Back to results
US 2022/0031346 A1Published application
Articulatable surgical instruments with articulation joints comprising flexible exoskeleton arrangements
AssigneeCilag GmbH International
InventorDarryl A. Parks
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Surgical instruments that have an articulation joint and an axially movable firing member. A constant velocity drive shaft assembly spans the articulation joint and is configured to apply rotary drive motions to flexible drive members interfacing with the firing member. The articulation joint consists of a movable exoskeleton that consists of a series of movably interfacing annular rib members that form a passage for receiving the constant velocity drive shaft assembly therethrough.
Claims20
A surgical instrument, comprising:
- an elongate shaft;
- a surgical end effector coupled to said elongate shaft by an articulation joint, wherein said articulation joint is configured to facilitate selective articulation of said surgical end effector relative to said elongate shaft;
- a constant velocity drive shaft assembly spanning said articulation joint, wherein said constant velocity drive shaft assembly is configured to apply rotary motions to a portion of said surgical end effector, and wherein said constant velocity drive shaft assembly comprises a series of movable drive joints, wherein each said movable drive joint is capable of moving in multiple planes relative to each other;
- and
- a movable exoskeleton spanning said articulation joint, wherein said movable exoskeleton comprises a series of movably interfacing annular rib members, wherein each said annular rib member comprises a first end and a second end, wherein said first end of one said annular rib member is configured to movably interface with said second end of an adjacent said annular rib member to facilitate relative movement therebetween in multiple directions, wherein each said annular rib member comprises a central opening, and wherein said central opening in each said annular rib member in said series of movably interfacing annular rib members cooperate to form a passage through said series of movably interfacing annular rib members for receiving said constant velocity drive shaft assembly therethrough.
2 more elements
A movable exoskeleton assembly for a surgical instrument, wherein said movable exoskeleton assembly comprises a series of movably interfacing annular rib members configured to span an articulation joint of the surgical instrument, wherein each said movably interfacing annular rib member comprises:
- a cupped face;
- and
- a domed face, wherein said cupped face of one said movably interfacing annular rib member is configured to movably interface with said domed face of an adjacent said movably interfacing annular rib member to facilitate relative movement therebetween in multiple directions, wherein each said movably interfacing annular rib member comprises a central opening, and wherein said central opening in each said movably interfacing annular rib member in said series of movably interfacing annular rib members cooperate to form a passage through said series of movably interfacing annular rib members for permitting passage of drive components therethrough.
A surgical instrument, comprising:
- an elongate shaft;
- a surgical end effector coupled to said elongate shaft by an articulation joint, wherein said articulation joint is configured to facilitate selective articulation of said surgical end effector relative to said elongate shaft, and wherein said surgical end effector comprises:
- a first jaw;
- a second jaw, wherein said second jaw is configured to move relative to said first jaw between an open position and a closed position;
- and
- a firing member supported for axial travel within said surgical end effector between a starting position and an ending position, and wherein said surgical instrument further comprises:
- an upper flexible spine assembly attached to a top portion of said firing member;
- a lower flexible spine assembly attached to a bottom portion of said firing member;
- a rotary drive configured to move said firing member between said starting position and said ending position;
- and
- a movable exoskeleton spanning said articulation joint, wherein said movable exoskeleton comprises a series of movably interfacing annular rib members, wherein each said movably interfacing annular rib member comprises a proximal end and a distal end, wherein said proximal end of one said movably interfacing annular rib member is configured to movably interface with said distal end of an adjacent said movably interfacing annular rib member to facilitate relative movement therebetween in multiple directions, wherein each said movably interfacing annular rib member comprises a central opening, and wherein said central opening in each said movably interfacing annular rib member in said series of movably interfacing annular rib members cooperate to form a passage through said series of movably interfacing annular rib members for receiving a portion of said rotary drive therethrough.
8 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.