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:
Oct. 06, 2015
Filed:
Jul. 08, 2010
Zhifan F. Huang, Mason, OH (US);
David A. Witt, Maineville, OH (US);
Raymond M. Banks, Cupertino, CA (US);
Timothy G. Dietz, Terrace Park, OH (US);
Mary E. Mootoo, Cincinnati, OH (US);
Gregory W. Johnson, Milford, OH (US);
Jeffrey S. Swayze, Hamilton, OH (US);
Jason L. Harris, Mason, OH (US);
Prasanna Malaviya, Mason, OH (US);
Richard W. Timm, Cincinnati, OH (US);
John V. Hunt, Cincinnati, OH (US);
Suzanne E. Thompson, West Chester, OH (US);
Gavin M. Monson, Oxford, OH (US);
Robert J. Laird, Morrow, OH (US);
Omar J. Vakharia, Cincinnati, OH (US);
Christopher J. Schall, Cincinnati, OH (US);
Cory G. Kimball, Cincinnati, OH (US);
AL Mirel, Redwood City, CA (US);
John F. Cummings, Madeira, OH (US);
Andrew T. Beckman, Cincinnati, OH (US);
Zhifan F. Huang, Mason, OH (US);
David A. Witt, Maineville, OH (US);
Raymond M. Banks, Cupertino, CA (US);
Timothy G. Dietz, Terrace Park, OH (US);
Mary E. Mootoo, Cincinnati, OH (US);
Gregory W. Johnson, Milford, OH (US);
Jeffrey S. Swayze, Hamilton, OH (US);
Jason L. Harris, Mason, OH (US);
Prasanna Malaviya, Mason, OH (US);
Richard W. Timm, Cincinnati, OH (US);
John V. Hunt, Cincinnati, OH (US);
Suzanne E. Thompson, West Chester, OH (US);
Gavin M. Monson, Oxford, OH (US);
Robert J. Laird, Morrow, OH (US);
Omar J. Vakharia, Cincinnati, OH (US);
Christopher J. Schall, Cincinnati, OH (US);
Cory G. Kimball, Cincinnati, OH (US);
Al Mirel, Redwood City, CA (US);
John F. Cummings, Madeira, OH (US);
Andrew T. Beckman, Cincinnati, OH (US);
Ethicon Endo-Surgery, Inc., Cincinnati, OH (US);
Abstract
An electrosurgical instrument can comprise a handle, a shaft, and an end effector, wherein the end effector can be rotatably coupled to the shaft by an articulation joint. The instrument can further comprise a drive member and the articulation joint can comprise flexible support members which can be configured to support the drive member. The instrument can further comprise supply wires electrically coupled to electrodes in the end effector and a wire tensioning device configured to prevent the supply wires from accumulating slack within the articulation joint. The drive member can comprise a plurality of flexible layers wherein some of the layers can be comprised of an electrically insulative material and other layers can be comprised of an electrically conductive material which is in electrical communication with a cutting member in the end effector and/or electrodes positioned within the end effector.