Patent ID: 8602031

Claim:
A flexible gear adapted to transfer motion from at least one rotary driver mechanism of a surgical system to a gear drive of a medical tool, the flexible gear comprising: at least one flexible spline cup having an interior working surface and a continuous exterior surgical surface, wherein the interior working surface of the flexible spline cup is configured to receive a driver of the rotary driver mechanism and at least a portion of the exterior surgical surface of the flexible spline cup protrudes from the surgical side of the sterilizable drape portion to allow the flexible spline cup to nest within the gear drive, wherein the flexible spline cup is configured such that the rotary motion of the driver deforms, without rotating, the exterior surgical surface of the flexible spline cup such that continued deformation of the surgical surface engages the gear drive resulting in rotation of the gear drive; and a drape section extending from the flexible spline cup.