Loading patent…
AssigneeEthicon Endo-Surgery, Inc.
InventorsDale R. Schulze, Joseph Paraschac, William D. Fox, Michael E. Setser, Kenneth S. Wales, Mark S. Zeiner
Estimating the term…
A surgical instrument for performing endoscopic surgical procedures. In one embodiment, the instrument includes a knife that remains unexposed until initiation of a cutting sequence, and returns to an unexposed position at the conclusion of the cutting sequence, minimizing the risk of injury to the person handling the instrument. In another embodiment, the instrument includes a flexible neck for articulating a surgical head assembly with respect to the shaft of the instrument. In another embodiment, a device for locking the articulated head at an angle of articulation is provided. In yet another embodiment, a mechanism for opening and closing an anvil assembly is disclosed.
Means for articulatably mounting a surgical component to a shaft, comprising flexible neck means, said flexible neck means having a predetermined arcuate set, said flexible neck means including an outer sleeve for retaining said surgical component in a substantially linear relationship with respect to said shaft when said sleeve covers said flexible neck means, said flexible neck means assuming its predetermined arcuate set as it is withdrawn with respect to said sleeve, thereby articulating said surgical component with respect to said shaft.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.