SURGICAL INSTRUMENT COMPRISING AN ENERGY TRIGGER LOCKOUT
First Claim
1. A surgical instrument, comprising:
- an end effector, comprising;
an electrode; and
a cutting member;
an elongate shaft comprising a proximal end and a distal end, wherein said end effector is coupled to said distal end of said elongate shaft, and wherein said elongate shaft further comprises;
a conductor electrically coupled with said electrode; and
a drive shaft operably coupled with said cutting member; and
a handle coupled to said proximal end of said elongate shaft, wherein said handle comprises;
a lock movable between a locked position and an unlocked position, wherein said lock is engaged with said drive shaft to prevent said drive shaft from being advanced toward said distal end of said elongate shaft when said lock is in said locked position, and wherein said lock is disengaged from said drive shaft to permit said drive shaft to be advanced toward said distal end of said elongate shaft when said lock is in said unlocked position;
an electrical input; and
a switch movable between an unactuated position and an actuated position, wherein said electrical input is electrically uncoupled from said conductor when said switch is in said unactuated position, wherein said switch is configured to electrically couple said electrical input and said conductor when said switch is in said actuated position, and wherein said switch and said lock are operably coupled such that the movement of said switch from said unactuated position to said actuated position moves said lock from said locked position to said unlocked position.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A surgical instrument can comprise a lock movable between a locked position and an unlocked position, wherein the lock can be engaged with a drive shaft in order to prevent the drive shaft from being advanced when the lock is in its locked position. The surgical instrument can further comprise an electrical input and, in addition, a switch movable between an unactuated position and an actuated position, wherein the electrical input is electrically disconnected from an electrode when the switch is in its unactuated position, wherein the switch is configured to electrically couple the electrical input and the electrode when the switch is in its actuated position, and wherein the switch and the lock are operably coupled such that the movement of the switch from its unactuated position to its actuated position moves the lock from its locked position to its unlocked position.
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Citations
15 Claims
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1. A surgical instrument, comprising:
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an end effector, comprising; an electrode; and a cutting member; an elongate shaft comprising a proximal end and a distal end, wherein said end effector is coupled to said distal end of said elongate shaft, and wherein said elongate shaft further comprises; a conductor electrically coupled with said electrode; and a drive shaft operably coupled with said cutting member; and a handle coupled to said proximal end of said elongate shaft, wherein said handle comprises; a lock movable between a locked position and an unlocked position, wherein said lock is engaged with said drive shaft to prevent said drive shaft from being advanced toward said distal end of said elongate shaft when said lock is in said locked position, and wherein said lock is disengaged from said drive shaft to permit said drive shaft to be advanced toward said distal end of said elongate shaft when said lock is in said unlocked position; an electrical input; and a switch movable between an unactuated position and an actuated position, wherein said electrical input is electrically uncoupled from said conductor when said switch is in said unactuated position, wherein said switch is configured to electrically couple said electrical input and said conductor when said switch is in said actuated position, and wherein said switch and said lock are operably coupled such that the movement of said switch from said unactuated position to said actuated position moves said lock from said locked position to said unlocked position. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5)
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6. A surgical instrument, comprising:
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an end effector, comprising; an electrode; and a cutting member; an elongate shaft comprising a proximal end and a distal end, wherein said end effector is coupled to said distal end of said elongate shaft, and wherein said elongate shaft further comprises; a conductor electrically coupled with said electrode; and a drive shaft operably coupled with said cutting member; and a handle coupled to said proximal end of said elongate shaft, wherein said handle comprises; a lock movable between a locked position and an unlocked position, wherein said lock is engaged with said drive shaft to prevent said drive shaft from being advanced toward said distal end of said elongate shaft when said lock is in said locked position, and wherein said lock is disengaged from said drive shaft to permit said drive shaft to be advanced toward said distal end of said elongate shaft when said lock is in said unlocked position; an electrical input; and a switch movable between an unactuated position and an actuated position upon the application of a first force to said switch, wherein said electrical input is electrically uncoupled from said conductor when said switch is in said unactuated position, wherein said switch is configured to electrically couple said electrical input and said conductor when said switch is in said actuated position, wherein said switch and said lock are operably coupled such that a second force applied to said switch moves said lock from said locked position to said unlocked position, and wherein said second force is larger than said first force. - View Dependent Claims (7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. A surgical instrument, comprising:
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an end effector, comprising; an electrode; and a cutting member; an elongate shaft comprising a proximal end and a distal end, wherein said end effector is coupled to said distal end of said elongate shaft, and wherein said elongate shaft further comprises; a conductor electrically coupled with said electrode; and a drive shaft operably coupled with said cutting member; and a handle coupled to said proximal end of said elongate shaft, wherein said handle comprises; a lock movable between a locked position and an unlocked position, wherein said lock is engaged with said drive shaft to prevent said drive shaft from being advanced toward said distal end of said elongate shaft when said lock is in said locked position, and wherein said lock is disengaged from said drive shaft to permit said drive shaft to be advanced toward said distal end of said elongate shaft when said lock is in said unlocked position; an electrical input; and a switch movable between an unactuated position, an actuated position, and a third position, wherein said electrical input is electrically uncoupled from said conductor when said switch is in said unactuated position, wherein said switch is configured to electrically couple said electrical input and said conductor when said switch is in said actuated position, and wherein said switch and said lock are operably coupled such that the movement of said switch from said actuated position to said third position moves said lock from said locked position to said unlocked position. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15)
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Specification