Apparatus for endoscopic procedures

• US 10,299,772 B2
• Filed: 08/19/2016
• Issued: 05/28/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 02/18/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Covidien LP (Medtronic Plc)
• Original Assignee: Covidien LP (Medtronic Plc)
• Inventors: Williams, Justin, Scirica, Paul
• Primary Examiner(s): Anderson, Gregory A
• Application Number:
  US15/241,368
• Publication Number:
  US 20160354071A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,012 Days
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/00234 for minimally invasive surgery A61B17/0218, A61B17/0469, A61B17/12013, A61B17/1285, A61B17/29, A61B17/320016 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/07207 the staples being applied sequentially
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/29 Forceps for use in minimally invasive surgery
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00398 using powered actuators, e.g. stepper motors, solenoids
• 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 2017/00473 Distal part, e.g. tip or head A61B2017/00464 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00734 battery operated
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/2903 transferring rotary motion
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/2927 the angular position of the head being adjustable with respect to the shaft
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/2931 with releasable head
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/2943 Toothed members, e.g. rack and pinion

Abstract

An electromechanical surgical device includes an end effector configured to perform at least one function, the end effector including an input drive axle projecting therefrom; and a shaft assembly. The shaft assembly includes a rotatable drive shaft; a proximal neck housing supported at a distal end of an outer tube; a distal neck housing pivotally connected to the proximal neck housing; a pivot pin interconnecting the proximal neck housing and the distal neck housing; and a gear train supported in the proximal neck housing, on the pivot pin, and in the distal neck housing. The gear train includes a proximal gear; an intermediate gear; a distal gear; and a pair of output gears, wherein each output gear defines a coupling socket each configured to selectively receive the drive axle of the end effector.

Claims

1. A shaft assembly for interconnecting an end effector and a surgical device handle, the shaft assembly comprising:

a tubular body having a proximal portion and a distal portion, the tubular body defining a longitudinal axis; and

a release assembly disposed at the distal portion of the tubular body and configured to couple to an end effector, the release assembly including a pair of opposing cam blocks defining a rotational axis transverse to the longitudinal axis of the tubular body, the pair of opposing cam blocks being rotatable about the rotational axis.

2. The shaft assembly according to claim 1, wherein the release assembly further includes a pair of diametrically opposed connection pins each of which is coupled to a respective cam block of the pair of cam blocks.

3. The shaft assembly according to claim 2, wherein the release assembly is actuatable between a non-actuated configuration in which the connection pins project radially outward and an actuated configuration in which the connection pins are retracted radially inward.

4. The shaft assembly according to claim 3, wherein the shaft assembly further includes:

a release button disposed adjacent the proximal portion of the tubular body; and

a release cable interconnecting the release button and the connection pins.

5. The shaft assembly according to claim 4, wherein upon actuation of the release button, the release cable actuates the connection pins from the non-actuated configuration to the actuated configuration.

6. A surgical device comprising:

a handle assembly including a drive mechanism;

an end effector;

a shaft assembly configured to interconnect the handle assembly and the end effector, the shaft assembly including;

a tubular body having a proximal portion configured to couple to the handle assembly and a distal portion, the tubular body defining a longitudinal axis;

an articulating neck assembly coupled to the distal portion, the articulating neck assembly configured to couple to the end effector; and

a release assembly disposed at the distal portion of the tubular body and configured to couple to an end effector, the release assembly including a pair of opposing cam blocks defining a rotational axis transverse to the longitudinal axis of the tubular body, the pair of opposing cam blocks being rotatable about the rotational axis.

7. The surgical device according to claim 6, wherein the shaft assembly further includes:

a rotatable drive shaft disposed within the tubular body and actuatable by the drive mechanism.

8. The surgical device according to claim 7, wherein the articulating neck assembly further includes:

a proximal neck housing;

a distal neck housing configured to couple to the end effector; and

a pivot pin defining a pivot axis and pivotally interconnecting the proximal neck housing and the distal neck housing, such that the distal neck housing is pivotable about the pivot axis relative to the proximal neck housing.

9. The surgical device according to claim 8, the articulating neck assembly of the tubular body further includes:

a gear train having;

a proximal gear rotatably supported in the proximal neck housing and operatively coupled to a distal portion of the rotatable drive shaft;

an intermediate gear rotatably supported on the pivot pin and operatively engaged with the proximal gear;

a distal gear rotatably supported in the distal neck housing and operatively engaged with the intermediate gear; and

a pair of output gears rotatably supported in the distal neck housing, the output gears operatively engaged with the distal gear and.

10. The surgical device according to claim 9, wherein each of the output gears includes a coupling socket and the end effector includes a drive axle configured to engage the coupling socket of one of the output gears upon coupling of the end effector to the articulating neck assembly.

11. The surgical device according to claim 8, further comprising:

an articulation rod at least partially and slidably supported in the distal neck housing and operatively coupled to the rotatable drive shaft; and

an articulation link operatively coupling the articulation rod to the distal neck housing, such that upon actuation of the rotatable drive shaft, the articulation rod is translated axially thereby pivoting the distal neck housing about the pivot axis relative to the proximal neck housing.

12. The surgical device according to claim 10, wherein the end effector includes an upper jaw and a lower jaw, each of the upper and lower jaws includes a tissue contacting surface and at least one of the upper jaw or the lower jaw is movable relative to another between an open position and a closed position, such that when the upper and lower jaws are in the closed position the tissue contacting surfaces define a plane therebetween.

13. The surgical device according to claim 12, wherein the end effector is selectively connectable to the distal neck housing of the articulating neck assembly in one of a first orientation or a second orientation, in the first orientation the plane defined by the tissue contacting surfaces is substantially orthogonal to the pivot axis and in the second orientation the plane defined by the end effector is substantially parallel to the pivot axis.

14. The surgical device according to claim 13, wherein in the first orientation the drive axle of the end effector is coupled to the coupling socket of a first output gear of the pair of output gears.

15. The surgical device according to claim 14, wherein in the second orientation the drive axle of the end effector is coupled to the coupling socket of a second output gear of the pair of output gears.

16. The surgical device according to claim 15, wherein the release assembly further includes a pair of diametrically opposed connection pins each of which is coupled to a respective cam block of the pair of cam blocks.

17. The surgical device according to claim 16, wherein the end effector includes an annular wall defining a first pair of diametrically opposed attachment holes defining a first attachment axis and a second pair of diametrically opposed attachment holes defining a second attachment axis, the first and second attachment axes being orthogonal relative to each other.

18. The surgical device according to claim 17, wherein each of the first pair and second pair of attachment holes are configured to receive the pair of connection pins when the end effector is connected to the articulating neck assembly in one of the first orientation or the second orientation.

19. The surgical device according to claim 18, wherein the release assembly is actuatable from a non-actuated configuration in which the connection pins project radially outward and an actuated configuration in which the connection pins are retracted radially inward.

20. The surgical device according to claim 19, wherein the shaft assembly further includes:

a release button disposed adjacent a proximal portion of the tubular body; and

a release cable interconnecting the release button and the connection pins.