Surgical stapler with rotary cam drive and return

A surgical instrument comprising:

• (a) a body;
• (b) a shaft extending distally from the body, wherein the shaft comprises a proximal end and a distal end;
• (c) a stapling assembly, wherein the stapling assembly is disposed at the distal end of the shaft, wherein the stapling assembly is configured to selectively move from an open position to a closed position, and wherein the stapling assembly is operable to drive a plurality of staples into tissue;
• (d) a motor;
• (e) a cam assembly coupled with the motor, wherein the motor is configured to rotate the cam assembly;
• and
• (f) a firing assembly, wherein the firing assembly is configured to longitudinally translate to thereby cause the stapling assembly to drive the plurality of staples, wherein the cam assembly is rotatable to thereby longitudinally translate the firing assembly, wherein the cam assembly is configured to rotate through a single revolution to thereby drive the firing assembly from a proximal position to a distal position and back to either the proximal position or another position that is proximal to the distal position.

A surgical instrument comprising:

• (a) a body;
• (b) a shaft extending distally from the body, wherein the shaft comprises a proximal end and a distal end;
• (c) a stapling assembly, wherein the stapling assembly is disposed at the distal end of the shaft, wherein the stapling assembly is configured to selectively move from an open position to a closed position, wherein the stapling assembly is operable to drive a plurality of staples into tissue;
• (d) a motor;
• (e) a cam assembly coupled with the motor, wherein the motor is configured to rotate the cam assembly;
• and
• (f) a firing assembly, wherein the firing assembly comprises an engagement member, wherein the engagement member in engaged with the cam assembly, wherein the firing assembly is configured to longitudinally translate to thereby cause the stapling assembly to drive the plurality of staples, and wherein the cam assembly is configured to cause longitudinal translation of the firing assembly in two longitudinal directions in response to a single revolution of the cam assembly.