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US 2020/0345354 A1Published application
Articulation actuators for a surgical instrument
AssigneeEthicon, Inc.
InventorsRichard L. Leimbach, Cory G. Kimball, Geoffrey C. Hueil, Bret W. Smith, Matthew S. Corbin
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A surgical instrument comprising a handle, a shaft rotatable relative to the handle, and an end effector articulatable relative to the shaft about an articulation joint is disclosed. The shaft comprises a grip and at least one articulation control on the grip.
Claims17
A surgical instrument, comprising:
- a handle comprising a handle grip;
- a shaft extending from said handle, wherein said shaft comprises a shaft grip and an elongate tube extending distally from said shaft grip, and wherein said elongate tube defines a longitudinal axis;
- a rotation joint rotatably connecting said shaft to said handle, wherein said shaft is rotatable about said longitudinal axis;
- an end effector;
- an articulation joint rotatably connecting said end effector to said shaft;
- and
- an articulation drive system, comprising:
- an electric motor;
- an articulation driver driveable by said electric motor;
- and
- an articulation actuator in communication with said electric motor, wherein said articulation actuator is actuatable to operate said electric motor, and wherein said articulation actuator is mounted to said shaft grip.
8 more elements
A surgical instrument, comprising:
- a handle comprising a handle grip;
- a shaft extending from said handle, wherein said shaft comprises a shaft grip and an elongate tube extending distally from said shaft grip, and wherein said elongate tube defines a longitudinal axis;
- a rotation joint rotatably connecting said shaft to said handle, wherein said shaft is rotatable about said longitudinal axis;
- an end effector;
- an articulation joint rotatably connecting said end effector to said shaft;
- and
- a control system, comprising:
- a processor;
- an electric motor;
- an articulation driver driveable by said electric motor;
- and
- an articulation actuator in communication with said processor, wherein said articulation actuator is actuatable to operate said electric motor, wherein said articulation actuator is mounted to said shaft grip, and wherein said articulation actuator is rotatable with said shaft.
9 more elements
A surgical instrument, comprising:
- a handle comprising a handle grip;
- a shaft extending from said handle, wherein said shaft comprises a shaft grip and an elongate tube extending distally from said shaft grip, and wherein said elongate tube defines a longitudinal axis;
- a rotation joint rotatably connecting said shaft to said handle, wherein said shaft is rotatable about said longitudinal axis;
- an end effector;
- an articulation joint rotatably connecting said end effector to said shaft;
- and
- an articulation drive system, comprising:
- an electric motor;
- an articulation driver driveable by said electric motor;
- and
- means for operating said electric motor mounted to said rotatable shaft grip.
8 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.