Patent ID: 7481824

Claim:
A surgical instrument, comprising: an end effector including a proximal camming surface; an elongate shaft including a hollow chamber and a frame aligned with a longitudinal axis of the elongate shaft; an articulation joint pivotally attaching the end effector to a distal end of the elongate shaft; a bending member comprising a cantilever beam positioned within the hollow chamber of the shaft and bendable therein, the bending member extending along the longitudinal axis and having a proximal end attached to the elongate shaft and a distal end engaged to the proximal camming surface of the end effector; and an articulation control actuator proximally attached to the elongate shaft and comprising a first differential fluidic actuation system operably configured to longitudinally transfer fluid from a first fluid actuator of the articulation control actuator to a second fluid actuator positioned adjacent to the bending member, wherein the longitudinal fluid transfer bends the bending member to laterally to deflect the distal end of the bending member in a direction away from the longitudinal axis to articulate the end effector.