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

Claim 3:
4. A surgical instrument, comprising:
a shaft assembly, wherein said shaft assembly defines a shaft axis;
a surgical end effector operably coupled to said shaft assembly by an articulation joint, wherein said articulation joint is configured to facilitate selective articulation of said surgical end effector relative to said shaft assembly about a proximal articulation axis, and wherein said surgical end effector comprises:
a first jaw; and
a second jaw selectively movable between an open position and a closed position relative to said first jaw; and
a closure pulley unit configured to apply closure motions to said second jaw, wherein said surgical instrument further comprises an articulation control system comprising a plurality of actuators operably coupled to said closure pulley unit and operably interfacing with said articulation joint, wherein an application of closure actuation motions to a first combination of at least some of said actuators causes said closure pulley unit to apply the closure motions to said second jaw, and wherein an application of first articulation control motions to a second combination of at least some of said actuators causes said surgical end effector to articulate relative to said shaft assembly about the proximal articulation axis.