Articulation features for ultrasonic surgical instrument
View Patent ↗A surgical apparatus comprises a body, an ultrasonic transducer, a shaft, an acoustic waveguide, an articulation section, an end effector, and an articulation drive assembly. The ultrasonic transducer is operable to convert electrical power into ultrasonic vibrations. The shaft couples the end effector and the body together. The acoustic waveguide is coupled with the transducer. The articulation section includes a collar that is located distal to a nodal portion of the waveguide and is operable to deflect the end effector away from the longitudinal axis. The end effector comprises an ultrasonic blade in acoustic communication with the ultrasonic transducer. The articulation drive assembly is operable to drive articulation of the articulation section. The articulation drive assembly comprises at least one translating articulation driver coupled with the collar. The ultrasonic blade is operable to deliver ultrasonic vibrations to tissue even when the articulation section is in an articulated state.
1. An apparatus for operating on tissue, the apparatus comprising:
(a) an ultrasonic transducer;
(b) a shaft, wherein the shaft defines a longitudinal axis;
(c) an acoustic waveguide, wherein the waveguide is acoustically coupled with the transducer, wherein the waveguide comprises a flexible portion;
(d) an articulation section coupled with the shaft, wherein a portion of the articulation section encompasses the flexible portion of the waveguide, wherein the articulation section further includes a collar that encircles the waveguide at a location distally of the flexible portion, wherein the collar defines a distal end of the articulation section;
(e) an end effector comprising an ultrasonic blade in acoustic communication with the waveguide;
(f) an articulation drive assembly, wherein the articulation drive assembly comprises at least one translating articulation driver having a distal end attached directly to the collar, wherein the translating articulation driver is operable to drive the collar laterally relative to the longitudinal axis and thereby articulate the articulation section about the flexible portion of the waveguide; and
(g) an outer tube disposed over the collar, wherein the outer tube is fixed axially relative to the collar, wherein the distal end of the at least one translating articulation driver is interposed between the collar and the outer tube.
2. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the waveguide further comprises a nodal portion arranged distally of the flexible portion, wherein the outer tube extends over the nodal portion, wherein a portion of the translating articulation driver is interposed between the outer tube and the nodal portion of the waveguide.
3. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the waveguide includes:
(i) a first nodal portion arranged proximally of the flexible portion,
(ii) a second nodal portion arranged distally of the flexible portion, and
(iii) at least one flat lateral region extending longitudinally between the first and second nodal portions,
wherein the at least one translating articulation driver extends along the at least one flat lateral region.
4. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the articulation section comprises a set of ribs separated by gaps configured to promote flexing of the articulation section, wherein the ribs include surfaces positioned to engage each other in response to the articulation section reaching a fully articulated state, such that the engaged surfaces of the ribs are configured to restrict a bend angle of the articulation section in the fully articulated state.
5. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the articulation section comprises a set of ribs separated by gaps configured to promote flexing of the articulation section, wherein the articulation section further comprises a set of rings associated with the set of ribs, wherein the at least one translating member is laterally interposed between the set of rings and the set of ribs.
6. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the shaft comprises a first portion and a second portion, wherein at least a first translating articulation driver extends through the first portion of the shaft, wherein at least a second translating articulation driver extends through the second portion of the shaft, wherein the first portion of the shaft is configured to couple with the second portion of the shaft, and wherein the at least a first translating articulation driver is configured to mechanically engage the at least a second translating articulation driver when the first portion of the shaft is coupled with the second portion of the shaft.
7. An apparatus for operating on tissue, the apparatus comprising:
(a) an ultrasonic transducer operable to convert electrical power into ultrasonic vibrations;
(b) a waveguide acoustically coupled with the ultrasonic transducer, wherein the waveguide includes a flexible portion;
(c) a shaft, wherein the shaft defines a longitudinal axis;
(d) an articulation section coupled with the shaft and including:
(i) a first ribbed body half having:
(A) a first plurality of longitudinally spaced ribs, and
(B) a first channel extending longitudinally through the first plurality of longitudinally spaced ribs, and
(ii) a second ribbed body half, wherein the second ribbed body half is configured to mate with the first ribbed body half to encircle the flexible portion of the waveguide, wherein the second ribbed body half has:
(A) a second plurality of longitudinally spaced ribs, and
(B) a second channel extending longitudinally through the second plurality of longitudinally spaced ribs,
wherein the longitudinally spaced ribs are configured to promote flexing of the articulation section relative to the longitudinal axis,
wherein the flexible portion of the waveguide is configured to deflect with the articulation section;
(e) an end effector coupled with the articulation section, wherein the end effector comprises an ultrasonic blade in acoustic communication with the ultrasonic transducer via the waveguide; and
(f) an articulation drive assembly operable to drive articulation of the articulation section to thereby deflect the end effector from the longitudinal axis, wherein the articulation drive assembly includes:
(i) a first elongate member arranged within the first channel, and
(ii) a second elongate member arranged within the second channel,
wherein the first and second elongate members are operable to translate longitudinally through the respective channels to thereby cause articulation of the articulation section.
8. An apparatus for operating on tissue, comprising:
(a) an ultrasonic transducer configured to generate an ultrasonic vibration;
(b) a shaft defining a longitudinal axis;
(c) an acoustic waveguide coupled with the ultrasonic transducer,
wherein the acoustic waveguide includes:
(i) a proximal nodal flange arranged at a second-to-distal-most acoustic node of the acoustic waveguide, wherein the proximal nodal flange includes a first flat,
(ii) a distal nodal flange arranged at a distal-most acoustic node of the acoustic waveguide, wherein the distal nodal flange includes a second flat, and
(iii) an intermediate section extending longitudinally between the proximal and distal nodal flanges, wherein the intermediate section includes a flexible portion that is narrowed relative to a remaining portion of the intermediate section, wherein the flexible portion and the distal node are arranged distally of a distal end of the shaft;
an articulation section coupled with the distal end of the shaft, wherein the articulation section includes a body portion defining an internal passage through which the flexible portion of the waveguide extends, wherein the articulation section and the flexible portion are configured to deflect together relative to the longitudinal axis;
an ultrasonic blade acoustically coupled to the waveguide and projecting distally directly from the distal nodal flange, wherein the waveguide is configured to communicate the ultrasonic vibration from the ultrasonic transducer to the ultrasonic blade; and
an articulation drive assembly operatively connected to the articulation section, wherein the articulation drive assembly includes an articulation driver arranged radially outward of and extending along the body portion of the articulation section and the first and second flats of the waveguide, wherein the articulation driver is operable to collectively deflect the articulation section and the flexible portion of the waveguide from a first configuration to a deflected second configuration.
9. The apparatus of claim 8 , wherein the articulation section includes a collar positioned distally from the distal nodal flange of the waveguide, wherein the articulation driver is affixed to the collar, wherein the articulation driver is configured to translate from a first position to a second position, wherein the articulation section and the flexible portion of the waveguide are configured to deflect from the first configuration to the deflected second configuration in response to translation of the articulation driver from the first position to the second position.
10. The apparatus of claim 8 , wherein the waveguide further includes a flat lateral region extending longitudinally between the proximal and distal nodal flanges.