Lucent Technologies Inc.

Ethicon Endo-Surgery, Inc.

Ethicon, Gmbh

Cilag International Gmbh

At+t Corp.

Federal Bureau of Investigation, the United States of America as Represented by the Office of the General Counsel

American Telephone and Telegraph, Co.

David B Smith

Stuart Mandel Garland

Matthew Richard Smith

Zhifan F Huang

Dean B Bruewer

Eric Edward Kampmeier

Chad Paul Boudreaux

Douglas Anthony Deutsch

Joseph Charles Hueil

John Andrew Johnson

Frederick E Shelton, IV

Jason L Harris

Gregory J Bakos

Adam David Hensel

Steven Robert Krause

Thomas W Huitema

George Paul Wilkin

James Allen Kowal

Donald Robert Rueckheim

Mark D Overmyer

Geoffrey C Hueil

Aron O Zingman

Robin Jeffrey Thompson

Hector Chow

Mark Richard Shaw

Hamilton E González

Jane Ann Thompson

Joseph James Lichter

Raffaele J DeFinis

Lila Elizabeth Russ

Lila N Russ

Carl William Smedberg, Jr

Charles William Coffey

Thomas J Loos

Simon S Oh

David L Yarbrough

Pulin M Kinkhabwala

Hilton Manuel Nicholson

Joseph C Huell

In various embodiments, a surgical instrument can comprise an end effector including a staple cartridge and a datum portion positioned proximal to the staple cartridge. The surgical instrument can further comprise a shaft and an articulation joint configured to articulate the end effector relative to the shaft. In addition, the surgical instrument can further comprise a firing member configured to deploy a plurality of staples from the staple cartridge and a drive assembly including a drive member configured to move the firing member. The drive assembly may also include a stop configured to engage the datum portion to limit the movement of the drive member after the plurality of staples are fired.

Surgical stapling instrument with an articulatable end effector

A surgical system is disclosed. The surgical system comprises an end effector configured to move through a grasping motion, a motor configured to drive the grasping motion, an encoder configured to detect rotary positions, a load sensor configured to detect loads delivered, a position sensor configured to detect three-dimensional positions of the end effector, and a control circuit configured to receive a position parameter, a rotary parameter, and a load parameter, store the position parameter at the outset of the grasping motion, calculate an amount of work performed during the grasping motion while the position sensor detects the position of the end effector within a three-dimensional zone around the stored position parameter, transmit a work signal indicative of the amount of work performed, and reset the calculation of the amount of work performed when the position sensor detects a displacement of the end effector out of the three-dimensional zone.

Grasping work determination and indications thereof

A surgical system comprising a housing assembly, a shaft extending from the housing assembly, a closure system, an end effector extending from the shaft, and a rotation system is disclosed. The housing assembly comprises a motor. The end effector is configurable in an unclamped configuration and a clamped configuration. The end effector is moved into the clamped configuration by the closure system. The end effector comprises a staple cartridge and a firing member. The staple cartridge comprises a plurality staples. The firing member is configured to move through the staple cartridge and deploy the plurality of staples. The rotation system is configured to rotate the end effector about a rotation axis when the end effector is in the unclamped configuration and prevent the end effector from rotating about the rotation axis when the end effector is in the clamped configuration.

Surgical end effectors are disclosed. The surgical end effectors can include a first jaw, a second jaw, and a firing member configured to translate relative to the first jaw and the second jaw during a firing stroke. The firing member can include at least one floating flange. The floating flange can be configured to shift or slide relative to a fixed portion of the firing member such as a fixed flange.

Surgical end effectors and adaptable firing members therefor

A surgical instrument comprising a first jaw, a second jaw, and a firing member is disclosed. The firing member comprises one or more cams configured to position the first jaw relative to the second jaw. In various instances, one of the cams is oriented at a non-parallel angle relative to another cam in order to reduce strain within the cams. In certain instances, at least one of the cams comprises a leading projection and a trailing projection positioned behind the leading projection which are configured to engage the same jaw. The ends of the leading projection and the trailing projection are not attached to one another and can move relative to one another. In some instances, one or more of the cams has a plastically deformable or wearable feature configured to facilitate multiple uses of the surgical instrument.

Firing member pin angle

A surgical instrument with separate actuatable closure and firing systems for closing a movable jaw and actuating a firing member. In one form, the surgical instrument comprises an elastic spine assembly that includes a proximal spine portion and a distal spine portion that is elastically coupled to the proximal spine portion for axial movement relative thereto between a neutral position and an elongated position such that during actuation of the firing system results in an increased application of closure motions to the movable jaw without actuating the closure system.

Surgical staplers with independently actuatable closing and firing systems

Surgical clips and devices for ligating tissue, as well as methods related to the same, are generally provided. In one exemplary embodiment a surgical clip includes a pair of opposed first and second leg members and a knee portion formed between the leg members' proximal and distal ends. The leg members can include at least one tissue-grasping element formed on respective inner surfaces, and at least one raised area located on a portion of respective generally planer outer surfaces. The clip can also include an apex having opposed ends that join the proximal ends of the first and second leg members and at least one notch formed on an inner surface of the apex. The raised area of the leg members can be disposed distal to the apex and proximal to the knee portion. Other embodiments of clips and methods for ligating tissue are also provided.

Surgical clip

In various embodiments, a surgical instrument can comprise an end effector including a channel configured to support a staple cartridge and, in addition, an anvil pivotable between open and closed positions relative to the staple cartridge channel. The surgical instrument can further comprise a closure tube configured to at least partially surround the anvil and the staple cartridge channel to hold the anvil in a closed position. The closure tube can extend around the anvil a greater distance than the staple cartridge channel. The surgical instrument can further comprise a shaft and, in addition, an articulation joint pivotably connecting the end effector to the shaft. The articulation joint can further comprise a floating guide member which can guidably support a knife bar extending into the end effector and, at the same time, move independently of the end effector and the shaft to provide such support.

A surgical instrument can comprise a channel configured to support a staple cartridge and, in addition, an anvil pivotable between open and closed positions relative to the channel. The surgical instrument can further comprise a cutting member configured to incise tissue positioned captured between the staple cartridge and the anvil and, in addition, means for stopping the cutting member prior to a distal end datum, wherein the distal end datum can be defined by the distal-most staple cavity in the staple cartridge. In such embodiments, the incision within the tissue may not extend beyond the portion of the tissue that has been stapled.

A clip is provided that can be used for ligating tissue, such as vessels, other tubular ducts, and the like. The clip has opposed first and second leg members having proximal and distal ends. The proximal end of each leg member is connected by an apex having a notch formed therein. Moreover, each leg member has an inner tissue-contacting surface and an outer compression-receiving surface, both of which include features to provide a more secure ligation of the vessel or duct. A method of ligating vessels is also provided.

Data generated at a telecommunications network switching node is selectively delivered to one or more data receiving device (e.g., data 'collection box') connected to the network, and command and control signaling is transmitted from the data receiving device to the switching node. This bi-directional communication is carried out in a manner compatible with voice grade lines. In an exemplary application, call identifying information, referred to in the TIA/EIA Standard as CDC (Call Data Channel) Messages, is delivered from an Intercept Access Point (IAP) switch that provides telephone service to a subject of an authorized surveillance order, to a law enforcement data collection box, utilizing Frequency Shift Keying (FSK) signals. Control signals are sent from the data collection box to the IAP switch utilizing Dual Tone Multi-Frequency (DTMF) signaling. The state of the art is advanced, and a contribution is made to law enforcement and other fields, as the invention allows replacement of costly and lengthily provisioned data delivery circuits, such as ISDN lines or private digital data circuits, with widely available and less expensive voice-band data delivery equipment.

Controllable telecommunications switch reporting compatible with voice grade lines

The present invention provides a method and system for sending a server-specified message from an application server to Customer Premises Equipment (CPE) without setting up a call path between the application server and the CPE. The application server is coupled with a switch, which is in turn coupled with the CPE. The application server sends a request to the switch. The switch sends, based upon the request, a predetermined server-specified message to the CPE without setting up a call path between the application server and the CPE. The CPE is not rung and the predetermined message is not affected by the features of the line associated with the CPE.

Method and apparatus for transmitting data without establishing a call path

Growing community of inventors

Hinsdale, IL, United States of America

David B Smith