Articulating endoscopic surgical instrument
AssigneeUnited States Surgical Corporation
InventorsMace H. Bell, Henry R. Sienkiewicz
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A surgical instrument is provided having a housing defining a longitudinal axis. A handle is operably conected to the housing and defines a longitudinal axis angularly disposed relative to the longitudinal axis of the housing. A fixed support is attached to the housing and defines a longitudinal axis angularly disposed relative to the longitudinal axis of the housing. The fixed support is radially offset with respect to the handle. A body portion extends distally from the housing, and a tool assembly operably associated with a distal end portion of the body portion is remotely actuable by the handle.
Claims29
A surgical apparatus, which comprises:
- a) a housing defining a longitudinal axis;
- b) a handle having a first configuration and operably connected to the housing, the handle defining a longitudinal axis angularly disposed relative to the longitudinal axis of the housing;
- c) a fixed support having a second configuration substantially different from the first configuration and depending from the housing, the fixed support defining a longitudinal axis angularly disposed relative to the longitudinal axis of the housing, the support extending from the housing at a position rotated about the longitudinal axis of the housing with respect to the handle;
- d) a body portion extending distally from the housing;
- and
- e) a tool assembly operably associated with a distal end portion of the body portion and remotely actuable by the handle.
A surgical apparatus, which comprises:
- a) a housing defining a longitudinal axis;
- b) a handle lying in a first plane and operably connected to the housing, the handle defining a longitudinal axis angularly disposed relative to the longitudinal axis of the housing, the handle connected at its proximal end to the housing and extending generally distally therefrom;
- c) a generally elongated fixed support attached to the housing and lying outside of the first plane, the fixed support defining a longitudinal axis angularly disposed relative to the longitudinal axis of the housing, the support extending from the housing at a position rotated about the longitudinal axis of the housing with respect to the handle;
- d) a body portion extending distally from the housing;
- and
- e) a tool assembly operably associated with a distal end portion of the body portion and remotely actuable by the handle.
A surgical apparatus, which comprises:
- a) a housing defining a longitudinal axis;
- b) a handle operably connected to the housing and defining a longitudinal axis angularly disposed relative to the longitudinal axis of the housing;
- c) a generally elongated fixed support depending from the housing sufficiently to be grasped by at least two fingers of an operator, the support extending from the housing at a position longitudinally offset along the axis of the housing relative to the handle and defining a longitudinal axis angularly disposed relative to the longitudinal axis of the housing, the support extending from the housing at a position rotated about the longitudinal axis of the housing with respect to the handle;
- d) a body portion extending distally from the housing;
- and
- e) a tool assembly operably associated with a distal end portion of the body portion and remotely actuable by the handle.
A surgical apparatus, which comprises:
- a) a housing defining a longitudinal axis;
- b) a handle operably connected to the housing and defining a longitudinal axis angularly disposed relative to the longitudinal axis of the housing;
- c) a generally elongated fixed support depending from the housing and defining a longitudinal axis angularly disposed relative to the longitudinal axis of the housing, the support extending from the housing at a position rotated about the longitudinal axis of the housing with respect to the handle;
- d) a body portion extending distally from the housing;
- and
- e) a tool assembly operably associated with a distal end portion of the body portion and remotely actuable by the handle, wherein a first one of the handle and the fixed support extends from the housing in a generally distal direction and a second one of the handle and the fixed support extends from the housing in a direction generally proximal to that of the first one.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.