SURGICAL INSTRUMENTS WITH NON-SYMMETRICAL ARTICULATION ARRANGEMENTS

1 . A surgical instrument, comprising:

an elongate shaft assembly defining a shaft axis;

a surgical end effector pivotally coupled to said elongate shaft assembly for selective articulation relative to said elongate shaft assembly about an articulation axis that is transverse to, and laterally offset from, said shaft axis said surgical end effector defining an end effector axis, said surgical end effector configured to be selectively articulated between an unarticulated position wherein said effector axis is axially aligned with said shaft axis to a maximum articulated position on one side of said shaft axis wherein said end effector axis is perpendicular to said shaft axis; and

an articulation system operably interfacing with said surgical end effector to selectively move said surgical end effector between said unarticulated position and said articulated positions.

2 . The surgical instrument of claim 1 , wherein said articulation system comprises an articulation drive member operably coupled to said surgical end effector for selectively applying pushing and pulling motions thereto.

3 . The surgical instrument of claim 1 , wherein said articulation system comprises a de-articulation member configured to selectively only apply a pulling motion to said surgical end effector.

4 . The surgical instrument of claim 1 , wherein said articulation system comprises:

an end effector driver link coupled to said surgical end effector; and a distal articulation driver coupled to said end effector driver link and configured to selectively apply a pushing motion and a pulling motion thereto; and

a de-articulation member attached to said surgical end effector and configured to only apply a pulling motion thereto.

5 . The surgical instrument of claim 1 , wherein said articulation system comprises:

an end effector driver link coupled to said surgical end effector;

a distal articulation driver coupled to said end effector driver link and configured to selectively apply a pushing motion and a pulling motion thereto; and

a de-articulation member configured to apply a de-articulation motion to said surgical end effector.

6 . The surgical instrument of claim 5 , wherein said surgical end effector is pivotally coupled to said elongate shaft assembly by a spring pin that defines said articulation axis and which is configured to apply a de-articulation biasing motion to said surgical end effector.

7 . A surgical instrument, comprising:

an elongate shaft assembly defining a shaft axis;

a surgical end effector defining an end effector axis;

an articulation joint configured to facilitate articulation of said surgical end effector relative to said elongate shaft assembly between an unarticulated position wherein said end effector axis is axially aligned with said shaft axis and a fully articulated position wherein said end effector axis is perpendicular to said shaft axis; and

means for applying an articulation motion to said surgical end effector, said means for applying positioned only along one lateral side of said shaft axis.

8 . The surgical instrument of claim 7 , wherein a proximal end of said surgical end effector is angled relative to said end effector axis and wherein a distal end of said elongate shaft assembly is angled relative to said shaft axis.

9 . The surgical instrument of claim 8 , wherein said proximal end of said surgical end effector is oriented at an end effector angle relative to said end effector axis and wherein said distal end of said elongate shaft assembly is oriented at a shaft angle relative to said shaft axis.

10 . The surgical instrument of claim 9 , wherein said end effector angle and said shaft angle are equal to each other.

11 . The surgical instrument of claim 7 , further comprising means for applying a de-articulation motion to said surgical end effector.

12 . A surgical instrument, comprising:

an elongate shaft assembly defining a shaft axis and comprising a distal end;

a surgical end effector comprising a proximal end that is pivotally coupled to said distal end of said elongate shaft assembly for selective pivotal travel relative thereto about an articulation axis that is laterally offset from said shaft axis and extends transversely relative thereto; and

an articulation system, comprising:

an end effector driver link operably coupled to said surgical end effector;

an articulation driver supported for longitudinal travel in distal and proximal directions upon application of articulation motions thereto, said articulation driver coupled to said end effector driver link to selectively articulate said surgical end effector relative to said elongate shaft assembly about said articulation axis; and

a flexible de-articulation member coupled to said elongate shaft assembly and said surgical end effector to apply de-articulation motions to said surgical end effector.

13 . The surgical instrument of claim 12 , wherein said articulation driver is configured to apply a first articulation motion to said surgical end effector only in one articulation direction that is transverse to said shaft axis.

14 . The surgical instrument of claim 12 , wherein said surgical end effector defines an end effector axis and wherein said end effector is movable between an unarticulated position wherein said effector axis is axially aligned with said shaft axis to a maximum articulated position on one lateral side of said shaft axis wherein said end effector axis is perpendicular to said shaft axis.

15 . The surgical instrument of claim 12 , wherein said articulation driver and said end effector driver link are located on one lateral side of said shaft axis when said surgical end effector is in an unarticulated orientation.

16 . The surgical instrument of claim 12 , wherein said surgical end effector comprises a firing member that is configured for axial travel within said surgical end effector and wherein said elongate shaft assembly further comprises an axially movable firing beam operably interfacing with said firing member and being selectively movable in said distal direction in response to a firing motion applied thereto, said firing beam being selectively movable in said proximal direction in response to a retraction motion applied thereto.

17 . The surgical instrument of claim 12 , wherein said proximal end of said surgical end effector is pivotally pinned to said distal end of said elongate shaft assembly by an articulation pin and wherein said flexible de-articulation member is configured to flex around said articulation pin when said surgical end effector is articulated about said articulation axis.

18 . The surgical instrument of claim 12 , wherein said proximal end of said surgical end effector is angled relative to said end effector axis and wherein said distal end of said elongate shaft assembly is angled relative to said shaft axis.

19 . The surgical instrument of claim 18 , wherein said proximal end of said surgical end effector is oriented at an end effector angle relative to said end effector axis and wherein said distal end of said elongate shaft assembly is oriented at a shaft angle relative to said shaft axis.

20 . The surgical end effector of claim 19 , wherein said end effector angle and said shaft angle are equal to each other.