ARTICULATION MECHANISMS FOR SURGICAL INSTRUMENTS SUCH AS FOR USE IN ROBOTIC SURGICAL SYSTEMS

摘要

A surgical instrument includes a housing, an articulating shaft, and an end effector assembly extending from the articulating shaft. Tensioning a first articulation cable and slackening a second articulation cable articulates the end effector assembly in a first direction and the opposite articulates the end effector assembly in a second, opposite direction. An articulation mechanism includes first and second capstans including proximal end portions of the first and second articulation cables at least partially wound thereabout. The first capstan is configured to rotate in a first direction to wind up the proximal end portion of the first articulation cable to tension the first articulation cable and in a second direction to unwind the proximal end portion of the first articulation cable to slacken the first articulation cable. The second capstan acts in an opposite manner to tension and slacken the second articulation cable.