US 12,290,330 B2
Surgical instrument apparatus, actuator, and drive
Perry A. Genova, Chapel Hill, NC (US); and Aki Hannu Einari Laakso, Raleigh, NC (US)
Assigned to Covidien LP, Mansfield, MA (US)
Filed by Titan Medical Inc., Toronto (CA)
Filed on Jul. 7, 2022, as Appl. No. 17/859,276.
Application 17/859,276 is a continuation of application No. 17/511,658, filed on Oct. 27, 2021, granted, now 11,382,708, issued on Jul. 12, 2022.
Application 17/511,658 is a continuation of application No. 17/406,147, filed on Aug. 19, 2021.
Application 17/406,147 is a continuation of application No. 16/427,164, filed on May 30, 2019, granted, now 11,123,146, issued on Sep. 21, 2021.
Prior Publication US 2022/0331037 A1, Oct. 20, 2022
Int. Cl. A61B 17/29 (2006.01); A61B 17/00 (2006.01); A61B 34/00 (2016.01); A61B 34/30 (2016.01)
CPC A61B 34/71 (2016.02) [A61B 17/00234 (2013.01); A61B 17/29 (2013.01); A61B 17/2909 (2013.01); A61B 34/30 (2016.02); A61B 2017/00314 (2013.01); A61B 2017/00327 (2013.01); A61B 2017/2902 (2013.01); A61B 2017/2908 (2013.01); A61B 2034/306 (2016.02)] 21 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A surgical instrument apparatus for performing a surgical procedure within a body cavity of a patient, the apparatus comprising:
an elongate manipulator having a distal end configured to support an end effector and including a plurality of control links extending through the manipulator and operatively engaged with the end effector, the manipulator defining a longitudinal axis; and
an actuator chassis disposed at a proximal end of the manipulator, wherein the actuator chassis defines a central longitudinal axis and an outer profile having a curved periphery portion and a flat portion, wherein an outer surface of the curved periphery portion extends in a uniform radius from the central longitudinal axis, and wherein the flat portion defines a plane extending parallel to the central longitudinal axis, the actuator chassis including:
a plurality of actuators slidingly mounted within the actuator chassis and configured to move linearly in a direction aligned with the longitudinal axis, wherein:
the actuators are adjacently radially disposed about and project from the curved periphery portion of the actuator chassis;
each actuator is coupled to a respective one of the control links; and
each actuator includes an outwardly oriented portion configured to couple a drive force to the actuator to cause movement of the control link,
wherein, when the flat portion of the actuator chassis of the surgical instrument apparatus is in abutting relation to another flat portion of another actuator chassis of another surgical instrument apparatus, the central longitudinal axis of the actuator chassis remains one of parallel and coaxial with the longitudinal axis of the manipulator.