# US 2026/0272491 A1 · Forceps construction, surgical instrument and surgical instrument comprising such forceps construction > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2026/0272491 A1 - Document ID: US20260272491A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 19/667,846 - Filed: 2026-05-05 - Published: 2026-09-17 - Earliest claimed: 2018-11-16 - Assignees: EFI Holding B.V. - Applicants: EFI Holding B.V. - Inventors: Michel Petronella Hubertus Vleugels - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20260272491A1 ## CPC - A61B 17/29: Forceps for use in minimally invasive surgery - A61B 17/2909: {Handles} - A61B 90/06: {Measuring instruments not otherwise provided for} - A61B 2017/00398: {using powered actuators, e.g. stepper motors, solenoids} - A61B 2017/2926: {Details of heads or jaws} - A61B 2017/2929: {with a head rotatable about the longitudinal axis of the shaft} - A61B 2017/2946: {Locking means} - A61B 2090/064: {for measuring force, pressure or mechanical tension} - A61B 2562/0266: Optical strain gauges - A61B: DIAGNOSIS; SURGERY; IDENTIFICATION (usefulness limited to only animals A61D) ## Abstract A surgical instrument includes an elongate frame, at least one jaw element mounted movably at a distal end of the elongate frame, a trigger device to operate the at least one jaw element and arranged at a proximal end of the elongate frame, an actuation rod provided between the trigger device and the at least one jaw element, a sensor to provide a sensor signal representative for a force exerted on the at least one jaw element, and an actuator to exert a feedback force on the trigger device on the basis of the sensor signal. The elongate frame includes a handle part and a shaft, where the trigger device and the actuator are mounted on the handle part and the at least one jaw element is mounted on the shaft and where the shaft is rotatably about its longitudinal axis mounted on the handle part. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A surgical instrument, for example a surgical instrument for minimally invasive surgery, comprising: an elongate frame, at least one jaw element mounted movably at a distal end of the elongate frame, a trigger device to operate the at least one jaw element and arranged at a proximal end of the elongate frame, an actuation rod provided between the trigger device and the at least one jaw element, a sensor to provide a sensor signal representative for a force exerted on the at least one jaw element, and an actuator to exert a feedback force on the trigger device on the basis of the sensor signal, wherein the elongate frame comprises a handle part and a shaft, wherein the trigger device and the actuator are mounted on the handle part and the at least one jaw element is mounted on the shaft, wherein the shaft has a longitudinal axis, wherein the shaft is rotatably about its longitudinal axis mounted on the handle part, wherein the sensor comprises an optical fibre, and wherein the surgical instrument comprises a fibre guide to guide the optical fibre in a substantially helix shaped path concentric with the longitudinal axis. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The surgical instrument of claim 1, wherein the shaft is releasably mounted on the handle part, wherein the handle part supports a rotatable connection part arranged to mount the shaft on the handle part, wherein the optical fibre comprises a first fibre part arranged in the shaft and a second fibre part arranged in the handle part, wherein the surgical instrument comprises a fibre connection device to optically connect the first fibre part and the second fibre part, wherein the fibre connection device comprises a first connector arranged at the proximal end of the shaft and a second connector arranged at the distal end of the rotatable connection part. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The surgical instrument of claim 2, wherein the second connector is biased by a spring element into the distal direction of the surgical instrument and/or wherein the first connector is biased by a spring element into the proximal direction of the surgical instrument. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The surgical instrument of claim 1, wherein the trigger device comprises a trigger arranged to be manipulated by a user, wherein the trigger is rotatably mounted on the handle part of the frame, wherein the actuator is a linear direct drive motor, for example a linear Lorentz motor, comprising a coil and at least one permanent magnet assembly, wherein the coil is mounted on the trigger, and wherein the at least one permanent magnet assembly is mounted on the handle part. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The surgical instrument of claim 4, wherein the coil will move along a path of movement upon rotation of the trigger, wherein the actuator comprises two permanent magnet assemblies, each aligned with the path of movement at opposite sides of the path of movement. ### Claim 6 (depends on 4) The surgical instrument of claim 4, wherein the at least one permanent magnet assembly comprises one or more permanent magnets and a back iron at the side of the permanent magnets opposite to the side of the coil. ### Claim 7 (depends on 4) The surgical instrument of claim 4, wherein the at least one permanent magnet assembly comprises multiple permanent magnets arranged in a Halbach array. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The surgical instrument of claim 1, wherein the shaft is a hollow tube, wherein the shaft and the actuation rod are, at their proximal ends, releasably mounted on the handle part, and wherein the surgical instrument comprises an actuation rod locking mechanism to connect the actuation rod, at its distal end, to an actuation assembly of the at least one jaw element, wherein, in the assembled state, the actuation rod extends through the hollow shaft. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The surgical instrument of claim 8, wherein the actuation rod locking mechanism comprises a spherical element mounted at the distal end of the actuation rod, and a catch element and a lock element mounted at the proximal end of the actuation assembly, wherein the lock element comprises a recess in which the catch element is placed, and wherein the catch element comprises a catch space to receive the spherical element, wherein the catch element is rotatable between a locking position, in which the spherical element is locked in the catch space of the catch element, and a non-locking position, in which the spherical element can move into and out of the catch space of the catch element. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The surgical instrument of claim 9, wherein the actuation rod comprises a distal end surface and the lock element comprises a proximal end surface, wherein the catch element is arranged to pull, when the catch element is rotated from the non-locking position to the locking position the distal end surface against the proximal end surface. ### Claim 11 (depends on 8) The surgical instrument of claim 8, wherein the catch element comprises a driving surface, such as a slot, a groove, or a recess, to receive a tool head for rotation of the catch element between the locking position and the non-locking position, and wherein the shaft comprises an opening through which the tool head can be arranged on or in the driving surface. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The surgical instrument of claim 1, wherein the surgical instrument is integrated into a surgical robot. ### Claim 13 A surgical instrument, for example a surgical instrument for minimally invasive surgery, comprising: an elongate frame, at least one jaw element mounted movably at a distal end of the elongate frame, a trigger device to operate the at least one jaw element and arranged at a proximal end of the elongate frame, an actuation rod provided between the trigger device and the at least one jaw element, a sensor to provide a sensor signal representative for a force exerted on the at least one jaw element, and an actuator to exert a feedback force on the trigger device on the basis of the sensor signal, wherein the elongate frame comprises a handle part and a shaft, wherein the trigger device and the actuator are mounted on the handle part and the at least one jaw element is mounted on the shaft, wherein the trigger device comprises a trigger arranged to be manipulated by a user, wherein the trigger is rotatably mounted on the handle part of the frame, wherein the actuator is a linear direct drive motor, for example a linear Lorentz motor, comprising a coil and at least one permanent magnet assembly, and wherein the coil is mounted on the trigger, and wherein the at least one permanent magnet assembly is mounted on the handle part. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The surgical instrument of claim 13, wherein the coil will move along a path of movement upon rotation of the trigger, wherein the actuator comprises two permanent magnet assemblies, each aligned with the path of movement at opposite sides of the path of movement. ### Claim 15 (depends on 13) The surgical instrument of claim 13, wherein the at least one permanent magnet assembly comprises one or more permanent magnets and a back iron at the side of the permanent magnets opposite to the side of the coil. ### Claim 16 (depends on 13) The surgical instrument of claim 13, wherein the at least one permanent magnet assembly comprises multiple permanent magnets arranged in a Halbach array. ### Claim 17 A surgical instrument, for example a surgical instrument for minimally invasive surgery, comprising: an elongate frame, at least one jaw element mounted movably at a distal end of the elongate frame, a trigger device to operate the at least one jaw element and arranged at a proximal end of the elongate frame, an actuation rod provided between the trigger device and the at least one jaw element, a sensor to provide a sensor signal representative for a force exerted on the at least one jaw element, and an actuator to exert a feedback force on the trigger device on the basis of the sensor signal, wherein the elongate frame comprises a handle part and a shaft, wherein the trigger device and the actuator are mounted on the handle part and the at least one jaw element is mounted on the shaft, wherein the shaft is a hollow tube, wherein the shaft and the actuation rod are, at their proximal ends, releasably mounted on the handle part, and wherein the surgical instrument comprises an actuation rod locking mechanism to connect the actuation rod, at its distal end, to an actuation assembly of the at least one jaw element, wherein, in the assembled state, the actuation rod extends through the hollow shaft. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The surgical instrument of claim 17, wherein the actuation rod locking mechanism comprises a spherical element mounted at the distal end of the actuation rod, and a catch element and a lock element mounted at the proximal end of the actuation assembly, wherein the lock element comprises a recess in which the catch element is placed, wherein the catch element comprises a catch space to receive the spherical element, wherein the catch element is rotatable between a locking position, in which the spherical element is locked in the catch space of the catch element, and a non-locking position, in which the spherical element can move into and out of the catch space of the catch element. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The surgical instrument of claim 18, wherein the actuation rod comprises a distal end surface and the lock element comprises a proximal end surface, wherein the catch element is arranged to pull, when the catch element is rotated from the non-locking position to the locking position the distal end surface against the proximal end surface. ### Claim 20 (depends on 17) The surgical instrument of claim 17, wherein the catch element comprises a driving surface, such as a slot, a groove, or a recess, to receive a tool head for rotation of the catch element between the locking position and the non-locking position, and wherein the shaft comprises an opening through which the tool head can be arranged on or in the driving surface.