US 11,944,341 B2
Ultrasonic surgical instrument with a mid-shaft closure system and related methods
Charles J. Scheib, Loveland, OH (US); Andrew T. Beckman, Cincinnati, OH (US); Travis M. Schuh, Los Altos, CA (US); and Benjamin D. Dickerson, Cincinnati, OH (US)
Assigned to Cilag GmbH International, Zug (CH)
Filed by Cilag GmbH International, Zug (CH)
Filed on Oct. 22, 2020, as Appl. No. 17/077,110.
Prior Publication US 2022/0125468 A1, Apr. 28, 2022
Int. Cl. A61B 17/32 (2006.01); A61B 17/00 (2006.01)
CPC A61B 17/320092 (2013.01) [A61B 2017/00402 (2013.01); A61B 2017/320075 (2017.08); A61B 2017/320094 (2017.08)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. An ultrasonic surgical instrument comprising:
(a) a shaft assembly including a static tube, a dynamic tube translatable relative to the static tube, and a waveguide configured to connect to an ultrasonic transducer;
(b) an end effector arranged at a distal end of the shaft assembly, wherein the end effector includes:
(i) an ultrasonic blade acoustically coupled with the waveguide and configured to be driven by the waveguide with ultrasonic energy, and
(ii) a clamp arm movably secured relative to the ultrasonic blade and configured to move from an open position configured to receive a tissue toward a closed position configured to clamp the tissue against the ultrasonic blade;
(c) a base translatably coupled to the shaft assembly such that each of the static tube, the dynamic tube, and the waveguide of the shaft assembly are configured to move from a proximal position toward a distal position relative to the base, wherein the base includes:
(i) a first mechanical input, and
(ii) a second mechanical input;
(d) a closure actuation mechanism operatively connected between the first mechanical input and the clamp arm and configured to actuate the clamp arm from the open position toward the closed position upon selective drive of the first mechanical input;
(e) an insertion actuation mechanism operatively connected between the second mechanical input and the shaft assembly and configured to actuate the shaft assembly from the proximal position toward the distal position upon selective drive of the second mechanical input for insertion of the end effector; and
(f) a proximal housing proximally positioned relative to the base, wherein the static tube is fixed against movement relative to the proximal housing, and wherein the dynamic tube is operatively connected to the closure actuation mechanism to actuate the clamp arm from the open position toward the closed position upon selective drive of the first mechanical input.