US 12,257,012 B2
Surgical instrument with retaining feature for cutting element
Scott E. Manzo, Shelton, CT (US); Ralph Wadensweiler, Sunnyvale, CA (US); and Ben Schoettgen, Los Gatos, CA (US)
Assigned to INTUITIVE SURGICAL OPERATIONS, INC., Sunnyvale, CA (US)
Filed by INTUITIVE SURGICAL OPERATIONS, INC., Sunnyvale, CA (US)
Filed on Mar. 17, 2022, as Appl. No. 17/697,560.
Application 17/697,560 is a division of application No. 16/338,793, granted, now 11,291,513, previously published as PCT/US2017/054740, filed on Oct. 2, 2017.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/403,459, filed on Oct. 3, 2016.
Prior Publication US 2022/0202513 A1, Jun. 30, 2022
Int. Cl. A61B 17/295 (2006.01); A61B 17/00 (2006.01); A61B 18/14 (2006.01); A61B 34/30 (2016.01); A61B 34/35 (2016.01); A61B 18/00 (2006.01); A61B 90/00 (2016.01)
CPC A61B 34/35 (2016.02) [A61B 17/00234 (2013.01); A61B 17/295 (2013.01); A61B 18/1445 (2013.01); A61B 34/30 (2016.02); A61B 2017/00477 (2013.01); A61B 2018/00577 (2013.01); A61B 2018/00601 (2013.01); A61B 2018/1455 (2013.01); A61B 2034/305 (2016.02); A61B 90/36 (2016.02)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A surgical instrument, comprising:
a pair of jaw members configured to grip material, wherein a first jaw member of the pair of jaw members comprises
a groove along a length portion of the first jaw member, the groove extending from a gripping surface of the first jaw member in a first direction; and
a slot along the length portion of the first jaw member and extending from the groove in a second direction, the second direction being different than the first direction;
a cutting element comprising a first edge engaged with the groove, the cutting element translatable along the groove; and
a retaining feature coupled to the first edge of the cutting element and engaged with the slot,
wherein the retaining feature remains engaged with the slot throughout a range of translation of the cutting element along the groove, and
wherein the cutting element is translatable along the groove independently from a movement of the pair of jaw members between an open position and a closed position.