Patent ID: 8574263

Claim:
A surgical instrument, comprising: a housing; an elongated shaft extending distally from the housing, the elongated shaft including: a proximal portion defining a longitudinal axis; a flexible portion including an elongated articulating support structure extending distally from the proximal portion, the articulating support structure defining proximal and distal ends; and a distal portion supported by the distal end of the elongated articulating support structure such that bending of the articulating support structure induces pivotal movement of the distal portion of the elongated shaft with respect to the longitudinal axis; an end effector supported by the distal portion of the elongated shaft, the end effector adapted for surgically treating tissue; and a locking mechanism operable to selectively impede pivotal motion of the distal portion of the elongated shaft; the locking mechanism comprising: a locking coil disposed about an axis defined by the elongated support structure, the locking coil including a distal end coupled to the distal end of the articulating support structure, and a proximal end rotatable about the longitudinal axis in a first direction to laterally approximate the locking coil to the elongated support structure and in a second opposed direction to laterally separate the locking coil from the elongated support structure; and an actuator operatively coupled to the proximal end of the locking coil to impart rotational motion thereto.