US 11,857,283 B2
Articulation joint with helical lumen
Mark A. Davison, Maineville, OH (US); Jason A. Hill, Loveland, OH (US); William G. Saulenas, Cincinnati, OH (US); Christopher W. Birri, Cincinnati, OH (US); and Thomas J. Erb, Loveland, OH (US)
Assigned to Cilag GmbH International, Zug (CH)
Filed by Cilag GmbH International, Zug (CH)
Filed on Sep. 23, 2020, as Appl. No. 17/029,713.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/930,638, filed on Nov. 5, 2019.
Prior Publication US 2021/0129357 A1, May 6, 2021
Int. Cl. A61B 34/00 (2016.01); A61B 34/30 (2016.01); A61B 17/29 (2006.01)
CPC A61B 34/71 (2016.02) [A61B 34/30 (2016.02); A61B 2017/2908 (2013.01)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A surgical instrument, comprising:
(a) an end effector; and
(b) a shaft assembly, including:
(i) a proximal shaft portion longitudinally extending along a proximal axis,
(ii) a distal shaft portion longitudinally extending along a distal axis, wherein the end effector distally extends from the distal shaft portion,
(iii) a first elongate member extending from the proximal shaft portion and toward the end effector, wherein the first elongate member is operatively connected to at least one of the distal shaft portion or the end effector and configured to be selectively moved, and
(iv) an articulation section extending between the proximal and distal shaft portions and configured to articulate about a first articulation axis and about a second articulation axis distal of the first articulation axis to thereby respectively deflect the end effector along a first plane and a second plane;
wherein the first articulation axis intersects the proximal axis at a first intersection point, wherein the second articulation axis intersects the distal axis at a second intersection point, and wherein the articulation section includes a first lumen radially offset at a predetermined distance from each of the proximal and distal axes at each of the first and second intersection points when the end effector is in a straight configuration with the distal axis longitudinally aligned with the proximal axis;
wherein the first lumen movably supports the first elongate member therethrough such that the radial spacing of the first elongate member is maintained at the predetermined distance at each of the first and second intersection points when the end effector is deflected to a deflected configuration along at least one of the first and second planes,
wherein the first elongate member intersects each of the first and second articulation axes for deflection of the end effector.