IP Library Granted Patent US 10,238,391
Granted Patent B2
US 10,238,391 · App. 15/072,649 · Granted Mar 26, 2019

Drive train control arrangements for modular surgical instruments

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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 10,238,391
App. No.
15/072,649
Granted
Mar 26, 2019
Kind
B2
Abstract

A surgical instrument comprising an interchangeable shaft assembly is disclosed. The interchangeable shaft assembly comprises a shaft portion, an end effector configured to receive a staple cartridge including a plurality of staples, a firing assembly movable from a firing home state to deploy the plurality of staples from the staple cartridge, and an articulation assembly movable from an articulation home state to articulate the end effector relative to the shaft portion. The surgical instrument further comprises a housing detachable from the shaft portion, a circuit configured to transmit a home state input signal in response to an action performed to decouple the housing from the shaft portion, and a controller configured to cause the firing assembly to return to the firing home state and the articulation assembly to return to the articulation home state in response to the home state input signal.

Claims (25)

1. A surgical instrument, comprising:

an interchangeable shaft assembly, comprising:

a shaft portion;

an end effector extending from the shaft portion, wherein the end effector is configured to receive a staple cartridge that includes a plurality of staples;

a firing assembly movable from a firing home state to deploy the plurality of staples from the staple cartridge; and

an articulation assembly movable from an articulation home state to articulate the end effector relative to the shaft portion;

a housing detachable from the shaft portion;

a circuit configured to transmit a home state input signal in response to an action performed to decouple the housing from the shaft portion; and

a controller configured to cause the firing assembly to return to the firing home state and the articulation assembly to return to the articulation home state in response to the home state input signal.

2. A surgical instrument, comprising:

an interchangeable shaft assembly, comprising:

a shaft portion;

an end effector extending from the shaft portion, wherein the end effector is configured to receive a staple cartridge that includes a plurality of staples; and

a firing assembly movable from a home state to deploy the plurality of staples from the staple cartridge;

a housing removably couplable to the shaft portion;

a motor configured to drive the firing assembly from the home state to deploy the plurality of staples from the staple cartridge; and

a controller in communication with the motor, wherein the controller is configured to activate the motor to return the firing assembly to the home state in response to an action performed to decouple the housing from the shaft portion.

3. A surgical instrument, comprising:

an interchangeable shaft assembly, comprising:

a shaft portion;

an end effector extending from the shaft portion; and

an articulation assembly movable from a home state to articulate the end effector relative to the shaft portion;

a housing removably couplable to the shaft portion;

a motor configured to drive the articulation assembly from the home state to articulate the end effector relative to the shaft portion; and

a controller in communication with the motor, wherein the controller is configured to activate the motor to return the articulation assembly to the home state in response to an action performed to decouple the housing from the shaft portion.

Assignments (2)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Apr 27, 2021
From: ETHICON LLC
To: CILAG GMBH INTERNATIONAL
Reel/Frame 056601/0339 →
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Dec 14, 2017
From: ETHICON ENDO-SURGERY, LLC
To: ETHICON LLC
Reel/Frame 045603/0712 →