Ultrasonic surgical instrument with movable rigidizing member

Abstract

A surgical apparatus includes a body assembly, a shaft, an acoustic waveguide, an articulation section, an end effector, and a rigidizing member. The shaft extends distally from the body assembly and defines a longitudinal axis. The acoustic waveguide includes a flexible portion. The articulation section is coupled with the shaft. A portion of the articulation section encompasses the flexible portion of the waveguide. The articulation section includes a first member and a second member. The second member is longitudinally translatable relative to the first member. The end effector includes an ultrasonic blade in acoustic communication with the waveguide. The rigidizing member is configured to selectively engage at least a portion of the articulation section to thereby selectively provide rigidity to the articulation section.

I/We claim: 
     
         1 . An apparatus for operating on tissue, the apparatus comprising:
 (a) a body assembly;   (b) a shaft extending distally from the body assembly, wherein the shaft defines a longitudinal axis;   (c) an acoustic waveguide, wherein the waveguide comprises a flexible portion;   (d) an articulation section coupled with the shaft, wherein a portion of the articulation section encompasses the flexible portion of the waveguide, wherein the articulation section further comprises:
 (i) a first member, and 
 (ii) a second member, wherein the second member is longitudinally translatable relative to the first member; 
   (e) an end effector comprising an ultrasonic blade in acoustic communication with the waveguide; and   (f) a rigidizing member, wherein the rigidizing member is configured to selectively engage at least a portion of the articulation section to thereby selectively provide rigidity to the articulation section.   
     
     
         2 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the rigidizing member is movable relative to the shaft to selectively engage at least a portion of the articulation section. 
     
     
         3 . The apparatus of  claim 2 , wherein the rigidizing member is disposed about at least a portion of the shaft. 
     
     
         4 . The apparatus of  claim 3 , wherein the rigidizing member comprises an elongate tubular member, wherein the elongate tubular member is translatable relative to the shaft to cover at least a portion of the articulation section thereby provide rigidity to the articulation section. 
     
     
         5 . The apparatus of  claim 4 , wherein the shaft includes a distal stop member and a proximal stop member, wherein the distal stop member is configured to secure the elongate tubular member in a first longitudinal position, wherein the proximal stop member is configured to secure the elongate tubular member in a second longitudinal position, wherein the first longitudinal position of the elongate tubular member corresponds to the elongate tubular member covering at least a portion of the articulation section. 
     
     
         6 . The apparatus of  claim 4 , wherein at least a portion of the elongate tubular member extends into the body assembly, wherein the body assembly includes an rigidizing member actuation assembly, wherein the rigidizing member actuation assembly is configured to transition the elongate tubular member between a first longitudinal position and a second longitudinal position. 
     
     
         7 . The apparatus of  claim 6 , wherein the elongate tubular member is configured to provide rigidity to the articulation section when the elongate tubular member is in the second longitudinal position. 
     
     
         8 . The apparatus of  claim 3 , wherein the rigidizing member is roatatable about the shaft between a first angular position and a second angular position, wherein the rigidizing member is configured to provide rigidity to the articulation section when the rigidizing member is in the second angular position, wherein the rigidizing member is configured to permit the articulation section to flex when the rigidizing member is in the first angular position. 
     
     
         9 . The apparatus of  claim 8 , wherein the rigidizing member comprises a plurality of links, wherein each link includes at least one bending feature and at least one rigidizing feature. 
     
     
         10 . The apparatus of  claim 9 , wherein each link of the plurality of links is coupled to another link of the plurality of links, wherein each bending feature of each link is aligned along a first plane, wherein each rigidizing feature is aligned along a second plane, wherein the rigidizing member is configured to bend about the first plane, wherein the rigidizing member is configured to be rigid about the second plane. 
     
     
         11 . The apparatus of  claim 10 , wherein the first plane of the rigidizing member is aligned with an articulation plane of the articulation section when the rigidizing member is in the first position, wherein the second plane of the rigidizing member is aligned with the articulation plane of the articulation section when the rigidizing member is in the second position. 
     
     
         12 . The apparatus of  claim 8 , wherein the rigidizing member includes at least one integral tab, wherein the integral tab is configured to engage with the articulation section to prevent movement of the articulation section with the rigidizing member is in the second position. 
     
     
         13 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the rigidizing member includes a first interlocking coil and a second interlocking coil, wherein the second interlocking coil is configured to transition between a first position and a second position, wherein the second interlocking coil is at least partially separated from the first interlocking coil when the second interlocking coil is in the first position, wherein the first interlocking coil is fully interlocked with the first interlocking coil when the second interlocking coil is in the second position, wherein the rigidizing member is configured to prevent movement of the articulation section when the second interlocking coil is in the second position, wherein the rigidizing member is configured to permit the articulation section to flex when the second interlocking coil is in the first position. 
     
     
         14 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein at least a portion of the rigidizing member is disposed within at least a portion of the shaft. 
     
     
         15 . The apparatus of  claim 14 , wherein the rigidizing member is translatable within the shaft between a first longitudinal position and a second longitudinal position, wherein the rigidizing member is configured to engage with the articulation section when the rigidizing member is in the second longitudinal position, wherein the rigidizing member is configured to prevent movement of the articulation section when the rigidizing member is in the second longitudinal position. 
     
     
         16 . The apparatus of  claim 15 , wherein the body assembly includes a rigidizing member actuation assembly, wherein the rigidizing member actuation assembly is configured to transition the rigidizing member between the first longitudinal position and the second longitudinal position. 
     
     
         17 . An apparatus for operating on tissue, the apparatus comprising:
 (a) a body assembly;   (b) a shaft extending distally from the body assembly, wherein the shaft defines a longitudinal axis;   (c) an articulation section coupled with the shaft;   (d) an end effector coupled with the articulation section, wherein the end effector comprises a working element configured to engage tissue;   (e) an articulation drive assembly operable to drive articulation of the articulation section to thereby deflect the end effector from the longitudinal axis; and   (f) an rigidizing assembly, wherein the rigidizing assembly comprises at least one stiffener, wherein the stiffener is movable between a first position and a second position, wherein the stiffener is operable to rigidize the articulation section when the stiffener is in the second position, wherein the stiffener is operable to permit flexing of the articulation section when the stiffener is in the first position.   
     
     
         18 . The apparatus of  claim 17 , wherein the stiffener is disposed on an exterior of the shaft, wherein the stiffener is configured to translate along at least a portion of the shaft to transition the stiffener between the first position and the second position. 
     
     
         19 . The apparatus of  claim 17 , wherein the stiffener is disposed within at least a portion of the shaft, wherein the stiffener is configured to translate within at least a portion of the shaft to transition between the first position and the second position, wherein the stiffener is configured to engage at least a portion of the articulation section when the stiffener is in the second position. 
     
     
         20 . An apparatus for operating on tissue, the apparatus comprising:
 (a) a body assembly;   (b) a shaft extending distally from the body assembly, wherein the shaft defines a longitudinal axis;   (c) an articulation section coupled with the shaft;   (d) an end effector coupled with the articulation section;   (e) a first pair of translating members, wherein the first pair of translating members is operable to actuate the articulation section to thereby deflect the end effector from the longitudinal axis;   (f) a drive assembly in communication with the first pair of translating members, wherein the drive assembly is configured to translate the first pair of translating members to actuate the articulation section; and   (g) a rigidizing member, wherein the rigidizing member is associated with the shaft, wherein the rigidizing member is movable relative to the shaft to engage the articulation section, wherein the rigidizing member is configured to ridigize the articulation section when the rigidizing member is engaged with the articulation section.