US 11,890,030 B2
Surgical instrument with an articulatable shaft assembly and dual end effector roll
Brian D. Black, Loveland, OH (US); Matthew T. Stone, Mason, OH (US); Andrew T. Beckman, Cincinnati, OH (US); Charles J. Scheib, Loveland, OH (US); and Jeffrey L. Clark, Maineville, OH (US)
Assigned to Auris Health, Inc., Redwood City, CA (US)
Filed by Cilag GmbH International, Zug (CH)
Filed on Oct. 22, 2020, as Appl. No. 17/076,956.
Prior Publication US 2022/0125463 A1, Apr. 28, 2022
Int. Cl. A61B 17/32 (2006.01); A61B 34/20 (2016.01); A61B 17/29 (2006.01); A61B 34/37 (2016.01)
CPC A61B 17/320092 (2013.01) [A61B 34/37 (2016.02); A61B 2017/2927 (2013.01); A61B 2017/320093 (2017.08); A61B 2017/320094 (2017.08); A61B 2034/2051 (2016.02)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. An ultrasonic surgical instrument, comprising:
(a) a shaft assembly, comprising:
(i) a proximal shaft portion extending along a first longitudinal axis,
(ii) an articulation assembly,
(iii) a distal shaft portion extending distally from the articulation assembly, and
(iv) an ultrasonic waveguide, wherein the ultrasonic waveguide extends through the proximal shaft portion, at least a section of the articulation assembly, and the distal shaft portion, wherein the ultrasonic waveguide comprises a flexible portion;
(b) an end effector extending distally from the distal shaft portion, wherein the articulation assembly is configured to deflect the end effector toward and away from the first longitudinal axis between a straight configuration and an articulated configuration, wherein the end effector comprises:
(i) an ultrasonic blade extending from the ultrasonic waveguide, wherein the ultrasonic blade defines a second longitudinal axis, and
(ii) a clamp arm configured to actuate relative to the ultrasonic blade between an open configuration and a closed configuration in order to grasp tissue; and
(c) a clamp arm driver including an elongated portion and a flexible section, wherein the flexible section extends distally from the elongated portion, wherein the clamp arm driver is configured to actuate the clamp arm between the open configuration and the closed configuration while the end effector is in the articulated configuration, wherein the clamp arm driver is also configured to rotate the clamp arm relative to the ultrasonic blade about the second longitudinal axis while the end effector is in the articulated configuration,
wherein the flexible section of the clamp arm driver houses the flexible portion of the ultrasonic waveguide.