Endoscopic reposable surgical clip applier

• US 10,159,491 B2
• Filed: 01/20/2016
• Issued: 12/25/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 03/10/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Covidien LP (Medtronic Plc)
• Original Assignee: Covidien LP (Medtronic Plc)
• Inventors: Gokharu, Rajkumar
• Primary Examiner(s): Tyson, Melanie
• Application Number:
  US15/001,633
• Publication Number:
  US 20160262764A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,070 Days
• Field of Search: 606142, 606143
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/105 Wound clamp magazines for packaging sharps A61B50/3001
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/1222 Packages or dispensers therefor clip magazines incorporated in a clip-applying instrument A61B17/128; for surgical articles A61B50/30
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/1285 for minimally invasive surgery
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/0046 with a releasable handle; with handle and operating part separable for prosthetic joint-implanting tools A61F2/4603
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/12004 for haemostasis, for prevention of bleeding
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/2922 toggle linkages

Abstract

A surgical clip applier is provided and includes a handle assembly and an endoscopic assembly selectively connectable to a housing of the handle assembly. The handle assembly includes a housing, a trigger pivotally supported on and extending from the housing, and a drive assembly supported within the housing and operatively actuatable by the trigger. The endoscopic assembly includes a shaft assembly extending from the housing, the shaft assembly including an outer tube and a pair of jaws supported in and extending from a distal end of the outer tube.

Claims

1. A surgical clip applier, comprising:

a handle assembly including;

a housing;

a trigger pivotally supported on and extending from the housing; and

a drive assembly supported within the housing and operatively actuatable by the trigger, the drive assembly including;

at least one linkage connected to the trigger, the at least one linkage slidably supported in the housing;

a guide block slidably supported in the housing, the guide block operatively connected to the trigger;

a clip pusher bar slidably supported in the guide block, the clip pusher bar including a flange at a proximal end thereof and configured for distal translation to advance a surgical clip;

a toggle distal of the flange of the clip pusher bar, the toggle actuatable between a first position and a second position and configured to limit the distal translation of the clip pusher bar when the toggle is in the first position; and

a push rod supported in the housing, the push rod engageable by the at least one linkage to actuate the toggle between the first position and the second position; and

an endoscopic assembly extending distally from the housing of the handle assembly, the endoscopic assembly including;

a shaft assembly extending from the housing, the shaft assembly including an outer tube; and

a pair of jaws supported in and extending from a distal end of the outer tube, wherein when the toggle of the handle assembly is in the second position, the pair of jaws are free to form the surgical clip on tissue.

2. The surgical clip applier according to claim 1, wherein the at least one linkage includes a first end and a second end, the first end of the linkage being pivotably connected to the trigger and the second end of the linkage being pivotably connected to the guide block such that actuation of the trigger translates the guide block proximally.

3. The surgical clip applier according to claim 2, wherein the first end of the at least one linkage and the trigger are slidably coupled to a slot defined in the housing such that upon actuation of the trigger, the first end of the at least one linkage rides along the slot.

4. The surgical clip applier according to claim 3, wherein as the first end of the at least one linkage rides along the slot, the at least one linkage exerts a force on the push rod such that the push rod translates proximally to exert a force on the toggle to actuate the toggle from the first position to the second position.

5. The surgical clip applier according to claim 1, wherein the toggle is spring loaded and includes a bias such that the toggle abuts the flange in the first position.

6. The surgical clip applier according to claim 5, wherein the drive assembly further includes a biasing member acting on the clip pusher bar to urge the clip pusher bar in a distal direction.

7. The surgical clip applier according to claim 6, wherein a force exerted by the bias of the toggle is greater than a force exerted by the biasing member acting on the clip pusher bar such that the biasing member is unable to push the flange past the toggle when the toggle is in the first position.

8. The surgical clip applier according to claim 7, wherein in the second position, the biasing member acts on the clip pusher bar to urge the clip pusher bar distally until the flange thereof abuts the guide block.

9. The surgical clip applier according to claim 7, wherein when the trigger is actuated, the at least one linkage simultaneously engages the push rod and the guide block such that the toggle is in the second position and the guide block drives the abutting flange proximally past the toggle.

10. The surgical clip applier according to claim 1, wherein in the second position, there is a clearance between the toggle and the flange such that the clip pusher bar is able to translate distally to locate the flange distal to the toggle.

11. The surgical clip applier according to claim 1, wherein the drive assembly further includes a trigger return spring acting on the trigger to urge the trigger to an unactuated position.

12. A surgical clip applier, comprising:

a handle assembly including;

a housing;

a trigger pivotally supported on and extending from the housing; and

a drive assembly supported within the housing and operatively actuatable by the trigger, the drive assembly including;

a distal linkage slidably supported in the housing, the distal linkage including a first end and a second end, the second end of the distal linkage connected to the trigger;

a proximal linkage slidably supported in the housing, the proximal linkage including a first end and a second end, the first end of the proximal linkage connected to the trigger;

a jaw pusher slidably supported in the housing, the jaw pusher operatively connected to the trigger;

a guide block slidably supported in the housing, the guide block operatively connected to the trigger;

a clip pusher bar including a flange at a proximal end thereof and configured for distal translation to advance a surgical clip;

a toggle distal of the flange of the clip pusher bar, the toggle actuatable between a first position and a second position and configured to limit the distal translation of the clip pusher bar when the toggle is in the first position; and

a push rod supported in the housing, the push rod engageable by at least one of the proximal linkage and the distal linkage to actuate the toggle between the first position and the second position; and

an endoscopic assembly extending distally from the housing of the handle assembly, the endoscopic assembly including;

a shaft assembly extending from the housing, the shaft assembly including an outer tube; and

a pair of jaws supported in and extending from a distal end of the outer tube, wherein when the toggle of the handle assembly is in the second position, the pair of jaws are free to form a surgical clip on tissue.

13. The surgical clip applier according to claim 12, wherein the distal linkage, the proximal linkage, and the trigger are slidably coupled to a slot defined in the housing such that upon actuation of the trigger, the distal linkage, the proximal linkage, and the trigger ride along a channel defined within the slot.

14. The surgical clip applier according to claim 12, wherein actuation of the trigger translates the jaw pusher distally and translates the guide block proximally.

15. The surgical clip applier according to claim 12, wherein as the proximal linkage rides along the slot, the proximal linkage exerts a force on the push rod such that the push rod translates proximally to exert a force on the toggle to actuate the toggle from the first position to the second position.

16. The surgical clip applier according to claim 12, wherein the toggle is spring loaded and includes a bias such that the toggle abuts the flange in the first position.

17. The surgical clip applier according to claim 16, wherein the drive assembly further includes a biasing member acting on the clip pusher bar to urge the clip pusher bar in a distal direction.

18. The surgical clip applier according to claim 17, wherein a force exerted by the bias of the toggle is greater than a force exerted by the biasing member acting on the clip pusher bar such that the biasing member is unable to push the flange past the toggle when the toggle is in the first position.

19. The surgical clip applier according to claim 17, wherein in the second position, the biasing member acts on the clip pusher bar to urge the clip pusher bar distally until the flange thereof abuts the guide block.

20. The surgical clip applier according to claim 19, wherein when the trigger is actuated, the proximal linkage simultaneously engages the push rod and the guide block such that the toggle is in the second position and the guide block drives the abutting flange proximally past the toggle.

21. The surgical clip applier according to claim 12, wherein in the second position, there is a clearance between the toggle and the flange such that the clip pusher bar is able to translate distally to locate the flange distal to the toggle.

22. The surgical clip applier according to claim 12, wherein the drive assembly further includes a trigger return spring acting on the trigger to urge the trigger to an unactuated position.