Patent ID: 11877819
Assignee: INTUITIVE SURGICAL OPERATIONS, INC.
Field: Medical technology (Instruments)
Classification: CPC A | IPC A

Claim 12:
13. A surgical instrument comprising:
a shaft having a proximal end portion and a distal end portion;
an end effector coupled to the distal end portion of the shaft;
a drive assembly coupled to the proximal end portion of the shaft, the drive assembly removably engageable with an external actuator device and configured to receive drive actuation force from the external actuator device, wherein the drive assembly comprises:
a drive shaft configured to be driven in rotation,
a capstan, and
means for inhibiting relative rotation of the drive shaft and the capstan;
means for inhibiting relative longitudinal motion of the drive shaft and the capstan,

a first cable portion wrapped around the drive shaft and operably coupled to the end effector; and
a second cable portion wrapped around the capstan and operably coupled to the end effector,
wherein the means for inhibiting the relative longitudinal motion of the drive shaft and the capstan project from the means for inhibiting the relative rotation of the drive shaft and the capstan, the means for inhibiting the relative longitudinal motion of the drive shaft and the capstan comprises a plurality of snap-fit elements projecting from the means for inhibiting the relative rotation of the drive shaft and the capstan.