SURGICAL INSTRUMENTS AND METHODS FOR PERFORMING TONSILLECTOMY, ADENOIDECTOMY, AND OTHER SURGICAL PROCEDURES
First Claim
1. A surgical instrument, comprising:
- a housing;
a shaft extending distally from the housing;
an end effector assembly coupled at a distal end of the shaft;
a movable handle coupled to the housing; and
a drive assembly operably coupling the movable handle and the end effector assembly, the drive assembly including;
a drive member configured to translate through the shaft and relative to the end effector assembly to actuate the end effector assembly; and
a torsion spring including a first leg and a second leg, the first leg operably coupled to the movable handle and configured to translate longitudinally through the housing in response to movement of the movable handle relative to the housing, the second leg operably coupled to the drive member and configured to translate longitudinally through the housing in cooperation with the first leg to thereby transfer longitudinal movement thereof into longitudinal movement of the drive member when a force acting on the drive member is less than a threshold force, the second leg configured to remain in fixed position, thereby tensioning the torsion spring and retaining the drive member in fixed position, in response to longitudinal movement of the first leg when the force acting on the drive member is equal to or exceeds the threshold force.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A surgical instrument includes a housing, a shaft extending therefrom, an end effector assembly supported by the shaft, a movable handle, and a drive assembly. The drive assembly includes a translatable drive member for actuating the end effector assembly, and a torsion spring including first and second legs. The first leg is configured to translate through the housing in response to movement of the movable handle relative to the housing. The second leg is configured to translate through the housing in cooperation with the first leg to move the drive member longitudinally when a force acting on the drive member is less than a threshold force, and to remain in fixed position, thereby tensioning the torsion spring and retaining the drive member in fixed position when the force acting on the drive member is equal to or exceeds the threshold force.
15 Citations
23 Claims
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1. A surgical instrument, comprising:
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a housing; a shaft extending distally from the housing; an end effector assembly coupled at a distal end of the shaft; a movable handle coupled to the housing; and a drive assembly operably coupling the movable handle and the end effector assembly, the drive assembly including; a drive member configured to translate through the shaft and relative to the end effector assembly to actuate the end effector assembly; and a torsion spring including a first leg and a second leg, the first leg operably coupled to the movable handle and configured to translate longitudinally through the housing in response to movement of the movable handle relative to the housing, the second leg operably coupled to the drive member and configured to translate longitudinally through the housing in cooperation with the first leg to thereby transfer longitudinal movement thereof into longitudinal movement of the drive member when a force acting on the drive member is less than a threshold force, the second leg configured to remain in fixed position, thereby tensioning the torsion spring and retaining the drive member in fixed position, in response to longitudinal movement of the first leg when the force acting on the drive member is equal to or exceeds the threshold force. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. A surgical instrument, comprising:
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a movable handle; a drive member; a torsion spring including a body, a first leg, and a second leg, the second leg of the torsion spring engaged to the drive member; and a slider, including; a housing including a post rotatably supporting the body of the torsion spring thereon and configured to permit movement of the second leg of the torsion spring relative to the housing; and a mandrel extending from the housing, the mandrel operably coupled to the movable handle such that movement of the movable handle longitudinally translates the slider, wherein, when a force acting on the drive member is less than a threshold force, the slider and the second leg of the torsion spring configured to translate longitudinally through the housing in cooperation with one another in response to movement of the movable handle, thereby transferring longitudinal movement of the slider into longitudinal movement of the drive member, and wherein, when the force acting on the drive member is equal to or exceeds the threshold force, the torsion spring is tensioned in response to movement of the movable handle such that the second leg of the torsion spring and the drive member remain in fixed position during longitudinal movement of the slider. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23)
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Specification