Patent ID: 8074859

Claim:
A surgical instrument comprising: a housing; an elongated portion extending distally from the housing and defining a longitudinal axis; an end effector operably coupled to the elongated portion; a proximal mounting assembly pivotably coupled to a distal end of the elongated portion, the proximal mounting assembly defining a first pivot axis intersecting the longitudinal axis; a stationary gear coupled to the elongate portion, the proximal mounting assembly being pivotable with respect to the stationary gear; a distal mounting assembly pivotably coupled to the proximal mounting assembly and coupled to the end effector, the distal mounting assembly defining a second pivot axis; a movable gear coupled to the end effector, the distal mounting assembly being pivotable with respect to the proximal mounting assembly; and an articulation member coupled to the proximal mounting assembly so that movement of the articulation member pivots the proximal mounting assembly and the distal mounting assembly with respect to the longitudinal axis.