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US 2020/0345446 A1Published application
Articulation directional lights on a surgical instrument
AssigneeEthicon, Inc.
InventorsCory G. Kimball, Matthew S. Corbin, Monica Louise Zeckel Rivard, Geoffrey C. Hueil
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A surgical instrument comprising a shaft, an end effector, and an articulation joint rotatably connecting the end effector to the shaft is disclosed. The end effector and/or shaft comprise indicator lights which indicate the direction in which the end effector is being articulated. The indicator lights are positioned such that they are visible to a clinician via an endoscope monitor during an endoscopic procedure.
Claims22
A surgical instrument, comprising:
- a housing;
- a shaft extending from said housing;
- an end effector;
- comprising:
- a first jaw;
- a second jaw rotatable relative to said first jaw;
- a first lateral side;
- a second lateral side;
- a first articulation indicator light positioned on said first lateral side;
- and
- a second articulation indicator light positioned on said second lateral side;
- 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 into a first state to drive said articulation driver and articulate said end effector in a first direction and into a second state to drive said articulation driver and articulate said end effector in a second direction;
- a first indicator light circuit, wherein said first indicator light is in communication with said processor via said first indicator light circuit, and wherein said processor is configured to illuminate said first indicator light when said articulation actuator is in said first state to indicate that said end effector is being articulated in said first direction;
- and
- a second indicator light circuit, wherein said second indicator light is in communication with said processor via said second indicator light circuit, and wherein said processor is configured to illuminate said second indicator light when said articulation actuator is in said second state to indicate that said end effector is being articulated in said second direction.
19 more elements
A surgical instrument, comprising:
- a housing;
- a shaft extending from said housing, wherein said shaft comprises:
- a first lateral side;
- a second lateral side;
- a first articulation indicator light positioned on said first lateral side;
- and
- a second articulation indicator light positioned on said first lateral side, wherein said first articulation indicator light is adjacent said second articulation indicator light;
- an end effector;
- comprising:
- a first jaw;
- and
- a second jaw rotatable relative to said first jaw;
- an articulation joint rotatably connecting said end effector to said shaft, wherein said first articulation indicator light and said second articulation indicator light are adjacent said articulation joint;
- 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 into a first state to drive said articulation driver and articulate said end effector in a first direction and into a second state to drive said articulation driver and articulate said end effector in a second direction;
- a first indicator light circuit, wherein said first indicator light is in communication with said processor via said first indicator light circuit, and wherein said processor is configured to illuminate said first indicator light when said articulation actuator is in said first state to indicate that said end effector is being articulated in said first direction;
- and
- a second indicator light circuit, wherein said second indicator light is in communication with said processor via said second indicator light circuit, and wherein said processor is configured to illuminate said second indicator light when said articulation actuator is in said second state to indicate that said end effector is being articulated in said second direction.
20 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.