Articulable socket joint assembly for an endoscopic instrument for surgical fastner track therefor

An articulable assembly for an instrument used in an endoscopic procedure, said assembly comprising:

• an elongate support tube defining a longitudinal axis and having an open end defining a socket with an inwardly projecting tab;
• a distal end portion connected to said tube for supporting an end effector to effect tissue manipulation while carrying out a surgical procedure within a body cavity, said distal end portion having a convex member received in said socket, said convex member defining a passageway oriented with its axis at an oblique angle relative to said tube longitudinal axis and defining an arcuate groove receiving said tab;
• and
• an operator on said elongate support tube for moving said distal end portion into and out of alignment with said elongate support tube, said operator including a shaft having (1) a proximal portion in said tube generally aligned with said longitudinal axis, (2) an intermediate portion in said tube extending from said proximal portion at an oblique angle relative to said longitudinal axis, and (3) a distal portion extending from said intermediate portion into said convex member passageway and disposed for rotation in said passageway, said shaft portions being hollow for accommodating an actuator extending from said support tube through said shaft to actuate said end effector.

An articulable assembly for an instrument used in an endoscopic procedure, said assembly comprising:

• a distal end portion for supporting an end effector to effect tissue manipulation while carrying out a surgical procedure within a body cavity;
• an elongate support housing and an articulable joint connecting said housing with said distal end portion, said joint including a hollow socket and a convex member that is received in said socket and that defines a passageway for accommodating an actuator extending from said housing through said joint to actuate said end effector;
• an operator on said housing and extending to one of said socket and convex member for moving said distal end portion into and out of alignment with said housing;
• said housing including a tube defining a longitudinal axis and having an open end defining said socket with an inwardly projecting tab;
• said distal end portion defining said convex member;
• said convex member defining a passageway oriented with its axis at an oblique angle relative to said tube longitudinal axis and defines an arcuate groove receiving said tab;
• and
• said operator including a shaft having (1) a proximal portion aligned along said housing tube longitudinal axis, (2) an intermediate portion extending from said proximal portion at an oblique angle relative to said housing tube longitudinal axis, and (3) a distal portion extending from said intermediate portion into said convex member passageway and disposed for rotation in said passageway.

An articulable assembly for an instrument used in an endoscopic procedure, said assembly comprising:

• a distal end portion for supporting an end effector to effect tissue manipulation while carrying out a surgical procedure within a body cavity;
• an elongate support housing and an articulable joint connecting said housing with said distal end portion, said joint including a hollow socket and a convex member that is received in said socket and that defines a passageway for accommodating an actuator extending from said housing through said joint to actuate said end effector;
• an operator on said housing and extending to one of said socket and convex member for moving said distal end portion into and out of alignment with said housing;
• said distal end portion including a tube having an open end defining said socket;
• said housing including a shaft to which said convex member is attached and which defines a longitudinal passage;
• said convex member having a partially spherical configuration in which said passageway is defined as a central aperture communicating with said shaft passage;
• said operator including a pair of first and second drive members diametrically disposed on said shaft for longitudinal movement along said shaft toward and away from said convex member, each said drive member having a distal end engaged with said open end of said heat tube, said first and second drive members defining outwardly oriented left-hand thread segments and right-hand thread segments, respectively;
• and
• said operator including a sleeve mounted on said drive members for rotation about said shaft, said sleeve having an interior surface defining a left-hand thread portion and a right-hand thread portion for engaging said drive member left-hand thread segments and right-hand thread segments, respectively.