Patent ID: 7404508
Filing Date: 2008-07-29
Classification: A61B

Abstract:
1. A medical device, comprising: a control handle having: a surgical stapling end effector having: a passive articulating joint connecting said stapling end effector to said control handle and articulating about an articulation axis; a portion of said stapling actuator passing through said passive articulating joint and flexing in a corresponding manner to an articulation of said passive articulating joint; and said articulation joint actuator: a centering device disposed at a first part of one of said distal end of said body and said proximal end of said end effector, said first part defining a pair of plunger cavities; and alignment surfaces disposed at a second part of the other one of said distal end of said body and said proximal end of said end effector, said centering device including a pair of pre-loaded spring-biased plungers each disposed in a respective one of said plunger cavities and biasing said plungers towards and against said second part to substantially align said first and second longitudinal axes when said articulation joint actuator is in said actuated state.