Ratcheting Mechanism for Surgical Stapling Device
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A surgical stapling device comprising:
- a housing;
an elongated portion extending distally from the housing;
an end effector, at least a portion of the end effector being disposed in mechanical cooperation with a distal portion of the elongated portion;
a movable handle disposed in mechanical cooperation with the housing, the movable handle being movable between a first open position and a second approximated position for affecting a function of the end effector; and
a ratchet mechanism disposed in mechanical cooperation with the movable handle, the ratchet mechanism configured to substantially prevent the movable handle from moving towards its first open position until the movable handle reaches a predetermined position, the ratchet mechanism including;
a rack having rack teeth and a cam surface, the rack being disposed in mechanical cooperation with the housing;
a pawl having pawl teeth and being disposed in mechanical cooperation with the movable handle, the rack teeth and the pawl teeth being configured for engagement with each other; and
a spring disposed in mechanical cooperation with movable handle and being configured to bias at least one of the pawl and the rack towards the other such that the pawl teeth and the rack teeth are in engagement with one another,wherein the cam surface is configured to disengage the pawl teeth and the rack teeth upon the cam surface contacting the pawl for facilitating movement of the movable handle towards its first open position.
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Abstract
A surgical stapling device comprising a housing, an elongated portion, an end effector, and a movable handle disposed in mechanical cooperation with the housing and movable between a first open position and a second approximated position for affecting a function of the end effector. A ratchet mechanism is disposed in mechanical cooperation with the movable handle and is configured to substantially prevent the movable handle from moving towards its first open position until the movable handle reaches a predetermined position
199 Citations
20 Claims
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1. A surgical stapling device comprising:
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a housing; an elongated portion extending distally from the housing; an end effector, at least a portion of the end effector being disposed in mechanical cooperation with a distal portion of the elongated portion; a movable handle disposed in mechanical cooperation with the housing, the movable handle being movable between a first open position and a second approximated position for affecting a function of the end effector; and a ratchet mechanism disposed in mechanical cooperation with the movable handle, the ratchet mechanism configured to substantially prevent the movable handle from moving towards its first open position until the movable handle reaches a predetermined position, the ratchet mechanism including; a rack having rack teeth and a cam surface, the rack being disposed in mechanical cooperation with the housing; a pawl having pawl teeth and being disposed in mechanical cooperation with the movable handle, the rack teeth and the pawl teeth being configured for engagement with each other; and a spring disposed in mechanical cooperation with movable handle and being configured to bias at least one of the pawl and the rack towards the other such that the pawl teeth and the rack teeth are in engagement with one another, wherein the cam surface is configured to disengage the pawl teeth and the rack teeth upon the cam surface contacting the pawl for facilitating movement of the movable handle towards its first open position. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. A surgical stapling device comprising:
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a housing; an elongated portion extending distally from the housing; an end effector disposed adjacent a distal portion of the elongated portion and including an anvil assembly and a shell assembly, the anvil assembly including an anvil head and an anvil center rod having a proximal end and a distal, the anvil head being supported on the distal end of the anvil center rod, the shell assembly supporting a plurality of staples, the anvil assembly being movable in relation to the shell assembly between spaced and approximated positions; a movable handle disposed in mechanical cooperation with the housing, the movable handle being movable between a first open position and a second approximated position for affecting a function of the end effector; and a ratchet mechanism disposed in mechanical cooperation with the movable handle, the ratchet mechanism configured to substantially prevent the movable handle from moving towards its first open position until the movable handle reaches a predetermined position. - View Dependent Claims (16)
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17. A ratchet mechanism for use with a surgical stapling device, the ratchet mechanism including:
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a rack having rack teeth and a cam surface, a pawl having pawl teeth, the rack teeth and the pawl teeth being configured for engagement with each other; and a spring disposed in mechanical cooperation with one of the pawl and the rack, the spring being positioned to bias at least one of the pawl and the rack towards the other to engage the rack teeth and the pawl teeth, wherein the cam surface is configured to disengage the pawl teeth and the rack teeth upon the cam surface contacting the pawl and wherein the ratchet mechanism is configured to substantially prevent a movable handle of the surgical stapling device from moving towards a first open position until the movable handle reaches a predetermined position. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20)
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Specification