Surgical stapling apparatus with locking mechanism

• US 20060185682A1
• Filed: 04/24/2006
• Published: 08/24/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 02/17/2004
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Tyco Healthcare Group LP (Medtronic Plc)
• Original Assignee: Tyco Healthcare Group LP (Medtronic Plc)
• Inventors: Marczyk, Stanislaw
• Application Number:
  US11/410,861
• Publication Number:
  US 20060185682A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 128/898
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/07207 the staples being applied sequentially
• 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 2017/07214 Stapler heads
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/320052 Guides for cutting instruments by marking A61B2090/395

Abstract

The present disclosure provides for a loading unit for use with and/or supportable on a distal end of a surgical stapling apparatus. The loading unit includes a housing portion including a distal end and a proximal end, a drive assembly slidably supported within the housing portion of the loading unit, and a locking mechanism supported on the housing portion of the loading unit. The locking mechanism has a first position wherein the locking mechanism engages the drive assembly and maintains the position of the drive assembly in a ready-to-load position relative to the housing portion of the loading unit. The locking mechanism is pivotable to a second position wherein the locking mechanism disengages the drive assembly and enables the drive assembly to move relative to the housing portion.

Claims

1. A surgical apparatus comprising:

a body;

a handle supported by the body; and

a loading unit supportable on a distal end of the body, the loading unit including;

a housing portion including a distal end and a proximal end;

a drive assembly supported for axial movement within the housing portion of the loading unit, the drive assembly having a proximal-most position relative to the housing portion of the loading unit; and

a locking mechanism supported on the housing portion of the loading unit, the locking mechanism having a first position wherein the locking mechanism engages the drive assembly and maintains the drive assembly in the proximal-most position, the locking mechanism being movable to a second position wherein the locking mechanism disengages the drive assembly and allows the drive assembly to move relative to the housing portion.

2. The surgical apparatus of claim 1, wherein the locking mechanism includes:

a lever having a first end pivotably connected to the housing portion and a second free end; and

a projection extending radially inward from the lever, wherein the projection selectively engages an engagement surface formed on the drive assembly such that when the locking mechanism is in the first position the projection engages the engagement surface of the drive assembly and when the locking mechanism is in the second position the projection is disengaged from the engagement surface of the drive assembly.

3. The surgical apparatus of claim 2, wherein the body comprises an elongate body and has a control rod disposed therein for axial movement, the control rod being operatively connected to the handle.

4. The surgical apparatus of claim 3, wherein the drive assembly is in a position to connect to a distal end of the control rod when the drive assembly is in the proximal-most position.

5. The surgical apparatus of claim 3, wherein when the locking mechanism is moved from the first position to the second position, the lever is pivoted about the distal end thereof such that a longitudinal axis of the lever is angled with respect to a longitudinal axis of the housing portion.

6. The surgical apparatus of claim 5, wherein the elongate body has a channel for receiving a proximal end of the loading unit.

7. The surgical apparatus of claim 6, wherein the locking mechanism is moved from the first position to the second position by a wall defined in the channel of the elongate body, the wall acting on a side surface of the lever as the loading unit is rotated into loaded engagement in the elongate body.

8. The surgical apparatus of claim 2, wherein when the locking mechanism is in the first position the lever is substantially axially aligned with a nub extending radially outward from the proximal end of the housing portion and when the locking mechanism is in the second position the lever is out of axial alignment with the nub of the housing portion.

9. The surgical apparatus of claim 2, wherein the proximal end of the lever includes a detent extending toward the proximal end of the housing portion, and wherein the proximal end of the housing portion includes a recess formed in the surface thereof for receipt of the detent of the lever when the lever is in the first position.

10. The surgical apparatus of claim 9, wherein the locking mechanism further includes a biasing member operatively associated therewith, wherein the biasing member tends to maintain the lever in the first position.

11. The surgical apparatus of claim 4, wherein the surgical apparatus is a stapler.

12. A method of loading a loading unit for a surgical apparatus:

providing a loading unit having a locking mechanism in a first position, the loading unit having a drive assembly supported for axial movement within a housing portion of the loading unit, the drive assembly being engaged by the locking mechanism when the locking mechanism is in the first position;

providing an elongate body and a handle supported by the elongate body, the elongate body having a distal end configured to be assembled with a proximal end of the loading unit, the distal end of the elongate body being configured to move the locking mechanism;

assembling the proximal end of the loading unit with the distal end of the elongate body so that the locking mechanism moves to a second position wherein the locking mechanism disengages the drive assembly.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the locking mechanism is moved to the second position upon rotation of the loading unit.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the elongate body has a channel for receiving the proximal end of the loading unit.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the channel defines a wall for moving the locking mechanism upon rotation of the loading unit.

16. The method of claim 12, wherein the locking mechanism includes a lever with a projection that engages the drive assembly when the locking mechanism is in the first position.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the lever pivots to the second position so that the projection disengages the drive assembly.

18. The method of claim 14, wherein the proximal end of the loading unit defines at least one nub, and wherein assembling the loading unit includes rotating the loading unit so that the at least one nub enters a slot defined in the channel of the loading unit.