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.

Date of Patent:
Mar. 17, 2009

Filed:

Nov. 17, 2004
Applicants:

Richard A. Hillstead, Duluth, GA (US);

Bryan D. Knodel, Flagstaff, AZ (US);

Inventors:

Richard A. Hillstead, Duluth, GA (US);

Bryan D. Knodel, Flagstaff, AZ (US);

Assignee:
Attorney:
Primary Examiner:
Int. Cl.
CPC ...
A61B 17/115 (2006.01);
U.S. Cl.
CPC ...
Abstract

A hydraulically actuated medical instrument includes an elongated shaft having proximal and distal ends, a hydraulically actuated end effector at the distal end of the shaft and a fluid flow path extending through the shaft to the end effector. The end effector may be directly manually operated by way of a handle located at the proximal end of the shaft or remotely, for example, via robotic controller. Articulation joints may be provided along the shaft, between the shaft and end effector or handle, or elsewhere. The hydraulic actuation of the present invention permits multiple axis instrument articulation, miniaturization and simplified instrument fabrication.

Published as:

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