A motorized surgical instrument is provided. The surgical instrument includes a displacement member. A motor is coupled to the displacement member. A control circuit is coupled to the motor. A position sensor is coupled to the control circuit. A timer circuit is coupled to the control circuit to measure elapsed time. The control circuit is configured to receive the position of the displacement member from the position sensor, receive elapsed time from the timer circuit, and control velocity of the motor based on the position of the displacement member and the elapsed time. A method of controlling motor velocity of the surgical instrument also is disclosed.

A motorized surgical instrument is disclosed. The surgical instrument includes a displacement member configured to translate within the surgical instrument, a motor coupled to the displacement member to translate the displacement member, a sensor configured to sense a thickness of a tissue grasped by an end effector, and a control circuit coupled to the motor and the sensor. The control circuit is configured to retrieve an expected thickness of the tissue, determine the thickness of the tissue via the sensor, and set a duty cycle for driving the motor. The duty cycle corresponds to the thickness of the tissue relative to the expected thickness of the tissue.

A motorized surgical instrument is disclosed. The surgical instrument includes a displacement member, a motor coupled to the displacement member, a display, and a control circuit coupled to the motor and the display. The control circuit is configured to measure distance traveled by the displacement member over a predetermined period of time, cause the display to present a selection menu indicia that is indicative of a velocity mode, receive a user input corresponding to the velocity mode, and set the motor velocity of the displacement member based on the measured distance traveled by the displacement member over the predetermined period of time and the user input.

A motorized surgical instrument is disclosed. The surgical instrument includes a control circuit configured to control the movement of an end effector. If the end effector moves outside a predetermined desired position, the control circuit may activate the energized condition of the motor to move the end effector back to the desired position. When the end effector is in the desired position, the control circuit may engage the de-energized condition of the motor and engage an electromagnetic lock.

A motorized surgical instrument is disclosed. The surgical instrument includes a displacement member, a motor coupled to the displacement member, a control circuit coupled to the motor, and a position sensor coupled to the control circuit. The control circuit is configured to determine a velocity of the displacement member via the position sensor, and cause the display to present an indicia that is indicative of the velocity of the displacement member, wherein a portion of the display occupied by the indicia corresponds to the velocity of the displacement member.

A method of controlling motor velocity in a surgical instrument is disclosed. The surgical instrument includes a displacement member, a motor coupled to the displacement member, a control circuit coupled to the motor, a position sensor coupled to the control circuit, and a timer coupled to the control circuit. The method includes receiving a first position of a displacement member from a position sensor, starting a timer, advancing the displacement member to a second position by setting a motor velocity to a first velocity, receiving the second position from the position sensor, stopping the timer when the displacement member reaches the second position, receiving elapsed time from the timer, wherein the elapsed time is the time taken by the displacement to move from the first position to the second position, and controlling, by the control circuit, velocity of the motor based on the elapsed time.

A motorized surgical instrument is disclosed. The surgical instrument includes a displacement member, a motor coupled to the displacement member, the motor operable to translate the displacement member, a control circuit coupled to the motor, and a position sensor coupled to the control circuit. The control circuit is configured to receive a position output of the position sensor indicative of at least one position of the displacement member and control velocity of the motor to translate the displacement member at a plurality of velocities corresponding to the position output. Each of the plurality of velocities is maintained in a predetermined zone.

A motorized surgical instrument is disclosed. The surgical instrument includes a displacement member movable between a first position and a second position to effect a motion at an end effector, a motor coupled to the displacement member, the motor configured to drive the displacement member between the first position and the second position, and a control circuit coupled to the motor. The control circuit is configured to receive a signal indicative of force from a sensor, the signal indicative of the force applied by a closure tube to the end effector, determine a closure force applied by the closure tube to the end effector; determine whether the closure force is within a threshold of an expected closure force, and set a motor velocity to drive the motor at a velocity that corresponds to the closure force relative to the expected force.

An end effector for a surgical stapling apparatus includes a cartridge assembly and an anvil assembly. The cartridge assembly includes a cartridge channel supporting a reload. The cartridge assembly can include a cartridge channel that supports the reload. The cartridge assembly can include a hinge assembly that pivotally couples to the cartridge channel.

Surgical instruments that have an articulation joint and an axially movable firing member. A constant velocity drive shaft assembly spans the articulation joint and is configured to apply rotary drive motions to flexible drive members interfacing with the firing member. The articulation joint consists of a movable exoskeleton that consists of a series of movably interfacing annular rib members that form a passage for receiving the constant velocity drive shaft assembly therethrough.