US 9,687,230 B2 · Articulatable surgical instrument comprising a firing drive

Abstract

A surgical instrument can comprise a handle, a shaft extending from the handle, and an end effector rotatably coupled to the shaft by an articulation joint. The surgical instrument can further include a staple cartridge positioned within the end effector and a firing drive operably coupled with a trigger wherein the operation of the trigger can advance and/or retract a firing member of the firing drive relative to the end effector. The surgical instrument can further comprise an articulation drive which is selectively engageable with the firing drive. When the articulation drive is engaged with the firing drive, the operation of the firing drive can operate the articulation drive and articulate the end effector. When the articulation drive is not engaged with the firing drive, the firing drive can be operated independently of the articulation drive.

Claims23

Dependent claims

A shaft assembly for use with a surgical instrument, said shaft assembly comprising:

a shaft;
an end effector;
an articulation joint connecting said end effector to said shaft;
a firing driver movable relative to said end effector;
an articulation driver configured to articulate said end effector about said articulation joint;
and
a clutch collar configured to selectively engage said articulation driver to said firing driver to impart the movement of said firing driver to said articulation driver.

4 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application

13/803,097Filed 14 Mar 2013

Published

US 2014/0263542 A118 Sep 2014

Granted

27 Jun 2017

Term ends

Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification44 codes

A61B 17/105
For applying or removing wound clamps , e.g. containing only one clamp or staple ; Wound clamp magazines: wound clamp magazines
A61B 18/1445
Probes having pivoting end effectors, e.g. forceps: at the distal end of a shaft, e.g. forceps or scissors at the end of a rigid rod
A61B 17/064
Surgical instruments, devices or methods: surgical staples, i.e. penetrating the tissue
A61B 17/068
Surgical instruments, devices or methods: surgical staplers , e.g. containing multiple staples or clamps

Articulatable surgical instrument comprising a firing drive

Life of this patent

Articulatable surgical instrument comprising a firing drive

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims23