Patent ID: 8372082

Claim:
A surgical system comprising: a drive element defining a longitudinal axis and comprising a first set of drive features; an actuator for applying a drive force to the drive element; a transmission element comprising: support elements; and a first set of interfacing transmission features disposed on the support elements and being configured to form a passageway through which the drive element moves, wherein the support elements are cantilevered so as to flex apart and spring back as the drive element passes through the passageway; and a drive shaft coupled to the transmission element, wherein when the drive features are in direct contact with the support elements such that the drive element and the transmission element move together in parallel along the same axis in a first orientation when the drive force is less than a first threshold force, and the first set of drive features slips past the first set of transmission features in a first direction through the passageway when the drive force reaches the first threshold force.