Patent ID: 8409244

Claim:
A surgical or diagnostic tool comprising: an end effector at a distal end of the tool; an end effector actuator at a proximal end of the tool, the end effector actuator being rotatable about a rotation axis, the end effector actuator being operatively connected to the end effector through a linkage to deliver an actuation force from the end effector actuator to the end effector in response to movement of the end effector actuator, the linkage comprising a rod actuator, the rod actuator being independently rotatable about the same rotation axis as the end effector acuator; and a force limiter using a leaf spring adapted to establish an upper limit on the actuation force delivered to the end effector by the end effector actuator, the leaf spring having a first end portion attached to one of the end effector actuator and the rod actuator and having a second end portion slidably engaged with and bendable away from an engagement surface at the other of the end effector actuator and the rod actuator.