Modular surgical instruments

1. A surgical instrument, comprising:

a handle, comprising:

a longitudinal axis;

a first handle drive system; and

a second handle drive system; and

a shaft attachment assembly attachable to and detachable from said handle, wherein said shaft attachment assembly comprises:

an end effector;

a shaft extending proximally from said end effector;

a first shaft assembly drive system;

a second shaft assembly drive system; and

a coupling portion configured to be attached to said handle, wherein said coupling portion comprises a coupling mechanism configured to operably couple said first handle drive system to said first shaft assembly drive system so that said first handle drive system can be operated to actuate a first surgical function of said end effector and operably couple said second handle drive system to said second shaft assembly drive system so that said second handle drive system can be operated to actuate a second surgical function of said end effector, wherein the operable coupling of said first handle drive system to said first shaft assembly drive system and the operable coupling of said second handle drive system to said second shaft assembly drive system requires only an attachment motion of said shaft attachment assembly by a user in a direction along said longitudinal axis, and wherein said shaft attachment assembly is attached to said handle proximally along said longitudinal axis to releasably lock said shaft attachment assembly to said handle.

2. The surgical instrument of claim 1 , further comprising a staple cartridge.

3. A surgical instrument, comprising:

a handle, comprising:

a longitudinal axis;

a first handle drive system; and

a second handle drive system; and

a shaft attachment assembly attachable to and detachable from said handle, wherein said shaft attachment assembly comprises:

an end effector;

a shaft extending proximally from said end effector;

a first shaft assembly drive system;

a second shaft assembly drive system; and

a coupling portion configured to be attached to said handle, wherein said coupling portion comprises a coupling mechanism configured to operably couple said first handle drive system to said first shaft assembly drive system so that said first handle drive system can be operated to actuate a first surgical function of said end effector and operably couple said second handle drive system to said second shaft assembly drive system so that said second handle drive system can be operated to actuate a second surgical function of said end effector, wherein the operable coupling of said first handle drive system to said first shaft assembly drive system and the operable coupling of said second handle drive system to said second shaft assembly drive system requires only an attachment motion of said shaft attachment assembly by a user in a direction along said longitudinal axis, and wherein said coupling mechanism comprises an automatically rotatable locking member configured to rotate automatically between a neutral position and an automatically rotated position during the attachment of said shaft attachment assembly to said handle.

4. The surgical instrument of claim 3 , wherein said shaft attachment assembly comprises a key configured to cause said automatically rotatable locking member to rotate during the attachment of said shaft attachment assembly to said handle.

5. The surgical instrument of claim 4 , wherein said first handle drive system comprises a firing member, and wherein said key is further configured to rotate said firing member out of alignment with said first shaft assembly drive system to prevent said first shaft assembly drive system from being actuated prior to the attachment of said shaft attachment assembly and said handle.

6. The surgical instrument of claim 5 , wherein said shaft attachment assembly further comprises an articulation joint, and wherein said second handle drive system comprises an articulation member configured to articulate said end effector relative to said shaft of said shaft attachment assembly about said articulation joint.

7. The surgical instrument of claim 3 , wherein said automatically rotatable locking member is spring-loaded.

8. The surgical instrument of claim 3 , further comprising an alignment feature configured to prevent said shaft attachment assembly from rotating about said longitudinal axis relative to said handle.

9. The surgical instrument of claim 3 , further comprising a staple cartridge.

10. A surgical attachment assembly configured to be attached to and detached from one of a surgical instrument handle and a surgical robot that includes a shaft attachment portion defining a longitudinal axis, a first drive system, and a second drive system, wherein said surgical attachment assembly comprises:

an end effector;

a shaft extending proximally from said end effector;

a first shaft assembly drive system;

a second shaft assembly drive system; and

a coupling portion configured to be attached to the one of the surgical instrument handle and the surgical robot, wherein said coupling portion comprises a coupling mechanism configured to operably couple said first drive system to said first shaft assembly drive system so that said first drive system can be operated to actuate a first surgical function of said end effector and operably couple said second drive system to said second shaft assembly drive system so that said second drive system can be operated to actuate a second surgical function of said end effector, wherein the operable coupling of said first drive system to said first shaft assembly drive system and the operable coupling of said second drive system to said second shaft assembly drive system requires only an attachment motion of said surgical attachment assembly by a user in a direction along the longitudinal axis of the shaft attachment portion, and wherein said surgical attachment assembly is attached to said surgical instrument handle proximally along said longitudinal axis to releasably lock said surgical attachment assembly to said surgical instrument handle.

11. The surgical attachment assembly of claim 10 , further comprising a staple cartridge.

12. A surgical attachment assembly configured to be attached to and detached from one of a surgical instrument handle and a surgical robot that includes a shaft attachment portion defining a longitudinal axis, a first drive system, and a second drive system, wherein said surgical attachment assembly comprises:

an end effector;

a shaft extending proximally from said end effector;

a first shaft assembly drive system;

a second shaft assembly drive system; and

a coupling portion configured to be attached to the one of the surgical instrument handle and the surgical robot, wherein said coupling portion comprises a coupling mechanism configured to operably couple said first drive system to said first shaft assembly drive system so that said first drive system can be operated to actuate a first surgical function of said end effector and operably couple said second drive system to said second shaft assembly drive system so that said second drive system can be operated to actuate a second surgical function of said end effector, wherein the operable coupling of said first drive system to said first shaft assembly drive system and the operable coupling of said second drive system to said second shaft assembly drive system requires only an attachment motion of said surgical attachment assembly by a user in a direction along the longitudinal axis of the shaft attachment portion, and wherein said coupling mechanism comprises an automatically rotatable locking member configured to rotate automatically between a neutral position and an automatically rotated position during the attachment of said surgical attachment assembly to the one of the surgical instrument handle and the surgical robot.

13. The surgical attachment assembly of claim 12 , further comprising a key configured to cause said automatically rotatable locking member to rotate during the attachment of said surgical attachment assembly to the one of the surgical instrument handle and the surgical robot.

14. The surgical attachment assembly of claim 13 , wherein the first drive system comprises a firing member, and wherein said key is further configured to rotate the firing member out of alignment with said first shaft assembly drive system to prevent said first shaft assembly drive system from being actuated prior to the attachment of said surgical attachment assembly to the one of the surgical instrument handle and the surgical robot.

15. The surgical attachment assembly of claim 14 , wherein said shaft comprises an articulation joint, and wherein said second drive system comprises an articulation member configured to articulate said end effector relative to said shaft about said articulation joint.

16. The surgical attachment assembly of claim 12 , wherein said automatically rotatable locking member is spring-loaded.

17. The surgical attachment assembly of claim 12 , further comprising an alignment feature configured to prevent said surgical attachment assembly from rotating about the longitudinal axis relative to the one of the surgical instrument handle and the surgical robot.

18. The surgical attachment assembly of claim 12 , further comprising a staple cartridge.

19. A surgical instrument, comprising:

a handle assembly, comprising:

a longitudinal axis defined by a shaft assembly;

a first handle drive system; and

a second handle drive system; and

a shaft attachment assembly attachable to and detachable from said handle assembly, wherein said shaft attachment assembly comprises:

an end effector;

an articulation joint;

a shaft extending proximally from said articulation joint;

a firing drive system;

an articulation drive system; and

a coupling portion configured to be attached to said handle assembly, wherein said coupling portion comprises a coupling mechanism configured to operably couple said first handle drive system to said firing drive system to fire said end effector and operably couple said second handle drive system to said articulation drive system to articulate said end effector, wherein the operable coupling of said first handle drive system to said firing drive system and the operable coupling of said second handle drive system to said articulation drive system requires only an attachment motion of said shaft attachment assembly by a user in a direction along said longitudinal axis, and wherein said shaft attachment assembly is attached to said handle assembly proximally along said longitudinal axis to releasably lock said shaft attachment assembly to said handle assembly.

20. The surgical instrument of claim 19 , further comprising a staple cartridge.

21. A surgical instrument, comprising:

a handle assembly, comprising:

a longitudinal axis defined by a shaft assembly;

a first handle drive system; and

a second handle drive system; and

a shaft attachment assembly attachable to and detachable from said handle assembly, wherein said shaft attachment assembly comprises:

an end effector;

an articulation joint;

a shaft extending proximally from said articulation joint;

a firing drive system;

an articulation drive system; and

a coupling portion configured to be attached to said handle assembly, wherein said coupling portion comprises a coupling mechanism configured to operably couple said first handle drive system to said firing drive system to fire said end effector and operably couple said second handle drive system to said articulation drive system to articulate said end effector, wherein the operable coupling of said first handle drive system to said firing drive system and the operable coupling of said second handle drive system to said articulation drive system requires only an attachment motion of said shaft attachment assembly by a user in a direction along said longitudinal axis, and wherein said coupling mechanism comprises an automatically rotatable locking member configured to rotate automatically between a neutral position and an automatically rotated position during the attachment of said shaft attachment assembly to said handle assembly.

22. The surgical instrument of claim 21 , wherein said shaft attachment assembly comprises a key configured to cause said automatically rotatable locking member to rotate during the attachment of said shaft attachment assembly to said handle assembly.

23. The surgical instrument of claim 22 , wherein said first handle drive system comprises a firing member, and wherein said key is further configured to rotate said firing member out of alignment with said firing drive system to prevent said firing drive system from being actuated prior to the attachment of said shaft attachment assembly and said handle assembly.

24. The surgical instrument of claim 21 , wherein said automatically rotatable locking member is spring-loaded.

25. The surgical instrument of claim 21 , further comprising an alignment feature configured to prevent said shaft attachment assembly from rotating about said longitudinal axis relative to said handle assembly.

26. The surgical instrument of claim 21 , further comprising a staple cartridge.