Endoscopic vessel sealer and divider having a flexible articulating shaft

An endoscopic surgical instrument comprising:

• an end effector including a pair of jaw members, at least one jaw member of the pair of jaw members being movable relative to the other to move the end effector between an open configuration wherein the jaw members are substantially spaced for receiving tissue and a closed configuration wherein the jaw members are closer together for contacting the tissue;
• a handle being manually movable to selectively induce motion in the end effector between the open configuration and the closed configuration;
• an elongated shaft defining a longitudinal axis and including distal and proximal ends, the distal end coupled to the end effector and the proximal end coupled to the handle, the elongated shaft including an articulating portion movable between an aligned configuration and an articulated configuration with respect to the longitudinal axis,
• an articulation assembly operable to move the articulating portion of the elongated shaft between the aligned configuration and articulated configuration, the articulation assembly comprising:
• a first actuator positioned on the instrument for manipulation by an operator during a surgical procedure;
• a first cam member coupled to the first actuator such that the first actuator is operable to rotate the first cam member about a center of rotation, the first cam member including an eccentric arcuate surface thereon having a center dissimilar from the center of rotation of the cam member;
• and
• a first pair of cables coupled to the arcuate surface of the first cam member such that rotation of the cam member induces differential longitudinal motion in the cables, the first pair of cables coupled to the distal end of the elongated shaft such that the differential longitudinal motion in the first pair of cables moves the articulating portion of the elongated shaft between the aligned configuration and the articulated configuration in a first plane of articulation.

An endoscopic forceps, comprising:

• a housing;
• a shaft extending from the housing and defining a longitudinal axis, the shaft including a flexible portion;
• an end effector supported at a distal end of the shaft, the end effector including a pair of jaw members, the jaw members being adapted to connect to a source of electrosurgical energy, at least one jaw member being moveable relative to the other;
• a drive assembly disposed within the housing, the drive assembly operable to move the movable jaw member relative to the other jaw member from a first position wherein the movable jaw member is disposed in spaced relation relative to the other jaw member to a second position wherein the movable jaw member is closer to the other jaw member for manipulating tissue;
• a movable handle supported on the housing, the movable handle in mechanical cooperation with the drive assembly such that the movable handle is rotatable about a pivot to move the jaw members between the first and second positions;
• an articulation assembly including at least one steering cable operably coupled to the flexible portion of the shaft such that movement of the articulation assembly induces the flexible portion of the shaft to articulate relative to the longitudinal axis, said articulation assembly including at least one articulating wheel disposed atop the housing that operably couples to the at least one steering cable such that articulation of the at least one articulation wheel moves the at least one steering cable to articulate the flexible portion of the shaft relative to the longitudinal axis;
• wherein the flexible portion of the shaft includes a plurality of joints that are nestingly arranged to facilitate articulation of the flexible portion of the shaft relative to the longitudinal axis;
• wherein each joint of the plurality of joints includes at least one distal knuckle and at least one proximal clevis that nestingly engage one another to form the flexible portion of the shaft;
• and
• wherein each joint of the plurality of joints includes a pair of opposing distal knuckles and a pair of opposing proximal clevises, said pair of opposing distal knuckles and said pair of opposing proximal clevises being offset ninety degrees (90°) relative to one another.