Surgical instruments with jaw opening features for increasing a jaw opening distance

• US 10,568,626 B2
• Filed: 12/21/2016
• Issued: 02/25/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 12/21/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cilag Gmbh International (Johnson & Johnson)
• Original Assignee: Ethicon, LLC (Johnson & Johnson)
• Inventors: Shelton, IV, Frederick E., Harris, Jason L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Long, Robert F
• Application Number:
  US15/385,951
• Publication Number:
  US 20180168636A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,161 Days
• Field of Search: 2271751-1821
• 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 18/1442 Probes having pivoting end effectors, e.g. forceps
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 18/1445 at the distal end of a shaft, e.g. forceps or scissors at the end of a rigid rod
• 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 2017/00367 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 2017/00393 with means for switching between functions
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00473 Distal part, e.g. tip or head A61B2017/00464 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00477 Coupling A61B2017/0046 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/07228 Arrangement of the staples
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/0725 with settable gap between anvil and cartridge, e.g. for different staple heights at different shots
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/07257 characterised by its anvil
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/07264 characterised by its staple forming cavities, e.g. geometry or material
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/07271 characterised by its cartridge
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/07278 characterised by its sled or its staple holder
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/07285 characterised by its cutter
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/2927 the angular position of the head being adjustable with respect to the shaft
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/2933 : camming or guiding means
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/2936 : Pins in guiding slots
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/2937 : with flexible part
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/2944 : Translation of jaw members
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/2946 : Locking means
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/0063 : Sealing
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2034/302 : specifically adapted for manipulations within body cavities, e.g. within abdominal or thoracic cavities
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/034 : abutting on parts of the device itself
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/036 : abutting on tissue or skin
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/0808 : for indicating correct assembly of components, e.g. of the surgical apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/0814 : Preventing re-use
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 34/30 : Surgical robots
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 90/03 : Automatic limiting or abutting means, e.g. for safety

Abstract

A surgical instrument that includes a first jaw and a second jaw that is pivotally coupled to the first jaw. The second jaw is configured to pivot about a pivot axis that is constrained to only move along a vertical axis and is selectively movable between a fully open position and a fully closed position relative to the first jaw. A closure member is configured to move the first and second jaws from the fully open position to the fully closed position when the closure member is moved in a first direction.

Claims

1. A surgical instrument, comprising:

a surgical end effector comprising;

a first jaw; and

a second jaw pivotally coupled to said first jaw about a pivot axis between a fully open position and a fully closed position, wherein said pivot axis is constrained to only move along a vertical axis, wherein said surgical instrument further comprises;

a closure member configured to move said first and second jaws from said fully open position to said fully closed position when said closure member is moved in a first direction, wherein said second jaw comprises a pair of pivot pins that define said pivot axis and are each movably received within a corresponding vertical slot formed in said first jaw, wherein each said pivot pin is in operable engagement with said closure member, wherein each of said pivot pins is also received in a corresponding closure slot in said closure member, and wherein each said closure slot comprises a portion extending along a horizontal axis.

2. The surgical instrument of claim 1, wherein said closure member is configured to move said pivot axis from a first vertical position along said vertical axis that corresponds to said fully open position to a second vertical position that corresponds to said fully closed position as said closure member is moved in said first direction.

3. The surgical instrument of claim 2, wherein said closure member is configured to pivot said second jaw about said pivot axis to said fully closed position as said closure member is moved in said first direction.

4. The surgical instrument of claim 1, wherein each said closure slot comprises:

a proximal slot portion that extends along a first horizontal axis; and

a distal slot portion that extends along a second horizontal axis that is offset from said first horizontal axis.

5. The surgical instrument of claim 4, wherein said pivot pins are located in a first vertical position within said corresponding vertical slot in said first jaw and said distal slot portion of said corresponding closure slot in said closure member when said second jaw is in said fully open position and wherein said pivot pins are located in a second vertical position within said corresponding vertical slot in said first jaw and said proximal slot portion in said closure member when said second jaw is in said fully closed position.

6. The surgical instrument of claim 1, wherein said second jaw comprises a cam surface configured to be cammingly contacted by said closure member when said closure member is moved in said first direction so as to pivot said second jaw about said pivot axis between said fully open position to said fully closed position.

7. The surgical instrument of claim 1, wherein said first jaw comprises an elongate channel that is configured to removably support a surgical staple cartridge therein and wherein said second jaw comprises an anvil.

8. The surgical instrument of claim 7, wherein said closure member comprises a portion of a shaft assembly that is operably coupled to said surgical end effector.

9. The surgical instrument of claim 8, wherein said surgical end effector is coupled to said shaft assembly by an articulation joint for selective articulation about an articulation axis that is transverse to a shaft axis defined by said shaft assembly.

10. The surgical instrument of claim 8, wherein said shaft assembly further comprises:

a firing member assembly configured for axial movement in said first direction upon application of a firing motion thereto; and

an end effector firing member operably coupled to said firing member assembly configured to sever tissue and firing staples out of a surgical staple cartridge that is operably supported in said elongate channel when said firing member assembly is moved in said first direction a predetermined firing distance.

11. A surgical instrument, comprising:

an elongate channel configured to operably support a surgical staple cartridge therein;

an anvil comprising a pair of anvil pins received within corresponding vertical channel slots formed in said elongate channel, each said corresponding vertical channel slot extending along a channel axis; and

a closure member configured to move in first and second directions relative to said elongate channel and said anvil, said anvil pins each extending into a corresponding closure slot in said closure member that is transverse to said channel slots such that when said closure member is moved in said first direction said anvil pins are moved along said channel axis and said anvil is simultaneously pivoted toward said elongate channel, and wherein at least a portion of said closure slot extends horizontally.

12. The surgical instrument of claim 11, wherein each said closure slot comprises:

a proximal closure slot portion extending along a first closure axis that is transverse to said corresponding channel axis; and

a distal closure slot portion extending along a second closure axis that is transverse to said channel axis and offset from said first closure axis.

13. The surgical instrument of claim 11, wherein said pair of anvil pins defines a pivot axis that is selectively movable along said channel axis.

14. The surgical instrument of claim 12, wherein each said channel axis is vertically oriented and each said closure axis is horizontally oriented and parallel to each other.

15. The surgical instrument of claim 11, wherein said closure member comprises a portion of a shaft assembly that is operably coupled to said elongate channel.

16. The surgical instrument of claim 15, wherein said elongate channel is coupled to said shaft assembly by an articulation joint for selective articulation about an articulation axis that is transverse to a shaft axis defined by said shaft assembly.

17. The surgical instrument of claim 15, wherein said shaft assembly further comprises:

a firing member assembly configured for axial movement in said first direction upon application of a firing motion thereto; and

an end effector firing member operably coupled to said firing member assembly configured to sever tissue and fire staples out of a surgical staple cartridge that is operably supported in said elongate channel when said firing member assembly is moved in said first direction a predetermined firing distance.

18. A surgical instrument, comprising:

a surgical end effector comprising;

a first jaw; and

a second jaw pivotally coupled to said first jaw about a pivot axis between a fully open position and a fully closed position, wherein said pivot axis is constrained to only move along a vertical axis, wherein said surgical instrument further comprises;

closure means for simultaneously moving said pivot axis vertically along said vertical axis while pivoting said second jaw about said pivot axis, wherein said second jaw comprises a pair of pivot pins that define said pivot axis and are each movably received within a corresponding vertical slot formed in said first jaw, wherein each said pivot pin is in operable engagement with said closure means, wherein each of said pivot pins is also received in a corresponding closure slot in said closure means, and wherein at least a portion of each said closure slot extends along a horizontal axis.