Automated Assembly Device to Tolerate Blade Variation

• US 20090248052A1
• Filed: 03/30/2009
• Published: 10/01/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 03/31/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Covidien LP (Medtronic Plc)
• Original Assignee: Tyco Healthcare Group LP (Medtronic Plc)
• Inventors: Crawford, James J., Guerra, Paul, Cunningham, James S.
• Granted Patent: US 8,646,164 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 606/170
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/29 Forceps for use in minimally invasive surgery
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/320016 Endoscopic cutting instruments, e.g. arthroscopes, resectoscopes A61B10/0233, A61B17/29, A61B17/3207 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00526 Methods of manufacturing
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/320052 Guides for cutting instruments
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/320064 with tissue or sample retaining means
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49826 Assembling or joining
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49902 by manipulating aligning means
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/53796 Puller or pusher means, contained force multiplying operator

Abstract

An automated device facilitates the assembly a surgical instrument that includes a knife with a high aspect ratio. The automated device includes a fixture for restraining a subassembly of the surgical instrument that includes the knife. A blade grip on the device is movable relative to the fixture, and is configured to urge the knife into a restrained position in the subassembly suitable for the subsequent assembly of an additional instrument component. A grip actuator is provided to move the blade grip.

Claims

1. A device for facilitating the assembly of a surgical instrument including a knife, the device comprising:

a fixture for restraining a subassembly of the surgical instrument, a knife defining a component of the subassembly;

a blade grip movable relative to the fixture, the blade grip configured to urge the knife into a restrained position within the subassembly for subsequent assembly of an additional instrument component to the subassembly; and

a grip actuator configured to move the blade grip relative to the fixture.

2. The device according to claim 1, wherein the grip actuator is configured to move the blade grip in a lateral direction relative to the subassembly.

3. The device according to claim 2, further comprising:

at least one tapered finger extending in the lateral direction, wherein a leading portion of the tapered finger encounters the knife in an unrestrained position and a trailing portion of the tapered finger encounters the knife in the restrained position.

4. The device according to claim 1, wherein the blade grip is configured to urge the knife toward the restrained position in a vertical direction relative to the subassembly.

5. The device according to claim 1, wherein the grip actuator comprises a pneumatic slide.

6. The device according to claim 1, further comprising:

a component block configured to restrain the additional assembly component, the component block moveable relative to the fixture to approximate the additional assembly component and the subassembly.

7. The device according to claim 6, further comprising:

a component actuator, the component actuator operatively associated with the component block to move the component block in a longitudinal direction relative to the fixture.

8. The device according to claim 7, further comprising:

a knife block, the knife block configured to move relative to the fixture to define a longitudinal position of the knife within the subassembly.

9. A device for facilitating the assembly of a surgical instrument including a knife, the device comprising:

a fixture for restraining a subassembly of the surgical instrument, a knife defining a component of the subassembly;

a knife block moveable in a longitudinal direction relative to the fixture to define a longitudinal position of the knife within the subassembly; and

a component block configured to restrain an additional assembly component, the component block moveable in the longitudinal direction to approximate the additional assembly component and the subassembly;

wherein the knife block and the component block are configured for concurrent movement to facilitate assembly of the additional assembly component to the subassembly.

10. The device according to claim 9, wherein the knife block and the component block are configured for selective independent movement relative to one another.

11. The device according to claim 9, further comprising:

a blade grip moveable in a lateral direction to define a vertical position of the knife within the subassembly.

12. The device according to claim 9, further comprising:

a jaw block for restraining a Jaw member to be installed onto the subassembly, the jaw block mountable relative to the fixture such that the jaw member operably engages the knife upon movement of the knife block.

13. A method of assembling a surgical instrument including a knife, the method comprising the steps of:

loading a subassembly of the instrument that includes a knife into a fixture such that the knife is movable within the subassembly;

advancing a blade grip to urge the knife to a restrained position within the subassembly;

approximating an additional instrument component relative to the subassembly to constrain the additional instrument component within the subassembly; and

moving the instrument component and the knife concurrently to install the additional instrument component.