A surgical end effector may comprise first and second jaw members. The second jaw member may comprise an offset proximal supply electrode that is positioned to contact an opposing member of the first jaw member when the first and second jaw members are in the closed position. The second jaw member may also comprise a distal supply electrode that is positioned distal of the offset proximal electrode and is aligned with a conductive surface of the first jaw member when the first and second jaw members are in the closed position. When the first and second jaw members are in the closed position, the proximal supply electrode may be in contact with the opposing member and the distal supply electrode is not in contact with the conductive surface of the first jaw member.

Knuckle joint assembly for a medical device support system. The knuckle joint assembly includes a cartridge assembly that includes a cartridge housing and a rotary bearing. The cartridge housing includes a bore having a central axis and a bearing mount in the bore. The rotary bearing is press fitted in the bearing mount and configured to receive axially therethrough a spindle to rotatably support the spindle about the central axis. The knuckle joint assembly includes a retaining clip and a retaining pin. The retaining clip is selectively movable to disengage and engage a groove in a spindle to respectively support or release the spindle along a central axis. The retaining pin is movable between a first position to allow movement of the retaining clip between positions but prevent removal of the retaining clip, and a second position to block movement of the retaining clip from the engaged position.

A medical device support system adapter for connection to a load balancing arm of a medical device support system. The adapter includes a body having a central axis, a connection component at one end of the body and an interface at an opposite end of the body. The body is rotatably connectable to another component of the medical device support system. The interface is connectable to a hub of the load balancing arm of the medical device support system. The interface has at least two mounting bolt holes equally angularly spaced apart about the central axis such that the body is connectable to the hub of the load balancing arm in at least two different angular positions of the body about the central axis.

A support arm for a medical device support system. The support arm includes a proximal hub, a distal hub, and an intermediate beam between the proximal hub and the distal hub. The intermediate beam having a cavity. A tension member extends through the cavity of the intermediate beam and is secured at opposite ends to the proximal hub and the distal hub to secure the proximal hub, the distal hub, and the intermediate beam together.

A load balancing arm for a medical device support system. The load balancing arm includes a proximal hub, an adjustable bearing element, a support arm, a spring and a link. A distal end of the support arm is configured to support a medical device load and a proximal end is pivotably mounted to a main bearing element for pivotable movement about a main pivot axis. The spring extends within a cavity of the support arm and is mounted to exert a biasing force between the main pivot axis and a distal end of the spring. The link has a proximal end pivotably mounted to the adjustable bearing element for pivotable movement about an adjustable pivot axis, and a distal end pivotably mounted to the distal end of the spring such that the biasing force exerted by the spring is transmitted through the link to the adjustable bearing element.

The invention relates to a device for guiding a medical flexible shaft, in particular an endoscope shaft, to a body into which the shaft is to be inserted. The device includes a length-variable bridging device and a shaft receptacle connected to the bridging device for fixing the shaft to the bridging device. The bridging device prevents a vibration of the shaft at least at the bodily insertion orifice. The invention also relates to a medical endoscopy system comprising such a device. In addition, the invention relates to a medical endoscopy robot system including an endoscopy system of this kind. Lastly, the invention relates to a method for guiding a medical flexible shaft, in particular an endoscope shaft, to a receiving body. In accordance with the method the shaft tip is moved forwards and/or backwards to the receiving body.

A curved scissor linkage mechanism (1) includes at least four linkage elements (2) each having a first end (3) and a second end (4). The linkage elements are arranged to form sides of one or more rhombi or parallelograms. Each linkage element is rotationally connected to another linkage elements via a revolute joint (5) at the first end and is rotationally connected to another one of the other linkage elements via another revolute joint at the second end. The linkage elements are configured so that the axes of each joint coincide at one common remote centre of motion. The mechanism is connectable to a first external member (7) at a proximal end and is rotationally connectable to a second external member (9) at an opposite distal end to obtain three DOFs. The scissor linkage mechanism may further include a motion controlling mechanism.

A surgical system comprising an RF energy source, a first cartridge including a first electrode, a second cartridge including fasteners and fastener drivers, and a surgical instrument is disclosed. The surgical instrument comprises a shaft, a drive member, and an end effector articulable relative to the shaft. The end effector comprises an anvil and an elongate channel selectively and interchangeably attachable to either one of the first cartridge and the second cartridge. The anvil comprises a second electrode configured to cooperate with the first electrode to deliver RF energy, and anvil pockets configured to cooperate with the fastener drivers to form the fasteners. The first cartridge completes an RF energy circuit connecting the RF energy source to the first electrode when attached to the elongate channel. The fastener drivers are configured to be driven by the drive member when the second cartridge is attached to the elongate channel.

A remote control apparatus according to one or more embodiments includes a manipulator that supports surgical equipment; a display configured to display an image captured by an endoscopy; a display supporting arm that includes a joint and a locking mechanism and supports the display, the locking mechanism is configured to lock the joint; an operation handle that allows an operator to operate the manipulator; and an unlocking mechanism configured, in response to an operation by the operator, to unlock the locked joint of the display supporting arm.

Method and system allowing more accurate detection and identification of unwanted arcing include novel processing of signal voltage representing recovered power-line current. In one implementation, arc-faults are detected based on numerical analysis where individual cycles of line voltage and current are observed and data collected during each cycle is processed to estimate likelihood of presence of arc-event within each individual cycle based on pre-defined number of arc-events occurring within pre-defined number of contiguous cycles. In another implementation, fast transient current spikes detection can be done by: computing difference values between consecutive line-current samples collected over a cycle, average of differences, and peak-to-peak value of line-current; comparing each difference value to average of difference; comparing each difference value to peak-to-peak value; and, based on calculation of composite of two comparisons, using thresholds to determine if arcing is present within processed cycle.