ULTRASONIC TRANSDUCER TO BLADE ACOUSTIC COUPLING, CONNECTIONS, AND CONFIGURATIONS

1 . A surgical instrument, comprising:

a rotatable shaft comprising an articulation section;

an ultrasonic waveguide disposed within the shaft, wherein the ultrasonic waveguide is configured to articulate at the articulation section; and

a rotatable clamp arm located distal of the articulation section of the rotatable shaft, wherein the rotatable clamp arm is configured to rotate independently of the rotatable shaft distal of the articulation section.

2 . The surgical instrument of claim 1 , wherein the ultrasonic waveguide comprises an ultrasonic blade tip that is uniformly round.

3 . The surgical instrument of claim 1 , wherein the ultrasonic waveguide comprises an ultrasonic blade tip that is partially round and defines a cutting tip on a bottom portion.

4 . The surgical instrument of claim 1 , further comprising a spiral slotted clamp arm roll tube coupled to the rotatable clamp arm, wherein the a spiral slotted clamp arm roll tube defines a spiral slot configured to slidably receive a pin, wherein proximal and distal translation of the pin causes the spiral slotted clamp arm roll tube and the clamp arm to rotate about an ultrasonic blade portion of the ultrasonic waveguide independently of the rotatable shaft.

5 . The surgical instrument of claim 4 , further comprising:

a clamp arm roll rod;

a spiral slot pin roll rod coupler attached to the clamp arm roll rod at a connection; and

a pin attached to the spiral slot pin roll rod coupler.

6 . The surgical instrument of claim 4 , further comprising a rotatable closure tube located within the spiral slotted clamp arm roll tube, the rotatable closure tube comprising a closure link at a distal end of the rotatable closure tube, wherein the closure link defines slots to receive pins defined by the clamp arm.

7 . The surgical instrument of claim 6 , further comprising:

a clamp arm closure rod; and

a coupler attached to the clamp arm closure rod at a connection;

wherein the rotatable closure tube defines a flange at a proximal end; and

wherein the coupler defines a semiannular groove configured to rotatably receive the flange.

8 . The surgical instrument of claim 4 , further comprising:

first and second articulation rods; and

a clamp arm cap configured to rotatably receive the spiral slotted clamp arm roll tube, wherein the first and second articulation rods are attached to a proximal end of the clamp arm cap at first and second connections.

9 . A surgical instrument, comprising:

a rotatable shaft comprising an articulation section;

an ultrasonic waveguide disposed within the shaft, wherein the ultrasonic waveguide is configured to articulate at the articulation section;

a rotatable clamp arm located distal of the articulation section of the rotatable shaft; and

a cammed clamp arm roll tube operably coupled to the clamp arm;

wherein the rotatable clamp arm is configured to rotate independently of the rotatable shaft distal of the articulation section.

10 . The surgical instrument of claim 9 , wherein the ultrasonic waveguide comprises an ultrasonic blade tip that is uniformly round.

11 . The surgical instrument of claim 9 , wherein the ultrasonic waveguide comprises an ultrasonic blade tip that is partially round and defines a cutting tip on a bottom portion.

12 . The surgical instrument of claim 9 , wherein the cammed clamp arm roll tube defines a plurality of cam surfaces configured to slidably receive a pin in a plurality of channels defined between the plurality of cam surfaces, wherein proximal and distal translation of the pin causes the cammed clamp arm roll tube and the clamp arm to rotate about an ultrasonic blade portion of the ultrasonic waveguide independently of the rotatable shaft.

13 . The surgical instrument of claim 12 , further comprising:

a clamp arm roll rod;

a cam pin roll rod coupler attached to the clamp arm roll rod at a connection; and

a cam pin attached to the cam pin roll rod coupler.

14 . The surgical instrument of claim 12 , further comprising a rotatable closure tube located within the cammed clamp arm roll tube, the rotatable closure tube comprising a closure link at a distal end of the rotatable closure tube, wherein the closure link defines slots to receive pins defined by the clamp arm.

15 . The surgical instrument of claim 14 , further comprising:

clamp arm closure rod; and

a coupler attached to the clamp arm closure coupler at a connection;

wherein the rotatable closure tube defines a flange at a proximal end; and

wherein the coupler defines a semiannular groove configured to rotatably receive the flange.

16 . The surgical instrument of claim 13 , further comprising:

first and second articulation rods; and

a clamp arm cap configured to rotatably receive the cammed slotted clamp arm roll tube, wherein the first and second articulation rods are attached to a proximal end of the clamp arm cap at first and second connections.

17 . The surgical instrument of claim 12 , wherein the plurality of cam surfaces comprise angled surfaces and wherein a first set of angled cam surfaces are in opposed position relative to a second set of angled cam surfaces, wherein contacting the first set of angled cam surfaces in a first direction rotates the cammed clamp arm roll tube and contacting the opposed angled cam surfaces from a second direction that is opposite of the first direction rotates the cammed clamp in the same direction of rotation.

18 . The surgical instrument of claim 9 , further comprising a ratchet mechanism at a proximal end of the cammed clamp arm roll tube.

19 . The surgical instrument of claim 18 , wherein the ratchet mechanism comprises:

first and second ratchet gears comprising a plurality of ratchet teeth; and

first and second ratchet lock arms configured to engage the ratchet teeth located on the respective first and ratchet gears by spring force;

wherein the first and second ratchet lock arms are configured to prevent the cammed clamp arm roll tube from rotating in either direction.

20 . The surgical instrument of claim 19 , wherein the cam pin is configured to move one of the first or second ratchet lock arms off a ratchet tooth on one of the first or second ratchet gears to allow the cammed clamp arm roll tube to rotate in one direction.

21 . The surgical instrument of claim 19 , wherein the cammed clamp arm roll tube further comprises a friction surface, wherein the surgical instrument further comprises a friction arm in contact with the friction surface of the cammed clamp arm roll tube to prevent movement of the cammed clamp arm roll tube until a friction force between the friction surface of the friction arm is overcome.

22 . The surgical instrument of claim 21 , wherein the friction arm is spring loaded.

23 . The surgical instrument of claim 21 , wherein the friction surface defines a V-shaped configuration.

24 . A method of rotating a clamp arm of a surgical instrument, the surgical instrument comprising a rotatable shaft comprising an articulation section, an ultrasonic waveguide defining an articulation section, the ultrasonic waveguide disposed within the shaft, wherein the ultrasonic waveguide is configured to articulate at the articulation section, a rotatable clamp arm located distal of the articulation section of the rotatable shaft, and a cammed clamp arm roll tube operably coupled to the clamp arm, wherein the rotatable clamp arm is configured to rotate independently of the rotatable shaft distal of the articulation section, wherein a plurality of cam surfaces comprise angled surfaces and wherein a first set of angled cam surfaces are in opposed position relative to a second set of angled cam surfaces, wherein contacting the first set of angled cam surfaces in a first direction rotates the cammed clamp arm roll tube and contacting the opposed angled cam surfaces from a second direction that is opposite of the first direction rotates the cammed clamp in the same direction of rotation, wherein the surgical instrument further comprises a ratchet mechanism at a proximal end of the cammed clamp arm roll tube, wherein the ratchet mechanism comprises first and second ratchet gears comprising a plurality of ratchet teeth, and first and second ratchet lock arms configured to engage the ratchet teeth located on the respective first and ratchet gears by spring force, wherein the first and second ratchet lock arms are configured to prevent the cammed clamp arm roll tube from rotating in either direction, the method comprising:

applying a distal force to a pin to move the pin forward in a distal direction from a home position and move the ratchet lock arm off one of two ratchet teeth of the ratchet gear;

engaging a first angled cam surface with the pin and continue applying a distal force to the pin to apply a torque to the angled cam surface to rotate the clamp arm by a discrete amount in a first direction until the pin comes to rest at a third position;

applying a proximal force to the pin to move the pin backward in a proximal direction to engage a second angled cam surface in opposed relationship to the first angled cam surface, and continue applying a proximal force to the pin to apply a torque to the second angled cam surface to rotate the clamp arm in the same first direction by a discrete amount until the pin comes to rest at the home position;

applying a proximal force to move the pin further backward in the proximal direction to enable the ratchet lock arm to reengage one of the two ratchet teeth of the ratchet gear that was disabled; and

applying a distal force to the pin to move the pin back to the home position.

25 . The method of claim 24 , further comprising:

applying a proximal force to the pin to move the pin backward in a proximal direction from the home position and move the ratchet lock arm off one of two ratchet teeth of the ratchet gear;

engaging a third angled cam surface with the pin and continue applying a proximal force to the pin to apply a torque to the third angled cam surface to rotate the clamp arm in a second direction by a discrete amount until the pin comes to rest at a second position, wherein the second direction is opposite of the first direction;

applying a distal force to the pin to move the pin forward in a distal direction to engage a fourth angled cam surface in opposed relationship to the third angled cam surface, and continue applying a distal force to the pin to apply a torque to the fourth angled cam surface to rotate the clamp arm in the same second direction by a discrete amount until the pin comes to rest at the home position;

continue applying a distal force to move the pin further forward in a distal direction to enable the ratchet lock arm to reengage one of the two ratchet teeth of the ratchet gear that was disabled; and

applying a proximal force to the pin to move the pin back to the home position.