Patent ID: 9474540
Filing Date: 2016-10-25
CPC Classification: A61B

Claim Text:
1. An articulating laparoscopic device, comprising: an elongate shaft having first and second articulation joints, the first articulation joint being configured to pivot in a first direction and the second articulation joint being configured to pivot in a second direction that is opposite to the first direction such that the shaft is configured to form a compound angle, one of the first and second directions being clockwise and another of the first and second directions being counterclockwise, the first articulation joint being limited to pivoting from a zero angle position in the first direction to form the compound angle, and the second articulation joint being limited to pivoting from a zero angle position in the second direction to form the compound angle; an end effector coupled to a distal end of the elongate shaft and positioned distal of the first and second articulation joints, the end effector being pivotable relative to the elongate shaft at a third articulation joint positioned distal of the first and second articulation joints; an articulator element extending through the elongate shaft and configured to rigidly maintain the elongate shaft in a plurality of positions in which the elongate shaft has the compound angle; wherein movement of the articulator element relative to the elongate shaft is configured to simultaneously pivot the first articulation joint in the first direction and the second articulation joint in the second direction to form the compound angle.