A surgical instrument with separate closure and firing systems for applying closure and firing motions. In one form, the surgical instrument includes a hollow closure member and a firing member. The hollow closure member is configured to move axially between an unactuated position and closure positions. The firing member is supported for axial travel between a starting position in the hollow closure member and an ending position in the surgical end effector. The closure system is configured to apply closure actuation motions to the hollow closure member. The firing system is configured to apply a firing motion to the firing member in order to move the firing member from the starting position to the ending position.

A surgical instrument is disclosed comprising a cartridge jaw and a series of windows in the cartridge jaw configured to permit a clinician to observe the firing progress of the surgical instrument.

A control circuit of a surgical device is disclosed. The control circuit includes a first circuit portion coupled to at least one switch operable between an open state and a closed state. The first circuit portion communicates with a surgical generator over a conductor pair to receive a control signal to determine a state of the at least one switch.

A control circuit is disclosed that comprises a resistor and a switch network. The switch network is configured to transition between a plurality of states corresponding to a plurality of operational modes of a surgical instrument. In a first phase of a control signal, the control circuit is configured to communicate surgical instrument information to a surgical generator. In the second phase of the control signal and when the at least one switch of the switch network is in a first state of the plurality of states, the control circuit is configured to provide an output corresponding to one of the plurality of states. In the second phase of the control signal and when the at least one switch of the switch network is in a second state of the plurality of states, the control circuit is configured to provide a second output.

A surgical instrument that includes a first jaw and a second jaw that is coupled to the first jaw for selective pivotal travel relative thereto between a fully open position and a fully closed position. A closure member is configured to apply closure motions to the second jaw as the closure member is axially movable in a distal direction from a starting position corresponding to the fully open position of the second jaw to an ending position corresponding to the fully closed position of the second jaw. The closure member is configured to move distally from the starting position through an initial predetermined axial closure distance before applying the closure motion to the second jaw.

A closure member for applying a closure motion to a movable jaw of a surgical instrument. In at least one form, the closure member comprises a closure body that defines an outer surface and an inner surface. The closure body further defines an upper portion that comprises an upper wall thickness between the outer and inner surfaces and a lower portion that comprises a lower wall thickness between the outer and inner surfaces. The upper wall thickness differs from the lower wall thickness. A cam surface is formed on the upper portion for selective camming contact with a portion of the movable jaw.

A surgical clamping device is disclosed, having a first clamp jaw and a second clamp jaw, each having one or more channels configured for receiving suture for reliably securing the clamp jaws to maintain a clamping pressure during a surgical procedure, as well as to reliably and releasably secure the clamp jaws onto the introducer shaft of the clamping device. Also described are clamp jaws having one or more actuator interfaces and alignment guides configured for reversible and slidable engagement with an actuator at the end of an articulating introducer shaft. Also described are various features of clamp jaws for use with a surgical clamping device. Also disclosed is a surgical clamping device having detachable, pivotable first and second clamp jaws releasably held on pivotable fingers at a proximal end of an articulating introducer shaft. Related methods of surgical clamping procedures are also disclosed.

A surgical tool assembly that includes a elongate shaft assembly that defines a shaft axis. A surgical end effector is movably coupled to the elongate shaft assembly by a distal support link that is pivotally coupled to the surgical end effector to define an articulation axis that is transverse to the shaft axis. The distal support link is pivotally and axially movably coupled to the elongate shaft assembly to facilitate selective articulation of the surgical end effector relative to the elongate shaft assembly about the articulation axis between a first unarticulated position and articulation position located on one side of the shaft axis.

A surgical instrument, comprising an articulatable end effector that is selectively articulatable about an articulation axis. The end effector comprises first and second jaws wherein the second jaw is pivotable relative to the first jaw about a jaw pivot axis. The instrument includes an axially movably firing member that includes at least one jaw engagement feature that is configured to apply a closure motion to the second end effector jaw as the axially movable firing member is moved from a starting position to an end position within the first end effector jaw. Each jaw engagement feature is configured such that a portion thereof is positioned between the jaw pivot axis and the articulation axis when the axially movable firing member is in the starting position.

A surgical instrument that includes a surgical end effector that is articulatable relative to an elongate shaft. The end effector includes a first jaw and a second jaw. The second jaw is movable between an open position and closed positions when a closure member is moved in a closing direction. An articulation lock is configured to move from a locked configuration wherein the end effector is prevented from articulating and an unlocked configuration wherein the end effector is articulatable. The articulation lock is configured to move from the locked configuration to the unlocked configuration when the closure member is moved from the open position in the closing direction.