Patent ID: 8518070

Claim:
A laparoscopic scissor instrument comprising: a handle assembly; an elongate shaft having a proximal end coupled to the handle assembly, and a distal end; a scissor assembly positioned at the distal end of the elongate shaft; the scissor assembly comprising: a first scissor blade pivotally coupled to the distal end of the elongate shaft; and a second scissor blade pivotally coupled to the distal end of the elongate shaft; and an actuation mechanism extending through at least a portion of the elongate shaft and slidable within the elongate shaft, the actuation mechanism operatively coupling the handle assembly to the scissor assembly, the actuation mechanism comprising: an actuation shaft having a proximal end and a distal end; a first actuating plate coupled to the distal end of the actuation shaft; and a second actuating plate coupled to the distal end of the actuation shaft, the first and second actuating plates disposed between the first and second scissor blades and arranged to apply an outward biasing force to the first and second scissor blades; wherein the first scissor blade comprises an actuation protrusion proximal the pivotal coupling to the distal end of the elongate shaft and the second scissor blade comprises an actuation protrusion proximal the pivotal coupling to the distal end of the elongate shaft and wherein the first actuating plate engages the actuation protrusion of the first scissor blade; and the second actuating plate engages the actuation protrusion of the second scissor blade; and wherein the first actuating plate comprises a compression bend and wherein the second actuating plate comprises a compression bend positioned to contact and engage the compression bend of the first actuator plate and generate the outward bias force between the first scissor blade and the second scissor blade.