# US 2016/0354071 A1 · Apparatus for Endoscopic Procedures > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2016/0354071 A1 - Document ID: US20160354071A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 15/241,368 - Filed: 2016-08-19 - Published: 2016-12-08 - Earliest claimed: 2013-02-18 - Assignees: Covidien LP - Applicants: Covidien LP - Inventors: Justin Williams; Paul Scirica - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20160354071A1 ## CPC - A61B 17/00234: {for minimally invasive surgery (A61B17/0218, A61B17/0469, A61B17/12013, A61B17/1285, A61B17/29, A61B17/320016 take precedence)} - A61B 17/07207: {the staples being applied sequentially} - A61B 17/29: Forceps for use in minimally invasive surgery - A61B 2017/00398: {using powered actuators, e.g. stepper motors, solenoids} - A61B 2017/0046: {with a releasable handle; with handle and operating part separable} - A61B 2017/00473: {Distal part, e.g. tip or head (A61B2017/00464 takes precedence)} - A61B 2017/00734: {battery operated} - A61B 2017/2903: {transferring rotary motion} - A61B 2017/2927: {the angular position of the head being adjustable with respect to the shaft} - A61B 2017/2931: {with releasable head} - A61B 2017/2943: {Toothed members, e.g. rack and pinion} - A61B: DIAGNOSIS; SURGERY; IDENTIFICATION (usefulness limited to only animals A61D) ## Abstract An electromechanical surgical device includes an end effector configured to perform at least one function, the end effector including an input drive axle projecting therefrom; and a shaft assembly. The shaft assembly includes a rotatable drive shaft; a proximal neck housing supported at a distal end of an outer tube; a distal neck housing pivotally connected to the proximal neck housing; a pivot pin interconnecting the proximal neck housing and the distal neck housing; and a gear train supported in the proximal neck housing, on the pivot pin, and in the distal neck housing. The gear train includes a proximal gear; an intermediate gear; a distal gear; and a pair of output gears, wherein each output gear defines a coupling socket each configured to selectively receive the drive axle of the end effector. ## Claims ### Claim at position 1 1-19. (canceled) ### Claim 20 A shaft assembly for interconnecting an end effector and a surgical device handle, the shaft assembly comprising: a tubular body having a proximal portion and a distal portion, the tubular body defining a longitudinal axis; and a release assembly disposed at the distal portion of the tubular body and configured to couple to an end effector, the release assembly including a pair of opposing cam blocks defining a rotational axis transverse to the longitudinal axis of the tubular body, the pair of opposing cam blocks being rotatable about the rotational axis. ### Claim 21 (depends on 20) The shaft assembly according to claim 20, wherein the release assembly further includes a pair of diametrically opposed connection pins each of which is coupled to a respective cam block of the pair of cam blocks. ### Claim 22 (depends on 21) The shaft assembly according to claim 21, wherein the release assembly is actuatable between a non-actuated configuration in which the connection pins project radially outward and an actuated configuration in which the connection pins are retracted radially inward. ### Claim 23 (depends on 22) The shaft assembly according to claim 22, wherein the shaft assembly further includes: a release button disposed adjacent the proximal portion of the tubular body; and a release cable interconnecting the release button and the connection pins. ### Claim 24 (depends on 23) The shaft assembly according to claim 23, wherein upon actuation of the release button, the release cable actuates the connection pins from the non-actuated configuration to the actuated configuration. ### Claim 25 A surgical device comprising: a handle assembly including a drive mechanism; an end effector; a shaft assembly configured to interconnect the handle assembly and the end effector, the shaft assembly including: a tubular body having a proximal portion configured to couple to the handle assembly and a distal portion, the tubular body defining a longitudinal axis; an articulating neck assembly coupled to the distal portion, the articulating neck assembly configured to couple to the end effector; and a release assembly disposed at the distal portion of the tubular body and configured to couple to an end effector, the release assembly including a pair of opposing cam blocks defining a rotational axis transverse to the longitudinal axis of the tubular body, the pair of opposing cam blocks being rotatable about the rotational axis. ### Claim 26 (depends on 25) The surgical device according to claim 25, wherein the shaft assembly further includes: a rotatable drive shaft disposed within the tubular body and actuatable by the drive mechanism. ### Claim 27 (depends on 26) The surgical device according to claim 26, wherein the articulating neck assembly further includes: a proximal neck housing; a distal neck housing configured to couple to the end effector; and a pivot pin defining a pivot axis and pivotally interconnecting the proximal neck housing and the distal neck housing, such that the distal neck housing is pivotable about the pivot axis relative to the proximal neck housing. ### Claim 28 (depends on 27) The surgical device according to claim 27, the articulating neck assembly of the tubular body further includes: a gear train having: a proximal gear rotatably supported in the proximal neck housing and operatively coupled to a distal portion of the rotatable drive shaft; an intermediate gear rotatably supported on the pivot pin and operatively engaged with the proximal gear; a distal gear rotatably supported in the distal neck housing and operatively engaged with the intermediate gear; and a pair of output gears rotatably supported in the distal neck housing, the output gears operatively engaged with the distal gear and. ### Claim 29 (depends on 28) The surgical device according to claim 28, wherein each of the output gears includes a coupling socket and the end effector includes a drive axle configured to engage the coupling socket of one of the output gears upon coupling of the end effector to the articulating neck assembly. ### Claim 30 (depends on 27) The surgical device according to claim 27, further comprising: an articulation rod at least partially and slidably supported in the distal neck housing and operatively coupled to the rotatable drive shaft; and an articulation link operatively coupling the articulation rod to the distal neck housing, such that upon actuation of the rotatable drive shaft, the articulation rod is translated axially thereby pivoting the distal neck housing about the pivot axis relative to the proximal neck housing. ### Claim 31 (depends on 29) The surgical device according to claim 29, wherein the end effector includes an upper jaw and a lower jaw, each of the upper and lower jaws includes a tissue contacting surface and at least one of the upper jaw or the lower jaw is movable relative to another between an open position and a closed position, such that when the upper and lower jaws are in the closed position the tissue contacting surfaces define a plane therebetween. ### Claim 32 (depends on 31) The surgical device according to claim 31, wherein the end effector is selectively connectable to the distal neck housing of the articulating neck assembly in one of a first orientation or a second orientation, in the first orientation the plane defined by the tissue contacting surfaces is substantially orthogonal to the pivot axis and in the second orientation the plane defined by the end effector is substantially parallel to the pivot axis. ### Claim 33 (depends on 32) The surgical device according to claim 32, wherein in the first orientation the drive axle of the end effector is coupled to the coupling socket of a first output gear of the pair of output gears. ### Claim 34 (depends on 33) The surgical device according to claim 33, wherein in the second orientation the drive axle of the end effector is coupled to the coupling socket of a second output gear of the pair of output gears. ### Claim 35 (depends on 34) The surgical device according to claim 34, wherein the release assembly further includes a pair of diametrically opposed connection pins each of which is coupled to a respective cam block of the pair of cam blocks. ### Claim 36 (depends on 35) The surgical device according to claim 35, wherein the end effector includes an annular wall defining a first pair of diametrically opposed attachment holes defining a first attachment axis and a second pair of diametrically opposed attachment holes defining a second attachment axis, the first and second attachment axes being orthogonal relative to each other. ### Claim 37 (depends on 36) The surgical device according to claim 36, wherein each of the first pair and second pair of attachment holes are configured to receive the pair of connection pins when the end effector is connected to the articulating neck assembly in one of the first orientation or the second orientation. ### Claim 38 (depends on 37) The surgical device according to claim 37, wherein the release assembly is actuatable from a non-actuated configuration in which the connection pins project radially outward and an actuated configuration in which the connection pins are retracted radially inward. ### Claim 39 (depends on 38) The surgical device according to claim 38, wherein the shaft assembly further includes: a release button disposed adjacent a proximal portion of the tubular body; and a release cable interconnecting the release button and the connection pins.