Surgical stapling instrument with a firing member return mechanism

• US 20080314957A1
• Filed: 01/10/2008
• Published: 12/25/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 06/22/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cilag Gmbh International (Johnson & Johnson)
• Original Assignee: Ethicon Endo-Surgery, Inc. (Johnson & Johnson)
• Inventors: Boudreaux, Chad P.
• Granted Patent: US 7,954,684 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 227/175.2
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/07207 the staples being applied sequentially
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/295 combined with cutting implements
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00318 Steering mechanisms
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00734 battery operated
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/07271 characterised by its cartridge
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/07285 characterised by its cutter
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/2913 cams or guiding means
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/2916 pins in guiding slots
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/2923 Toothed members, e.g. rack and pinion
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/2927 the angular position of the head being adjustable with respect to the shaft
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/2929 with a head rotatable about the longitudinal axis of the shaft
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/2943 Toothed members, e.g. rack and pinion
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/2946 Locking means
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/0811 for the position of a particular part of an instrument with respect to the rest of the instrument, e.g. position of the anvil of a stapling instrument

Abstract

A surgical instrument including a firing drive configured to selectively advance a firing member and/or cutting member relative to an end effector and, in addition, a reversing drive configured to selectively retract the firing member and/or cutting member relative to the end effector. In various embodiments, the surgical instrument can further include a switch including relatively movable first and second portions, wherein the first portion can be configured to operably disengage the firing drive from the firing member and, in addition, operably engage the reversing drive with the firing member. In at least one embodiment, the second portion can include a handle extending therefrom which can be motivated by the surgeon in order to engage the second portion with the first portion and move the first portion into position.

Claims

1. A surgical instrument, comprising:

an end effector;

a firing member;

a trigger;

a firing drive selectively engageable with said firing member, wherein said firing drive is configured to advance said firing member relative to said end effector upon a first actuation of said trigger;

a reversing drive selectively engageable with said firing member, wherein said reversing drive is configured to retract said firing member relative to said end effector upon a subsequent actuation of said trigger; and

a switch including a first portion and a second portion, wherein said first portion is movable relative to said second portion, wherein said first portion is movable between a first position and a second position, wherein said first portion is configured to operably disengage said firing drive from said firing member and operably engage said reversing drive with said firing member when said first portion is moved into said second position, and wherein said second portion is configured to be selectively operated to move said first portion into said second position.

2. The surgical instrument of claim 1, further comprising a frame, wherein said first and second portions are rotatably mounted relative to said frame.

3. The surgical instrument of claim 1, wherein said reversing drive includes a cam configured to engage said first portion and move said first portion between said first position and said second position.

4. The surgical instrument of claim 3, wherein said cam is configured to engage said first portion upon said first actuation of said firing trigger.

5. The surgical instrument of claim 1, wherein said first portion is configured to operably engage a first key with said firing drive to prevent said firing drive from advancing said firing member and wherein said first portion is further configured to operably engage a second key with said first gear and said second gear when said first portion is moved into said second position.

6. The surgical instrument of claim 1, wherein said second portion includes a handle extending therefrom, wherein said handle is configured to receive a force applied thereto in order to move said first portion between said first position and said second position.

7. The surgical instrument of claim 1, wherein said second portion cannot move said first portion from said first position into said second position until said trigger has been released from said first actuation.

8. A method for processing an instrument for surgery, the method comprising:

obtaining the surgical instrument of claim 1;

sterilizing the surgical instrument; and

storing the surgical instrument in a sterile container.

9. A surgical instrument, comprising:

an end effector;

a firing member;

a trigger;

a firing drive selectively engageable with said firing member, wherein said firing drive is configured to advance said firing member relative to said end effector upon an actuation of said trigger;

a first gear operably engaged with said firing member;

a second gear operably engaged with said trigger, wherein said first gear is selectively engageable with said second gear; and

a switch including a first portion and a second portion, wherein said first portion is movable relative to said second portion, where said first portion is movable between a first position and a second position, wherein said first portion is configured to operably disengage said firing drive from said firing member and operably engage said first gear with said second gear when said first portion is moved into its second position, and wherein said second portion is configured to be selectively operated to move said first portion into said second position.

10. The surgical instrument of claim 9, further comprising a frame, wherein said first and second portions are rotatably mounted relative to said frame.

11. The surgical instrument of claim 9, wherein said first gear is operably engaged with a cam configured to engage said first portion and move said first portion between said first position and said second position.

12. The surgical instrument of claim 11, wherein said cam is configured to engage said first portion upon said actuation of said firing trigger.

13. The surgical instrument of claim 9, wherein said first portion is configured to operably engage a first key with said firing drive to prevent said firing drive from advancing said firing member, and wherein said first portion is further configured to operably engage a second key with said first gear and said second gear when said first portion is moved into said second position.

14. The surgical instrument of claim 9, wherein said second portion includes a handle extending therefrom, wherein said handle is configured to receive a force applied thereto in order to move said first portion between said first position and said second position.

15. The surgical instrument of claim 9, wherein said second portion cannot move said first portion from said first position into said second position until said trigger has been released from said actuation.

16. A method for processing an instrument for surgery, the method comprising:

obtaining the surgical instrument of claim 9;

sterilizing the surgical instrument; and

storing the surgical instrument in a sterile container.

17. A surgical instrument, comprising:

an end effector;

a firing member;

a trigger;

a firing drive selectively engageable with said firing member, wherein said firing drive is configured to advance said firing member relative to said end effector upon an actuation of said trigger;

a reversing drive selectively engageable with said firing member, wherein said reversing drive is configured to retract said firing member relative to said end effector upon a subsequent actuation of said trigger;

a first cam configured to operably disengage said firing drive from said firing member and operably engage said reversing drive with said firing member when said first cam is actuated; and

a second cam configured to selectively actuate said first cam.

18. The surgical instrument of claim 17, wherein said reversing drive includes a third cam configured to actuate said first cam when said firing member is advanced.

19. The surgical instrument of claim 17, wherein said first cam is configured to bias a first key into said firing drive to prevent said firing drive from advancing said firing member and insert a second key into said reversing drive in order to operably engage said reversing drive with said firing member when said first cam is actuated.

20. The surgical instrument of claim 17, wherein said second cam includes a handle extending therefrom, and wherein said handle is configured to receive a force applied thereto in order to move said first cam and said second cam.

21. A method for processing an instrument for surgery, the method comprising:

obtaining the surgical instrument of claim 17;

sterilizing the surgical instrument; and

storing the surgical instrument in a sterile container.