US Patent Issued to INTUITIVE SURGICAL OPERATIONS on July 14 for "Push-pull surgical instrument end effector actuation using flexible tension member" (California Inventor)

ALEXANDRIA, Va., July 14 -- United States Patent no. 12,678,185, issued on July 14, was assigned to INTUITIVE SURGICAL OPERATIONS INC. (Sunnyvale, Calif.).

"Push-pull surgical instrument end effector actuation using flexible tension member" was invented by Nicholas Ragosta (San Jose, Calif.).

According to the abstract* released by the U.S. Patent & Trademark Office: "Surgical tools and related methods articulate an actuation rod via a flexible tension member. A surgical tool includes a proximal actuation assembly, an end effector, an instrument shaft assembly, and a flexible tension member. The instrument shaft assembly includes an instrument shaft that defines a lumen and an actuation rod assembly comprising an actuation rod that extends...