Patent ID: 8485413

Claim:
A surgical stapler, comprising: a shaft; an articulation joint, the articulation joint comprising: a first joint member, the first joint member defining a ball member positioned about a central axis of the first joint member, wherein the first joint member further defines a first passage at about the central axis of the first joint member through the ball member, and wherein the first joint member comprises first and second magnetic elements positioned opposite one another about the central axis of the first joint member; and a second joint member, the second joint member defining a socket at about a central axis of the second joint member, wherein the second joint member further defines a second passage about the central axis of the second joint member through the socket, wherein the socket receives the ball member such that the first and second passages align, and wherein the second joint member comprises third and fourth magnetic elements positioned opposite one another about the central axis of the second joint member, wherein the first magnetic element is aligned with the third magnetic element and the second magnetic element is aligned with the fourth magnetic element; a current source to selectively provide a first current to the first magnetic element and a second current to the second magnetic element, wherein, in a first mode of the current source, the first current is directed to cause a first level of magnetic attraction between the first magnetic element and the third magnetic element and the second current is directed to cause a second level of magnetic attraction between the second magnetic element and the fourth magnetic element such that the articulation joint is articulated towards the first magnetic element by a first amount; an end effector, wherein said end effector is movably coupled to said shaft by said articulation joint, said end effector comprising: a staple cartridge channel configured to receive a staple cartridge; and an anvil movably coupled to said staple cartridge channel; and a firing member extending proximally from the end effector through the first and second passages.