Robotically-driven surgical instrument
A surgical instrument is disclosed. The surgical instrument comprises an end effector, an elongate shaft assembly, a housing, a rotatable drive screw, a firing member configured to be advanced during a firing cycle by the rotatable drive screw, and a sled member configured to be advanced during the firing cycle to eject staples from a staple cartridge to form a staple pattern At least a portion of the sled member is positioned distal to the staple pattern at a completion of the firing cycle. The housing comprises a plurality of rotatable disks couplable to a robotic device. The surgical instrument further comprises means for closing the end effector to a clamped position and opening the end effector to an unclamped position. The means is coupled to a first one of the plurality of rotatable disks.
1. A surgical instrument, comprising:
a channel member configured to support a staple cartridge;
an anvil coupled to the channel member;
a rotatable drive screw positioned in the channel member;
a firing member configured to be advanced by the rotatable drive screw;
a sled member configured to be advanced to eject staples from the staple cartridge to form a staple pattern during a firing cycle, wherein the sled member is positioned at least partially distal to the staple pattern at a completion of the firing cycle;
an elongate shaft assembly coupled to the channel member;
a housing coupled to the elongate shaft assembly, wherein the housing comprises more than two rotatable disks couplable to a robotic device; and
a closure system comprising:
a linear camming member coupled to the anvil; and
a rotatable member coupled to the linear camming member, wherein:
a rotation of the rotatable member in a first direction operates to urge the anvil into a close approximation to the channel member; and
a rotation of the rotatable member in a second direction operates to release a clamp load on the anvil and move the anvil to an unclamped position, wherein a first one of the more than two rotatable disks is coupled to the rotatable member.
2. The surgical instrument of claim 1 , wherein the channel member comprises the staple cartridge.
3. The surgical instrument of claim 2 , wherein the staple cartridge comprises a replaceable staple cartridge.
4. The surgical instrument of claim 1 , wherein the rotatable drive screw is coupled to a second one of the more than two rotatable disks.
5. The surgical instrument of claim 1 , wherein the firing member is threadedly engaged with the rotatable drive screw.
6. The surgical instrument of claim 1 , wherein the firing member comprises:
a first member configured to engage the channel member; and
a second member configured to engage the anvil.
7. The surgical instrument of claim 6 , wherein the firing member further comprises a cutting member.
8. The surgical instrument of claim 1 , wherein the sled member is releasably couplable to the firing member.
9. The surgical instrument of claim 1 , wherein the linear camming member comprises a closure tube.
10. The surgical instrument of claim 1 , wherein the rotatable member comprises a closure drive nut.
11. The surgical instrument of claim 1 , wherein the rotatable member comprises a rotatable drive sleeve.
12. A surgical instrument, comprising:
an end effector comprising a first jaw and a second jaw pivotably connected to the first jaw;
a rotatable drive screw positioned in the end effector;
a firing member drivable by the rotatable drive screw;
a sled member releasably couplable to the firing member, wherein the sled member is configured to eject staples from a staple cartridge positioned in the end effector to form a staple pattern during a firing cycle, and wherein at least a portion of the sled member is distal to the staple pattern at a completion of the firing cycle;
an elongate shaft assembly coupled to the end effector;
a housing coupled to the elongate shaft assembly, wherein the housing comprises at least three rotatable disks couplable to a robotic device;
a linear camming member coupled to the end effector, wherein the linear camming member is configured to:
move the end effector toward a clamped configuration when the linear camming member is driven in a first axial direction; and
move the end effector toward an unclamped configuration when the linear camming member is driven in a second axial direction; and
a rotatable member coupled to the linear camming member and a first one of the at least three rotatable disks, wherein:
a rotation of the rotatable member in a first direction drives the linear camming member in the first axial direction; and
a rotation of the rotatable member in a second direction drives the linear camming member in the second axial direction.
13. The surgical instrument of claim 12 , wherein the end effector comprises the staple cartridge.
14. The surgical instrument of claim 13 , wherein the staple cartridge comprises a replaceable staple cartridge.
15. The surgical instrument of claim 12 , wherein the rotatable drive screw is coupled to a second one of the at least three rotatable disks.
16. The surgical instrument of claim 12 , wherein the firing member is threadedly engaged with the rotatable drive screw.
17. The surgical instrument of claim 12 , wherein the linear camming member comprises a closure tube.
18. The surgical instrument of claim 12 , wherein the rotatable member comprises one of the following:
a closure drive nut; and
a rotatable drive sleeve.
19. A surgical instrument, comprising:
an end effector comprising a staple cartridge;
a rotatable drive screw positioned in the end effector;
a firing member configured to be advanced during a firing cycle by the rotatable drive screw;
a sled member configured to be advanced during the firing cycle to eject staples from the staple cartridge to form a staple pattern, wherein at least a portion of the sled member is positioned distal to the staple pattern at a completion of the firing cycle;
an elongate shaft assembly coupled to the end effector;
a housing coupled to the elongate shaft assembly, wherein the housing comprises a plurality of rotatable disks couplable to a robotic device; and
means for closing the end effector to a clamped position and opening the end effector to an unclamped position, wherein the means is coupled to a first one of the plurality of rotatable disks.
20. The surgical instrument of claim 19 , wherein the sled member is releasably couplable to the firing member.