Ultrasonic surgical instrument with axisymmetric clamping
A surgical instrument includes an end effector, and a shaft assembly. The end effector includes an ultrasonic blade, a rotating body, and a clamp arm movable between an open and a closed position. The shaft assembly extends along an axis and includes clamp arm clocking assembly and a clamp arm pivot assembly. The clamp arm clocking assembly can drive the rotating body and the clamp arm between a first clocked position and a second clocked position. The clamp arm pivot assembly includes an actuator body defining a track, where the actuator body can actuate to drive the clamp arm between the open position and the closed position while the actuator body is in a rotational position relative to the ultrasonic blade. The track houses a portion of the clamp arm in the first clocked position and the second clocked position while the actuator body is in the rotational position.
1 . A surgical instrument, comprising:
(a) an end effector, comprising:
(i) an ultrasonic blade,
(ii) a rotating body configured to rotate relative to the ultrasonic blade, and
(iii) a clamp arm movably coupled to the rotating body, wherein the clamp arm is configured to move relative to the rotating body and the ultrasonic blade between an open position and a closed position; and
(b) a shaft assembly extending along a shaft axis, the shaft assembly comprising:
(i) an articulation joint configured to articulate the rotating body along a plane, and
(ii) a clamp arm clocking assembly including a rotating gear and configured to drive rotation of the rotating body and the clamp arm about the shaft axis relative to the ultrasonic blade between a first clocked position and a second clocked position, wherein the rotating gear is rotatable about a rotation axis perpendicular to the plane.
2 . The surgical instrument of claim 1 , wherein the rotating gear includes a first set of teeth configured to be driven by a rack.
3 . The surgical instrument of claim 2 , wherein the rack is configured to translate parallel to the shaft axis.
4 . The surgical instrument of claim 2 , wherein the rotating gear includes a second set of teeth configured to drive rotation of the rotating body and the clamp arm about the shaft axis relative to the ultrasonic blade.
5 . The surgical instrument of claim 4 , wherein the rotating body includes a ring gear annularly positioned about the shaft axis and configured to mesh with the second set of teeth of the rotating gear.
6 . The surgical instrument of claim 1 , wherein the clamp arm is pivotable about the rotating body.
7 . The surgical instrument of claim 1 , the shaft assembly further comprising a clamp arm pivot assembly comprising an actuator body, wherein the actuator body is configured to actuate between a distal position and a proximal position in order to drive the clamp arm between the open position and the closed position, wherein the actuator body defines a track housing a portion of the clamp arm, wherein the track is configured to house the portion of the clamp arm when the clamp arm is in the first clocked position and the second clocked position.
8 . The surgical instrument of claim 7 , wherein the clamp arm pivot assembly defines a longitudinal slot, wherein the rotating gear includes a pin, wherein the pin is translatable relative to the clamp arm pivot assembly and within the longitudinal slot.
9 . The surgical instrument of claim 7 , wherein the clamp arm pivot assembly is configured to actuate between the distal position and the proximal position while being positioned within the rotating body.
10 . The surgical instrument of claim 7 , wherein the clamp arm pivot assembly defines a longitudinal slot, wherein the ultrasonic blade includes a waveguide pin translatable within the longitudinal slot to thereby rotational fix the ultrasonic blade to the clamp arm pivot assembly.
11 . A surgical instrument, comprising:
(a) an end effector, comprising:
(i) an ultrasonic blade,
(ii) a rotating body configured to rotate relative to the ultrasonic blade, and
(iii) a clamp arm movably coupled to the rotating body, wherein the clamp arm is configured to move relative to the rotating body and the ultrasonic blade between an open position and a closed position; and
(b) a shaft assembly extending along a shaft axis, the shaft assembly comprising:
(i) a clamp arm pivot assembly comprising an actuator body, wherein the actuator body is configured to actuate between a distal position and a proximal position in order to drive the clamp arm between the open position and the closed position, and
(ii) a clamp arm clocking assembly including a rotating gear and configured to drive rotation of the rotating body and the clamp arm about the shaft axis relative to the ultrasonic blade between a first clocked position and a second clocked position, wherein the rotating gear is translatable relative to the clamp arm pivot assembly,
wherein the rotating gear includes a first set of teeth configured to drive rotation of the rotating body and the clamp arm about the shaft axis relative to the ultrasonic blade.
12 . The surgical instrument of claim 11 , wherein the rotating gear includes a second set of teeth configured to be driven by a rack.
13 . The surgical instrument of claim 12 , wherein the rack is configured to translate relative to the clamp arm pivot assembly.
14 . The surgical instrument of claim 11 , wherein the rotating body includes a ring gear annularly positioned about the shaft axis and configured to mesh with the first set of teeth of the rotating gear.
15 . The surgical instrument of claim 11 , wherein the clamp arm is pivotable about the rotating body.
16 . The surgical instrument of claim 11 , wherein the clamp arm pivot assembly defines a longitudinal slot, wherein the rotating gear includes a pin, wherein the pin is translatable relative to the clamp arm pivot assembly and within the longitudinal slot.
17 . A surgical instrument, comprising:
(a) an end effector, comprising:
(i) an ultrasonic blade,
(ii) a rotating body configured to rotate relative to the ultrasonic blade, and
(iii) a clamp arm movably coupled to the rotating body, wherein the clamp arm is configured to move relative to the rotating body and the ultrasonic blade between an open position and a closed position; and
(b) a shaft assembly extending along a shaft axis, the shaft assembly comprising:
(i) an articulation joint configured to articulate the rotating body along a plane, and
(ii) a clamp arm pivot assembly comprising an actuator body, wherein the actuator body is configured to actuate between a distal position and a proximal position in order to drive the clamp arm between the open position and the closed position, wherein the actuator body is rotationally fixed to the ultrasonic blade.
18 . The surgical instrument of claim 17 , the shaft assembly further comprising a clamp arm clocking assembly configured to drive rotation of the rotating body and the clamp arm about the shaft axis relative to the ultrasonic blade between a first clocked position and a second clocked position, wherein a rotating gear of the clamp arm clocking assembly is rotatable about a rotation axis perpendicular to the plane, wherein the clamp arm pivot assembly defines a longitudinal slot, wherein the rotating gear includes a pin, wherein the pin is translatable relative to the clamp arm pivot assembly and within the longitudinal slot.
19 . The surgical instrument of claim 17 , wherein the clamp arm is pivotable about the rotating body.