Abstract: A robotic surgical tool includes a handle providing a drive input, an elongate shaft extendable through the handle and having an end effector arranged at a distal end of the shaft, and an accumulator system housed within the handle and operatively coupled to the drive input such that actuation of the drive input operates the accumulator system. At least one drive cable is threaded through the accumulator system and extends distally along the shaft, wherein operation of the accumulator system acts on the at least one drive cable to operate the end effector.

Abstract: A robotic surgical tool includes a handle providing a first drive input and a second drive input, an elongate shaft extendable through the handle and having an end effector arranged at a distal end thereof, and a rack extending along a portion of the shaft and operatively coupled to a knife located at the end effector. Actuation of the first drive input transitions the rack between a locked configuration, where the rack is locked to the shaft, and a released configuration, where the rack is released from the shaft. Actuation of the second drive input with the rack in the locked configuration drives the rack and causes z-axis translation of the shaft through the handle. Actuation of the second drive input with the rack in the released configuration drives the rack relative to the shaft and thereby advances or retracts the knife at the end effector.

Abstract: A robotic surgical tool includes a handle, an elongate shaft extended through the handle, and an actuation system housed within the handle and including a drive belt extending along a portion of the shaft and having a distal end anchored to the shaft distal to the handle and a proximal end anchored to the shaft proximal to the handle, and a drive gear mounted to the handle to receive the drive belt. Operating the actuation system rotates the drive gear to drive the drive belt and thereby cause z-axis translation of the shaft through the handle.

Abstract: A robotic surgical tool includes an elongate shaft extendable through a handle that provides a drive input, an actuation system housed within the handle and operatively coupled to the drive input such that actuation of the drive input operates the actuation system, a rocker bar system arranged at a proximal end of the shaft and actuatable to articulate an end effector at a distal end of the shaft, and first and second drive cables extending along a portion of the shaft, each drive cable having a proximal end anchored to the shaft proximal to the handle and a distal end anchored to the shaft distal to the handle, wherein the drive cables are threaded through portions of the actuation and rocker bar systems such that operation of the actuation system acts on the drive cables and thereby actuates the rocker bar system to articulate the end effector.

Abstract: A robotic surgical tool includes an elongate shaft extendable through a handle providing a drive input, a drive cable extending along a portion of the shaft and having a proximal end anchored to the shaft proximal to the handle and a distal end anchored to the shaft distal to the handle, an actuation system housed within the handle and operatively coupled to the drive input such that actuation of the drive input operates the actuation system, and a toggle mechanism arranged at a proximal end of the shaft and actuatable to close or open opposing jaws of an end effector arranged at a distal end of the shaft. The drive cable is threaded through portions of the actuation system and the toggle mechanism such that operation of the actuation system acts on the drive cable and thereby actuates the toggle mechanism to close or open the opposing jaws.

Abstract: A surgical instrument comprising an end effector, a firing member, a motor, and a control circuit is disclosed. The end effector comprises a first jaw, a second jaw movable relative to the first jaw to grasp tissue therebetween, a staple cartridge comprising staples, a first sensor at a first position of the end effector, and a second sensor at a second position of the end effector. The firing member is movable in a firing motion to deploy the staples. The motor is configured to cause the firing motion. The control circuit is configured to receive a first output of the first sensor, receive a second output of the second sensor, and cause the motor to adjust the firing motion based on the first and second outputs. The first output is indicative of a tissue property and the second output is indicative of the tissue property.

Abstract: A modular shaft assembly is disclosed. The modular shaft assembly includes one or more inputs configured to receive input motions from a surgical instrument system, such as a handle, for example. The shaft assembly further includes one or more on-board inputs configured to generate input motions. The input motions received and generated by the shaft assembly are transferable to an end effector of the shaft assembly to perform various functions at the end effector. The end effector can include a staple cartridge and a firing member which is movable between a proximal position and a distal position to eject staples from the staple cartridge. The end effector can include a plurality of jaw members and the firing member can comprise camming members which are configured to position the jaw members relative to one another.

Abstract: A surgical instrument includes an end effector, a shaft assembly, a carrier, and a support structure. Shaft assembly extends proximally from the end effector. The shaft assembly defines a longitudinal axis. The carrier is configured to translate the end effector along the longitudinal axis. The carrier includes a carriage, an actuation driver, and an actuation assembly. The actuation driver is configured to rotate along an axis parallel to the longitudinal axis. The actuation assembly is operatively coupled with the actuation driver and the carriage. The support structure includes a supporting portion. The supporting portion is configured to reduce torsional forces exerted on the carriage as the actuation assembly transfers the rotation of the actuation driver into translation of a portion of the shaft assembly to actuate the end effector.

Abstract: An ultrasonic surgical instrument comprises a shaft assembly including a waveguide, and an end effector arranged at a distal end of the shaft assembly and including an ultrasonic blade and a clamp arm. The instrument also comprises a base translatably coupled to shaft assembly. The base includes a first mechanical input and a second mechanical input. The instrument further comprises a closure actuation mechanism operatively connected between the first mechanical input and the clamp arm and configured to actuate the clamp arm from an open position toward a closed position upon selective drive of the first mechanical input. The instrument also includes an insertion actuation mechanism operatively connected between the second mechanical input and the shaft assembly and configured to actuate the shaft assembly from a proximal position toward a distal position upon selective drive of the second mechanical input for insertion of the end effector.

Abstract: An ultrasonic surgical instrument includes a shaft assembly having a proximal shaft portion extending along a longitudinal axis and having an articulation section extending distally therefrom. The instrument also includes a waveguide including a flexible portion which extends at least partially through the articulation section. The instrument further includes an end effector arranged at a distal end of the shaft assembly. The end effector includes an ultrasonic blade acoustically coupled with the waveguide and configured to be driven by the waveguide with ultrasonic energy. The articulation section is configured to selectively deflect the end effector relative to the longitudinal axis and through a first plane. The articulation section is further configured to selectively deflect the end effector relative to the longitudinal axis and through a second plane. The second plane is different from the first plane for multiplanar deflection of the end effector relative to the longitudinal axis.

Abstract: An ultrasonic surgical instrument that can be used in a robotic surgical system includes an end effector having an ultrasonic blade and a clamp arm pivotally secured relative to the ultrasonic blade for clamping a tissue therebetween. A shaft assembly extends proximally from the end effector and includes a tube, an acoustic waveguide received within the tube, and a sheath positioned between the acoustic waveguide and the tube to damp acoustic vibrations from the acoustic waveguide toward the tube. At least one sensor is positioned on at least one of the end effector or the sheath to measure a force applied at the end effector or the sheath as a measured force, respectively, and thereby provide real-time feedback of a clamping force applied between the ultrasonic blade and the clamp arm.

Abstract: An ultrasonic surgical instrument includes an end effector including an ultrasonic blade, an ultrasonic waveguide, an ultrasonic transducer assembly, and a carrier. The acoustic waveguide includes at least a proximal portion thereof extending along a longitudinal axis. The ultrasonic transducer assembly includes a fixation member and is operatively connected to the acoustic waveguide such that the acoustic waveguide is in acoustic communication with an ultrasonic transducer. The carrier has at least a portion thereof engaged with the fixation member of the ultrasonic transducer assembly thereby inhibiting movement of the ultrasonic transducer assembly relative to the carrier. The carrier movably supports the ultrasonic transducer assembly along the longitudinal axis such that the ultrasonic transducer assembly is configured to move from a proximal position on the longitudinal axis to a distal position on the longitudinal axis for inserting the ultrasonic blade into a patient.

Abstract: An ultrasonic surgical instrument includes an end effector having an ultrasonic blade, an ultrasonic transducer assembly, and a shaft assembly the shaft assembly includes a tube, an acoustic waveguide, and a sheath radially positioned between the acoustic waveguide and the tube. The acoustic waveguide is received within the tube and is acoustically connected between the ultrasonic blade and ultrasonic transducer assembly to communicate ultrasonic vibrations from the ultrasonic transducer assembly to the ultrasonic blade. The acoustic waveguide extends along a longitudinal axis. The sheath includes a sheath body having an outer body surface and a plurality of damping rings radially extending from the outer body surface and engaged with the tube. The plurality of damping rings are configured to acoustically isolate the acoustic waveguide from the tube.

Abstract: An ultrasonic surgical instrument that can be used in a robotic surgical system includes an end effector having an ultrasonic blade and a clamp arm pivotally secured relative to the ultrasonic blade. A shaft assembly extends proximally from the end effector and includes a tube, an acoustic waveguide received within the tube, and a sheath positioned between the acoustic waveguide and the tube to damp acoustic vibrations from the acoustic waveguide toward the tube. At least one sensor is positioned on at least one of the end effector or the sheath to measure a force applied at the end effector or the sheath as a measured force, respectively, and thereby provide real-time feedback of a non-clamping force applied against one of the ultrasonic blade or the clamp arm.

Abstract: An ultrasonic surgical instrument including an end effector having an ultrasonic blade, a shaft assembly that defines a longitudinal axis proximally extending from the end effector and an ultrasonic transducer assembly proximally extending from an acoustic waveguide in communication with the ultrasonic blade. The ultrasonic surgical instrument also includes a housing proximally projecting from the shaft assembly such that the ultrasonic transducer assembly is positioned within the housing and a carrier moveably supports the ultrasonic transducer assembly along the longitudinal axis. The carrier collectively moves the ultrasonic transducer assembly, the acoustic waveguide, and the end effector relative to the housing from a proximal, retracted position to a distal, extended position, for inserting the ultrasonic blade into a patient.

Abstract: An ultrasonic surgical instrument includes an end effector with an ultrasonic blade, an acoustic waveguide, an ultrasonic transducer assembly, and a carrier. At least a proximal portion of the acoustic waveguide extends along a longitudinal axis. The ultrasonic transducer assembly is operatively coupled with the acoustic waveguide. The carrier is configured to translate the end effector. The carrier includes a carriage and a translation driver. The carriage movably supports the ultrasonic transducer assembly along the longitudinal axis. The translation driver is configured to translate the carriage and the ultrasonic transducer assembly along the longitudinal axis so that the ultrasonic transducer assembly moves from a proximal position along the longitudinal axis to a distal position along the longitudinal axis for inserting the ultrasonic blade into a patient.

Abstract: An ultrasonic surgical instrument includes an end effector having an ultrasonic blade, an ultrasonic transducer assembly, and a shaft assembly. The shaft assembly includes a tube, and an waveguide. The waveguide is received within the tube and is acoustically connected between the ultrasonic blade and ultrasonic transducer assembly to communicate ultrasonic vibrations from the ultrasonic transducer assembly to the ultrasonic blade. The waveguide includes an acoustic body, a first isolation structure, a second isolation structure and a sheath. The acoustic body extends along a longitudinal axis. The first isolation structure radially extends about the acoustic body. The second isolation structure radially extends about the acoustic body and is longitudinally spaced from the first isolation structure. The sheath is radially positioned between the first isolation structure and the tube and is further radially positioned between the second isolation structure.

Abstract: An ultrasonic surgical instrument includes a shaft assembly, an end effector, and a clamp arm driver. The shaft assembly includes a shaft portion extending along a first longitudinal axis, an articulation assembly, a distal shaft portion, and an ultrasonic waveguide extending through the proximal shaft portion, the articulation assembly, and the distal shaft portion. The articulation section is configured to deflect the end effector toward and away from the first longitudinal axis between a straight and articulated configuration. The end effector includes an ultrasonic blade defining a second longitudinal axis and a clamp arm configured to move between an open and closed configuration in order to grasp tissue. The clamp arm drive is configured to rotate the clamp arm relative to the ultrasonic blade about the second longitudinal axis and actuate the clamp arm between the open and closed configuration while the end effector is in the articulated configuration.

Abstract: A surgical instrument includes an end effector, a shaft assembly, an actuation driver, and an actuation assembly. The end effector includes first and second jaws. At least one of the first and second jaws is configured to move relative to the other of the first and second jaws to compress tissue therebetween. The shaft assembly extends proximally from the end effector. The shaft assembly includes a closure member extending along a longitudinal axis. The actuation driver is configured to configured to receive a motor output from a motor. The actuation assembly is operatively coupled with the actuation driver and the closure member. The actuation assembly includes a translating member configured to translate together with the closure member along the longitudinal axis a predetermined distance using the actuation driver such that the closure member applies a predetermined closure force to the first and second jaws corresponding to the predetermined distance.

Abstract: An ultrasonic surgical instrument includes an end effector, a shaft assembly, and a waveguide grounding feature. The end effector includes an ultrasonic blade and a clamp arm movable between an open position and a closed position. The shaft assembly includes a proximal shaft portion extending along a longitudinal axis, an acoustic waveguide extending proximally from the ultrasonic blade, a distal shaft portion extending along a distal axis, and an articulation section interposed between the proximal shaft portion and the distal shaft portion. The articulation section can deflect the distal shaft portion and the end effector relative to the longitudinal axis between a straight configuration and an articulated configuration. The waveguide grounding feature inhibits the ultrasonic blade from shifting relative to the clamp arm along the distal axis as the end effector is driven between the straight configuration and the articulated configuration.