Patent ID: 8100309

Claim:
A surgical instrument, comprising: a handle portion including a movable handle, the movable handle being movable through an actuation stroke; a body portion extending distally from the handle portion and defining a first longitudinal axis; a disposable loading unit configured for releasable engagement with a distal end of the body portion and including: a proximal body portion; and an articulating tool assembly defining a second longitudinal axis and having a proximal end, the articulating tool assembly disposed at a distal end of the proximal body portion and being movable from a first position in which the second longitudinal axis is substantially aligned with the first longitudinal axis to at least a second position in which the second longitudinal axis is disposed at an angle with respect to the first longitudinal axis; and an articulation mechanism including an articulation link for articulating the tool assembly, the articulation link having a slit at a proximal end thereof, an articulation knob operatively coupled to a cylindrical member that is operatively coupled to the slit of the articulation link, wherein rotational motion of the articulation knob is translated into axial motion of the articulation link thereby articulating the articulating tool assembly, wherein the articulation mechanism includes a plunger biased to engage the cylindrical member, wherein the engagement of the plunger with the cylindrical member allows for rotation of cylindrical member.