Patent ID: 11857182
Assignee: CILAG GMBH INTERNATIONAL
Field: Medical technology (Instruments)
Classification: CPC A | IPC A

Claim 21:
22. A surgical instrument, comprising:
a surgical end effector coupled to a shaft assembly by an articulation joint, wherein said shaft assembly defines a shaft axis, wherein said articulation joint facilitates selective articulation of said surgical end effector relative to said shaft assembly about a first articulation axis and a second articulation axis, wherein the first articulation axis and the second articulation axis are transverse to each other and the shaft axis, and wherein said surgical end effector comprises:
a first jaw configured to operably support a surgical staple cartridge therein; and
an anvil movably supported relative to said first jaw, wherein said anvil is selectively movable between an open position and a closed position, and wherein said surgical instrument further comprises:
a closure cam assembly rotatably supported by said first jaw, wherein said closure cam assembly is configured to apply closure motions to said anvil;
a first actuator oriented on a first side of the shaft axis and coupled to said closure cam assembly;
a second actuator oriented on the first side of the shaft axis and coupled to said closure cam assembly;
a third actuator oriented on a second side of the shaft axis and coupled to said closure cam assembly; and
a fourth actuator oriented on the second side of the shaft axis and coupled to closure cam assembly, wherein an application of closure actuation motions to said first actuator and said fourth actuator causes said closure cam assembly to apply the closure motions to said anvil, wherein an application of first articulation motions to said second actuator and said fourth actuator causes said surgical end effector to articulate about the proximal articulation axis, and wherein an application of second articulation motions to said third actuator and said fourth actuator causes said surgical end effector to articulate about the distal articulation axis.