Controlled closure mechanism

• US 5,190,203 A
• Filed: 06/04/1992
• Issued: 03/02/1993
• Est. Priority Date: 10/05/1990
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: United States Surgical Corporation (Medtronic Plc)
• Original Assignee: United States Surgical Corporation (Medtronic Plc)
• Inventors: Rodak, Daniel
• Primary Examiner(s): Watts, Douglas D.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Peterson, Kenneth E.
• Application Number:
  US07/893,899
• Time in Patent Office: 271 Days
• Field of Search: 227/175, 227/176, 227/178, 227/182, 227/20, 227/29, 227/152, 227/153, 403/DIG. 9, 29/243.056, 269/6
• US Class Current: 227/175.1
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/072 for applying a row of staples in a single action , e.g. the staples being applied simultaneously
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/0725 with settable gap between anvil and cartridge, e.g. for different staple heights at different shots

Abstract

A surgical stapling or fastening instrument for applying surgical staples or fasteners to tissue having a controlled closure mechanism to approximate the distance between the jaw members of the instrument. The controlled closure mechanism consists of a catch member having a resilient material secured thereto which engages a pivotable lance member which freezes the rotation of the catch member at an infinite number of desired locations along its path of rotation. Controlling the position of the catch member controls the distance between the jaw members of the stapling or fastening device.

Claims

1. An apparatus for surgically applying closure means to body tissue, which comprises:

a) first and second means for gripping the body tissue therebetween and for applying the tissue closure means,

b) a longitudinally extending member cooperating with at least one of said first and second gripping means;

c) actuation means for driving said tissue closure means,

d) means for displacing said longitudinally extending member to advance at least one of said first and second gripping means toward the other to grip the body tissue therebetween in preparation for applying the tissue closure means, said displacing means being independent of said actuation means; and

e) means for engaging and disengaging said displacing means so as to retain said first and second gripping means in selective spaced relation to provide predetermined gripping force independent of thickness of the body tissue therebetween.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said displacing means is a catch member having a generally arcuate surface portion.

3. The apparatus according to claim 2, wherein said generally arcuate surface portion is circular.

4. The apparatus according to claim 2, wherein said circular surface portion is comprised of an elastomeric material.

5. The apparatus according to claim 4, wherein said catch member is mounted for pivotal rotation such that said elastomeric surface portion rotates about a pivot point of said catch member.

6. The apparatus according to claim 5, wherein said means to engage said displacing means comprises a pivotable lance member having a sharp end portion adapted to engage said elastomeric surface portion.

7. The apparatus according to claim 6, wherein said lance member is mounted for pivotal rotation adjacent said catch member.

8. The apparatus according to claim 7, wherein pivotal rotation of said catch member causes at least one gripping means to be displaced toward the other gripping means to allow activation of a fastener firing system.

9. The apparatus according to claim 8 wherein said lance member is rotatably resilient biased toward a distal end of the apparatus.

10. An apparatus as recited in claim 9, wherein said lance member comprises a slot formed therein to receive a post to limit pivotal movement of said lance member.

11. An apparatus as recited in claim 6, wherein said lance member has first and second angled surfaces intersecting at a tip of said sharp end, said angled surfaces dimensioned to allow continuous rotation of said catch member without interference from said lance member.

12. The apparatus according to claim 11, wherein said catch member is pivotable between an open position and a closed position, and said lance member engages said elastomeric material of said catch member when pivotable movement of said catch member is stopped at a position intermediate of said open and closed positions, said lance member thereby freezing said catch member in said intermediate position.

13. An apparatus as recited in claim 12, wherein rotatable movement of said catch member from said closed position or said intermediate position to said open position causes said lance member to pivot towards a proximal end of the apparatus.

14. An apparatus as recited in claim 13, wherein pivotal movement of said catch member from said intermediate position to said closed position causes said lance member to pivot toward a distal end of the apparatus to return to its biased position.

15. Apparatus for surgically applying closure means to body tissue wherein two jaw members are positioned in adjacent relation, at least one jaw member being movable toward and away from the other for gripping the body tissue, applying the tissue closure means and releasing the body tissue, and a longitudinally extending member cooperating with said movable jaw member, said apparatus comprising pivotally mounted means for advancing said longitudinally extending member for approximating spacing between said jaw members and pivotable means associated with said advancing means for retaining said jaw members selectively in any of a plurality of fixed relative spaced positions to grip the body tissue, said retaining means being pivotable on an axis fixedly spaced relative to the axis of the pivotable advancing means.

16. An apparatus as recited in claim 15, wherein said pivotal approximating means comprises a catch member pivotable clockwise from an open position to a closed position.

17. An apparatus as recited in claim 16, wherein said catch member comprises an elongated lever extending outwardly therefrom and protruding through a housing of the apparatus.

18. Apparatus as recited in claim 15, further wherein said retaining means engages a surface portion of said pivotal approximating means to thereby retain the position of said approximating means.

19. Apparatus for surgically applying closure means to body tissue wherein two jaw members are positioned in adjacent relation and at least one jaw member is movable toward and away from the other for gripping the body tissue and applying closure means to the body tissue, said apparatus comprising pivotal means for approximating said jaw members sufficient to grip the body tissue therebetween and for moving at least one of said jaw members away from the other to release the body tissue, said approximating means including a surface portion comprised of resilient material, means mounted adjacent said resilient material and engagable therewith in a manner to retain said approximating means in any of a selective plurality of positions of said jaw members to apply selective force to said body tissue independent of thickness of the body tissue.

20. An apparatus as recited in claim 19, wherein said retaining means comprises a member having an end portion adapted to engage said resilient material.

21. An apparatus as recited in claim 20, wherein said member is a lance member having a pointed end portion.

22. An apparatus as recited in claim 19, wherein said resilient material is an elastomeric material.

23. An apparatus as recited in claim 19, wherein said surface portion of said approximating means is arcuately shaped.

24. Apparatus for surgically applying closure means to body tissue wherein a pair of jaws are adapted to grip the body tissue and apply the closure means, the jaws being movable between a first position in close adjacent relation and a second relatively spaced position whereby the tissue may be released, the apparatus comprising:

a) a longitudinally extending member cooperating with at least one of said jaws;

b) pivotable approximating means connected to said longitudinally extending member and pivotable between two end positions corresponding to said first and second positions of said jaws;

c) means positioned adjacent at least a portion of said pivotable approximating means and adapted to engage and disengage said approximating means to retain the position of said approximating means corresponding to any of a plurality of spaced positions of said jaws with body tissue positioned therebetween.

25. Apparatus for applying closure means to body tissue which comprises:

a) body means;

b) at least two jaw members supported by said body means for gripping body tissue and for applying closure means;

c) pivotally mounted means associated with said jaw members for approximating said jaw members to grip the body tissue and for moving at least one of said jaw members away from the other to release the body tissue, said approximating means having an arcuate resilient compressible surface portion; and

d) means pivotally mounted adjacent said arcuate resilient surface portion and engagable therewith in a manner to selectively retain said aproximating means in any of a plurality of pivotal positions corresponding to spaced positions of said jaw members to selectively apply force to body tissue therebetween independent of thickness of the body tissue.

26. An apparatus for surgically applying fastener means to body tissue, which comprises:

a) first and second means for gripping the body tissue therebetween and for applying the fastener means;

b) a longitudinally extending member cooperating with at least one of said first and second gripping means;

c) actuation means for driving said fastener means;

d) means for advancing said longitudinally extending member for approximating at least one of said first and second gripping means toward the other to grip the body tissue therebetween in preparation for applying the fastener means, said advancing means being independent of said actuation means; and

e) means for engaging and disengaging said advancing means so as to retain said first and second gripping means in selective spaced relation to grip to body tissue.

27. An apparatus according to claim 26, wherein said engaging means comprises a catch member for engaging and gripping said approximating means.

28. An apparatus according to claim 27, wherein said catch member engages resilient material positioned on said approximating means.