Surgical stapling instruments with linear position assembly

• US 10,190,888 B2
• Filed: 02/25/2016
• Issued: 01/29/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 03/11/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Covidien LP (Medtronic Plc)
• Original Assignee: Covidien LP (Medtronic Plc)
• Inventors: Hryb, John, Collins, Ethan, Dussan, Luis, Decker, Joseph, Calderoni, Anthony
• Primary Examiner(s): Smith, Scott A.
• Application Number:
  US15/053,599
• Publication Number:
  US 20160265938A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,069 Days
• Field of Search: 227 19, 2271751, 2271752, 2271753, 2271761, 2271801, 606139, 606151, 606219, 606153
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/068 Surgical staplers , e.g. containing multiple staples or clampsstaplers containing only one staple A61B17/10; magazines or containers for staples A61B17/105; for performing anastomosis A61B17/115; staplers in general B25C5/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/072 for applying a row of staples in a single action , e.g. the staples being applied simultaneously
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/07207 the staples being applied sequentially
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/115 Staplers for performing anastomosis in a single operation
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/1155 Circular staplers comprising a plurality of staples
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00017 Electrical control of surgical instruments
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00039 Electric or electromagnetic phenomena other than conductivity, e.g. capacity, inductivity, Hall effect
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00119 alarm; indicating an abnormal situation
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00398 using powered actuators, e.g. stepper motors, solenoids
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00876 magnetic
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/07214 Stapler heads
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/0811 for the position of a particular part of an instrument with respect to the rest of the instrument, e.g. position of the anvil of a stapling instrument
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 90/98 using electromagnetic means, e.g. transponders
• CPC Class Codes: G01D 5/145 influenced by the relative movement between the Hall device and magnetic fields see G01R33/06

Abstract

A surgical stapling instrument includes an elongate body, a cartridge assembly, an anvil assembly, and a linear position assembly including a pair of opposing magnets, and a plurality of sensors. The elongate body has a central shaft longitudinally translatable therethrough. The cartridge assembly is coupled to a distal end of the elongate body. The anvil assembly is selectively connectable to the central shaft of the elongate body. The magnets are mounted to the central shaft. The sensors are fixed within the cartridge assembly and configured to sense a change in a magnetic field of the magnets upon a longitudinal movement of the magnets in response to an actuation of the central shaft to determine a linear position of the anvil assembly relative to the staple cartridge.

Claims

1. A surgical stapling instrument, comprising:

an elongate body having a proximal end and a distal end, the elongate body including a longitudinally translatable central shaft;

a cartridge assembly coupled to the distal end of the elongate body and defining a longitudinal axis, the cartridge assembly including a staple cartridge;

an anvil assembly selectively connectable to a distal end of the central shaft; and

a linear position assembly including;

a pair of opposing magnets mounted to the central shaft, wherein each magnet generates a magnetic field, the pair of opposing magnets each having a north pole and a south pole and being oriented such that the north poles of the pair of opposing magnets are adjacent one another or the south poles of the pair of opposing magnets are adjacent one another; and

a plurality of sensors fixed within the cartridge assembly and configured to sense a change in the magnetic fields upon a longitudinal movement of the pair of opposing magnets in response to an actuation of the central shaft to determine a linear position of the anvil assembly along the longitudinal axis relative to the staple cartridge.

2. The surgical stapling instrument according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of sensors is at least one of:

at least three magnetoresistance sensors;

or

at least three hall-effect sensors.

3. The surgical stapling instrument according to claim 2, wherein the plurality of sensors is axially aligned with one another along the longitudinal axis of the cartridge assembly.

4. The surgical stapling instrument according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of sensors is laterally offset and parallel with the pair of opposing magnets.

5. The surgical stapling instrument according to claim 1, wherein the linear position assembly further includes a micro-controller in electrical communication with the plurality of sensors, the micro-controller configured to determine the linear position of the anvil assembly along the longitudinal axis relative to the staple cartridge.

6. The surgical stapling instrument according to claim 5, wherein the micro-controller is configured to determine the linear position of the anvil assembly by:

determining a linear position of the plurality of magnets relative to each sensor of the plurality of sensors;

determining which sensor of the plurality of sensors has a highest peak-to-peak voltage value; and

determining which sensor of the plurality of sensors has a second highest peak-to-peak voltage value.

7. The surgical stapling instrument according to claim 1, wherein the linear position assembly further includes a chip assembly at least partially disposed within the cartridge assembly and having the plurality of sensors fixed thereto.

8. A method of determining a linear position of a component of a surgical stapling instrument, comprising:

providing a surgical stapling instrument including;

an elongate body having a proximal end and a distal end, the elongate body including a longitudinally translatable central shaft;

a cartridge assembly coupled to the distal end of the elongate body and defining a longitudinal axis, the cartridge assembly including a staple cartridge;

an anvil assembly selectively connectable to a distal end of the central shaft of the elongate body; and

a linear position assembly including;

a pair of opposing magnets mounted to the central shaft, wherein each magnet generates a magnetic field; and

a plurality of sensors fixed within the cartridge assembly;

sensing, via the plurality of sensors, longitudinal movement of the pair of opposing magnets upon actuation of the central shaft; and

determining a linear position of the anvil assembly relative to the staple cartridge along the longitudinal axis, wherein determining the linear position of the anvil assembly includes;

determining a linear position of the plurality of magnets relative to each sensor of the plurality of sensors;

determining which sensor of the plurality of sensors has a highest peak-to-peak voltage value; and

determining which sensor of the plurality of sensors has a second highest peak-to-peak voltage value.

9. The method according to claim 8, further comprising at least one of:

determining an angle of direction of the magnetic field emitted by the pair of opposing magnets;

or

determining a magnetic flux density of the magnetic field emitted by the pair of opposing magnets.

10. The method according to claim 8, wherein the pair of opposing magnets are in the form of two magnetic bars each having a north pole and a south pole, the two magnetic bars being oriented such that the north poles of the two magnetic bars are adjacent one another or the south poles of the two magnetic bars are adjacent one another.

11. The method according to claim 8, wherein determining the linear position of the anvil assembly includes determining a linear position of an anvil head of the anvil assembly relative to a distal end of the staple cartridge.

12. A surgical stapling instrument, comprising:

an elongate body having a proximal end and a distal end, the elongate body including a longitudinally translatable central shaft;

a cartridge assembly coupled to the distal end of the elongate body and defining a longitudinal axis, the cartridge assembly including a staple cartridge;

an anvil assembly selectively connectable to a distal end of the central shaft; and

a linear position assembly including;

a pair of opposing magnets mounted to the central shaft, wherein each magnet generates a magnetic field;

a plurality of sensors fixed within the cartridge assembly and configured to sense a change in the magnetic fields upon a longitudinal movement of the pair of opposing magnets in response to an actuation of the central shaft to determine a linear position of the anvil assembly along the longitudinal axis relative to the staple cartridge; and

a micro-controller in electrical communication with the plurality of sensors, wherein the micro-controller is configured to determine the linear position of the anvil assembly along the longitudinal axis relative to the staple cartridge by;

determining a linear position of the plurality of magnets relative to each sensor of the plurality of sensors;

determining which sensor of the plurality of sensors has a highest peak-to-peak voltage value; and

determining which sensor of the plurality of sensors has a second highest peak-to-peak voltage value.

13. The surgical stapling instrument according to claim 12, wherein the plurality of sensors is at least one of:

at least three magnetoresistance sensors;

or

at least three hall-effect sensors.

14. The surgical stapling instrument according to claim 12, wherein the plurality of sensors is axially aligned with one another along the longitudinal axis of the cartridge assembly.

15. The surgical stapling instrument according to claim 12, wherein the plurality of sensors is laterally offset and parallel with the pair of opposing magnets.

16. The surgical stapling instrument according to claim 12, wherein the linear position assembly further includes a chip assembly at least partially disposed within the cartridge assembly and having the plurality of sensors fixed thereto.