Patent ID: 6817974
Filing Date: 2004-11-16
Classification: A61B

Abstract:
A minimally invasive surgical instrument comprising:an elongate shaft having a working end, a proximal end, and a shaft axis between the working end and the proximal end; a wrist member having a proximal portion connected to the working end; and an end effector connected to a distal portion of the wrist member, wherein the wrist member comprises at least three vertebrae connected in series between the working end of the elongate shaft and the end effector, the vertebrae including a proximal vertebra connected to the working end of the elongate shaft and a distal vertebra connected to the end effector, each vertebra being pivotable relative to an adjacent vertebra by a pivotal coupling, at least one of the vertebrae being pivotable relative to an adjacent vertebra by a pivotal pitch coupling around a pitch axis which is nonparallel to the shaft axis, at least one of the vertebrae being pivotable relative to an adjacent vertebra by another pivotal coupling around a second axis which is nonparallel to the shaft axis and nonparallel to the pitch axis.