SUTURING INSTRUMENT CARTRIDGE WITH TORQUE LIMITING FEATURES

• US 20170112489A1
• Filed: 10/27/2015
• Published: 04/27/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 10/27/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cilag Gmbh International (Johnson & Johnson)
• Original Assignee: Ethicon Endo-Surgery LLC (Johnson & Johnson)
• Inventors: Shelton, IV, Frederick E., Mumaw, Daniel J., Schellin, Emily A., Barton, Trevor J., Vendely, Michael J., Hensel, Adam
• Granted Patent: US 10,639,027 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/0469 Suturing instruments for use in minimally invasive surgery, e.g. endoscopic surgery
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/06133 of parallelepipedal shape, e.g. made of rectangular or slightly oval panels
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00367 Details of actuation of instruments, e.g. relations between pushing buttons, or the like, and activation of the tool, working tip, or the like
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00398 using powered actuators, e.g. stepper motors, solenoids
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00407 Ratchet means
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00473 Distal part, e.g. tip or head A61B2017/00464 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/0608 J-shaped
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/031 torque limiting
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 90/03 Automatic limiting or abutting means, e.g. for safety

Abstract

A surgical instrument includes a body, a shaft, a cartridge receiving assembly, a suture cartridge, and a slip clutch. The cartridge receiving assembly has a transmission mechanism operatively connected to an actuator of the body. The suture cartridge is received within the cartridge receiving assembly and includes a needle and a drive assembly. The drive assembly is engaged with the transmission mechanism and is coupled with the needle for selectively driving the needle. The slip clutch is operatively connected to the actuator, the transmission mechanism, and the drive assembly such that the slip clutch is configured to transmit a force therethrough from the actuator toward the needle. The slip clutch is configured to slip under the influence of predetermined maximum force transmission therethrough to operatively disengage the needle from the actuator for limiting a driving force applied to the needle.

Claims

1. A surgical instrument, comprising:

(a) a body having an actuator configured to be selectively manipulated by an operator;

(b) a shaft extending distally from the body;

(c) a cartridge receiving assembly projecting from a distal end portion of the shaft, wherein the cartridge receiving assembly comprises a transmission mechanism operatively connected to the actuator and configured to be selectively driven via selective manipulation of the actuator;

(d) a suture cartridge received within the cartridge receiving assembly, wherein the suture cartridge comprises;

(i) a needle, and

(ii) a drive assembly engaged with the transmission mechanism and coupled to the needle, wherein the transmission mechanism is configured to actuate the drive assembly and thereby drive the needle along a predetermined path; and

(e) a slip clutch operatively connected to the actuator, the transmission mechanism, and the drive assembly such that the actuator is operatively engaged with the needle and configured to transmit a force through the slip clutch for driving the needle,

wherein the slip clutch is configured to slip under the influence of a predetermined maximum force transmission therethrough to operatively disengage the needle from the actuator for limiting a driving force applied to the needle.

2. The surgical instrument of claim 1, wherein the slip clutch includes a biased portion configured to resiliently deflect from a first position toward a second position under the influence of the predetermined maximum force, wherein the needle operatively engages the actuator in the first position, and wherein the needle operatively disengages from the actuator in the second position and slips under the influence of the predetermined maximum force.

3. The surgical instrument of claim 2, wherein the biased portion includes a clutch lever configured to resiliently bend from the first position to the second position.

4. The surgical instrument of claim 2, wherein the biased portion includes a clutch plate, and the clutch plate is resiliently mounted and configured to resiliently translate from the first position to the second position.

5. The surgical instrument of claim 1, wherein the slip clutch is configured to generate a tactile feedback within the actuator for indicating the slip to an operator.

6. The surgical instrument of claim 1, wherein the slip clutch is connected between the transmission mechanism of the cartridge receiving assembly and the drive assembly of the suture cartridge.

7. The surgical instrument of claim 6, wherein the predetermined maximum force is a predetermined maximum torque, wherein the transmission mechanism of the cartridge receiving assembly includes a rotatable key output, wherein the drive assembly of the suture cartridge includes a rotary input, wherein the slip clutch is connected between the key output and the rotary input and is configured to slip under the influence of the predetermined maximum torque being transferred therethrough from the key output to the rotary input, wherein the key output is configured to disengage from the rotary input during the slip of the slip clutch for limiting the driving force applied to the needle.

8. The surgical instrument of claim 7, wherein the slip clutch the includes a biased portion configured to resiliently deflect from a first position toward a second position under the influence of the predetermined maximum torque, wherein the key output operatively engages the rotary input in the first position, and wherein the key output operatively disengages from the rotary input in the second position and slips under the influence of the predetermined maximum torque in a forward direction.

9. The surgical instrument of claim 8, wherein the biased portion includes a clutch lever configured to resiliently bend from the first position to the second position, wherein the clutch lever extends from the rotary input toward the key output and is engaged with the key output in the first position, and wherein the clutch lever extends from the rotary input toward the key output and is disengaged from the key output in the second position to slip under the influence of the predetermined maximum torque in the forward direction.

10. The surgical instrument of claim 9, wherein the clutch lever is configured to remain engaged with the key output when directed in a reverse direction opposite the forward direction.

11. The surgical instrument of claim 8, wherein the biased portion includes a clutch plate configured to resiliently translate from the first position to the second position, wherein the clutch plate is resiliently mounted within the suture cartridge and engaged to each of the key output and the rotary input in the first position, and wherein the clutch plate is disengaged from the rotary input in the second position to slip under the influence of the predetermined maximum torque.

12. The surgical instrument of claim 11, wherein the clutch plate has a drive surface, wherein the rotary input has a driven surface, wherein the drive surface is biased against the driven surface such that the drive surface frictionally engages the driven surface in the first position for transmitting torque therethrough.

13. The surgical instrument of claim 12, wherein the drive surface has a plurality of drive teeth, wherein the driven surface has a plurality of driven teeth, wherein the plurality of driven teeth are respectively configured to remain frictionally engaged with the plurality of drive teeth as the clutch plate moves from the first position toward the second position.

14. The surgical instrument of claim 13, wherein the plurality of drive teeth are configured to respectively disengage from the plurality of driven teeth as the clutch plate reaches the second position under the influence of the predetermined maximum torque such that the clutch plate is configured to slip as the key output is rotatably driven a forward direction relative to the rotary input.

15. The surgical instrument of claim 14, wherein the plurality of driven teeth of the rotary input are configured to respectively remain engaged with the plurality of drive teeth when directed in a reverse direction opposite the forward direction.

16. A suture cartridge for a surgical instrument, comprising:

(a) a needle;

(b) a drive assembly coupled to the needle and having a rotary input, wherein the rotary input is rotatable to actuate the drive assembly and drive the needle along a predetermined path; and

(c) a slip clutch connected to the rotary input and configured to transfer a torque for driving the needle,

wherein the slip clutch is configured to slip under the influence of a predetermined maximum force transmission therethrough to operatively disengage the needle from the slip clutch for limiting a driving force applied to the needle.

17. The suture cartridge of claim 16, wherein the slip clutch includes a clutch lever configured to resiliently bend from the first position to the second position, wherein the clutch lever extends from the rotary input and is configured to engage with a key output of the surgical instrument in the first position, and wherein the clutch lever extends from the rotary input and is configured to disengage from the key output of the surgical instrument in the second position to slip under the influence of the predetermined maximum torque.

18. The surgical instrument of claim 16, wherein the slip clutch includes a clutch plate configured to resiliently translate from the first position to the second position, wherein the clutch plate is resiliently mounted within the suture cartridge and engaged with the rotary input in the first position, and wherein the clutch plate is disengaged from the rotary input in the second position to slip under the influence of the predetermined maximum torque.

19. The surgical instrument of claim 18, wherein the clutch plate has a drive surface, wherein the rotary input has a driven surface, wherein the drive surface is biased against the driven surface such that the drive surface frictionally engages the driven surface in the first position for transmitting torque therethrough.

20. A method of suturing a patient with a surgical instrument, the surgical instrument including a body having an actuator configured to be selectively manipulated by an operator, a shaft extending distally from the body, a cartridge receiving assembly projecting from a distal end portion of the shaft, a suture cartridge, and a slip clutch, wherein the cartridge receiving assembly has a transmission mechanism operatively connected to the actuator is and is configured to be selectively driven via selective manipulation of the actuator, wherein the suture cartridge is received within the cartridge receiving assembly and includes a needle and a drive assembly engaged with the transmission mechanism and coupled to the needle, the transmission mechanism is operable to actuate the drive assembly and thereby drive the needle along a predetermined path, wherein the slip clutch is operatively connected to the actuator, the transmission mechanism, and the drive assembly such that the actuator is operatively engaged with the needle and configured to transmit a torque through the slip clutch for driving the needle, wherein the slip clutch is configured to slip under the influence of a predetermined maximum torque transmission therethrough to operatively disengage the needle from the actuator for limiting a driving force applied to the needle, the method comprising:

(a) selectively manipulating the actuator;

(b) transmitting a torque through the slip clutch from the actuator and toward the needle;

(c) increasing the torque through the slip clutch to the predetermined maximum torque; and

(d) slipping the slip clutch to operatively disengage the actuator from the needle and limit the drive force applied to the needle.