Robotic endocutter drivetrain with bailout and manual opening

• US 10,398,460 B2
• Filed: 12/20/2016
• Issued: 09/03/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 12/20/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cilag Gmbh International (Johnson & Johnson)
• Original Assignee: Ethicon, LLC (Johnson & Johnson)
• Inventors: Overmyer, Mark D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Ton, Martin T
• Application Number:
  US15/385,032
• Publication Number:
  US 20180168671A1
• Time in Patent Office: 987 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 17/295 combined with cutting implements
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00367 Details of actuation of instruments, e.g. relations between pushing buttons, or the like, and activation of the tool, working tip, or the like
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00398 using powered actuators, e.g. stepper motors, solenoids
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00477 Coupling A61B2017/0046 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/2902 characterized by features of the actuating rod
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/2903 transferring rotary motion
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/2906 Multiple forceps
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/2923 Toothed members, e.g. rack and pinion
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/2929 with a head rotatable about the longitudinal axis of the shaft
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/2932 Transmission of forces to jaw members
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/2943 Toothed members, e.g. rack and pinion
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/2944 Translation of jaw members
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/2946 Locking means
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2034/302 specifically adapted for manipulations within body cavities, e.g. within abdominal or thoracic cavities
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2034/715 Cable tensioning mechanisms for removing slack
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 34/30 Surgical robots
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 34/70 Manipulators specially adapted for use in surgery
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 1/06 with parallel axes
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 1/20 : involving more than two intermeshing members

Abstract

Various embodiments of tool assemblies are provided having at least one rotary input coupling and at least one linear input coupling for allowing either a rotary output or a linear output (e.g., from a tool driver on a surgical robot) to activate at least one mechanism of the tool assembly. For example, mechanisms of the tool assembly can include a clamping assembly, a firing assembly, an articulation assembly, and a roll assembly. The clamping assembly can open and close jaws of an end effector, the firing assembly can translate a knife assembly through the end effector to fire staples and cut tissue, the articulation assembly can articulate the end effector, and the roll assembly can rotate the elongate shaft and/or the end effector.

Claims

1. A surgical tool, comprising:

a housing;

an elongate shaft extending distally from the housing and having an end effector with opposed jaws on a distal end thereof;

a closure tube extending along the elongate shaft for opening and closing the opposed jaws;

a first clamping assembly positioned between a rotary input and a first part of the closure tube; and

a second clamping assembly positioned between a linear input and a second part of the closure tube,

wherein the first clamping assembly is configured to translate the closure tube at a first speed for closing the opposed jaws at a first force, and the second clamping assembly is configured to translate the closure tube at a second speed for closing the opposed jaws at a second force, the second speed being greater than the first speed and the first force being greater than the second force.

2. The surgical tool of claim 1, wherein the first clamping assembly includes a first gear coupled to a rotary input, the first gear including inner threads that engage external threads along the first part of the closure tube such that rotation of the first gear by the rotary input causes translation of the closure tube.

3. The surgical tool of claim 1, wherein the second clamping assembly includes an engagement feature coupled to the second part of the closure tube, the engagement feature configured to engage the linear input for allowing the linear input to linearly translate the engagement feature thereby linearly translating the closure tube.

4. The surgical tool of claim 1, wherein the first part is proximal to the second part.

5. The surgical tool of claim 4, wherein the first part advances a first distance in a distal direction before pushing the second part a second distance in the distal direction thereby causing the opposed jaws to close.

6. The surgical tool of claim 1, further comprising a biasing feature positioned proximal to the second part for biasing the second part in the distal direction and biasing the opposed jaws in an open configuration.