Surgical instrument with laterally moved shaft actuator coupled to pivoting articulation joint

• US 20060190029A1
• Filed: 07/19/2005
• Published: 08/24/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 02/18/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ethicon Endo-Surgery, Inc. (Johnson & Johnson)
• Original Assignee: Ethicon Endo-Surgery, Inc. (Johnson & Johnson)
• Inventors: Wales, Kenneth S.
• Granted Patent: US 7,780,054 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 606/205
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/0051 with controlled bending of insertion part
• 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 2017/00398 using powered actuators, e.g. stepper motors, solenoids
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00557 inflatable A61B2017/22051 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00876 magnetic
• 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

Abstract

A surgical instrument particularly suited to endoscopic use articulates an end effector by including a laterally sliding member in a proximal portion of a shaft that pivots the end effector to a selected side. Differentially opposing actuating forces (e.g., hydraulic, fluidic, mechanical) act against the laterally sliding member without binding by incorporating guidance mechanisms between the laterally sliding member and a frame of the shaft.

Claims

1. A surgical instrument, comprising:

an end effector including a proximal camming surface;

an elongate shaft including a frame defining a lateral recess aligned with a longitudinal axis;

an articulation joint pivotally attaching the end effector to the distal end of the elongate shaft;

a slide bar within the lateral recess having a distal end engaged to the proximal camming surface of the end effector;

a first actuator positioned in the lateral recess on a selected lateral side of the slide bar; and

a handle portion proximally attached to the elongate shaft and operably configured to differentially control the first actuator to laterally move the slide bar and thereby pivot the articulation joint and end effector.

2. The surgical instrument of claim 1, wherein the first actuator comprises a first longitudinal moving member positioned adjacent in a lateral plane of motion of the slide bar and including a plurality of inwardly directed lateral camming surfaces, the slide bar including a corresponding plurality of outwardly directed lateral camming surfaces, wherein movement of the slide bar in a selected one of distal and proximal longitudinal movement causes the slide bar to move laterally away, wherein movement of the first longitudinal moving member in the opposite direction allows movement of the slide bar toward the first longitudinal moving member.

3. The surgical instrument of claim 2, wherein the other of the right and left actuators comprises a second longitudinal moving member positioned adjacent in the lateral plane of motion of the slide bar opposite the first longitudinal moving member and including a plurality of inwardly directed lateral camming surfaces, the slide bar including a corresponding plurality of outwardly directed lateral camming surfaces, wherein movement of the second longitudinal moving member in a selected one of distal and proximal longitudinal movement causes the slide bar to move laterally away and wherein movement of the second longitudinal moving member in the opposite direction allows movement of the slide bar toward the second longitudinal moving member.

4. The surgical instrument of claim 1, further comprising a rotary control member aligned in parallel to the slide bar and radially coupled thereto wherein a rotation of the rotary control member imparts a lateral translation to the slide bar.

5. The surgical instrument of claim 1, further comprising:

wherein the first and second actuators comprise respectively first and second buckling members on opposing lateral sides of the slide bar, each buckling member including at least one longitudinally positionable attachment point; and

an articulation control operatively configured to differentially position the at least one longitudinally positionable attachment points of the first and second buckling members.

6. The surgical instrument of claim 1, wherein a selected one of the right and left actuators comprises a first electromagnet laterally adjacent to the slide bar wherein the slide bar includes a magnetic target.

7. The surgical instrument of claim 6, wherein the other of the right and left actuators comprises a second electromagnet laterally adjacent to the slide bar and opposite of the first electromagnet, the magnet target comprising a ferrous target.

8. The surgical instrument of claim 6, wherein the slide bar includes a magnet, the first electromagnetic operatively configured to selectively produce a positive and a negative magnetic field.

9. The surgical instrument of claim 1, wherein the proximal surface of the end effector comprises a gear segment and the distal end of the slide bar comprises a gear rack.

10. The surgical instrument of claim 9, further comprising a locking member in the elongate shaft selectively distally longitudinally translating to engage the gear segment of the end effector locking articulation joint.

11. The surgical instrument of claim 10, wherein the locking member is distally biased and includes a proximal pin, the articulation control including a toothed surface that cams the proximal pin proximally during actuation and allows the proximal pin to distally move into a corresponding tooth root of the toothed surface when the articulation control stops.

12. The surgical instrument of claim 1, wherein the proximal surface of the end effector comprises a proximally directed camming recess that receives the distal end of the slide bar.

13. The surgical instrument of claim 1, wherein the proximal camming surface of the end effector comprises a proximally directed camming recess that receives the distal end of the slide bar.

14. The surgical instrument of claim 1, wherein the proximal camming surface of the end effector comprises a gear segment and the distal end of the slide bar comprises a gear rack.

15. A surgical instrument, comprising:

an end effector;

an elongate shaft attached to the end effector and including a frame defining a lateral recess aligned with a longitudinal axis;

an articulation joint pivotally attaching the end effector to the distal end of the elongate shaft;

a slide bar within the lateral recess having a distal end engaged to the proximal camming surface of the end effector, further comprising a ferromagnetic target;

an electromagnet positioned in the lateral recess proximate to the ferromagnetic target;

a handle portion proximally attached to the elongate shaft; and

control circuitry operatively configured to selectively activate the electromagnet to position the slide bar for articulating the end effector.

16. The surgical instrument of claim 15, further comprising a centering bias coupled to the slide bar, the ferromagnetic target comprising a magnet, the control circuitry further operatively configured to select polarity of the electromagnet to articulate in a selected direction against the centering bias.

17. The surgical instrument of claim 16, further comprising a second electromagnet positioned on an opposite side of the slide bar to the first electromagnet, the control circuitry operatively configured to activate a selected electromagnet for a desired direction of articulation.

18. A surgical instrument, comprising:

an end effector;

an elongate shaft attached to the end effector and including a frame defining a lateral recess aligned with a longitudinal axis;

an articulation joint pivotally attaching the end effector to the distal end of the elongate shaft;

a slide bar within the lateral recess having a distal end engaged to the proximal camming surface of the end effector;

right and left actuators on respective sides of the slide bar in the lateral recess;

a handle portion proximally attached to the elongate shaft; and

an articulation control comprising differential, longitudinally moving members that differentially position the right and left actuators, thereby laterally displacing the slide bar.

19. The surgical instrument of claim 18, wherein the left and right actuators comprise buckling members.

20. The surgical instrument of claim 18, wherein the slide bar further comprises lateral camming surfaces, the left and right actuators further comprise opposing camming members positioned to differentially contact the slide bar.