Surgical instrument with articulating shaft with single pivot closure and double pivot frame ground

• US 20060229665A1
• 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., Wales, Kenneth S.
• Granted Patent: US 7,784,662 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 2017/2927 the angular position of the head being adjustable with respect to the shaft
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/2937 with flexible part
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/294 Connection of actuating rod to jaw, e.g. releasable
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/2943 Toothed members, e.g. rack and pinion
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 403/32221 Articulate joint comprises pivoted clevis or channel bar

Abstract

A surgical stapling and severing instrument particularly suited to endoscopic use includes a proximal portion that is manipulated external to a patient to position an attached elongate shaft and end effector to a desired surgical site inside of the patient. An articulation joint pivotally attaches the end effector to the elongate shaft to give further clinical flexibility in reaching tissue at a desired angle. A closure tube assembly includes a single pivoting portion that overrides the articulation joint in order to distally translate to the end effector to close, yet pass over an articulated shaft by having a multiple pivot frame ground encompassed therein to accommodate the longitudinal change in closure sleeve pivot. Thereby, additional clinical flexibility in positioning the end effector is achieved without losing the ability for separate closure and firing motions transferred by the shaft.

Claims

1. A surgical instrument, comprising:

an elongate shaft comprising a frame assembly and an articulating closure sleeve;

an end effector comprising a lower jaw and a pivotally attached upper jaw;

an articulation joint comprising a distal frame ground portion attached to the lower jaw of the end effector, a proximal frame portion, and a frame link pivotally attached to the distal frame ground portion and pivotally attached to the proximal frame ground portion; and

a handle portion attached to a proximal end of the elongate shaft and operatively configured to longitudinally couple a closure motion to the articulating closure sleeve;

wherein the articulating closure sleeve comprises an articulating portion positioned to traverse and encompass at least a portion of the frame link and distally engages the upper jaw to effect pivoting of the upper jaw.

2. The surgical instrument of claim 1, wherein the articulating closure sleeve assembly further comprises a distal closure tube portion engaged to the anvil and a proximal closure tube portion coupled to the handle portion, the articulating portion of the articulating closure sleeve comprises upper and lower opposing and pivotally pinned tangs presented by respective distal and proximal closure tube portions.

3. The surgical instrument of claim 1, wherein the distal and proximal frame ground portions present opposing clevises, the frame link including laterally projecting cylindrical pins, distal and proximal ends pivotally received respectively in the opposing devises.

4. The surgical instrument of claim 3, wherein the frame link includes a knife slot open laterally opposite to the laterally projecting cylindrical pins.

5. The surgical instrument of claim 1, further comprising a firing bar guided within the elongate shaft and longitudinally reciprocated by the handle portion, a staple cartridge received within the end effector responsive to the distal movement of the firing bar, and wherein the pivotally attached upper jaw comprises an anvil presenting a staple forming surface.

6. The surgical instrument of claim 5, wherein the frame link includes a knife slot positioned to laterally guide the firing bar.

7. The surgical instrument of claim 1, wherein the frame link comprises a dog bone link including a tapered mid portion.

8. The surgical instrument of claim 1, wherein the frame link comprises a resilient material.

9. The surgical instrument of claim 1, wherein the frame link comprises a rigid material.

10. The surgical instrument of claim 1, wherein the handle portion further comprises a closure trigger operatively coupled to the articulating closure sleeve to effect closure movement thereof and the handle portion further comprises a firing trigger operatively coupled to the firing bar to effect distal firing movement thereof.

11. The surgical instrument of claim 1, wherein elongate shaft and end effector are cross sectionally sized to pass through a cannula to a surgical site within a patient'"'"'s body.

12. A surgical instrument, comprising:

an elongate shaft comprising a frame assembly and an encompassing and a longitudinally, slidingly received articulating closure sleeve;

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 comprising a distal frame ground portion attached to the elongate channel of the end effector, a proximal frame portion, and a frame link pivotally attached to the distal frame ground portion and pivotally attached to the proximal frame ground portion; and

a handle portion attached to a proximal end of the elongate shaft and operatively configured to longitudinally couple a closure motion to the articulating closure;

wherein the articulating closure sleeve comprises an articulating portion positioned to traverse and encompass at least a portion of the frame link and distally engages the upper jaw to effect pivoting of the upper jaw.

13. The surgical instrument of claim 12, wherein the distal and proximal frame ground portions present opposing clevises, the frame link including laterally projecting cylindrical pins, distal and proximal ends pivotally received respectively in the opposing clevises.

14. The surgical instrument of claim 13, wherein the frame link includes a knife slot open laterally opposite to the laterally projecting cylindrical pins.

15. The surgical instrument of claim 12, further comprising a firing bar guided within the elongate shaft and longitudinally reciprocated by the handle portion, the staple cartridge received within the end effector responsive to the distal movement of the firing bar.

16. The surgical instrument of claim 15, wherein the frame link includes a knife slot positioned to laterally guide the firing bar.

17. The surgical instrument of claim 12, wherein the frame link comprises a dog bone link including a tapered mid portion.

18. The surgical instrument of claim 12, wherein the frame link comprises a resilient material.

19. The surgical instrument of claim 12, wherein the frame link comprises a rigid material.

20. The surgical instrument of claim 12, wherein the handle portion further comprises a closure trigger operatively coupled to the articulating closure sleeve to effect closure movement thereof and the handle portion further comprises a firing trigger operatively coupled to the firing bar to effect distal firing movement thereof.

21. The surgical instrument of claim 12, wherein the elongate shaft and end effector are cross sectionally sized to pass through a cannula to a surgical site within a patient'"'"'s body.

22. A surgical instrument, comprising:

an elongate shaft comprising a frame assembly and an articulating sleeve;

an end effector including an actuating member;

an articulation joint comprising a distal frame ground portion attached to the lower jaw of the end effector, a proximal frame portion, and a frame link pivotally attached to the distal frame ground portion and pivotally attached to the proximal frame ground portion; and

a handle portion attached to a proximal end of the elongate shaft and operatively configured to longitudinally couple a longitudinal motion to the articulating sleeve;

wherein the articulating sleeve comprises an articulating portion positioned to traverse and encompass at least a portion of the frame link and distally engages the actuating member of the end effector.