US Patent Issued to INTUITIVE SURGICAL OPERATIONS on July 15 for "Stapler with composite cardan and screw drive" (California Inventor)

ALEXANDRIA, Va., July 16 -- United States Patent no. 12,359,696, issued on July 15, was assigned to INTUITIVE SURGICAL OPERATIONS INC. (Sunnyvale, Calif.).

"Stapler with composite cardan and screw drive" was invented by Matthew A. Wixey (San Jose, Calif.).

According to the abstract* released by the U.S. Patent & Trademark Office: "A universal double joint is provided comprising: a drive rotatable bearing having a first spherical surface formed of a plastic material; a proximal metal cross pin configured to receive an imparted drive force and to impart the imparted drive force to the first rotatable bearing; a driven rotatable bearing having a second spherical surface formed of a plastic material; and a distal metal cross pin configured to...