Articulatable surgical instruments with articulation joints comprising flexible exoskeleton arrangements

Surgical instruments that have an articulation joint and an axially movable firing member. A constant velocity drive shaft assembly spans the articulation joint and is configured to apply rotary drive motions to flexible drive members interfacing with the firing member. The articulation joint consists of a movable exoskeleton that consists of a series of movably interfacing annular rib members that form a passage for receiving the constant velocity drive shaft assembly therethrough.

SURGICAL INSTRUMENTS WITH FLEXIBLE FIRING MEMBER ACTUATOR CONSTRAINT ARRANGEMENTS

Articulatable surgical instruments that include a firing system configured to selectively move a firing member between a starting position and an ending position. The firing system includes a flexible upper drive member that axially passes through a flexible upper hollow member to provide upper axial drive motions to the firing member. The firing system also includes a flexible lower drive member that axially passes through a lower hollow member to provide lower axial drive motions to the firing member.

Surgical instruments with differential articulation joint arrangements for accommodating flexible actuators

Surgical instruments that include an articulation joint that is a configured to establish an upper pathway and a lower pathway through the articulation joint. The upper pathway and the lower pathway are parallel to each other when the surgical instrument is in an unarticulated position and the upper pathway and the lower pathway are concentric to each other when the surgical instrument is articulated. An upper flexible firing assembly slidably extends through the upper pathway and a lower flexible firing assembly slidably extends through the lower pathway. The upper and lower flexible firing assemblies interface with a firing member and a differential drive assembly configured to apply axial drive motions to the upper flexible firing assembly and the lower flexible firing assembly.

Surgical instruments with double pivot articulation joint arrangements

Surgical instruments with articulation joints that include a proximal joint member that has a proximal face that defines an arcuate proximal apex and a distal joint member that has a distal face that defines an arcuate distal apex. A first link and a second link are coupled to the proximal joint member and the distal joint member such that they cross each other and the arcuate distal apex confronts the arcuate proximal apex.

Surgical instruments with torsion spine drive arrangements

Surgical instruments with articulatable surgical end effectors and rotary driven flexible drive members.

Method of operating a surgical instrument

A method of operating an articulatable surgical instrument. The method includes providing a rotary drive motion to a rotary drive member of a surgical end effector and converting the rotary drive motion to an upper axial motion and a lower axial motion at locations that are distal to the articulation joint. The method further includes applying the upper axial motion to an upper portion of a firing member and applying the lower axial motion to a lower portion of the firing member such that the upper axial motion and lower axial motion drives the firing member distally through the surgical end effector from a starting position to an ending position.

Surgical instruments with double spherical articulation joints with pivotable links

Surgical instruments with articulation joints that include an articulation linkage assembly comprising a plurality of links configured to operably interface with a proximal joint member for movable travel relative thereto in a first proximal travel path and a second proximal travel path that are transverse to each other. The plurality of links are further configured to operably interface with a distal joint member for movable travel relative thereto in a first distal travel path and a second distal travel path that are transverse each other.

Surgical instruments with firing member closure features

Surgical end effectors with first and second jaws that are opened and closed with an axially movable firing member. The firing member is configured to apply a first closure motion to the second jaw to move the second jaw from an open position to a closed position as the firing member is moved in a distal direction from a home position to an ending position. The firing member is further configured to move the second jaw towards the first jaw when the firing member is moved in a proximal direction from the home position.

Surgical instruments with combination function articulation joint arrangements

Surgical instruments that have articulation joints that include a distal joint member and a central joint member that is selectively articulatable relative to the central joint member about a distal articulation axis that is transverse to a shaft axis. The articulation joints may further include a proximal joint member that operably interfaces with the central joint member such that the central joint member is selectively articulatable relative to the proximal joint member about a proximal articulation axis that is transverse to the shaft axis and the distal articulation axis.

Surgical instruments with dual spherical articulation joint arrangements

Surgical instruments that have articulation joints that include a proximal joint member that defines a proximal face that defines a proximal apex and a distal joint member that defines a distal apex. A linkage assembly retains the proximal apex in rolling inter-engagement with the distal apex. The linkage assembly includes a first link and a second link that are coupled to the proximal joint member for pivotal travel relative thereto about a first proximal pivot axis a second proximal pivot axis. The first link and second link are coupled to the distal joint member for pivotal travel relative thereto about a first distal pivot axis and a second distal pivot axis.