Various exemplary systems, devices, and methods are provided for resisting torque in articulating surgical tools. In general, a surgical tool can include an elongate shaft having at a distal end thereof an end effector configured to engage tissue. The end effector can be configured to articulate relative to the elongate shaft. The surgical tool can include a cutting element configured to translate longitudinally along the end effector to cut the engaged tissue. When the end effector is articulated, the longitudinal translation of the cutting element along the end effector exerts a torque force on the end effector that urges the end effector away from its current angled orientation. The surgical tool can be configured to have a corrective tension or force applied thereto that counteracts the torque force.

A surgical instrument includes an end effector having a clamp arm pivotable relative to an ultrasonic blade, an articulation section configured to deflect the end effector, an acoustic waveguide having a distal portion extending along an axis, a clamp arm closure assembly comprising a body configured to actuate in order to drive the pivoting of the clamp arm, and a clamp arm clocking assembly. The clamp arm clocking assembly is capable of driving rotation of the clamp arm about the axis relative to the ultrasonic blade between a first clocked position and a second clocked position. The clamp arm clocking assembly includes a rotating body pivotally coupled with the clamp arm, a translating drive extending through the articulation section, and a rotation driver assembly. The rotation driver is in communication with the translating driver in order to convert translational motion of the translating driver into rotational motion of the rotating body.

A surgical instrument includes a shaft assembly and an articulation control assembly. The shaft assembly includes an articulation section. The distal end of the shaft assembly is configured to receive an end effector. The articulation section is configured to deflect the end effector from the longitudinal axis. The articulation control assembly includes a first articulation control member, a second articulation control member, and a transmission assembly. The transmission assembly includes a high ratio drive and a low ratio drive. The high ratio drive is configured to drive the articulation section to deflect the end effector at a high rate of articulation in response to actuation of the first articulation control member. The low ratio drive is configured to drive the articulation section to deflect the end effector at a low rate of articulation in response to actuation of the second articulation control member.

Various exemplary systems, devices, and methods are provided for resisting torque in articulating surgical tools. In general, a surgical tool can include an elongate shaft having at a distal end thereof an end effector configured to engage tissue. The end effector can be configured to articulate relative to the elongate shaft. The surgical tool can include a cutting element configured to translate longitudinally along the end effector to cut the engaged tissue. When the end effector is articulated, the longitudinal translation of the cutting element along the end effector exerts a torque force on the end effector that urges the end effector away from its current angled orientation. The surgical tool can be configured to have a corrective tension or force applied thereto that counteracts the torque force.

An articulating ultrasonic surgical end effector includes a clevis, a transducer housing pivotably coupled to the clevis, an ultrasonic transducer disposed within the transducer housing, a waveguide extending distally from the ultrasonic transducer, an ultrasonic blade disposed at the distal end of the waveguide, a shaft extending distally from the transducer housing about at least a portion of the ultrasonic blade, and a clamp arm pivotably coupled to the shaft and movable relative to the ultrasonic blade between an open position and a clamping position. Ultrasonic energy produced by the ultrasonic transducer is transmitted along the waveguide to the ultrasonic blade for treating tissue therewith.

A surgical instrument includes a body, a shaft assembly, and an end effector. The shaft assembly extends distally from the body. The end effector is located at a distal end portion of the shaft assembly. The end effector includes an active feature configured to operate on tissue. The body includes a drive feature operable to drive the active feature of the end effector. The body is removably coupled with the shaft assembly in a connected state and separated from the shaft assembly in a disconnected state. The body includes a drive feature configured to drive operation of the active feature of the effector. The drive feature includes at least one of an ultrasonic drive feature or a mechanical drive feature. A proximal end portion of the shaft assembly is configured to be removed from the body to separate the at least one activation feature from the drive feature.

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.

An ultrasonic surgical instrument is disclosed including an end effector and a handle assembly. The end effector includes an ultrasonic blade and a clamp arm movable relative to the ultrasonic blade between an open position and a closed position. The handle assembly includes a handle comprising a pivot pin, a trigger pivotable relative to the handle about the pivot pin, and a yoke operably coupled to the trigger. The yoke is longitudinally movable between a proximal position and a distal position based on pivotable movement of the trigger relative to the handle. The yoke defines an opening. The pivot pin extends into the opening. The opening defines an actuator travel stop configured to contact the pivot pin to prevent overtravel of the trigger.

A surgical instrument comprising a waveguide, an end effector, and an electrical switch is disclosed. The waveguide comprises a proximal end and a distal end, wherein the proximal end is configured to couple to an ultrasonic transducer and one output of a radio frequency (RF) generator. The end effector may comprise an ultrasonic blade and a clamp arm. The ultrasonic blade is mechanically coupled to the distal end of the waveguide and electrically coupled to the waveguide. The clamp arm comprises a movable jaw member electrically coupled to another output of the RF generator. The electrical switch is operable to cause the surgical instrument to deliver electrical current from the RF generator to the movable jaw member for a first period, and to cause the surgical instrument to deliver ultrasonic energy to the ultrasonic blade for a second period.

Various systems and methods for determining the state of an end effector of an ultrasonic surgical instrument are disclosed. A control circuit can be configured to measure a complex impedance of an ultrasonic electromechanical system including an ultrasonic blade and compare the measured complex impedance to reference complex impedance patterns that each correspond to a state of the end effector. Accordingly, the control circuit can further be configured to determine the state of the end effector according to which of the plurality of reference complex impedance patterns the measured complex impedance corresponds.