FLEXIBLE DRIVE ELEMENT Russian patent published in 2018 - IPC A61B17/72 A61B17/29 

FIELD: medicine.

SUBSTANCE: surgical instrument contains a rod, an end effector and a trigger actuator. The trigger actuator comprises a rotating primary shaft and a flexible secondary shaft. The rotating primary shaft comprises a threaded transfer portion. The primary shaft can rotate in the first direction and in the second direction. The flexible secondary shaft comprises a thread operatively engaged with the threaded transfer portion. The flexible secondary shaft contains a longitudinal axis. The flexible secondary shaft is limited in rotation around the longitudinal axis. The rotating primary shaft is adapted to move the flexible secondary shaft to the end effector when the rotating primary shaft is rotated in the first direction. The rotating primary shaft is adapted to move the flexible secondary shaft from the end effector when the rotating primary shaft rotates in the second direction. The flexible secondary shaft comprises a housing, the thread comprises a spring including a plurality of turns. The housing passes through the plurality of turns. In the second embodiment, the above surgical instrument comprises a rod, an end effector, a hinge joint, and a trigger actuator. The end effector comprises a movable cutting member. The end effector is movable relative to the rod around the hinge joint. The flexible secondary shaft is functionally engaged with the cutting member. The flexible secondary shaft comprises a flexible body including a proximal end, a distal end, a plurality of interconnected portions of the grid and a thread. The plurality of interconnected portions of the grid passes between the proximal end and the distal end. The thread is designed to limit the external movement of the plurality of interconnected portions of the grid. The rotating primary shaft is adapted to move the flexible secondary shaft to the end effector when the rotating primary shaft is rotated in the first direction. The flexible body contains a longitudinal hole extending through it. The flexible secondary shaft comprises a flexible core extending through the longitudinal hole. The flexible core is adapted to restrict the internal movement of the said plurality of interconnected portions of the grid. In the third embodiment, the above surgical instrument comprises a rod, an end effector, a hinge joint, and a trigger actuator. The end effector is movable relative to the rod around the hinge joint. The trigger actuator comprises a rotating primary shaft system and a flexible secondary shaft. The rotating primary shaft system comprises a threaded transfer portion. The primary shaft system rotates in the first direction and in the second direction. The flexible secondary shaft contains a housing and a thread. The housing contains many characteristic hinge joints. The flexible secondary shaft is limited in rotation around the longitudinal axis. The rotating primary shaft system is adapted to move the flexible secondary shaft to the end effector when the rotating primary shaft system is rotated in the first direction. The rotating primary shaft system is adapted to move the flexible secondary shaft from the end effector when the rotating primary shaft system is rotated in the second direction. The characteristic hinge joints are micro-ring connecting segments containing a plurality of laser-cut shapes.

EFFECT: application of the group of inventions will allow to develop a range of efforts necessary for efficient tissue cutting and suturing.

18 cl, 168 dwg