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:
Jan. 27, 2009
Filed:
Dec. 30, 2005
Chad P. Boudreaux, Cincinnati, OH (US);
Douglas J. Siebenaler, Maineville, OH (US);
Geoffrey C. Hueil, Mason, OH (US);
Kenneth E. Hogue, Mason, OH (US);
Christoph L. Gillum, Middletown, OH (US);
Chad P. Boudreaux, Cincinnati, OH (US);
Douglas J. Siebenaler, Maineville, OH (US);
Geoffrey C. Hueil, Mason, OH (US);
Kenneth E. Hogue, Mason, OH (US);
Christoph L. Gillum, Middletown, OH (US);
Ethicon Endo-Surgery, Inc., Cincinnati, OH (US);
Abstract
A surgical instrument particularly suited to endoscopic and laparoscopic insertion through a cannula of a trocar into an insufflated body cavity or lumen includes a bending member in an elongate shaft that acts to rotate an end effector about an articulation pivot joint. A proximally directed camming surface (e.g., gear segment, cam recess) aft of a pivotal attachment of the end effector to a proximal frame ground of the elongate shaft interacts with a bending member whose proximal end is ground to the proximal frame ground. Differential fluidic actuators or mechanical cam bars deflect a distal end (e.g., rack, cam point) of the bending member to effect articulation. Thereby, the end effector may act upon tissue that would otherwise be obscured, such as behind an organ. The articulated end effector also advantageously allows an endoscope to be positioned behind the end effector without being blocked by the instrument shaft.