Stapler and firing device

• US 5,083,695 A
• Filed: 12/18/1990
• Issued: 01/28/1992
• Est. Priority Date: 12/18/1990
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: United States Surgical Corporation (Medtronic Plc)
• Original Assignee: Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing Co (3M Company)
• Inventors: Foslien, Floyd, Vidal, Claude, Plyley, Alan K., Barker, John M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Yost, Frank T.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Smith, Scott A.
• Application Number:
  US07/629,142
• Time in Patent Office: 406 Days
• Field of Search: 227/8, 227/19, 227/175, 227/178, 227/180, 227/901
• US Class Current: 227/8
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/07207 the staples being applied sequentially

Abstract

An improved stapler firing assembly and a surgical stapler are disclosed. The stapler comprises structural members having handle parts with opposite sides and jaw parts projecting from the handle parts. The stapler includes a mechanism for releasable engagement between an elongate locking member and the structural members comprising a lever lock including a hook portion adapted to pass through a slot in a handle part. The lever lock is mounted on the locking member and includes first and second release buttons and actuating means mounting the first and second release buttons on opposite sides of the locking member for movement between first and second positions with respect to the locking member. The stapler firing assembly comprises a pusher adapted to move longitudinally along one of the jaw parts to sequentially press the staples against an anvil. There is also present a firing handle body having opposite end portions and a mechanism mounting the handle body on the pusher for movement relative to the pusher between a first position and a second position so that the firing handle body can be positioned to be manually engaged on either side of the handle parts to move the second end of the pusher along the second jaw to eject and close the staples.

Claims

1. A surgical stapler having:

first and second structural members each being elongate in a first direction, the first structural member having a handle part including first and second ends and the second structural member having a base part having first and second ends, and each of the first and second structural members having a jaw part projecting from said first ends, said structural members having pivot means at said second ends adapted for free engagement and disengagement in a plane normal to said first direction for affording, when engaged, relative pivotal movement of said structural members in said plane between a closed position with said jaw parts in closely spaced relationship, and an open position with said jaw parts spaced farther from each other than in said closed position;

an elongate locking member having first and second ends, first and second sides, inner and outer surfaces extending between said sides and a pivot point closely adjacent the first end of the locking member, the pivot point of said locking member being mounted on said second structural member adjacent the first end of said second structural member for pivotal movement around an axis generally normal to said first direction between a locking position generally aligned with the handle part of said second structural member with said inner surface adjacent said second structural member, and a release position with the second end of said locking member spaced from the second end of said second structural member, said first end of said locking member and said handle part of said first structural member adjacent the first end of said first structural member having surfaces adapted, when said pivot means are engaged with said structural members in said open position, for engagement during movement of said locking member from said release position to said locking position to forcefully move said structural members to said closed position; and

means for releasable engagement between the elongate locking member and the second structural member comprising

said second structural member having a slot extending between said inner and outer surfaces generally adjacent the second end of said second structural member;

a lever lock including a hook portion adapted to pass through said slot in said second structural member and having a retaining surface adapted to engage a portion of said inner surface,

means for mounting the lever lock on said locking member for movement between an unlatched position with said hook portion aligned to pass through said slot and to afford movement of the locking member between said latched and release positions and an latched position with said hook portion aligned to position the retaining surface along a portion of said inner surface to retain the elongate locking member in the locking position;

first and second release buttons; and

actuating means mounting said first and second release buttons on opposite sides of said locking member for movement between first and second positions with respect to said locking member, said actuation means being operable by movement of either of said buttons from said first to said second positions for moving said lever lock from said engaged position to said disengaged position.

2. A surgical stapler according to claim 1 wherein said lever lock further includes biasing means adapted to bias said hook portion toward said latched position, and

said hook portion includes a camming surface adapted to engage a surface defining said slot in said second structural member to move said lever lock against the bias of said biasing means from said latched position to said unlatched position to afford movement of said hook portion through said slot when said locking member moves from said release to said locking position, said biasing means causing movement of the lever lock from said unlatched position to said latched position when said locking member is positioned at said locking position.

3. A surgical stapler according to claim 1 wherein said actuation means includes first and second release arms each having first and second ends, said second ends including camming surfaces adapted to engage said shoulder portion of said hook portion, and each of said first ends being pivotally attached to said elongate locking member for pivotal movement of each of said release arms between an engaged position with said camming surface engaged with said shoulder portion of said hook portion to drive said lever lock from said latched position to said unlatched position to afford movement of the locking member to said release position and a disengaged position with said camming surface of said release arm positioned with respect to said shoulder surface of said hook portion,

said first button being mounted on said first release arm between said pivot and said camming surface, and said first button being positioned along one side of said locking member, and said second button being mounted on said second release arm between said pivot and said camming surface, said second button being positioned along the other side of said locking member, said cam surfaces being disposed so that movement of either of said buttons from an outer to an inner position relative to said locking member will drive said lever lock from said latched position to said unlatched position.

4. In combination, a stapler firing assembly and a surgical stapler having:

first and second structural members each being elongate in a first direction, the first structural member having a handle part including first and second ends and the second structural member having a base part having first and second ends, and each of the first and second structural members having a jaw part projecting from said first ends, said first and second structural members having first and second sides, an anvil positioned along the first jaw part, and a plurality of staples positioned along the second jaw part in opposition to the anvil, said structural members having pivot means at said second ends adapted for free engagement and disengagement in a plane normal to said first direction for affording, when engaged, relative pivotal movement of said structural members in said plane between a closed position with said jaw parts in closely spaced relationship, and an open position with said jaw parts spaced farther from each other than in said closed position;

an elongate locking member having first and second ends, first and second sides, inner and outer surfaces extending between said sides and a pivot point closely adjacent the first end of the locking member, the pivot point of said locking member being mounted on said second structural member adjacent the first end of said second structural member for pivotal movement around an axis generally normal to said first direction between a locking position generally aligned with the handle part of said second structural member with said inner surface adjacent said second structural member, and a release position with the second end of said locking member spaced from the second end of said second structural member, said first end of said locking member and said handle part of said first structural member adjacent the first end of said first structural member having surfaces adapted, when said pivot means are engaged with said structural members in said open position, for engagement during movement of said locking member from said release position to said locking position to forcefully move said structural members to said closed position; and

means for releasable engagement between the elongate locking member and the second structural member comprising;

said second structural member having a slot extending between said inner and outer surfaces generally adjacent the second end of said second structural member,

a lever lock including a hook portion adapted to pass through said slot in said second structural member and having a retaining surface adapted to engage a portion of said inner surface,

means for mounting the lever lock on said locking member for movement between an unlatched position with said hook portion aligned to pass through said slot and to afford movement of the locking member between said latched and release positions and an latched position with said hook portion aligned to position the retaining surface along a portion of said inner surface to retain the elongate locking member in the locking position,

first and second release buttons; and

actuating means mounting said first and second release buttons on opposite sides of said locking member for movement between first and second position with respect to said locking member;

said actuation means being operable by movement of either of said buttons from said first to said second positions for moving said lever lock from said engaged position to said disengaged position,

said stapler firing assembly comprising;

a pusher having a longitudinal axis and first and second longitudinally spaced end portions, said pusher being adapted to move longitudinally along the second jaw part with said second end portion sequentially pressing the staples against the anvil to engage and close the staples in tissues between the jaw parts with said first end portion moving between said handle parts,

a firing handle body having opposite end portions;

means mounting said handle body on the first end portion of said pusher for movement relative to said pusher between a first position at which one of said end portions projects from the first side of said structural members, and a second position at which one of said end portions projects from the second side of the structural members so that the firing handle body can be positioned to be manually engaged on either side of the structural members to move the second end of the pusher along the second jaw to eject and close the staples.