Abstract: A surgical instrument may comprise a shaft comprising a wrist at a first end, an end effector coupled to the wrist, and an actuation element that extends along the shaft and the wrist. The actuation element may follow a twisted path along at least a portion of the wrist. The twisted path may have an angular extent of less than 360 degrees along an entire length of the wrist. A method of configuring a surgical instrument wrist is also contemplated, as well as a support structure for an actuation element of a surgical instrument. The support structure may comprise at least one passage defining a twisted path about a longitudinal axis of the support structure. The passage may have an angular extent of less than 360 degrees from a first end of the passage to a second end of the passage.
Type:
Application
Filed:
February 20, 2015
Publication date:
August 3, 2017
Applicant:
INTUIVE SURGICAL OPERATIONS, INC.
Inventors:
Daniel P. Saraliev, Matthew R. Williams