US 11,944,336 B2
Joint arrangements for multi-planar alignment and support of operational drive shafts in articulatable surgical instruments
Frederick E. Shelton, IV, Hillsboro, OH (US)
Assigned to Cilag GmbH International, Zug (CH)
Filed by Cilag GmbH International, Zug (CH)
Filed on Mar. 24, 2021, as Appl. No. 17/211,230.
Prior Publication US 2022/0304715 A1, Sep. 29, 2022
Int. Cl. A61B 17/29 (2006.01); A61B 17/00 (2006.01); A61B 17/072 (2006.01); A61B 34/30 (2016.01)
CPC A61B 17/29 (2013.01) [A61B 17/072 (2013.01); A61B 2017/00398 (2013.01); A61B 2017/0042 (2013.01); A61B 2017/00526 (2013.01); A61B 2017/07264 (2013.01); A61B 2017/07271 (2013.01); A61B 2017/07278 (2013.01); A61B 2017/07285 (2013.01); A61B 2017/2927 (2013.01); A61B 2017/2933 (2013.01); A61B 2017/2943 (2013.01); A61B 2034/302 (2016.02)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A shaft guide for a surgical instrument including a shaft assembly that defines a shaft axis and a surgical end effector that is operably coupled to the shaft assembly by an articulation joint that facilitates articulation of the surgical end effector about a first articulation axis that is transverse to the shaft axis and a second articulation axis that is transverse to the shaft axis and the first articulation axis, wherein said shaft guide comprises:
a shaft guide body sized to span across the articulation joint and the first articulation axis and the second articulation axis, wherein said shaft guide body comprises a shaft guide proximal end and a shaft guide distal end, wherein said shaft guide proximal end comprises a proximal oval shape aligned on a proximal long axis, wherein said shaft guide distal end comprises a distal oval shape aligned on a distal long axis that is transverse to said proximal long axis;
a first passage extending through said shaft guide body and comprising a first passage proximal opening in said shaft guide proximal end and a first passage distal opening in said shaft guide distal end; and
a second passage extending through said shaft guide body and comprising a second passage proximal opening in said shaft guide proximal end and a second passage distal opening in said shaft guide distal end, wherein said second passage proximal opening and said first passage proximal opening are aligned along the proximal long axis on said shaft guide proximal end, wherein said second passage distal opening and said first passage distal opening are aligned along the distal long axis on said shaft guide distal end.