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US 8,840,003 B2Granted
Surgical stapling instrument with compact articulation control arrangement
AssigneeEthicon Endo-Surgery, Inc.
InventorsJerome R. Morgan, Frederick E. Shelton, IV
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A surgical cutting and stapling instrument with an articulatable elongated shaft. The elongated shaft is operably coupled to a handle assembly and has an articulation joint therein. The distal end of the elongated shaft is couplable to and end effector that supports a staple cartridge therein. The end effector may be articulated relative to the elongated shaft by an articulation control system operably supported in the handle assembly.
Claims20
A surgical instrument comprising:
- a handle assembly;
- an articulatable shaft assembly defining a longitudinal axis and having a proximal portion protruding from said handle assembly, said proximal portion being pivotally coupled to a distal portion that is selectively pivotable relative to said proximal portion about a first axis that is substantially transverse to said longitudinal axis;
- a first articulation member coupled to said distal portion of said articulatable shaft assembly;
- a second articulation member coupled to said distal portion of said articulatable shaft assembly;
- and
- an articulation control member comprising an articulation ball movably supported by said handle assembly for selective pivotable and axial travel relative thereto, said articulation ball operably coupled to said first and second articulation members and configured to selectively apply pushing and pulling motions thereto such that when said articulation control member is moved to at least one first articulation control position, the articulation control member applies a first pulling motion to said first articulation member and a first pushing motion to said second articulation member to cause said distal portion to pivot about said first axis in a first direction and when said articulation control member is moved to at least one second articulation control position, the articulation control member applies a second pulling motion to said second articulation member and a second pushing motion to said first articulation member to cause said distal portion to pivot about said first axis in a second direction.
3 more elements
A surgical instrument comprising:
- a handle assembly;
- an articulatable shaft assembly defining a longitudinal axis and having a proximal portion protruding from said handle assembly and being pivotally coupled to a distal portion that is selectively pivotable relative to said proximal portion about a first axis that is substantially transverse to said longitudinal axis;
- at least one articulation member coupled to said distal portion of said articulatable shaft assembly;
- an articulation control member slidably supported in said handle assembly and coupled to said at least one articulation member and configured to selectively apply pushing and pulling motions thereto such that when said articulation control member is moved in a first axial direction, the articulation member pivots said distal portion of said articulatable shaft assembly about said first axis in a first articulation direction and when said articulation control member is moved in a second axial direction, the at least one articulation control member causes said distal portion of said articulatable shaft assembly to pivot about said first axis in a second articulation direction;
- a first articulation handle protruding from said articulation control member in a first direction;
- and
- a second articulation handle protruding from said articulation control member in a second direction that is diametrically opposite from said first direction.
4 more elements
A surgical instrument comprising:
- a handle assembly;
- a rotation knob rotatably supported on said handle assembly;
- an articulatable shaft assembly coupled to said rotation knob and defining a longitudinal axis, said articulatable shaft assembly comprising:
- a proximal spine segment coupled to said rotation knob and protruding therefrom;
- a distal spine segment pivotally coupled to said proximal spine segment for selective pivotable travel relative to said proximal spine segment about a first axis that is substantially transverse to said longitudinal axis;
- a proximal firing tube segment movably supported on said proximal spine segment, said proximal firing tube segment interfacing with said rotation knob such that said proximal firing tube segment may be rotated with said rotation knob relative to said handle assembly about said longitudinal axis and is axially movable relative to said rotation knob in response to firing actuation motions applied thereto by a firing control system operably supported in said handle assembly;
- and
- a distal firing tube segment movably supported on said distal spine segment and wherein said surgical instrument further comprises:
- a first articulation member coupled to said distal spine segment of said articulatable shaft assembly;
- a second articulation member coupled to said distal spine segment of said articulatable shaft assembly;
- an articulation ball movably supported in said rotation knob and coupled to said first and second articulation members, said articulation ball selectively movable from a neutral position wherein said articulation ball does not apply any articulation motions to said first and second articulation members to a first articulation control position wherein an articulation control member applies a first pulling motion to said first articulation member and a first pushing motion to said second articulation member to cause said distal spine segment to pivot about said first axis in a first direction and a second articulation control position wherein the articulation control member applies a second pulling motion to said second articulation member and a second pushing motion to said first articulation member to cause said distal spine segment to pivot about said first axis in a second direction;
- a first articulation handle protruding from said articulation ball in said first direction;
- and
- a second articulation handle protruding from said articulation ball in a second direction that is diametrically opposite from said first direction.
11 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.