Surgical stapler

• US 4,592,498 A
• Filed: 03/13/1985
• Issued: 06/03/1986
• Est. Priority Date: 02/10/1982
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Intermedicat GmbH
• Original Assignee: Intermedicat GmbH
• Inventors: Braun, Karl, Fetzer, Jurgen
• Primary Examiner(s): Bell, Paul A.
• Application Number:
  US06/711,381
• Time in Patent Office: 447 Days
• Field of Search: 227/19, 227/DIG. 1, 227/120, 227/121, 227/156
• US Class Current: 227/19
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/0684 having a forming anvil staying above the tissue during stapling

Abstract

A stapler, particularly for suturing skin wounds or incisions, is disclosed which comprises a channel in which a driver is advanced by a slide in the direction of an anvil surface. A staple magazine which extends substantially parallel with the driver includes a curved section which opens into the channel to deliver staples into the channel for engagement by the driver. During forward displacement of the driver, a projection on the driver presses a leaf spring to which the anvil surface is connected. The anvil surface at the forward end of the leaf spring is thereby brought into its operating position and is automatically moved back into its retracted position upon release of the spring after the driver is retracted. The curved section in the staple magazine enables the stapler to have a slim profile which does not obscure the working area during a stapling operation. After completion of a stapling operation, the anvil surface is automatically retracted from a closed, implanted staple.

Claims

1. A surgical stapler, comprising:

a front housing portion;

a staple channel, disposed longitudinally in said front housing portion;

a staple magazine, disposed in said front housing portion, said staple channel having an opening communicating with said staple magazine,

means, disposed in said front housing portion, for advancing staples in said staple magazine and delivering them to said staple channel;

an anvil surface, disposed at a front end of said staple channel;

a driver, having an actuating and a retracted position, movably disposed in said staple channel, for deforming a staple in cooperation with said anvil surface, in said actuating position;

a rear housing portion;

a handle, coupled to said rear housing portion, having a recess therein having a longitudinal axis disposed substantially parallel to said staple channel;

a trigger, having an inoperative and an actuated position, guided in said recess of said handle for movement along said longitudinal axis of said recess, having a transverse slot therein;

means, disposed in said handle, for urging said trigger outwardly of said handle;

a lever, having a first and a second arm, pivotally coupled between said first and second arms to said rear housing portion;

means, coupled to said first arm of said lever and said trigger, for constraining an end of said first arm to move along said slot in said trigger; and

,

means, coupled to said second arm, for moving said driver in said channel.

2. A stapler as in claim 1 wherein said front housing portion is rotatable relative to said rear housing portion.

3. A stapler as in claim 1 wherein said staple magazine is disposed below said staple channel, and includes a curved section which opens into said staple channel.

4. A stapler as in claim 1 wherein a longitudinal axis of said lever is substantially perpendicular to said longitudinal axis of said recess along which said trigger moves, when said trigger is in said actuated position.

5. A stapler as in claim 1 wherein said driver is configured, and said opening in said staple channel is disposed so that said driver clears said opening only when said driver is in said retracted position.

6. A stapler as in claim 1 wherein said means for moving said driver in said channel comprises means for retracting said driver only after said driver has reached its actuating position.

7. A stapler as in claim 6

wherein said means for retracting said driver only after said driver has reached its actuating position comprises:

a cam, disposed in said front housing portion, having a bevelled front end and a bevelled back end;

a flexible tongue, disposed longitudinally in said front housing portion and movable longitudinally therein, configured for flexing in a direction perpendicular to a plane of said driver; and

,

a guide wing, projecting laterally off a front end of said flexible tongue, having a bevelled front end and a bevelled back end for cooperating with, respectively, said bevelled back end and said bevelled front end of said cam; and

, wherein

said driver includes a slot disposed so that said guide wing is disposed thereover when said guide wing moves forward beyond said cam.

8. A stapler as in claim 7 further comprising means, coupled to said front housing portion, for counting staples remaining in said staple magazine.

9. A stapler as in claim 8 wherein said counting means comprises:

a hollow cylinder, disposed in said front housing portion;

a second cylinder, rotatably mounted in said hollow cylinder, having ratchet teeth disposed about a periphery of a lower end thereof; and

,

a projection, disposed on said front end of said flexible tongue so that said projection engages said teeth of said second cylinder, rotating said second cylinder, when said guide wing is raised by said cam upon forward movement of said flexible tongue.

10. A stapler as in claim 1 further comprising means, coupled to said front housing portion, for counting staples remaining in said staple magazine.

11. A stapler as in claim 10 wherein said counting means comprises:

a hollow cylinder, disposed in said front housing portion;

a second cylinder, rotatably mounted in said hollow cylinder, having ratchet teeth disposed about a periphery of a lower end thereof; and

,

means, disposed in said front housing portion, for turning said second cylinder in response to a reduction in staples in said staple magazine.

12. A stapler as in claim 1 wherein said rear housing portion comprises a track disposed longitudinally therein;

and, wherein said driver moving means comprises;

a first slide, disposed in said track, said first slide being nonrotatably coupled to said second arm of said lever so that pivotal movement of said second arm in a first direction engenders forward motion of said first slide in said track, and so that pivotal movement of said second arm in a second direction engenders backward motion of said first slide in said track; and

,

a second slide, slidably mounted in said front housing portion, having a front end disposed to contact and move said driver upon actuation of said second slide, and having a back end rotatably coupled to a front end of said first slide.

13. A stapler as in claim 12 wherein a longitudinal axis of said lever is substantially perpendicular to said longitudinal axis of said recess along which said trigger moves, when said trigger is in said actuated position.

14. A stapler as in claim 13 wherein said first slide is coupled to said second arm of said lever via serrations disposed on said first slide, and serrations disposed on said second arm which engage those on said first slide.

15. A stapler as in claim 12

wherein said driver moving means further comprises:

a cam, disposed in said front housing portion, having a bevelled front end and a bevelled back end;

a flexible tongue, disposed longitudinally on said front end of said second slide, configured for flexing in a direction perpendicular to a plane of said driver; and

,

a guide wing, projecting laterally off a front end of said flexible tongue, having a bevelled front end and a bevelled back end for cooperating with, respectively, said bevelled back end and said bevelled front end of said cam; and

,

wherein said driver includes a slot disposed so that said guide wing is disposed thereover when said guide wing moves forward beyond said cam.

16. A stapler as in claim 15 wherein a longitudinal axis of said lever is substantially perpendicular to said longitudinal axis of said recess along which said trigger moves, when said trigger is in said actuated position.

17. A stapler as in claim 15 further comprising means, coupled to said front housing portion, for counting staples remaining in said stapler magazine.

18. A stapler as in claim 17 wherein said counting means comprises:

a hollow cylinder, disposed in said front housing portion;

a second cylinder, rotatably mounted in said hollow cylinder, having ratchet teeth disposed about a periphery of a lower end thereof; and

,

a projection, disposed on said front end of said flexible tongue so that said projection engages said teeth of said second cylinder, rotating said second cylinder, when said guide wing is raised by said cam upon forward movement of said flexible tongue.

19. A stapler as in claim 18 wherein a longitudinal axis of said lever is substantially perpendicular to said longitudinal axis of said recess along which said tongue moves, when said trigger is in said actuated position.

20. A stapler as in claim 19 wherein said first slide is coupled to said second arm of said lever via serrations disposed on said first slide, and serrations disposed on said second arm which engage those on said first slide.