Circularity systems and methods for harmonic vessel sealers

A surgical tool configured for a circularity processing system, comprising:

• a drive housing containing an ultrasonic transducer;
• an elongate shaft extending distally from the drive housing;
• an end effector arranged at a distal end of the shaft and including:
• a blade operatively coupled to the ultrasonic transducer and extending from drive housing within the shaft;
• a clamp assembly that includes a clevis extending about the blade, and a clamp arm pivotably coupled to the clevis such that axial movement of the clevis causes the clamp arm to move between open and closed positions;
• and
• a pivot base interposing the blade and the clevis and defining first and second apertures on opposing sides of the pivot base;
• a wrist interposing the distal end of the shaft and the end effector;
• and
• a retaining mechanism including first and second distally extending fingers, each finger providing a boss receivable within a corresponding one of the first and second apertures of the pivot base,
• wherein the clevis is movable between an attached position, where the clevis extends over a distal end of the retaining mechanism and thereby prevents the boss from disengaging from the corresponding one of the first and second apertures, and a released position, where the clevis moves distally to expose the distal end of the retaining mechanism, and
• wherein, when the clevis is in the released position, the boss provided on each distally extending finger is disengageable from the corresponding one of the first and second apertures thereby allowing the end effector to be removed from proximal portions of the surgical tool.

A method of replacing a consumable of a surgical tool, comprising:

• securing the surgical tool, the surgical tool including:
• a drive housing including one or more drive inputs rotatably mounted thereto and containing an ultrasonic transducer;
• an elongate shaft extending distally from the drive housing;
• an end effector arranged at a distal end of the shaft and including a blade operatively coupled to the ultrasonic transducer and extending from drive housing within the shaft, and a clamp assembly that includes a clevis extending about the blade and a clamp arm pivotably coupled to the clevis such that axial movement of the clevis causes the clamp arm to move between open and closed positions;
• a wrist interposing the distal end of the shaft and the end effector;
• and
• securing the ultrasonic transducer within the drive housing against rotation;
• unthreading a proximal end of the blade from the ultrasonic transducer by rotating the one or more drive inputs;
• removing the end effector from the wrist and proximal portions of the surgical tool;
• replacing the consumable of the surgical tool;
• and
• reconnecting the end effector to the wrist and the proximal portions of the surgical tool.