Abstract: A surgical instrument having a housing, an outer shaft extending from the housing along a longitudinal axis, an inner shaft extending within the outer shaft along the longitudinal axis, a rotator knob position about the outer shaft, and a tube stop coupling the rotator knob to the outer shaft for collective rotation about the longitudinal axis and fixed within the housing against movement along the longitudinal axis. The tube stop has a pair of bearing surfaces that extend into a pair of longitudinal tracks of the outer shaft, and the rotator knob includes a pair of rails that extend into the pair of tracks of the outer shaft and block the tube stop exiting the tracks. The tube stop is captured between a pair of ribs in the housing to hold the tube stop in place while allowing the rotator knob to rotate the outer shaft.

Abstract: A continuous rotation assembly that may be positioned in the housing of an electrosurgical device to maintain electrical continuity between an electrosurgical power source and an electrosurgical implement positioned at the end of a rotatable shaft. A stator is positioned about the shaft and fixed against rotation and includes a pair of rings that are electrically isolated from each other. A rotor having first and second sets of pins that are electrically isolated from each other is positioned about the shaft and rotatable therewith. The pins are positioned to stay contact with the pair of rings as the shaft and rotor rotate. A first pair of wires couples the pins to the electrosurgical implement. A second pair of wires couples the pair of rings to an electrosurgical power source, thereby providing power to the implement even if the shaft is rotated continuously.

Abstract: A force limiting assembly for a surgical instrument that has a handle and a lever pivotally mounted to the handle at a pivot point for movement of an internal drive shaft. The lever is coupled to the drive shaft by a cantilever spring that is positioned within the lever. The free end of the cantilever is spaced apart from the pivot point of the lever and coupled to the drive shaft via stops positioned on the drive shaft on either side of the free end of the cantilever spring. As the lever is pivoting by a user, the forces move the drive shaft and bias the cantilever spring, thereby reducing and ultimately limiting the amount of force that a user may apply to the drive shaft via operation of the lever.