Patent ID: 8308757

Claim:
A hydraulically actuated robotic medical instrument comprising: a hydraulically actuated end effector; an elongated shaft including a proximal end and a distal end, the end effector being carried at the distal end; a remote hydraulic fluid pressure source; a hydraulic fluid flow path extending from the pressure source, through the elongated shaft and to the end effector; a remote robotic controller operatively associated with the pressure source for automatically selectively controlling the pressure source for selected actuation of the end effector in response to user command; the hydraulic fluid pressure source comprising a hydraulic cylinder block including a cylinder communicating with the hydraulic fluid flow path and a piston slidably movable with respect to the cylinder block; a member movably mounted and engageable with the piston for moving the piston relative to the cylinder block from a first position to a second position to change the pressure of hydraulic fluid in the flow path; and a biasing member being movable with the piston for returning the piston to the first position.