Surgical Tool with Flexible, Articulating, and Rotating End Effectors
This patent describes a surgical tool with a flexible tip that can bend in multiple directions and also twist, allowing surgeons to precisely control instruments like graspers and cutters inside the body.
Original patent title: “Activating and rotating surgical end effectors”
This patent describes a surgical tool with a flexible tip that can bend in multiple directions and also twist, allowing surgeons to precisely control instruments like graspers and cutters inside the body. Granted to Ethicon in 2020 with 22 claims and 207 forward citations, and it is expected to expire in 2036.
Coverage
What does this patent actually cover?
The surgical tool features an elongate shaft with an end effector, such as jaws for grasping tissue, at its tip. A multi-axis articulation joint connects the shaft and end effector, allowing the tip to bend in various directions (ClaimclaimA numbered sentence at the end of a patent that legally defines what the inventor owns. The most important section.Read more → 1). Inside, a flexible torque transmission tube, part of a first rotary driver, extends through this joint to open and close the jaws (Claim 1). A linear pull cable runs inside this tube, also helping to move the jaws (Claim 1). The tool can also include a second rotary driver to advance a cutting element (Claim 3) and a rotation shaft to twist the end effector around its own axis (Claim 6), providing highly versatile movement for complex surgical tasks.
The gap
What does this patent NOT cover?
- Does not cover surgical tools where the end effector cannot articulate in multiple axes relative to the shaft.
- Does not cover tools where the jaw-actuating rotary driver does not use a flexible torque transmission tube extending through the joint.
- Does not cover tools where the linear pull cable for jaw movement is not at least partially within the flexible torque transmission tube.
- Does not cover tools that articulate but lack the ability to rotate the end effector distal to the multi-axis articulation joint.
- Does not cover simple laparoscopic tools that only articulate in a single plane or lack a rotary driver for jaw actuation.
These exclusions are unique to PatentBrief — derived from the actual claim language, not patent-office boilerplate.
Key facts
What made this novel
The core innovation lies in efficiently routing both rotational power for jaw actuation and linear force for jaw movement through a flexible multi-axis joint. This is achieved by nesting a linear pull cable inside a flexible torque transmission tube, allowing both functions to pass through the bending joint without interfering with articulation.
The Patent Drawing
Schematic visualization of the patent's claim structure. Hand-drawn diagrams in progress for each landmark patent.
Where you've seen this
Real-world examples
Da Vinci Surgical System instruments
Ethicon ECHELON CIRCULAR Powered Stapler
Advanced laparoscopic surgical instruments
Robotic-assisted surgical platforms
Articulating endoscopic tools
Why it matters
The bigger picture
This patent addresses a key challenge in minimally invasive surgery: providing instruments with enough dexterity to operate in confined spaces. By combining multi-axis articulation with rotation and flexible drive mechanisms, it enables surgeons to perform more complex procedures through small incisions. This technology is fundamental to advanced robotic and laparoscopic surgical systems, improving precision and patient outcomes.
Filed
August 16, 2016
Granted
August 11, 2020
Market context
Who's building on this
Companies in this space
Ethicon LLC, as the assigneeassigneeThe entity that owns the patent — usually the inventor's employer or a company.Read more →, continues to develop and integrate these types of advanced articulation and rotation capabilities into their surgical instruments, particularly within their robotic and powered stapling platforms. Other major medical device companies like Medtronic and Intuitive Surgical also innovate in similar areas for their robotic surgery systems, building on the broader concepts of flexible, multi-axis instrument control.
Market impact
This patent contributes to the ongoing evolution of minimally invasive and robotic surgery, enabling the creation of more sophisticated and dexterous surgical tools. It supports the development of instruments that can reach difficult-to-access anatomical sites, potentially reducing surgical trauma and recovery times. The technology helps drive the market for advanced surgical robotics and powered instruments, which are increasingly becoming standard in complex procedures.
Claim 1 — Plain English
What this patent covers
The surgical tool features an elongate shaft with an end effector, such as jaws for grasping tissue, at its tip. A multi-axis articulation joint connects the shaft and end effector, allowing the tip to bend in various directions (Claim 1). Inside, a flexible torque transmission tube, part of a first rotary driver, extends through this joint to open and close the jaws (Claim 1). A linear pull cable runs inside this tube, also helping to move the jaws (Claim 1). The tool can also include a second rotary driver to advance a cutting element (Claim 3) and a rotation shaft to twist the end effector around its own axis (Claim 6), providing highly versatile movement for complex surgical tasks.
The clever bit
The core innovation lies in efficiently routing both rotational power for jaw actuation and linear force for jaw movement through a flexible multi-axis joint. This is achieved by nesting a linear pull cable inside a flexible torque transmission tube, allowing both functions to pass through the bending joint without interfering with articulation.
What it does not cover
- Does not cover surgical tools where the end effector cannot articulate in multiple axes relative to the shaft.
- Does not cover tools where the jaw-actuating rotary driver does not use a flexible torque transmission tube extending through the joint.
- Does not cover tools where the linear pull cable for jaw movement is not at least partially within the flexible torque transmission tube.
- Does not cover tools that articulate but lack the ability to rotate the end effector distal to the multi-axis articulation joint.
- Does not cover simple laparoscopic tools that only articulate in a single plane or lack a rotary driver for jaw actuation.
Patent timeline
Application submitted to the patent office
Application published, typically 18 months after filing
Patent officially issued
Patent enters public domain
PatentBrief Score
Impact Score
Strong
Citation count
40/40
Highly cited
Claim breadth
15/20
Broad claimsclaimsThe numbered statements at the end of a patent that legally define what the inventor owns.Read more →
Recency
10/20
Granted 5–10 years ago
Assignee scale
0/20
Independent or smaller assigneeassigneeThe entity that owns the patent — usually the inventor's employer or a company.Read more →
PatentBrief Impact Score — based on citation count, claim breadth, recency, and assignee scale. Not a legal assessment.
Heuristic Value Estimate
What this patent might be worth
$1.1M – $3.4M
Midpoint $2.1M · 9.9 yr remaining · industry ×2.2
Heuristic only — blends forward/backward citation counts, claim scope, time remaining, litigation history, and CPC-derived industry baseline. Real valuations need a professional appraisal.
Claim text not yet imported for this patent
The original legal language
Original claims
22 claims as filed with the patent office.
Concepts involved
Citations
Patent lineage
Cite this patent
IV, F. E. S., Scheib, C. J., Harris, J. L., & Vendely, M. J. (2020). Surgical Tool with Flexible, Articulating, and Rotating End Effectors (U.S. Patent No. 10,736,702). U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/10736702/activating-and-rotating-surgical-end-effectors
Auto-generated from the patent record. Double-check author order and the issue date against the official USPTO document before submitting.
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Common Questions
Frequently Asked Questions
What does Surgical Tool with Flexible, Articulating, and Rotating End Effectors cover?
This patent describes a surgical tool with a flexible tip that can bend in multiple directions and also twist, allowing surgeons to precisely control instruments like graspers and cutters inside the body.
Who owns patent US 10736702?
Ethicon owns this patent, granted in 2020.
When does this patent expire?
This patent is expected to expire on August 16, 2036, when the invention enters the public domain.
What is patent US 10736702 cited by?
This patent has been cited by 207 later patents that build on its ideas.
What problem does this patent solve?
This patent addresses a key challenge in minimally invasive surgery: providing instruments with enough dexterity to operate in confined spaces. By combining multi-axis articulation with rotation and flexible drive mechanisms, it enables surgeons to perform more complex procedures through small incisions. This technology is fundamental to advanced robotic and laparoscopic surgical systems, improving precision and patient outcomes.
What does this patent NOT cover?
Does not cover surgical tools where the end effector cannot articulate in multiple axes relative to the shaft.
Same assignee
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