ERGONOMIC SURGICAL INSTRUMENTS

• US 20090105750A1
• Filed: 10/03/2008
• Published: 04/23/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 10/05/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cilag Gmbh International (Johnson & Johnson)
• Original Assignee: Ethicon Endo-Surgery, Inc. (Johnson & Johnson)
• Inventors: Robertson, Gaten C., Fihe, Carrie L., Draginoff, Carl J. JR., Price, Daniel W., Woodruff, Scott A., Rupp, Kip M., Kimball, Cory G., Miller, Matthew C., Sheetz, Jane A.
• Granted Patent: US 8,623,027 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 606/206
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/320092 with additional movable means for clamping or cutting tissue, e.g. with a pivoting jaw
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00424 ergonomic, e.g. fitting in fist
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00429 with a roughened portion
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/2925 Pistol grips
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/2929 with a head rotatable about the longitudinal axis of the shaft
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/320093 additional movable means performing cutting operation
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/320094 additional movable means performing clamping operation
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/320095 with sealing or cauterizing means

Abstract

A surgical instrument handle assembly includes a housing having a proximal end and a distal end. A proximal opening is formed at the proximal end of the housing. A distal opening is formed at the distal end of the housing. The proximal and the distal openings define a longitudinal axis. A handle extends downwardly from the longitudinal axis. The handle defines a proximal contact surface, a saddle surface, and a stabilization tail. A trigger is pivotally attached to the housing and is pivotally moveable relative to the handle.

Claims

1. A surgical instrument handle assembly, comprising:

a housing having a proximal end and a distal end;

a proximal opening formed at the proximal end of the housing;

a distal opening formed at the distal end of the housing, the proximal and the distal openings defining a longitudinal axis;

a handle extending downwardly from the longitudinal axis, the handle defining a proximal contact surface, a saddle surface, and a stabilization tail; and

a trigger pivotally attached to the housing and pivotally moveable relative to the handle.

2. The surgical instrument of claim 1, comprising a distal rotation knob coupled to the distal opening, the distal rotation knob comprising a plurality of flutes.

3. The surgical instrument of claim 2, wherein the distal rotation knob comprises a resilient material.

4. The surgical instrument of claim 1, comprising a toggle switch pivotally coupled to the distal end of the housing.

5. The surgical instrument of claim 1, comprising a curved stability projection formed on the proximal contact surface.

6. The surgical instrument of claim 1, comprising at least one protrusion formed on the housing.

7. The surgical instrument of claim 1, wherein the proximal contact surface is defined by a first radius measured from a first reference point, the saddle surface is defined by a second radius measured from a second reference point, and the stabilization tail is defined by a third radius measured from a third reference point.

8. A surgical instrument handle assembly, comprising:

a housing having a proximal end and a distal end;

a proximal opening formed at the proximal end of the housing;

a distal opening formed at the distal end of the housing, the proximal and the distal openings defining a longitudinal axis; and

a handle extending downwardly from the longitudinal axis, the handle defining a proximal contact surface, a saddle surface, and a stabilization tail; and

a distal rotation knob coupled to the proximal opening, the distal rotation knob comprising a plurality of flutes.

9. The surgical instrument of claim 8, wherein the distal rotation knob comprises a resilient material.

10. The surgical instrument of claim 8, comprising a toggle switch pivotally coupled to the distal end of the housing.

11. The surgical instrument of claim 8, comprising a curved stability projection formed on the proximal contact surface.

12. The surgical instrument of claim 8, comprising at least one protrusion formed on the housing.

13. The surgical instrument of claim 8, wherein the proximal contact surface is defined by a first radius measured from a first reference point, the saddle surface is defined by a second radius measured from a second reference point, and the stabilization tail is defined by a third radius measured from a third reference point.

14. A surgical instrument handle assembly, comprising:

a housing having a proximal end and a distal end;

a proximal opening formed at the proximal end of the housing;

a distal opening formed at the distal end of the housing, the proximal and the distal openings defining a first longitudinal axis;

a handle extending downwardly from the longitudinal axis, the handle defining a saddle surface, the saddle surface defining a first reference point along a second longitudinal axis parallel to the first longitudinal axis; and

a trigger pivotally attached to the distal end of the housing and pivotally movable relative to the handle from a fully open position to a fully closed position, the trigger defining an aperture, the aperture defining a second reference point;

wherein the second reference point is located along a first vector having a first length d₄ measured from the first reference point to the second reference point; and

wherein the second reference point is located at a first angle φ

₄ measured between the first vector and the second longitudinal axis.

15. The surgical instrument handle assembly of claim 14, wherein the first angle φ

₄ remains substantially constant as the trigger is pivotally rotated from a fully open position to a fully closed position.

16. The surgical instrument handle assembly of claim 14, comprising:

a toggle switch pivotally coupled to the distal portion of the housing between the distal opening and the trigger, the toggle switch comprising a first projecting knob defining a third reference point.

17. The surgical instrument handle assembly of claim 16, wherein the third reference point is located along a second vector having a second length d₂ measured from the first reference point to the third reference point;

and

wherein the third reference point is located at a second angle φ

₂ measured between the first vector and the second vector.

18. The surgical instrument handle assembly of claim 17, wherein the second angle φ

₂ remains substantially constant as the trigger is pivotally rotated from a fully open position to a fully closed position.

19. The surgical instrument handle assembly of claim 17, wherein the toggle switch further comprises a second projecting knob defining a fourth reference point;

wherein the fourth reference point is located along a third vector having a third length d₃ measured from the first reference point to the fourth reference point; and

wherein the fourth reference point is located at a third angle φ

₃ measured between the first vector and the third vector.

20. The surgical instrument handle assembly of claim 19, wherein the third angle φ

₃ remains substantially constant as the trigger is pivotally rotated from a fully open position to a fully closed position.

21. The surgical instrument handle assembly of claim 19, comprising:

a distal rotation knob coupled to the distal opening, the distal rotation knob comprising a plurality of flutes defining a fifth reference point.

22. The surgical instrument handle assembly of claim 21, wherein the fifth reference point is located along a fourth vector having a fourth length d₁ measured from the first reference point to the fifth reference point;

and

wherein the fifth reference point is located at a fourth angle φ

₁ measured between the first vector and the fourth vector.

23. The surgical instrument handle assembly of claim 22, wherein the fourth angle φ

₁ remains substantially constant as the trigger is pivotally rotated from a fully open position to a fully closed position.

24. The surgical instrument handle assembly of claim 22, wherein the angles φ

₁, φ

₂, and φ

₃ are selected according to the relationship;

φ

₃<

φ

₂<

φ

₁.

25. The surgical instrument handle assembly of claim 22, wherein the vector lengths d₁, d₂, and d₃ are selected according to the relationship:

d₃<

d₂<

d₁.

26. An adapter for a handle assembly of a surgical instrument, the handle assembly comprising a fixed handle defining a first proximal contact surface, a first saddle surface, and a first stabilization tail, the adapter comprising:

a body defining an internal surface and an external surface, the internal surface forming an opening to receive the fixed handle, the internal surface defining a contour that is the inverse shape of the first contact surface, the first saddle surface, and the first stabilization tail of the fixed handle and an the external surface defining a contour that forms a second contact surface, a second saddle surface, and a second stabilization tail;

wherein the body is dimensioned to increase the size of the fixed handle; and

wherein the first and second contact surfaces, the first and second saddle surfaces, and the first and second stabilization tails are substantially similar.

27. The adapter of claim 26, wherein the opening of the internal surface is adapted to frictionally engage the fixed handle.

28. The adapter of claim 26, comprising at least one snap feature formed on the internal surface of the body, the snap feature configured to be received in a corresponding sized opening in the fixed handle to removably attach the body to the fixed handle.

29. The adapter of claim 26, comprising at least one post formed on the internal surface of the body, the post configured to be received in a corresponding sized opening in the fixed handle to align the body with the fixed handle.

30. An adapter for a handle assembly of a surgical instrument, the handle assembly comprising a fixed handle defining a first base surface, a first saddle surface, and a first stabilization tail, the adapter comprising:

a body comprising first and second curved elements and a contact element, the first and second curved elements and the contact element defining interior and exterior surfaces;

wherein the first and second curved elements define an upper saddle surface, a lower saddle surface, and first and second loops, the lower saddle surface located between the first and second curved elements;

wherein the upper saddle surface comprises an internal surface contoured to receive the first saddle surface of the fixed handle; and

wherein the lower saddle surface comprises an internal surface contoured to receive the first base portion of the fixed handle.

31. The adapter of claim 30, comprising a snap feature formed on an interior surface of the first and second curved elements, the snap feature configured to be received in a corresponding sized opening in the fixed handle to removably attach the body to the fixed handle.

32. The adapter of claim 30, comprising at least one post formed on the interior surface of the lower saddle surface, the post configured to be received in a corresponding sized opening in the fixed handle to align the body with the fixed handle.

33. The adapter of claim 30, comprising a flexible element attached to the contact element, the flexible element comprising a channel to receive the interior surface of the contact element.

34. The adapter of claim 33, wherein the flexible element comprises a plurality of ribs.