{
  "patent_number": "US 12733950",
  "country": "US",
  "title": "Testing and Calibrating Surgical Instrument Tips with Built-in Alignment Features",
  "original_title": "End effector assembly, instrument, system, and method facilitating testing and/or calibration of a surgical instrument",
  "summary": "This patent describes a special design for the tip of a surgical tool, called an end effector, that includes features to help correctly position it for testing and calibration.",
  "what_it_does": "The abstract describes an end effector assembly of a surgical instrument, which is the working tip of the tool. This assembly includes a clevis, a U-shaped part, that supports first and second jaw members. At least one jaw is movable to grasp tissue. Crucially, the clevis features \"first and second locating features on outwardly-facings sides of the first and second spaced-apart arms.\" These features are specifically \"configured to facilitate engagement and alignment of the end effector assembly within a test fixture.\" For example, when a manufacturer needs to verify the gripping strength of a laparoscopic grasper, these built-in features ensure the grasper's tip snaps into the correct position in the testing machine, making the calibration process precise and repeatable.",
  "what_it_does_not_cover": [
    "Does not cover the main body or handle of the surgical instrument, only the end effector assembly.",
    "Does not cover the design of the test fixture itself, only the features on the end effector that interact with it.",
    "Does not cover end effector assemblies that lack specific locating features on the outwardly-facing sides of the clevis arms.",
    "Does not cover end effectors where the jaw members are not movable relative to the clevis.",
    "Does not cover the actual methods or processes used for testing and calibration, only the structural facilitation."
  ],
  "filed": "2022-12-05",
  "granted": "2026-09-15",
  "expires": null,
  "status": "active",
  "holder": null,
  "holder_url": null,
  "inventors": [],
  "times_cited": 0,
  "tags": [
    "medical_devices",
    "surgical_instruments",
    "manufacturing",
    "quality_control"
  ],
  "abstract": "An end effector assembly of a surgical instrument includes a clevis defining a longitudinal axis and including first and second arms spaced-apart relative to one another and first and second jaw members supported by the clevis. At least one of the jaw members is movable relative to the other and the clevis between a spaced-apart position and an approximated position for grasping tissue between the jaw members. The clevis includes first and second locating features on outwardly-facings sides of the first and second spaced-apart arms, respectively. The first and second locating features are configured to facilitate engagement and alignment of the end effector assembly within a test fixture.",
  "url": "https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/12733950/end-effector-assembly-instrument-system-and-method-facilitating-testing",
  "markdown_url": "https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/12733950/end-effector-assembly-instrument-system-and-method-facilitating-testing/md",
  "google_patents_url": "https://patents.google.com/patent/US12733950",
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}