Cilag International Gmbh

Karl W Mueller

Morgan Robert Hunter

Brian D Black

Thomas B Remm

Gregory J Bakos

Thomas W Lytle, Iv

Devanathan Raghavan

Harry Payne

Steve L Slader

The disclosed technology includes a surgical instrument that may include a hollow housing, a trigger, and a particulate skirt. The hollow housing may include a first shell and a second shell that form an actuating mechanism space therebetween. The hollow housing may also include a handle portion and a first opening that can be formed at a first interface point of the first shell and the second shell. The trigger may extend from the first opening of the hollow housing. The particulate skirt may be configured to capture particulate from the actuating mechanism space and prevent the particulate from exiting the housing through the first opening. The particulate skirt may include a trigger aperture that can be sized and shaped to accept at least a portion of the trigger therethrough.

Particulate collector covers

A surgical instrument includes an end effector, a shaft assembly, and an axial location feature. The end effector includes an ultrasonic blade and a clamp arm that can move between an open and closed position. The shaft assembly includes a proximal shaft portion, an acoustic waveguide extending proximally from the ultrasonic blade, a distal shaft portion extending along a distal axis, and an articulation section interposed between the proximal shaft portion and the distal shaft portion. The articulation section can deflect the distal shaft portion and the end effector relative to the longitudinal axis between a non-deflected position and a deflected position. The axial location feature can inhibit the ultrasonic blade from shifting relative to the clamp arm along the distal axis as the end effector is driven between the non-deflected position and the deflected position.

Ultrasonic blade and clamp arm alignment features

An ultrasonic surgical instrument and method of deflecting an end effector includes the end effector having an ultrasonic blade, a shaft assembly defining a longitudinal axis, and a body assembly. The shaft assembly has an articulation section configured to articulate from a straight configuration to an articulated configuration and an acoustic waveguide with a flexible waveguide portion positioned within the articulation section. The body assembly proximally extends from the shaft assembly and includes a housing and a shiftable transducer. The shiftable transducer is secured to the acoustic waveguide and configured to generate an ultrasonic energy. In addition, the shiftable transducer assembly is movably mounted relative to the housing and configured to accommodate deflection of the end effector.

Ultrasonic transducer alignment of an articulating ultrasonic surgical instrument

Growing community of inventors

Loveland, OH, United States of America

Karl W Mueller