Patent ID: 11896217
Assignee: CILAG GMBH INTERNATIONAL
Field: Medical technology (Instruments)
Classification: CPC A | IPC A

Claim 0:
1. A surgical instrument, comprising:
a handle;
a shaft extending from said handle, wherein said shaft comprises:
a frame; and
a rail pin mounted to said frame, wherein said rail pin comprises:
a flat lock surface extending along a portion of said rail pin;
another flat lock surface extending along another portion of said rail pin, wherein said another portion of said rail pin is opposite to said portion of said rail pin and coextensive therewith;
an arcuate lock surface extending between said flat lock surface and said another flat lock surface; and
another arcuate lock surface extending between said flat lock surface and said another flat lock surface;

an end effector;
an articulation joint, wherein said end effector is rotatably connected to said shaft about said articulation joint;
an articulation drive, comprising:
an electric motor;
a proximal articulation rod driveable by said electric motor, wherein said proximal articulation rod comprises a first cam, a second cam, and a drive space defined between said first cam and said second cam; and
a distal articulation rod engaged with said end effector, wherein said distal articulation rod comprises a drive portion positioned in said drive space; and

an articulation lock, comprising:
a set of first lock members rotatably mounted to said distal articulation rod, wherein said first lock members are positioned in said drive space, wherein each said first lock member is rotatable between a locked position and an unlocked position by said proximal articulation rod when said proximal articulation rod is translated relative to said rail pin, wherein each said first lock member comprises a pair of first flat sidewalls and a first aperture extending between said pair of first flat sidewalls, wherein said rail pin extends through said first apertures of said first lock members, and wherein said first flat sidewalls are lockingly engaged with a corresponding one of said flat lock surface and said other flat lock surface of said rail pin when said first lock members are in their locked position;
a set of second lock members rotatably mounted to said distal articulation rod, wherein said second lock members are positioned in said drive space, wherein each said second lock member is rotatable between another locked position and another unlocked position by said proximal articulation rod when said proximal articulation rod is translated, wherein each said second lock member comprises another pair of second flat sidewalls and a second aperture extending between said another pair of second flat sidewalls, wherein said rail pin extends through said second apertures of said second lock members, and wherein said second flat sidewalls are lockingly engaged with another corresponding one of said flat lock surface and said another flat lock surface of said rail pin when said second lock members are in their another locked position; and
a spring positioned intermediate said set of first lock members and said set of second lock members, wherein said spring is configured to bias said set of first lock members into their locked positions and said set of second lock members into their another locked positions.