US 11,864,756 B2
Surgical instruments with flexible ball chain drive arrangements
Spencer J. Witte, Los Altos, CA (US); Benjamin D. Dickerson, San Francisco, CA (US); and Darryl A. Parks, Mason, OH (US)
Assigned to Cilag GmbH International, Zug (CH)
Filed by Cilag GmbH International, Zug (CH)
Filed on Jun. 28, 2021, as Appl. No. 17/360,162.
Claims priority of provisional application 63/057,430, filed on Jul. 28, 2020.
Claims priority of provisional application 63/057,432, filed on Jul. 28, 2020.
Prior Publication US 2022/0031319 A1, Feb. 3, 2022
This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.
Int. Cl. A61B 17/072 (2006.01); F16G 13/20 (2006.01); F16H 9/06 (2006.01); A61B 17/068 (2006.01); A61B 17/32 (2006.01); A61B 17/29 (2006.01); A61B 34/30 (2016.01); A61B 17/00 (2006.01)
CPC A61B 17/0686 (2013.01) [A61B 17/00234 (2013.01); A61B 17/068 (2013.01); A61B 17/072 (2013.01); A61B 17/07207 (2013.01); A61B 17/29 (2013.01); A61B 17/320092 (2013.01); A61B 34/30 (2016.02); A61B 2017/00314 (2013.01); A61B 2017/00323 (2013.01); A61B 2017/00336 (2013.01); A61B 2017/00367 (2013.01); A61B 2017/00389 (2013.01); A61B 2017/00398 (2013.01); A61B 2017/00477 (2013.01); A61B 2017/07214 (2013.01); A61B 2017/07257 (2013.01); A61B 2017/07271 (2013.01); A61B 2017/07278 (2013.01); A61B 2017/07285 (2013.01); A61B 2017/2927 (2013.01); A61B 2017/320071 (2017.08); A61B 2017/320093 (2017.08); A61B 2017/320094 (2017.08); A61B 2017/320095 (2017.08); A61B 2017/320097 (2017.08); A61B 2034/301 (2016.02)] 21 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A surgical instrument, comprising:
a surgical end effector comprising a firing member supported for axial travel within said surgical end effector;
an upper chain-drive assembly operably interfacing with a top portion of said firing member and having an upper proximal end and an upper distal end;
a lower chain-drive assembly operably interfacing with a bottom portion of said firing member and having a lower proximal end and a lower distal end;
a drive member, wherein said drive member operably interfaces with said upper chain-drive assembly and said lower chain-drive assembly to cause said upper chain-drive assembly and said lower chain-drive assembly to apply axial drive motions to said firing member to move said firing member between a starting position and an ending position within said surgical end effector; and
a coupler, wherein said upper proximal end is coupled to said lower proximal end by said coupler, wherein said coupler is supported in operable engagement with a proximal support that facilitates movement of said coupler and said upper chain-drive assembly and said lower chain drive assembly, and wherein said proximal support is configured to translate axially as said upper chain-drive assembly and said lower chain-drive assembly translate axially.