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:
Jun. 11, 2019
Filed:
Apr. 07, 2015
Ethicon Endo-surgery, Llc, Guaynabo, PR (US);
Jacob S. Gee, Cincinnati, OH (US);
David C. Groene, Cincinnati, OH (US);
Nicholas G. Molitor, Milford, OH (US);
Emily H. Monroe, George's Mills, NH (US);
Ethicon LLC, Guaynabo, PR (US);
Abstract
A surgical instrument is presented that may include a handle assembly, a shaft assembly, an end effector and an articulation joint coupled to the shaft assembly and the end effector. The surgical instrument also may include an articulation control mechanism configured to: control movement of the articulation joint between a first and second maximum articulation angle; determine that the articulation joint has articulated to the first maximum articulation angle; provide a first indication that the articulation joint has articulated to the first maximum articulation angle; determine that the articulation joint has articulated to the second maximum articulation angle; and provide a second indication that the articulation joint has articulated to the second maximum articulation angle.