Handle Assembly for Articulated Endoscopic Instruments

• US 20100076260A1
• Filed: 10/04/2007
• Published: 03/25/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 10/05/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Covidien LP (Medtronic Plc)
• Original Assignee: Covidien LP (Medtronic Plc)
• Inventors: Hathaway, Peter, Sniffin, Kevin, Taylor, Eric J.
• Granted Patent: US 8,795,325 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/104
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/0469 Suturing instruments for use in minimally invasive surgery, e.g. endoscopic surgery
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/062 Needle manipulators
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/2909 Handles
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/003 Steerable
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/2905 flexible
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/2919 details of linkages or pivot points

Abstract

An endoscopic surgical instrument is provided and includes a handle assembly for operating the surgical instrument, an articulatable neck assembly supported on and extending from the handle assembly, and an end effector operatively supported on the neck assembly. The handle assembly includes a housing; a trigger operatively supported on the housing; at least one actuation shaft operatively connected to the trigger and extending from the housing, wherein an actuation of the trigger imparts axial translation to the actuation shaft; and at least one articulation cable operable from the housing. The end effector includes a pair of pivotably mounted, juxtaposed jaws, wherein the jaws are movable at least between an open position and a closed position, and wherein a distal end of an actuation shaft is operatively engaged with the pair of jaws to effectuate opening and closing of the jaws.

Claims

1. A handle assembly for operating a surgical instrument, comprising:

a housing;

a trigger operatively supported on the housing;

at least one actuation shaft operatively connected to the trigger and extending from the housing, wherein an actuation of the trigger imparts axial translation to the actuation shaft; and

at least one articulation cable operable from the housing, each articulation cable including a distal end operatively connectable with an end effector and a proximal end operatively connected to an articulation control element supported on the housing.

2. The handle assembly according to claim 1, wherein movement of the control element results in movement of the at least one articulation cable.

3. The handle assembly according to claim 1, wherein movement of the at least one articulation cable in a first direction causes an articulation of the end effector in a first direction and movement of the at least one articulation cable in a second direction results in articulation of the end effector in a second direction.

4. The handle assembly according to claim 1, wherein the control element is selected from the group consisting of a slider, a dial, and a lever.

5. The handle assembly according to claim 2, further comprising a pair of articulation cables each having a proximal end operatively connected to the control element such that movement of the control element in a first direction results in movement of a first articulation cable in a first direction and movement of a second articulation cable in a second direction;

and movement of the control element in a second direction results in movement of the first articulation cable in the second direction and movement of the second articulation cable in the first direction.

6. The handle assembly according to claim 1, wherein the trigger imparts proximal axial movement to the actuation shaft when the trigger is squeezed, and distal axial movement to the actuation shaft when the trigger is released.

7. The handle assembly according to claim 1, further comprising a ratchet mechanism operatively associated with the trigger, wherein the ratchet mechanism is configured to selectively maintain the position of the trigger relative to the housing.

8. The handle assembly according to claim 7, further comprising a release assembly operatively associated with the ratchet mechanism, wherein the release assembly is configured such that actuation of the release assembly results in a disengagement of the ratchet mechanism.

9. The handle assembly according to claim 8, wherein the ratchet mechanism includes a ratchet rack having a first end coupled to the trigger and a second end extending into the handle, and a pawl selectively operatively engageable with teeth of the ratchet rack.

10. The handle assembly according to claim 9, wherein the release assembly includes a release button supported on the housing, and a release lever interconnecting the release button and the pawl, wherein actuation of the release button selectively engages and disengages the pawl and the ratchet rack.

11. The handle assembly according to claim 9, wherein the pawl is biased into engagement with the ratchet rack.

12. The handle assembly according to claim 1, further comprising a ratchet mechanism operatively associated with the articulation control element, wherein the ratchet mechanism is configured to selectively maintain the position of the articulation control element relative to the housing.

13. The handle assembly according to claim 12, wherein the ratchet mechanism includes a ratchet rack supported on the housing and operatively associated with the articulation control element and an articulation trigger supported on the articulation control element and operatively associated with the ratchet rack, wherein the articulation trigger is configured to maintain the relative position of the articulation control element.

14. The handle assembly according to claim 13, wherein the articulation trigger is incrementally movable along the ratchet rack.

15. An endoscopic surgical instrument, comprising:

handle assembly for operating the surgical instrument, the handle assembly including;

a housing;

a trigger operatively supported on the housing;

at least one actuation shaft operatively connected to the trigger and extending from the housing, wherein an actuation of the trigger imparts axial translation to the actuation shaft; and

at least one articulation cable operable from the housing, each articulation cable including a distal end operatively connectable with an end effector and a proximal end operatively connected to an articulation control element supported on the housing;

an articulatable neck assembly supported on and extending from the handle assembly, wherein each actuation shaft and articulation cable extends through the neck assembly; and

an end effector operatively supported on the neck assembly, the end effector including a pair of pivotably mounted, juxtaposed jaws, wherein the jaws are movable at least between an open position and a closed position, and wherein a distal end of an actuation shaft is operatively engaged with the pair of jaws to effectuate opening and closing of the jaws.

16. The endoscopic surgical instrument according to claim 15, wherein movement of the articulation control element results in movement of the at least one articulation cable to effectuate an articulation of the neck assembly.

17. The endoscopic surgical instrument according to claim 15, wherein movement of the at least one articulation cable in a first direction causes an articulation of the end effector in a first direction and movement of the at least one articulation cable in a second direction results in articulation of the end effector in a second direction.

18. The endoscopic surgical instrument according to claim 16, further comprising a pair of articulation cables each having a proximal end operatively connected to the articulation control element such that movement of the articulation control element in a first direction results in movement of a first articulation cable in a first direction and movement of a second articulation cable in a second direction;

and movement of the control element in a second direction results in movement of the first articulation cable in the second direction and movement of the second articulation cable in the first direction.

19. The endoscopic surgical instrument according to claim 15, wherein the trigger imparts proximal axial movement to the actuation shaft when the trigger is squeezed to close the jaws, and distal axial movement to the actuation shaft when the trigger is released to open the jaws.

20. The endoscopic surgical instrument according to claim 15, wherein the handle assembly further comprises a ratchet mechanism operatively associated with the trigger, wherein the ratchet mechanism is configured to selectively maintain the position of the trigger relative to the housing and thus the relative open or closed position of the jaws.

21. The endoscopic according to claim 20, wherein the housing assembly further includes a release assembly operatively associated with the ratchet mechanism, wherein the release assembly is configured such that actuation of the release assembly results in a disengagement of the ratchet mechanism.

22. The endoscopic surgical instrument according to claim 21, wherein the ratchet mechanism includes a ratchet rack having a first end coupled to the trigger and a second end extending into the handle, and a pawl selectively operatively engageable with teeth of the ratchet rack.

23. The endoscopic surgical instrument according to claim 22, wherein the release assembly includes a release button supported on the housing, and a release lever interconnecting the release button and the pawl, wherein actuation of the release button selectively engages and disengages the pawl and the ratchet rack.

24. The endoscopic surgical instrument according to claim 22, wherein the pawl is biased into engagement with the ratchet rack.

25. The endoscopic surgical instrument according to claim 15, wherein the handle assembly further includes a ratchet mechanism operatively associated with the articulation control element, wherein the ratchet mechanism is configured to selectively maintain the position of the articulation control element relative to the housing to thereby maintain the relative articulation of the neck assembly.

26. The endoscopic surgical instrument according to claim 25, wherein the ratchet mechanism includes a ratchet rack supported on the housing and operatively associated with the articulation control element and an articulation trigger supported on the articulation control element and operatively associated with the ratchet rack, wherein the articulation trigger is configured to maintain the relative position of the articulation control element.

27. The endoscopic surgical instrument according to claim 26, wherein the articulation trigger is incrementally movable along the ratchet rack.

28. The endoscopic surgical instrument according to claim 15, wherein the pair of jaws define a surgical grasper.