Patent ID: 11857189
Assignee: CILAG GMBH INTERNATIONAL
Field: Medical technology (Instruments)
Classification: CPC A | IPC A

Claim 12:
13. A surgical stapling instrument, comprising:
a housing;
a closure driver configured to transmit a closure motion;
an elongate shaft extending from said housing and defining a longitudinal shaft axis;
an end effector;
an articulation section positioned intermediate said elongate shaft and said end effector, wherein said articulation section comprises:
a proximal articulation joint configured to permit said end effector to rotate relative to said elongate shaft about a proximal articulation axis that is transverse to said longitudinal shaft axis; and
a distal articulation joint configured to permit said end effector to rotate relative to said elongate shaft about a distal articulation axis that is transverse to said longitudinal shaft axis;

a passageway defined within said articulation section;
a closure rod extending through said passageway, wherein said closure rod is movable from a proximal position to a distal position in response to said closure motion, and wherein said end effector comprises:
a first jaw;
a second jaw rotatable relative to said first jaw from an open position toward a closed position in response to said closure rod moving from said proximal position to said distal position; and
a firing actuator comprising a first cam and a second cam, wherein said first cam is configure to engage said first jaw during a staple firing stroke and said second cam is configured to engage said second jaw during said staple firing stroke;

a first articulation cable drivable by a first rotatable articulation input to articulate said end effector about said proximal articulation axis; and
a second articulation cable drivable by a second rotatable articulation input to articulate said end effector about said distal articulation axis, wherein said first articulation cable and said second articulation cable extend alongside said closure rod.