Articulation control for surgical instruments

摘要

A surgical instrument comprises an elongate shaft having a proximal end, a distal end, and an articulating portion. An end effector is on the distal end and an actuator is on the proximal end. A rod is in the shaft having a proximal end with a cam follower, a distal end operably connected to the articulation portion, and a longitudinal axis extending between the proximal and distal ends. A disk is in the actuator rotatable in response to user input in a plane substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of the rod. The disk has a cam slot receiving the cam follower such that rotation of the disk moves the rod longitudinally to articulate the elongate shaft at the articulation portion.

主权项

1. A surgical instrument, comprising:
an elongate shaft comprising a proximal end, a distal end, and an articulating portion; a circular needle applier on the distal end and an actuator on the proximal end; a first rod in the shaft, the first rod comprising a proximal end comprising a first cam follower, a distal end operably connected to the articulation portion, and a longitudinal axis extending between the proximal and distal ends; a second rod in the shaft, the second rod comprising a proximal end comprising a second cam follower, a distal end operably connected to the articulation portion, and a longitudinal axis extending between the proximal and distal ends; and a disk in the actuator, the disk being rotatable in response to user input in a plane substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of each rod, the disk comprising first and second elongate curved cam slots receiving the respective first and second cam followers such that rotation of the disk moves the rods longitudinally to articulate the elongate shaft at the articulation portion, wherein the cam slots each comprise a tangent axis at the location where each cam slot is engaged by the respective cam follower, the tangent axis being substantially normal to the longitudinal axis of the rod thereby preventing unintentional articulation of the articulation portion.