# Testing and Calibrating Surgical Instrument Tips with Built-in Alignment Features > 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. - **Patent:** US 12733950 - **Original title:** End effector assembly, instrument, system, and method facilitating testing and/or calibration of a surgical instrument - **Granted:** 2026 - **Status:** Active - **Times cited:** 0 - **Field:** medical_devices, surgical_instruments, manufacturing, quality_control ## 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. ## The clever bit The clever bit is integrating specific "locating features" directly onto the outer sides of the end effector's clevis. This design ensures the surgical tool's tip automatically aligns correctly within a test fixture, making calibration and quality control more precise and repeatable. ## Real-world examples 1. Laparoscopic graspers 2. Robotic surgical instrument end effectors 3. Endoscopic biopsy forceps 4. Surgical stapler tips ## Why it matters Surgical instruments, especially those used in minimally invasive procedures, require extreme precision. Ensuring these instruments are properly calibrated and tested is crucial for patient safety and surgical success. This patent addresses a common challenge by making the testing process more efficient and reliable, which can reduce errors and improve surgical outcomes. ## Frequently asked questions ### What does Testing and Calibrating Surgical Instrument Tips with Built-in Alignment Features cover? 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. ### When does this patent expire? This patent is expected to expire on September 15, 2046, when the invention enters the public domain. ### What problem does this patent solve? Surgical instruments, especially those used in minimally invasive procedures, require extreme precision. Ensuring these instruments are properly calibrated and tested is crucial for patient safety and surgical success. This patent addresses a common challenge by making the testing process more efficient and reliable, which can reduce errors and improve surgical outcomes. ### What does this patent NOT cover? Does not cover the main body or handle of the surgical instrument, only the end effector assembly. **Full plain-English explainer:** https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/12733950/end-effector-assembly-instrument-system-and-method-facilitating-testing **Original patent:** https://patents.google.com/patent/US12733950 --- _Source: PatentBrief — https://patentbrief.org. Patent facts are from public records; the plain-English explanation is PatentBrief's._ ## Related patents Semantically similar inventions in the PatentBrief corpus: - [Customizing Surgical Dissectors Using 3D Printing](https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/10959744/surgical-dissectors-and-manufacturing-techniques) — This patent describes a surgical tool's working tip, called an end effector, which has two jaws whose gripping features can be custom-made using 3D printing for specific surgical needs. - [Surgical Tool with Flexible, Articulating, and Rotating End Effectors](https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/10736702/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. - [How a Robotic Surgical Tool Clamps Tissue Manually and Automatically](https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/11786761/ultrasonic-robotic-tool-actuation) — This patent describes a surgical tool for robotic operations that can clamp tissue using a motor-driven yoke, but also allows a surgeon to manually control the clamping action. - [Connecting Surgical Tools with Rotational-to-Linear Motion Adapters](https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/12733934/adapter-extension-and-connector-assemblies-for-surgical-devices) — This patent describes a system for connecting surgical tools, specifically an end effector to an electrosurgical instrument, by converting rotational motion into linear motion for precise control. - [How Surgical Tools Give Haptic Feedback Near Operation Limits](https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/12402879/surgical-instrument-having-force-feedback-capabilities) — This patent describes a surgical instrument that uses a motor to move a tool, continuously tracking its position and providing a tactile vibration or haptic feedback to the surgeon as the tool approaches the end of its movement, improving precision and safety.