LOCKOUT ARRANGEMENTS FOR SURGICAL END EFFECTORS AND REPLACEABLE TOOL ASSEMBLIES

• US 20180168644A1
• Filed: 12/21/2016
• Published: 06/21/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 12/21/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cilag Gmbh International (Johnson & Johnson)
• Original Assignee: Ethicon Endo-Surgery LLC (Johnson & Johnson)
• Inventors: Shelton, IV, Frederick E., Harris, Jason L., Bakos, Gregory J.
• Granted Patent: US 10,610,224 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/0682 for applying U-shaped staples or clamps, e.g. without a forming anvil
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/07207 the staples being applied sequentially
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/07292 Reinforcements for staple line, e.g. pledgets
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 18/1445 at the distal end of a shaft, e.g. forceps or scissors at the end of a rigid rod
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00017 Electrical control of surgical instruments
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00039 Electric or electromagnetic phenomena other than conductivity, e.g. capacity, inductivity, Hall effect
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00309 Cut-outs or slits
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00398 using powered actuators, e.g. stepper motors, solenoids
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/0046 with a releasable handle; with handle and operating part separable for prosthetic joint-implanting tools A61F2/4603
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00464 for use with different instruments with hole for different instruments A61B2017/22072
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00473 Distal part, e.g. tip or head A61B2017/00464 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00477 Coupling A61B2017/0046 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00685 Archimedes screw
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00734 battery operated
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00964 composite
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/07214 Stapler heads
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/07221 curved
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/07228 Arrangement of the staples
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/07242 achieving different staple heights during the same shot, e.g. using an anvil anvil having different heights or staples of different sizes
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/0725 with settable gap between anvil and cartridge, e.g. for different staple heights at different shots
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/07257 : characterised by its anvil
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/07264 : characterised by its staple forming cavities, e.g. geometry or material
• 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 2017/2903 : transferring rotary motion
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/2927 : the angular position of the head being adjustable with respect to the shaft
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/2929 : with a head rotatable about the longitudinal axis of the shaft
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/2931 : with releasable head
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/2933 : camming or guiding means
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/034 : abutting on parts of the device itself
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/037 : with a frangible part, e.g. by reduced diameter
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/065 : for measuring contact or contact pressure
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/0801 : Prevention of accidental cutting or pricking
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/08021 : of the patient or his organs
• 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 2090/0814 : Preventing re-use
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 34/30 : Surgical robots
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 90/03 : Automatic limiting or abutting means, e.g. for safety

Abstract

Surgical end effectors are disclosed. The surgical end effectors can include a first jaw, a second jaw rotatably coupled to the first jaw, and a lockout arrangement configured to prevent rotational movement of the second jaw toward the first jaw unless an unfired staple cartridge is positioned in the first jaw. The lockout arrangement can comprise a pivotable lock configured to pivot between a locked orientation and an unlocked orientation, a shiftable lock bar, and/or a spring-loaded lockout lever.

Claims

1. A surgical end effector, comprising:

a first jaw;

a second jaw rotatably coupled to said first jaw; and

a lockout arrangement configured to prevent rotational movement of said second jaw toward said first jaw unless an unfired staple cartridge is positioned in said first jaw, wherein said lockout arrangement comprises a pivotable lock configured to pivot between a locked orientation and an unlocked orientation, and wherein said pivotable lock comprises;

a first leg configured to engage said second jaw when said pivotable lock is in the locked orientation; and

a second leg configured to engage the unfired staple cartridge when the unfired staple cartridge is positioned in said first jaw.

2. The surgical end effector of claim 1, further comprising a spring comprising a distal end, wherein said distal end is engaged with said pivotable lock, and wherein said spring is configured to bias said pivotable lock toward the locked orientation.

3. The surgical end effector of claim 2, wherein said spring comprises a leaf spring.

4. The surgical end effector of claim 3, wherein said pivotable lock comprises a third leg, and wherein said distal end is positioned against said third leg.

5. The surgical end effector of claim 1, wherein a lockout notch is defined in said first jaw, and wherein said second leg is positioned at least partially in said lockout notch when said pivotable lock is in the unlocked orientation.

6. The surgical end effector of claim 1, wherein said first jaw comprises an elongate channel, wherein said second jaw comprises an anvil comprising an inner rail extending into said elongate channel, and wherein an end portion of said first leg abuts said inner rail when said pivotable lock is in the locked orientation.

7. The surgical end effector of claim 1, wherein said lockout arrangement comprises a second pivotable lock.

8. The surgical end effector of claim 1, further comprising said unfired staple cartridge comprising a sled assembly, wherein said sled assembly is configured to engage said second leg when said sled assembly is in a pre-fired position.

9. An interchangeable surgical tool assembly, comprising:

an end effector configured to receive a staple cartridge; and

a shaft, comprising;

a firing assembly, comprising;

a distal portion;

a proximal portion comprising a notch; and

a spring intermediate said proximal portion and said distal portion; and

a lockout lever movable between an unlocked orientation and a locked orientation, wherein said lockout lever extends into said notch when said lockout lever is in the locked orientation, and wherein a displacement of said distal portion of said firing assembly is configured to move said lockout lever to the unlocked orientation.

10. The interchangeable surgical tool assembly of claim 9, further comprising said staple cartridge, wherein said staple cartridge comprises:

a proximal end;

a longitudinal slot extending distally from said proximal end; and

a frangible gate extending across said longitudinal slot at said proximal end, wherein said frangible gate is configured to shift said distal portion of said firing assembly proximally when said staple cartridge is installed in said end effector.

11. The interchangeable surgical tool assembly of claim 10, wherein said spring is configured to compress between said proximal portion and said distal portion when said staple cartridge is installed in said end effector.

12. The interchangeable surgical tool assembly of claim 10, wherein said distal portion comprises a proximally-extending wedge configured to move said lockout lever to the unlocked orientation when said distal portion is shifted proximally.

13. The interchangeable surgical tool assembly of claim 10, wherein said staple cartridge comprises a cartridge body comprising a cutout, and wherein said frangible gate comprises:

a first end pivotably coupled to said cartridge body; and

a second end friction-fit in said cutout.

14. The interchangeable surgical tool assembly of claim 10, wherein said firing assembly is configured to break said frangible gate during a firing stroke.

15. The interchangeable surgical tool assembly of claim 9, wherein said shaft further comprises a reset spring configured to bias said lockout lever toward the locked orientation.

16. The interchangeable surgical tool assembly of claim 9, wherein said distal portion of said firing assembly is advanced from a pre-fired proximal position to a distal position during a firing stroke and is retracted from said distal position to a post-fired proximal position after the firing stroke, and wherein the post-fired proximal position is distal to the pre-fired proximal position.

17. A surgical end effector, comprising:

a first jaw;

a second jaw rotatably coupled to said first jaw, wherein said second jaw comprises a pin movable between a locked configuration and an unlocked configuration; and

a lockout arrangement configured to prevent rotational movement of said second jaw toward said first jaw unless a staple cartridge is positioned in said first jaw, wherein said lockout arrangement comprises a lock bar configured to translate within the first jaw from a distal position to a proximal position when the staple cartridge is positioned in said first jaw, and wherein said lock bar is configured to move said pin to the unlocked configuration when said lock bar moves to the proximal position.

18. The surgical end effector of claim 17, further comprising a spring extending between said first jaw and said second jaw, wherein said spring is configured to bias said second jaw toward said first jaw.

19. The surgical end effector of claim 18, wherein said first jaw comprises a contoured slot, wherein said pin is configured to move along said contoured slot when said second jaw rotates toward said first jaw, wherein said first jaw further comprises a lockout notch extending from said contoured slot, and wherein said spring biases said pin into said lockout notch.

20. The surgical end effector of claim 17, wherein said pin comprises a semicircular perimeter.