PUSH/PULL ARTICULATION DRIVE SYSTEMS FOR ARTICULATABLE SURGICAL INSTRUMENTS

摘要

A surgical stapling instrument comprising an elongate shaft assembly that that defines a shaft axis and includes a surgical end effector that is operably coupled thereto by an articulation joint. The surgical instrument further includes a rotary articulation member that is supported for rotation travel about a rotary axis that is transverse to the shaft axis. A first distal articulation driver assembly and a second distal articulation driver assembly operably interface with the surgical end effector and the rotary articulation member such that rotation of the rotary articulation member causes the first and second distal articulation drivers to articulate the surgical end effector relative to the shaft axis.

主权项

1. A surgical instrument comprising:
an elongate shaft assembly defining a shaft axis; a surgical end effector pivotally coupled to said elongate shaft assembly for selective articulation relative to said elongate shaft assembly about an articulation axis that is transverse to said shaft axis; and an articulation system, comprising:
a rotary articulation member supported for rotational travel about a rotary axis that is transverse to said shaft axis;a first distal articulation driver assembly operably interfacing with said rotary articulation member and supported for selective longitudinal travel in a distal direction and a proximal direction in response to corresponding articulation motions applied thereto by said rotary articulation member, said first distal articulation driver assembly operably interfacing with said surgical end effector;a second distal articulation driver assembly operably interfacing with said rotary articulation member and supported for longitudinal travel in said distal and proximal directions, said second distal articulation driver assembly operably interfacing with said surgical end effector, andmeans for selectively rotating said rotary articulation member in first and second rotary directions about said rotary axis such that when said rotary articulation member is rotated in said first rotary direction by said means for selectively rotating, said first distal articulation driver assembly is longitudinally driven in said distal direction and said second distal articulation driver is simultaneously moved in said proximal direction to articulate said surgical end effector about said articulation axis in a first articulation direction and when said rotary articulation member is rotated in said second rotary direction by said means for selectively rotating, said first distal articulation driver assembly is longitudinally driven in said proximal direction and said second distal articulation driver assembly is simultaneously moved in said distal direction to articulate said surgical end effector about said articulation axis in a second articulation direction about said articulation axis that is opposite to said first articulation direction.