic blade;
- an articulating shaft extending proximally from the end effector along a longitudinal axis, wherein the articulating shaft comprises:
- a proximal shaft member;
- and
- a distal shaft member pivotably coupled to the proximal shaft member at an articulation joint;
- and
- an ultrasonic transducer assembly comprising an ultrasonic transducer acoustically coupled to the ultrasonic blade, wherein the ultrasonic transducer assembly is positioned distally from the articulation joint.
A surgical instrument comprising:
- an end effector to treat tissue, wherein the end effector comprises an ultrasonic blade;
- an articulating shaft extending proximally from the end effector along a longitudinal axis, wherein the articulating shaft comprises:
- a proximal shaft member;
- and
- a distal shaft member pivotably coupled to the proximal shaft member at an articulation joint;
- and
- an ultrasonic transducer assembly comprising an ultrasonic transducer acoustically coupled to the ultrasonic blade, wherein the ultrasonic transducer assembly is coupled to the distal shaft member and comprises a proximal portion that extends proximally past the articulation joint.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.