FORCE LIMITING MECHANISM FOR MEDICAL INSTRUMENT

• US 20080004639A1
• Filed: 09/14/2007
• Published: 01/03/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 04/14/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ethicon Endo-Surgery, Inc. (Johnson & Johnson)
• Original Assignee: Ethicon Endo-Surgery, Inc. (Johnson & Johnson)
• Inventors: Koch, Robert, Huitema, Thomas, Vitali, Dario, Bertke, Brian, Molitor, Nicholas
• Granted Patent: US 8,915,930 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 606/142
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/1285 for minimally invasive surgery
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/032 pressure limiting, e.g. hydrostatic
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/034 abutting on parts of the device itself

Abstract

A surgical clip applier and methods for applying surgical clips to a vessel, duct, shunt, etc., during a surgical procedure are provided. In one exemplary embodiment, a surgical clip applier is provided having a housing with a trigger movably coupled thereto and an elongate shaft extending therefrom with opposed jaws formed on a distal end thereof. The trigger is adapted to advance a clip to position the clip between the jaws, and to move the jaws from an open position to a closed position to crimp the clip positioned therebetween.

Claims

1. An overload mechanism for use with a surgical device, comprising:

a force-receiving member pivotally and slidably disposed in a housing and having a surface with a first end and an opposed second end; and

a biasing assembly disposed in the housing and adapted to resist movement of the force-receiving member, the resistance increasing from the first end to the second end.

2. The overload mechanism of claim 1, wherein the force-receiving member is disposed adjacent to an opening formed in the housing.

3. The overload mechanism of claim 1, further comprising a pivoting assembly disposed within the housing and coupled between the force-receiving member and the biasing assembly such that pivoting assembly is adapted to transfer a force applied to the force-receiving member to the biasing assembly to overcome the resistance.

4. The overload mechanism of claim 3, wherein the pivoting assembly comprises a toggle link that is pivotally coupled to the force-receiving member, and a pivot link that is pivotally coupled to the toggle link and that is adapted to apply a force to the biasing assembly upon pivotal movement thereof.

5. The overload mechanism of claim 1, wherein the force-receiving member includes a force-receiving surface formed thereon and including a first portion that is adapted to receive a force for pivotally moving the force-receiving member within the housing, and a second portion that is adapted to receive a force for slidably moving the force-receiving member within the housing.

6. The overload mechanism of claim 1, wherein the biasing assembly comprising a spring disposed around a spring post, and a plunger slidably disposed relative to the spring post and having a head formed thereon and adapted to compress the spring upon slidable movement of the plunger toward the spring post.

7. The overload mechanism of claim 5, wherein the force-receiving surface is curved to provide a non-linear resistance.

8. An overload assembly for use with a surgical device, comprising:

an overload mechanism having a force-receiving member that is adapted to resist displacement in response to a force applied thereto, the resistance increasing from a first end to a second opposed end of the force-receiving member; and

an actuation mechanism adapted to actuate jaws formed on a distal end of a surgical device, the actuation mechanism having a portion that is adapted to apply a force to and translate across the force-receiving member from the first to the second end during actuation of the actuation mechanism.

9. The overload assembly of claim 8, wherein the actuation mechanism is adapted to apply a non-linear force to the force-receiving member that increases as the portion of the actuation mechanism translates across the force-receiving member, the resistance of the force-receiving member correlating to the non-linear force of the actuation mechanism.

10. The overload assembly of claim 9, wherein the actuation mechanism includes a camming assembly having a non-linear camming surface that is adapted to produce the non-linear force when the actuation mechanism is actuated.

11. The overload assembly of claim 9, wherein the force-receiving member has a non-linear surface that is adapted to provide the non-linear resistance that correlates to the non-linear closing force of the actuation mechanism.

12. The overload assembly of claim 8, wherein the force-receiving member comprises a rigid member that is slidably and pivotally disposed within a housing.

13. The overload assembly of claim 8, wherein the force-receiving member comprises a flexible band that is adapted to deform when the force applied thereto is greater than the resistance.