Ultrasonic surgical instrument with articulation joint having plurality of locking positions
An apparatus comprises a body assembly, a shaft, an acoustic waveguide, an articulation section, an end effector, an articulation drive assembly, and a locking feature. The shaft extends distally from the body assembly. The waveguide comprises a flexible portion. The articulation drive assembly is operable to drive articulation of the articulation section to thereby deflect the end effector from the longitudinal axis of the shaft. The articulation drive assembly comprises an actuator. The actuator is movable relative to the body assembly to drive articulation of the articulation section. The locking feature is in communication with the actuator. The locking feature is movable between an unlocked state and a locked state. The locking feature is configured to permit movement of the actuator relative to the body assembly in the unlocked state. The locking feature is configured to prevent movement of the actuator relative to the body assembly in the locked state.
1. An apparatus for operating on tissue, the apparatus comprising:
(a) a body assembly;
(b) a shaft extending distally from the body assembly, wherein the shaft defines a longitudinal axis;
(c) an acoustic waveguide, wherein the waveguide comprises a flexible portion;
(d) an articulation section coupled with the shaft, wherein the articulation section is associated with the flexible portion of the waveguide;
(e) an end effector comprising an ultrasonic blade in acoustic communication with the waveguide;
(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 comprises an actuator and a transmission feature, wherein the actuator is movable relative to the transmission feature to thereby selectively engage or disengage the transmission feature, wherein the actuator is operable to drive articulation of the articulation section via engagement with the transmission feature; and
(g) a locking feature in communication with the actuator, wherein the locking feature is configured to lock the transmission feature in response to the actuator being disengaged from the transmission feature, wherein the locking feature is configured to unlock the transmission feature in response to the actuator being engaged with the transmission feature.
2. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the locking feature is resiliently biased to lock the transmission feature.
3. The apparatus of claim 2 , wherein the locking feature is resiliently biased along a plane that is parallel to the longitudinal axis.
4. An apparatus for operating on tissue, the apparatus comprising:
(a) a body assembly;
(b) a shaft extending distally from the body assembly, wherein the shaft defines a longitudinal axis;
(c) an articulation section coupled with the shaft;
(d) an end effector coupled with the articulation section, wherein the end effector comprise a working element configured to engage tissue;
(e) 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 comprises:
(i) a first member,
(ii) a second member,
(iii) a first rotatable member, wherein the first and second members are operable to translate simultaneously in opposite directions to thereby deflect the end effector from the longitudinal axis in response to rotation of the first rotatable member relative to the body assembly, and
(iv) a second rotatable member, wherein the second rotatable member is configured to move relative to the body assembly to selectively engage the first rotatable member and thereby drive the first rotatable member;
(f) a locking feature movable with the second rotatable member between a first position and a second position relative to the first rotatable member;
wherein the locking feature is configured to resist rotation of the first rotatable member in the first position, wherein the second rotatable member is configured to be disengaged from the first rotatable member when the locking feature is in the first position;
wherein the locking feature is configured to allow rotation of the first rotatable member in the second position, wherein the second rotatable member is configured to be engaged with the first rotatable member when the locking feature is in the second position.
5. An apparatus for operating on tissue, the apparatus comprising:
(a) a body assembly;
(b) a shaft extending distally from the body assembly, wherein the shaft defines a longitudinal axis;
(c) an acoustic waveguide, wherein the waveguide comprises a flexible portion;
(d) an articulation section coupled with the shaft, wherein a portion of the articulation section is associated with the flexible portion of the waveguide, wherein the articulation section further comprises:
(i) a first member, and
(ii) a second member, wherein the second member is longitudinally translatable relative to the first member;
(e) an end effector comprising an ultrasonic blade in acoustic communication with the waveguide;
(f) an articulation drive assembly operable to drive articulation of the articulation section to thereby deflect the end effector from the longitudinal axis in a lateral direction, wherein the articulation drive assembly comprises a knob and a transmission gear, wherein the knob is rotatable to rotate the transmission gear to thereby drive articulation of the articulation section; and
(h) a locking feature, wherein the locking feature is movable between an unlocked state and a locked state, wherein in the unlocked state the knob is configured to engage the transmission gear and the locking feature is configured to disengage the transmission gear to permit rotation of the transmission gear, wherein in the locked state the knob is configured to disengage the transmission gear and the locking feature is configured to engage the transmission gear to prevent rotation of the transmission gear.