Patent attributes
A surgical instrument includes a proximal control mechanism having an instrument control surface. The instrument control surface has two openings through which two resilient latch arms can be inserted to engage a fixed latch structure contained within the proximal control mechanism. The fixed latch structure provides two lead-in ramps that force the resilient latch arms onto locking surfaces. The resilient latch arms are contained entirely within the proximal control mechanism when engaged. Inward forces can be applied to two buttons to apply an outward force on the resilient latch arms and release them from the locking surfaces of the fixed latch structure. Each of the two buttons is accessible from one of two opposite outside surfaces of the proximal control mechanism.