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

Claim 0:
1. 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
a splined snap-fit connection mechanism between 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 splined snap-fit connection mechanism comprises:
splined engagement features configured to engage each other so as to prevent relative rotation between the drive shaft and the capstan, and
a plurality of snap-fit elements to provide a snap-fit engagement between the drive shaft and the capstan so as to provide resistance to relative axial movement between the drive shaft and the capstan.