Surgical instruments and end effectors therefor

Abstract

An end effector includes a first jaw and a second jaw, the first jaw movable relative to the second jaw to transition the end effector between an open configuration and an approximated configuration to clamp tissue therebetween. The end effector may also include a camming assembly movable along a curved path. The camming assembly includes a first camming member which includes a first distal camming portion, a first proximal camming portion, and a first flexible portion extending between the first distal camming portion and the first proximal camming portion. The camming assembly includes a second camming member and a connector at least partially disposed between the first camming member and the second camming member, wherein the camming assembly is movable relative to the end effector to exert a camming force against the first jaw and the second jaw to transition the end effector to the approximated configuration.

1 - 21 . (canceled) 
     
     
         22 . A surgical instrument comprising:
 a shaft having a proximal end and a distal end;   a wrist coupled to the distal end of the shaft and configured to articulate in multiple degrees of freedom; and   an end effector supported by the wrist, wherein the end effector comprises a cutting element and jaws configured to grip tissue and fuse tissue, and wherein the cutting element is configured to translate along a longitudinal direction of the jaws.   
     
     
         23 . The surgical instrument of  claim 22 , further comprising a cutting element drive component configured to translate the cutting element. 
     
     
         24 . The surgical instrument of  claim 23 , wherein the cutting element drive component is flexible. 
     
     
         25 . The surgical instrument of  claim 24 , wherein the cutting element drive component is flexible in multiple degrees of freedom about a longitudinal axis of the drive component. 
     
     
         26 . The surgical instrument of  claim 23 , wherein the cutting element drive component comprises a superelastic material. 
     
     
         27 . The surgical instrument of  claim 23 , wherein the cutting element drive component comprises an I-beam member. 
     
     
         28 . The surgical instrument of  claim 23 , wherein the cutting element comprises a cutting blade attached to a distal end of the cutting element drive component. 
     
     
         29 . The surgical instrument of  claim 28 , wherein the cutting blade is housed within the end effector during translation of the cutting element. 
     
     
         30 . The surgical instrument of  claim 22 , wherein the end effector further comprises opposing jaws configured in a closed position to grip tissue with a sufficient pressure to permit fusing of the tissue during delivery of energy to the tissue. 
     
     
         31 . The surgical instrument of  claim 22 , further comprising electrodes for delivery of energy to fuse tissue, the electrodes being respectively associated with the opposing jaws. 
     
     
         32 . The surgical instrument of  claim 31 , further comprising teeth configured to grip the tissue. 
     
     
         33 . The surgical instrument of  claim 31 , wherein the energy comprises bipolar electrical energy. 
     
     
         34 . The surgical instrument of  claim 22 , further comprising a torque drive component configured to transmit torque to move the opposing jaws between open and closed positions. 
     
     
         35 . The surgical instrument of  claim 22 , wherein the shaft, wrist, and end effector are configured to roll about a longitudinal axis of the shaft. 
     
     
         36 . A method of operating a surgical instrument, the method comprising:
 receiving at least one first input at a transmission mechanism disposed at a proximal portion of the surgical instrument to articulate a multiple degree-of-freedom articulable wrist of the surgical instrument in at least one of pitch and yaw;   transmitting one or more forces via the transmission mechanism to articulate the wrist in response to the first input;   receiving a second input at the transmission mechanism to open jaws of an end effector supported by the wrist;   transmitting torque via the transmission mechanism to close the jaws of the end effector;   receiving a third input at the transmission mechanism to close the jaws of the end effector;   transmitting torque via the transmission mechanism to the torque drive component to close the jaws to grip tissue between the jaws;   transmitting energy to the jaws to fuse the gripped tissue;   receiving a fourth input at the transmission mechanism to translate a cutting element of the end effector; and   transmitting a force to a cutting element drive component via the transmission mechanism to translate the cutting element along a longitudinal direction of the jaws of the end effector.   
     
     
         37 . The method of  claim 36 , wherein transmitting the force to the cutting element drive component comprises translating a push force followed by a pull force. 
     
     
         38 . The method of  claim 36 , wherein transmitting the force to the cutting element drive component to translate the cutting element occurs while the wrist is articulated in at least one of pitch and yaw relative to a longitudinal axis of a shaft of the surgical instrument to which the wrist is coupled. 
     
     
         39 . The method of  claim 36 , wherein transmitting the one or more forces via the transmission mechanism to articulate the wrist comprises transmitting one or more forces via the transmission mechanism to exert tension in tendons associated with the wrist.