POWERED TACKER INSTRUMENT

• US 20110172681A1
• Filed: 03/21/2011
• Published: 07/14/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 05/10/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Covidien LP (Medtronic Plc)
• Original Assignee: Covidien LP (Medtronic Plc)
• Inventors: Wenchell, Thomas, Krehel, Gregg C., Aranyi, Ernest, Zergiebel, Earl M.
• Granted Patent: US 8,328,823 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 606/139
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/064 Surgical staples, i.e. penetrating the tissue
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/068 Surgical staplers , e.g. containing multiple staples or clampsstaplers containing only one staple A61B17/10; magazines or containers for staples A61B17/105; for performing anastomosis A61B17/115; staplers in general B25C5/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/0648 threaded, e.g. tacks with a screw thread
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/0063 Implantable repair or support meshes, e.g. hernia meshes
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/0811 Fixation devices for tendons or ligaments

Abstract

There is provided a powered tacker device for use in installing multiple surgical fasteners through a prosthetic mesh into tissue. The powered tacker device generally includes a handle assembly and a tacker assembly extending distally from handle assembly. The handle assembly includes a motor and self-contained power assembly to rotate the surgical fasteners into tissue. The handle assembly is provided with a drive assembly which allows for rotation, as well as distal longitudinal movement, of a surgical fastener relative to the powered tacker device. The tacker assembly includes an inner tube for containing the plurality of surgical fasteners and a driver which is movable out of alignment with the inner tube so as to install a single fastener at a time into tissue.

Claims

1. A powered tacker device comprising:

a handle assembly having a power source and a drive assembly mounted within the handle assembly, the drive assembly including a keyed journal having a bore extending therethrough, the keyed journal being rotatably mounted within the handle assembly and rotatable in response to actuation of the power source, a drive bar longitudinally movable at least partially through the keyed journal and a rotator rotatable in response to rotation of the keyed journal, the drive bar defining a longitudinal axis;

an actuator associated with the handle assembly and operable to engage the power source with the drive assembly; and

a tacker assembly extending distally from the handle assembly and being substantially aligned with the longitudinal axis, the tacker assembly containing a plurality of surgical fasteners, the tacker assembly including an inner tube terminating in a driver engageable with the fasteners, wherein the inner tube is connected to the rotator and rotatable in response to rotation of the keyed journal.

2. The powered tacker device as recited in claim 1, wherein the keyed journal includes a threaded bore and the drive bar includes a threaded outer surface engageable with the threaded bore such that rotation of the keyed journal moves the drive bar in a longitudinal direction within the handle assembly.

3. The powered tacker device as recited in claim 2, wherein the drive bar is connected to the rotator to move the rotator longitudinally within the handle assembly in response to rotation of the keyed journal.

4. The powered tacker device as recited in claim 3, wherein the keyed journal includes at least one distally extending key and the rotator includes at least one slot engageable with the at least one key such that the rotator is rotated in response to rotation of the keyed journal.

5. The powered tacker device as recited in claim 4, wherein the rotator is longitudinally movable along the at least one key.

6. The powered tacker device as recited in claim 1, wherein the handle assembly includes a first limit switch and a second limit switch, the first and second limit switches operable to deactivate the power source.

7. The powered tacker device as recited in claim 6, wherein the drive bar includes a contact assembly, the contact assembly engageable with the first limit switch when the drive bar is in a proximal most position.

8. The powered tacker device as recited in claim 6, wherein the drive bar includes a contact assembly, the contact assembly engageable with the second limit switch when the drive bar is in a distal most position.

9. The powered tacker device as recited in claim 7, wherein the handle assembly includes at least one indicator, the indicator providing a visual indication when the contact assembly has engaged the first limit switch.

10. The powered tacker device as recited in claim 8, wherein the handle assembly includes at least one indicator, the indicator providing a visual indication when the contact assembly has engaged the second limit switch.

11. The powered tacker device as recited in claim 1, wherein the power source includes a motor engageable with the keyed journal to rotate the keyed journal and a battery to power the motor.

12. The powered tacker device as recited in claim 11, wherein the drive assembly includes a drive gear engageable with the keyed journal, the drive gear engageable with a spur gear on the motor to rotate the keyed journal.

13. The powered tacker device as recited in claim 12, wherein the drive assembly includes a mesh gear engageable with the keyed journal and the drive gear.

14. The powered tacker device as recited in claim 13, wherein the drive assembly includes a spring positioned within the keyed journal, the spring biasing the mesh gear into engagement with the drive gear.

15. The powered tacker device as recited in claim 1, wherein the handle assembly includes a safety mechanism, the safety mechanism preventing actuation of the power source in response to the position of an outer tube associated with the tacker assembly.

16. The powered tacker device as recited in claim 15, wherein the safety mechanism includes a safety switch actuable in response to movement of the outer tube, the safety switch preventing actuation of the power source when the outer tube is in a distal most position.

17. A powered tacker device comprising;

a handle assembly having a power source and a drive assembly, the drive assembly mounted for rotation within the handle assembly in response to activation of the power source; and

a tacker assembly extending distally from the handle assembly, the tacker assembly including an inner tube configured to receive at least one surgical fastener, the inner tube disposed in mechanical cooperation with the drive assembly, the tacker assembly including a driver disposed in mechanical cooperation with a portion of inner tube to rotate a surgical fastener into tissue, wherein the inner tube is rotatable a predetermined amount relative to the driver;

wherein the tacker assembly includes a biasing element engageable with the inner tube and the driver to bias the inner tube relative to the driver.

18. The powered tacker device as recited in claim 17, wherein the inner tube includes at least one longitudinally extending transfer bar configured to maintain at least one surgical fastener in a predetermined orientation, and wherein the driver includes at least one drive tab engageable with at least one surgical fastener to drive at least one surgical fasteners into tissue, wherein the inner tube is rotatable relative to the driver to move the at least one transfer bar into and out of alignment with the at least one drive tab.

19. The powered tacker device as recited in claim 17, wherein the tacker assembly includes an outer tube frictionally engageable with the driver to prevent initial rotation of the driver during initial rotation of the inner tube.

20. The powered tacker device as recited in claim 17, further comprising a retention feature disposed in mechanical cooperation with the inner tube, the retention feature configured to prevent a surgical fastener from being prematurely ejected from the tacker assembly.

21. The powered tacker device as recited in claim 17, further comprising a needle disposed coaxially with the inner tub and extending through the inner tube.

22. The powered tacker device as recited in claim 21, wherein the needle is mechanically engaged with the handle assembly and stationary with respect to the handle assembly.

23. The powered tacker device as recited in claim 22, further comprising a retention feature, a first portion of the retention feature is disposed in mechanical cooperation with the inner tube and a second portion of the retention feature is disposed in mechanical cooperation with the needle, the retention feature configured to prevent a surgical fastener from being prematurely ejected from the tacker assembly.