ROTATION FEATURES FOR ULTRASONIC SURGICAL INSTRUMENT

摘要

An apparatus comprises a shaft assembly, an ultrasonic blade, and a clamp assembly. The shaft assembly comprises an acoustic waveguide operable to transmit ultrasonic vibrations to the blade. The clamp assembly comprises a clamp arm pivotable toward and away from the blade about a pivot axis, to clamp tissue between the clamp arm and the blade. A rotation feature may provide rotation of the blade relative to the clamp arm about the longitudinal axis of the waveguide. Alternatively, the rotation feature may provide rotation of the clamp arm relative to the blade about the longitudinal axis. The rotation feature may be driven based on pivotal positioning of the clamp arm relative to the blade about the pivot axis. The rotation feature may selectively lock and unlock the angular position of either the blade or the clamp arm about the longitudinal axis at any of a number of predetermined angular positions.

主权项

1. An apparatus for operating on tissue, the apparatus comprising:
(a) a body assembly; (b) a shaft assembly extending distally from the body assembly, wherein the shaft assembly comprises an acoustic waveguide operable to transmit ultrasonic vibrations, wherein the acoustic waveguide defines a longitudinal axis; (c) an ultrasonic blade in acoustic communication with the acoustic waveguide; (d) a clamp assembly, wherein the clamp assembly comprises a clamp arm pivotable toward and away from the ultrasonic blade about a pivot axis; and (e) a rotation feature operable to rotate either:
(i) the ultrasonic blade relative to the clamp arm about the longitudinal axis, or(ii) the clamp arm relative to the ultrasonic blade about the longitudinal axis;wherein the rotation feature is configured to be driven based on pivotal positioning of the clamp arm relative to the ultrasonic blade about the pivot axis.