Surgical instrument with guided laterally moving articulation member

• US 20060226196A1
• Filed: 04/07/2005
• Published: 10/12/2006
• 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: Boudreaux, Chad P., Hueil, Joseph C., Wales, Kenneth S.
• Granted Patent: US 7,654,431 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 227/175.100
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/07207 the staples being applied sequentially
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00535 pneumatically or hydraulically operated A61B2017/22051, A61B2090/401 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/2927 the angular position of the head being adjustable with respect to the shaft
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/2943 Toothed members, e.g. rack and pinion

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 lateral guide mechanism engaging the slide bar to the frame for lateral and longitudinally aligned movement of the slide bar; and

a handle portion proximally attached to the elongate shaft and operably configured to produce an articulation motion to laterally move the slide bar.

2. 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.

3. 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.

4. The surgical instrument of claim 3, wherein the lateral guide mechanism comprises a channel formed laterally in the frame and a rib received in the channel, perpendicularly attached to the slide bar further comprising a flexible longitudinal portion connecting the rib to the gear rack, wherein manipulating the end effector causes backdriving of the gear segment that flexes the longitudinal portion, cocking the rib into binding engagement in the channel.

5. The surgical instrument of claim 1, wherein the lateral guide mechanism comprises:

left and right bracket surfaces laterally spaced across the lateral recess in the elongate channel;

at least one lateral through hole in the slide bar aligned with the left and right bracket surfaces; and

at least one slide pin received in the lateral through hole of the slide bar and attached to each bracket surface.

6. The surgical instrument of claim 1, wherein the lateral guide mechanism comprises:

a lateral channel formed on the frame adjacent to the lateral recess; and

a lateral rib attached to the slide bar and slidingly received in the lateral channel.

7. The surgical instrument of claim 1, wherein the lateral guide mechanism comprises:

a lateral channel formed on the slide bar adjacent to the frame; and

a lateral rib attached to the frame surface extending into the lateral recess and slidingly received in the lateral channel of the slide bar.

8. The surgical instrument of claim 1, wherein the lateral guide mechanism comprises:

a lateral channel formed on the slide bar adjacent to the frame;

a corresponding lateral channel formed on the frame adjacent to the lateral recess and the slide bar lateral channel; and

a bearing member received within a lateral guide recess defined by the slide bar lateral channel and the frame lateral channel.

9. The surgical instrument of claim 8, wherein the bearing member comprises at least one spherical bearing.

10. The surgical instrument of claim 8, wherein the bearing member comprises a cylindrical bearing.

11. The surgical instrument of claim 1, wherein a selected one of the slide bar and a surface of the frame adjacent to the lateral recess of the elongate shaft includes a lateral rib and the other includes a lateral channel, sized to receive the lateral rib and a plurality of bearings.

12. The surgical instrument of claim 1, wherein the lateral guide mechanism engaging the slide bar to the frame for lateral and longitudinally aligned movement of the slide bar comprises a rotatable link aligned parallel to the slide bar and aligned with a vertical centerline of the shaft, the rotatable link pivotally joined to a near surface of the slide bar causing lateral movement thereof as the rotatable link rotates.

13. The surgical instrument of claim 12, wherein the rotatable link includes a plurality of pivotal joinings to the slide bar spaced along a longitudinal length thereof to maintain the alignment during actuation.

14. The surgical instrument of claim 1, wherein right and left distal fluid actuated bladders are placed on respective sides of the slide bar, the handle portion including an articulation control operatively configured to differentially transfer fluid to the right and left distal fluid actuated bladders.

15. The surgical instrument of claim 1, wherein right and left mechanical actuators are placed on respective sides of the slide bar, the handle portion including an articulation control operatively configured to exert differential longitudinal motions to the right and left mechanical actuators to laterally displace the slide bar.

16. A surgical instrument, comprising:

an end effector including a proximal camming surface;

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 lateral guide mechanism comprising a lateral channel formed in a selected one of the slide bar and the frame and a lateral rib formed in the other of the slide bar and the frame; and

a handle portion proximally attached to the elongate shaft and operably configured to produce differential longitudinal motions to respective actuators to laterally move the slide bar.

17. The surgical instrument of claim 16, wherein the right and left actuators comprise bladders, the handle portion operably configured to transfer fluid to a selected one of the right and left bladder actuator and to transfer fluid from the other one.

18. The surgical instrument of claim 16, wherein the right and left actuators comprise buckling members each having movable proximal ends, the handle portion operatively configured to differentially position the proximal ends of the buckling members.

19. The surgical instrument of claim 16, further comprising a bearing member selected from a group consisting of a spherical bearing and a cylindrical bearing inserted between the frame and the slide bar.

20. A surgical instrument, comprising:

a staple applying assembly;

an elongate shaft attached to the staple applying assembly and including a frame defining a lateral recess aligned with a longitudinal axis;

an articulation joint pivotally attaching the staple applying assembly 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 means for laterally guiding the slide bar within the recess defined by the frame, maintaining the slide bar in parallel alignment with a longitudinal axis of the shaft; and

a handle portion proximally attached to the elongate shaft and operably configured to produce differential longitudinal motions to respective actuators to laterally move the slide bar.