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US 7,780,054 B2Granted
Surgical instrument with laterally moved shaft actuator coupled to pivoting articulation joint
AssigneeEthicon Endo-Surgery, Inc.
InventorKenneth S. Wales
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A surgical instrument particularly suited to endoscopic use articulates an end effector by including a laterally sliding member in a proximal portion of a shaft that pivots the end effector to a selected side. Differentially opposing actuating forces (e.g., hydraulic, fluidic, mechanical) act against the laterally sliding member without binding by incorporating guidance mechanisms between the laterally sliding member and a frame of the shaft.
Claims15
A surgical instrument, comprising:
- an end effector including a proximal camming surface;
- an elongate shaft including a frame defining a lateral recess aligned with a longitudinal axis;
- an articulation joint pivotally attaching the end effector to the distal end of the elongate shaft;
- a slide bar within the lateral recess having a distal end engaged to the proximal camming surface of the end effector, wherein the slide bar defines a longitudinal axis, wherein the slide bar is slidable laterally relative to the elongate shaft from a first position to a second position to articulate the end effector, wherein the longitudinal axis of the slide bar is parallel to the longitudinal axis of the elongate shaft when the slide bar is in the first position, wherein the longitudinal axis of the slide bar is also parallel to the longitudinal axis of the elongate shaft when the slide bar is in the second position such that the longitudinal axis of the slide bar is shifted laterally when the slide bar is slid from the first position to the second position;
- a first actuator positioned in the lateral recess on a selected lateral side of the slide bar;
- and
- a handle portion proximally attached to the elongate shaft and operably configured to differentially control the first actuator to laterally slide the slide bar relative to the elongate shaft from the first position to the second position and thereby pivot the articulation joint and end effector.
4 more elements
A surgical instrument, comprising:
- an end effector having a proximal camming surface;
- an elongate shaft attached to the end effector and including a frame defining a lateral recess aligned with a longitudinal axis;
- an articulation joint pivotally attaching the end effector to the distal end of the elongate shaft;
- a slide bar within the lateral recess having a distal end engaged to the proximal camming surface of the end effector, wherein the slide bar defines a longitudinal axis, wherein the slide bar is movable laterally within the elongate shaft;
- right and left actuators on respective sides of the slide bar in the lateral recess;
- a handle portion proximally attached to the elongate shaft;
- and
- an articulation control operable to differentially position the right and left actuators to shift the longitudinal axis of the slide bar laterally from a first position to a second position, thereby laterally displacing the slide bar to articulate the end effector, wherein the longitudinal axis of the slide bar is parallel to the longitudinal axis of the elongate shaft when the longitudinal axis of the slide bar is in the first position, wherein the longitudinal axis of the slide bar is still parallel to the longitudinal axis of the elongate shaft when the longitudinal axis of the slide bar is in the second position.
5 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.