GEARING SELECTOR FOR A POWERED SURGICAL CUTTING AND FASTENING INSTRUMENT

• US 20150196295A1
• Filed: 03/20/2015
• Published: 07/16/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 01/31/2006
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Cilag Gmbh International (Johnson & Johnson)
• Original Assignee: Ethicon Endo-Surgery, Inc. (Johnson & Johnson)
• Inventors: Shelton, Frederick E. IV, Swayze, Jeffrey S., Timperman, Eugene L.
• Application Number:
  US14/664,333
• Publication Number:
  US 20150196295A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/00 Surgical instruments, devices or methods, e.g. tourniquets A61B18/00 takes precedence; contraceptive devices, pessaries, or applicators therefor A61F6/00; eye surgery A61F9/007; ear surgery A61F11/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/00234 for minimally invasive surgery A61B17/0218, A61B17/0469, A61B17/12013, A61B17/1285, A61B17/29, A61B17/320016 take precedence
• 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 17/072 for applying a row of staples in a single action , e.g. the staples being applied simultaneously
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/07207 the staples being applied sequentially
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/105 Wound clamp magazines for packaging sharps A61B50/3001
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/1114 of the digestive tract, e.g. bowels or oesophagus
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/115 Staplers for performing anastomosis in a single operation
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/1155 Circular staplers comprising a plurality of staples
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00017 Electrical control of surgical instruments
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00199 with a console, e.g. a control panel with a display
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00221 with wireless transmission of data, e.g. by infrared radiation or radiowaves
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00353 one mechanical instrument performing multiple functions, e.g. cutting and grasping
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00398 using powered actuators, e.g. stepper motors, solenoids
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/0042 with special provisions for gripping
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00685 Archimedes screw
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00734 battery operated
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/07214 Stapler heads
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/07257 characterised by its anvil
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/07271 characterised by its cartridge
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/07278 : characterised by its sled or its staple holder
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/07285 : characterised by its cutter
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/2943 : Toothed members, e.g. rack and pinion
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/033 : Abutting means, stops, e.g. abutting on tissue or skin
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/064 : for measuring force, pressure or mechanical tension
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/065 : for measuring contact or contact pressure
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/069 : using a plummet or weight
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/0803 : Counting the number of times an instrument is used
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/0811 : for the position of a particular part of an instrument with respect to the rest of the instrument, e.g. position of the anvil of a stapling instrument
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 34/30 : Surgical robots
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 34/71 : Manipulators operated by drive cable mechanisms
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 34/74 : Manipulators with manual electric input means
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 34/76 : Manipulators having means for providing feel, e.g. force or tactile feedback
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/4836 : Diagnosis combined with treatment in closed-loop systems or methods A61B5/0036 takes precedence

Abstract

A powered surgical cutting and fastening instrument includes a drive shaft; a motor; and a gear shifting assembly connected to the drive shaft and the motor. The gear shifting assembly may include at least a first stage gear assembly coupled to the motor and to the drive shaft for operating the gear shifting assembly in a first gear setting; and a gear coupling assembly for selectively coupling at least one additional gear to the drive shaft for operating the gear shifting assembly in a second gear setting.

Claims

1. A surgical cutting and fastening instrument comprising:

(a) a drive shaft;

(b) a motor; and

(c) a gear shifting assembly connected to the drive shaft and the motor, the gear shifting assembly comprising;

at least a first stage gear assembly coupled to the motor and to the drive shaft for operating the gear shifting assembly in a first gear setting; and

a gear coupling assembly for selectively coupling at least one additional gear to the drive shaft for operating the gear shifting assembly in a second gear setting.

2. The instrument of claim 1, wherein the first stage gear assembly comprises a sun gear intermeshed at least partially with one or more planet gears to provide a planetary gear arrangement for the first stage gear assembly.

3. The instrument of claim 1, further comprising a second stage gear assembly connected to the first stage gear assembly.

4. The instrument of claim 3, wherein at least one of the first stage gear assembly or the second stage gear assembly comprises a sun gear intermeshed at least partially with one or more planet gears to provide a planetary gear arrangement for the first stage gear assembly or the second stage gear assembly.

5. The instrument of claim 1, wherein the gear coupling assembly further comprises a sun gear at least partially intermeshed with one or more planet gears to provide a planetary gear arrangement which can be selectively coupled to the first stage gear assembly.

6. The instrument of claim 5, wherein the sun gear of the gear coupling assembly further includes a spline section structured to correspondingly intermesh in the second gear setting with a spline section formed on an input shaft received from the first stage gear assembly into the gear coupling assembly.

7. The instrument of claim 5, wherein the sun gear of the gear coupling assembly further includes a spline section structured to not correspondingly intermesh in the first gear setting with a spline section formed on an input shaft received from the first stage gear assembly into the gear coupling assembly.

8. The instrument of claim 1, the gear coupling assembly further comprising a collar including a spline section formed therein.

9. The instrument of claim 8, further comprising the spline section of the collar being structured to correspondingly intermesh with a spline section formed on the drive shaft in the first gear setting or the second gear setting.

10. The instrument of claim 1, wherein the gear shifting assembly further comprises a gear selector assembly for moving the gear coupling assembly between the first and second gear settings.

11. The instrument of claim 1, the gear selector assembly further comprising a switch connected to a yoke operatively associated with a collar of the gear coupling assembly.

12. The instrument of claim 1, further comprising at least one bevel gear assembly connected to the motor and to the first stage gear assembly of the gear shifting assembly.

13. The instrument of claim 3, wherein the first stage gear assembly and the second stage gear assembly each include a sun gear intermeshed at least partially with one or more planet gears to provide planetary gear arrangements for the first stage gear assembly and the second stage gear assembly.

14. The instrument of claim 3, the gear coupling assembly further comprising a sun gear at least partially intermeshed with one or more planet gears to provide a planetary gear arrangement which can be selectively coupled to the second stage gear assembly.

15. The instrument of claim 14, wherein the sun gear of the gear coupling assembly further includes a spline section structured to correspondingly intermesh in the second gear setting with a spline section formed on an input shaft received into the gear coupling assembly from the second stage gear assembly.

16. The instrument of claim 14, wherein the sun gear of the gear coupling assembly further includes a spline section structured to not correspondingly intermesh in the first gear setting with a spline section formed on an input shaft received into the gear coupling assembly from the second stage gear assembly.

17. A surgical cutting and fastening instrument comprising:

(a) a drive shaft;

(b) a motor; and

(c) a gear shifting assembly connected to the drive shaft and the motor, the gear shifting assembly comprising;

a first stage gear assembly coupled to the motor and to the drive shaft for operating the gear shifting assembly in a first gear setting, the first stage gear assembly comprising a sun gear intermeshed at least partially with one or more planet gears to provide a planetary gear arrangement for the first stage gear assembly;

a second gear stage assembly connected to the first gear stage assembly and to the drive shaft, the second stage gear assembly comprising a sun gear intermeshed at least partially with one or more planet gears to provide a planetary gear arrangement for the second stage gear assembly;

a gear coupling assembly for selectively coupling at least one additional gear to the second stage gear assembly for operating the gear shifting assembly in a second gear setting, the gear coupling assembly further comprising a sun gear at least partially intermeshed with one or more planet gears to provide a planetary gear arrangement which can be selectively coupled to the first stage gear assembly.

18. The instrument of claim 17, wherein the sun gear of the gear coupling assembly further includes a spline section structured to correspondingly intermesh in the second gear setting with a spline section formed on an input shaft received into the gear coupling assembly from the second stage gear assembly.

19. The instrument of claim 17, wherein the sun gear of the gear coupling assembly further includes a spline section structured to not correspondingly intermesh in the first gear setting with a spline section formed on an input shaft received into the gear coupling assembly from the second stage gear assembly.

20. A surgical cutting and fastening instrument comprising:

(a) a drive shaft;

(b) a motor; and

(c) a gear shifting assembly connected to the drive shaft and the motor, the gear shifting assembly comprising;

a first stage gear assembly coupled to the motor and to the drive shaft for operating the gear shifting assembly in a first gear setting, the first stage gear assembly comprising a sun gear intermeshed at least partially with one or more planet gears to provide a planetary gear arrangement for the first stage gear assembly;

a second gear stage assembly connected to the first gear stage assembly and to the drive shaft, the second stage gear assembly comprising a sun gear intermeshed at least partially with one or more planet gears to provide a planetary gear arrangement for the second stage gear assembly;

a gear coupling assembly for selectively coupling at least one additional gear to the second stage gear assembly for operating the gear shifting assembly in a second gear setting, the gear coupling assembly further comprising a sun gear at least partially intermeshed with one or more planet gears to provide a planetary gear arrangement which can be selectively coupled to the second stage gear assembly; and

,

wherein the sun gear of the gear coupling assembly further includes a spline section structured to correspondingly intermesh in the second gear setting with a spline section formed on an input shaft received into the gear coupling assembly from the second stage gear assembly, and the spline section of the sun gear of the gear coupling assembly further being structured to not correspondingly intermesh in the first gear setting with a spline section formed on an input shaft received into the gear coupling assembly from the second stage gear assembly.