The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Apr. 02, 2019
Filed:
Feb. 09, 2016
Ethicon Endo-surgery, Llc, Guaynabo, PR (US);
Morgan R. Hunter, Cincinnati, OH (US);
Darwin L. Schultz, Covington, KY (US);
Adam R. Dunki-Jacobs, Cincinnati, OH (US);
Chester O. Baxter, III, Loveland, OH (US);
Jeffrey S. Swayze, West Chester, OH (US);
Ethicon LLC, Guaynabo, PR (US);
Abstract
A surgical instrument comprising an elongate shaft assembly that defines a shaft axis. A surgical end effector is pivotally coupled to the elongate shaft assembly for selective articulation relative to the elongate shaft assembly about an articulation axis that is transverse to the shaft axis. An articulation cable is coupled to the surgical end effector at a point of attachment and is journaled on a proximal pulley that is supported on the elongate shaft assembly. The proximal pulley defines a proximal pulley axis that is located a tension distance from the point of attachment. An articulation driver is coupled to the articulation cable for selectively causing the articulation cable to rotate about the proximal pulley in first and second articulation directions. An adjustable tensioning assembly interfaces with the proximal pulley to selectively adjust the tensioning distance.