A robotic surgical system has a user interface with a control arm that includes a passive axis system for maintaining degrees-of-freedom of a gimbal rotatably supported on the control arm as the gimbal is manipulated during a surgical procedure. The control arm includes a swivel member, a first member, and a second member. The swivel member is rotatable about a first axis. The first member rotatably coupled to the swivel member about a second axis that is orthogonal to the first axis. The second member rotatably coupled to the first member about a third axis that is parallel to the second axis. The gimbal rotatably supported by the second member about a fourth axis that is orthogonal to the third axis. The passive axis system correlating rotation of the swivel member about the first axis with rotation of the gimbal about the fourth axis.

A surgical instrument is provided that includes a first jaw having a first jaw axis and that includes a proximal portion pivotally mounted to the base to be pivotable about a pivot axis between an open and a closed positions and including a distal portion; a second jaw having a second jaw axis and including a proximal portion secured to the base and including a distal portion; a first side edge secured to the first jaw a second side edge secured to the second jaw; a third side edge secured to the first jaw; a drive member including a cross-beam, which is sized to slideably engage the first, second and third side edges, a first transverse beam portion, and a second transverse beam portion; and a lead screw configured to advance the drive member in a distal direction parallel to the second jaw axis while engaging one or the other of the first and second side edges and the second side edge.

A surgical instrument and method of operating same includes an end effector and a shaft assembly. The shaft assembly has proximal and distal shaft portions respectively extending along proximal and distal axes, a first elongate member, and an articulation section. The articulation section extends between the proximal and distal shaft portions and is configured to articulate about a first articulation axis and about a second articulation axis to thereby respectively deflect the end effector along a first plane and a second plane. The articulation section has a first lumen radially offset from the proximal and distal axes that longitudinally intersects the first and second articulation axes. The first lumen movably supports the first elongate member such that the radial spacing of the first elongate member is maintained relative to the proximal and distal axes at each of the first and second articulation axes during deflection of the end effector.

An articulating joint comprising a multi-cluster joint where every consecutive pair of links is interfaced by a gimbal, which offers rotation about two orthogonal axes within the same plane. Thus, the articulating joint comprises an alternating sequence of links and gimbals. Furthermore, there may be multiple cables attached to one or more of the links. As these cables are selectively pulled and released, one can achieve any desired articulation of the articulating joint. There may be a transmission member extending through the links and gimbals, parallel to the central longitudinal axis of the joint in its nominal non-articulated condition. This transmission member may be either a tension member that is pulled on (e.g. a cable or flexible pull rod) and that loads the articulating joint in compression, or the transmission member may be a flexible push rod that loads the articulating joint in tension.

A screw driver system includes a screw driving bit and a guide clamp. The screw driving bit includes a unitary body having a first end and a second end with a longitudinal axis defined therebetween and an outer surface having a cylindrical portion between the first and second ends. The screw driving bit includes a first circumferential groove and a second circumferential groove that are affixed in coaxially positioned arrangement about the longitudinal axis on the outer surface of the cylindrical portion each having a bottom surface. The bottom surface of the first circumferential groove defines a first outer diameter that is larger than a second outer diameter defined by the second circumferential groove. The guide clamp includes a jaw for holding the screw driving bit. When engaged with the first circumferential groove, the guide clamp prevents rotation of the screw driving bit. When engaged with the second circumferential groove, the guide clamp does not prevent rotation of the screw driving bit.

A surgical articulation assembly is disclosed, including a control assembly and an articulable portion. The articulable portion includes at least two segments capable of independent movement. The control assembly defines an axis and three user controls configured to be engaged by an operator. Disposed within the control assembly are three pairs of diametrically opposed driving members that effects translation of a connecting member upon engagement of the user controls. An end of the connecting member is attached to one of the first and second segments of the articulable portion. As the connecting member translates with the driving members, the three user controls allow an operator to exert forces at points along the articulable portion. Also disclosed is a method of effecting articulation of a surgical articulation assembly.

Provided are a screw driver system and a screw driving bit. The screw driving bit includes a body having a first end and a second end with a longitudinal axis defined therebetween and an outer surface between the first and second ends. The screw driving bit includes a first circumferential groove and a second circumferential groove that are affixed in coaxially positioned arrangement about the longitudinal axis on the outer surface of the body each having a bottom surface. The bottom surface of the first circumferential groove defines a first outer diameter that is larger than a second outer diameter defined by the second circumferential groove. The guide clamp includes a jaw for holding the screw driving bit. When engaged with the first circumferential groove, the guide clamp prevents rotation of the screw driving bit. When engaged with the second circumferential groove, the guide clamp does not prevent rotation of the screw driving bit.

A surgical instrument is provided comprising: a first jaw having a distal end and a proximal end wherein the proximal end of the first jaw is attached to a lever arm that includes a levering cam slot having a proximal portion and a distal portion; a second jaw having a distal end and a proximal end wherein the proximal end of the second jaw is secured to a base that includes a linear cam slot aligned with a longitudinal axis of the second jaw axis and having a proximal portion and a distal portion; a pivot rotatably mounting the first jaw to the second jaw, wherein a pivot axis extends between the first jaw and the lever arm; a cam pin configured to extend through and engage the levering cam slot and the linear cam slot; a linear drive member operatively coupled to drive the cam pin to follow the linear cam slot; wherein the cam pin imparts a lever force upon the lever arm that rotates the first jaw way from the second jaw when the cam pin contacts the distal portion of the levering cam slot and wherein the cam pin imparts a lever force upon the lever arm that rotates the first jaw toward the second jaw when the cam pin contacts the proximal end portion of the levering cam slot.

A pivotable wire assembly, including a pivotable wire, including a first section having a first end and a second end, a pivotable section, and a second section connected to the second end via the pivotable section, the second section having an engaging portion, wherein the first section is pivotably displaceable relative to the second section.

A surgical instrument includes a shaft and a pair of jaw members disposed on the shaft and extending from an at least partially spherical element. The jaw members are moveable in pitch and yaw relative to the center of the sphere in response to actuation forces applied to a proximal drive mechanism of the instrument. The surgical instrument may include a manually operated handle for manual input of actuation forces by a user, or it may be removably mounted to a drive component of a robotic system such that its proximal drive mechanism is operatively engaged with actuators that generate mechanical output that is transferred to the proximal drive mechanism.