Patent ID: 7404508

Claim:
A medical device, comprising: a control handle having: a stapling actuator; an articulation joint actuator different from said stapling actuator and having an unactuated state and an actuated state; and a body through which said stapling actuator and said articulation joint actuator traverse, said body defining a first longitudinal axis and having a distal end; a surgical stapling end effector having: an anvil; a proximal end; a second longitudinal axis; a stapler cartridge having at least one staple; and an anvil-cartridge control device operatively connected to said stapling actuator, said anvil, and said stapler cartridge and stapling said at least one staple when said stapling actuator is actuated; a passive articulating joint connecting said stapling end effector to said control handle and articulating about an articulation axis; a portion of said stapling actuator passing through said passive articulating joint and flexing in a corresponding manner to an articulation of said passive articulating joint; and said articulation joint actuator: when in said unactuated state, holding said passive articulation joint and, thereby, said end effector, in a substantially fixed articulation position; and when in said actuated state, releasing said passive articulation joint into a freely articulating state to permit free articulation of said end effector dependent upon external forces acting upon said end effector; a centering device disposed at a first part of one of said distal end of said body and said proximal end of said end effector, said first part defining a pair of plunger cavities; and alignment surfaces disposed at a second part of the other one of said distal end of said body and said proximal end of said end effector, said centering device including a pair of pre-loaded spring-biased plungers each disposed in a respective one of said plunger cavities and biasing said plungers towards and against said second part to substantially align said first and second longitudinal axes when said articulation joint actuator is in said actuated state.