Surgical instrument incorporating an electrically actuated articulation mechanism

• US 20060025811A1
• Filed: 03/31/2005
• Published: 02/02/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 07/28/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cilag Gmbh International (Johnson & Johnson)
• Original Assignee: Ethicon Endo-Surgery, Inc. (Johnson & Johnson)
• Inventors: Shelton, Frederick E. IV
• Granted Patent: US 7,857,183 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 606/205
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/07207 the staples being applied sequentially
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00871 polymeric

Abstract

A surgical instrument particularly suited to endoscopic use articulates an end effector by including an articulation mechanism in an elongate shaft that incorporates an electrically actuated polymer (EAP) actuator for remotely articulating the end effector. In particular, a flexible neck to a frame of the elongate neck may be laterally urged to the left or right by EAP actuators and advantageously locked into an articulated state.

Claims

1. A surgical instrument, comprising:

an end effector;

an elongate shaft;

an articulation joint comprising an upper band and a lower band each formed of a flexible and longitudinally incompressible material and a plurality of left vertical ribs and a plurality of right vertical ribs, each rib connected on a respective lateral side between the upper and lower bands;

at least one right electroactive polymer actuator attached to the right plurality of vertical ribs and at least one right electroactive polymer actuator attached to the left plurality of vertical ribs, each responsive to an electrical signal to actuate; and

a handle portion attached to a proximal end of the elongate shaft and containing control circuitry operatively configured to produce the electrical signal.

2. The surgical instrument of claim 1, wherein the left plurality of ribs includes a left longitudinal actuator recess that receives the left electroactive polymer actuator, the right plurality of ribs including a right longitudinal actuator recess that receives the right electroactive polymer actuator.

3. The surgical instrument of claim 2, wherein the left and right electroactive polymer actuators each comprise a plate actuator operably configured to bend in at least one lateral direction when energized.

4. The surgical instrument of claim 2, wherein the left and right electroactive polymer actuators each comprise at least one electroactive polymer fiber actuator operably configured to longitudinally contract when activated, the respective distal and proximal ends of the left and right electroactive polymer fiber actuators being attached to respective distal and proximal ends of the articulation joint.

5. The surgical instrument of claim 1, further comprising a plurality of left electroactive polymer stack actuators, each positioned between adjacent ones of the plurality of left vertical ribs and comprising a plurality of right electroactive polymer stack actuators, each positioned between adjacent ones of the plurality of right vertical ribs.

6. The surgical instrument of claim 5, wherein the pluralities of left and right electroactive polymer stack actuators are operatively configured to longitudinally expand upon activation to urge the adjacent ribs apart and to resiliently compress upon deactivation.

7. The surgical instrument of claim 5, wherein the pluralities of left and right electroactive polymer stack actuators are operatively configured to longitudinally contract upon activation to urge the adjacent ribs together and to resiliently expand upon deactivation.

8. The surgical instrument of claim 1, wherein each plurality of left and right vertical ribs includes a locking recess, the articulation joint further comprising a left locking band and a right locking band, each positioned in the respective left and right locking recess, each locking band including an electroactive polymer locking actuator operably configured to change the longitudinal length of the locking band and including a plurality of locking projections longitudinally registered for insertion between adjacent ribs when both the adjacent ribs and the locking band are in a longitudinally expanded state to thereby maintain the ribs in the expanded spacing.

9. The surgical instrument of claim 1, wherein the end effector comprises a lower jaw and a pivotally attached upper jaw.

10. The surgical instrument of claim 9, wherein the end effector further comprises a stapling and severing assembly actuated by a firing bar, the handle portion proximally attached to the firing bar and operably configured to impart longitudinal firing motion to the firing bar, the elongate shaft and articulating joint further comprising a firing bar guide supporting the firing bar through the articulation joint.

11. The surgical instrument of claim 10, wherein the lower jaw comprises an elongate channel containing a staple cartridge and the pivotally attached upper jaw comprises an anvil presenting a staple forming surface.

12. The surgical instrument of claim 11, wherein the elongate shaft further comprises:

a frame assembly comprising a proximal frame portion attached between the handle portion and the articulation joint and a distal frame portion attached between the articulation joint and the elongate channel; and

a closure sleeve assembly encompassing the frame assembly and articulation joint, comprising a distal closure tube portion engaged to the anvil, a proximal closure tube portion coupled to the handle portion, and a laterally flexible closure sleeve attached therebetween encompassing the articulation joint;

wherein the handle portion is operably configured to longitudinally translate the closure sleeve assembly to effect closure of the anvil.

13. The surgical instrument of claim 12, wherein the flexible closure sleeve comprises a cylindrical sleeve formed of a resilient material and including left and right rows of vertical slits.

14. A surgical instrument, comprising:

an elongate shaft comprising a frame assembly;

a staple applying assembly comprising an elongate channel, a staple cartridge engaged in the elongate channel, and an anvil pivotally attached to the elongate channel presenting a staple forming surface to the staple cartridge;

an articulation joint formed in the frame assembly, the frame assembly comprising a distal frame portion attached to the elongate channel and a proximal frame portion pivotally attached to the distal frame portion;

a handle portion attached to a proximal end of the elongate shaft and operatively configured to selectively communicate an electrical signal to the elongate shaft; and

an electroactive polymer actuator connected to the articulation joint and responsive to the electrical signal to perform articulation of the staple applying assembly.

15. The surgical instrument of claim 14, wherein the elongate shaft further comprises a longitudinally, slidingly closure sleeve assembly encompassing the articulation joint and distally engaged to the upper jaw to effect pivoting of the upper jaw, the handle portion operatively configured to translate the closure sleeve assembly to effect opening and closing of the upper jaw.

16. A surgical instrument, comprising:

an end effector;

an elongate shaft;

an articulating joint attached between the end effector and a distal end of the elongate shaft; and

a means for electrically actuating the articulation joint.

17. The surgical instrument of claim 16, wherein the articulation joint comprises a means for supporting the end effector in an arc about a longitudinal axis of the elongate shaft.

18. The surgical instrument of claim 16, wherein the end effector further comprises a stapling and severing assembly actuated by a firing bar, the handle portion proximally attached to the firing bar and operably configured to impart longitudinal firing motion to the firing bar, the elongate shaft and articulating joint further comprising a firing bar guide supporting the firing bar through an articulated articulation joint.

19. The surgical instrument of claim 18, wherein the lower jaw comprises an elongate channel containing a staple cartridge and the pivotally attached upper jaw comprises an anvil presenting a staple forming surface.

20. The surgical instrument of claim 16, wherein the elongate shaft comprises a frame assembly and a closure sleeve assembly, the articulation joint pivotally attaching the lower jaw of the end effector to a distal end of the frame assembly, the handle portion operatively configured to longitudinally couple a closure motion to the closure sleeve assembly, and a multiple pivot joint of the closure sleeve assembly encompassing the articulation joint and distally engaged to the upper jaw to effect pivoting of the upper jaw.