Patent ID: 7942868

Claim:
A surgical instrument comprising: an instrument body comprising a proximal body segment; an end effector; and a parallel motion mechanism comprising: a first joint coupled to the proximal body segment; an elongate rigid body segment coupled to the first joint; and a second joint coupled to the elongate rigid body segment and coupled to the end effector; wherein the first and second joints are coupled so that as the first joint yaws in a first direction, the second joint yaws in a second direction opposite the first direction so that the parallel motion mechanism changes sway of the end effector without substantially changing any orientation of the end effector; wherein the first and second joints are coupled so that as the first joint pitches in a third direction, the second joint pitches in a fourth direction opposite the third direction so that the parallel motion mechanism changes heave of the end effector without substantially changing any orientation of the end effector; wherein the first joint comprises a first hinge; wherein the second joint comprises a second hinge; wherein the first and the second hinges are coupled so that as the first hinge yaws in the first direction, the second hinge yaws in the second direction opposite the first direction so that the parallel motion mechanism changes the sway of the end effector without substantially changing any orientation of the end effector wherein a first filar is coupled between a position proximal to the first hinge and a position distal to the second hinge; and wherein a second filar is coupled between a transmission mechanism and a position between the first hinge and the second hinge.