Surgical Instrument with adjustable arms
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A surgical instrument including an articulation mechanism comprising:
- an endoscopic arm with proximal and distal portions pivotally connected by a pivot mechanism having a pivot axis, said distal arm portion containing an actuation mechanism;
a flexible drive cable located within said pivot mechanism and passing through said pivot axis;
a rigid backstop element secured in the pivot mechanism, wherein said backstop supports the drive cable on said pivot axis and includes a pivot connection to one of said arm portions at one end of said backstop and a slidable connection to the other said arm portion at the other end of said backstop;
an articulation rod located within said proximal arm portion and longitudinally moveable therein, said articulation rod being pivotally connected to said distal arm portion such that longitudinal movement of said articulation rod causes said distal arm portion to angularly move relative to said proximal arm portion.
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Abstract
A surgical instrument for endoscopic surgery is provided which is capable of articulation in the endoscopic arm portion of the instrument to supply the surgeon with improved adjustability in the orientation of the arm. The instrument provides means through which the surgeon can change the angle at which the instrument actuates. This articulation functions without disruption of the rotatability of the arm or the mechanism for applying staples, clips, and the like. Because this articulation can be performed in conjunction with a rotation feature, a large degree of adjustment is generated.
1876 Citations
60 Claims
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1. A surgical instrument including an articulation mechanism comprising:
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an endoscopic arm with proximal and distal portions pivotally connected by a pivot mechanism having a pivot axis, said distal arm portion containing an actuation mechanism; a flexible drive cable located within said pivot mechanism and passing through said pivot axis; a rigid backstop element secured in the pivot mechanism, wherein said backstop supports the drive cable on said pivot axis and includes a pivot connection to one of said arm portions at one end of said backstop and a slidable connection to the other said arm portion at the other end of said backstop; an articulation rod located within said proximal arm portion and longitudinally moveable therein, said articulation rod being pivotally connected to said distal arm portion such that longitudinal movement of said articulation rod causes said distal arm portion to angularly move relative to said proximal arm portion. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. A mechanism for adjustably maintaining an angle of rotation of an arm with respect to a handle of a surgical device, wherein the arm is rotatably mounted to the handle, said mechanism comprising:
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a protrusion located between the handle and the arm, said protrusion having a plurality of grooves; a U-shaped resilient metal wire member located between the arm and said grooves, wherein said resilient member is rotatably adjustable between a plurality of fixed positions, wherein in each of said fixed positions said resilient member engages one of said grooves. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22)
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23. A mechanism for articulation of a distal arm of a surgical instrument with respect to a proximal arm of the surgical instrument, said mechanism comprising:
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a pivot gear included on one of the arms and a pivot rack included on the other arm, wherein said pivot gear engages said pivot rack at a pivot; and an articulation rod pivotally attached to the distal arm for causing articulation of the distal arm with respect to the proximal arm about said pivot. - View Dependent Claims (24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39)
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40. A mechanism for transmitting force from a triggering mechanism to an actuation mechanism of a surgical device, the surgical device having an endoscopic arm, the endoscopic arm having a proximal arm and a distal arm connected at a joint, and a handle attached to the proximal arm, wherein the actuation mechanism is operatively connected to the distal arm and the triggering mechanism is operatively connected to the handle and the proximal arm, said mechanism comprising:
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a push drive cable having a proximal end and a distal end operatively connected at its proximal end to the triggering mechanism and operatively connected at its distal end to the actuation mechanism, wherein said drive cable is flexible; and a backstop supporting said drive cable and having a first end pivotally connected to one of the proximal and distal arms and a second end slidably connected to the other one of the proximal and distal arms. - View Dependent Claims (41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50)
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51. A surgical instrument comprising:
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an endoscopic arm having a proximal end and a distal end; an actuation mechanism connected to said distal end of said endoscopic arm; a handle connected to said proximal end of said endoscopic arm, wherein said endoscopic arm is rotatably mounted to said handle; means for actuating said actuation mechanism; and means for adjustably maintaining an angle of rotation of said endoscopic arm with respect to said handle, said means comprising; a protrusion located between said handle and said endoscopic arm, said protrusion having a plurality of grooves; a U-shaped resilient metal wire member located between said endoscopic arm and said grooves, wherein said resilient member is rotatably adjustable between a plurality of fixed positions, wherein in each of said fixed positions said resilient member engages one of said grooves.
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52. A surgical instrument comprising:
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an endoscopic arm having a proximal end and a distal end, wherein said proximal end and said distal end are connected at a joint; an actuation mechanism connected to said distal end of said endoscopic arm; a handle connected to said proximal end of said endoscopic arm; means for actuating said actuation mechanism; and means for articulation of said distal arm with respect to said proximal arm of said surgical instrument, said means comprising; a pivot gear on one of said distal and proximal arms and a pivot rack on the other of said distal and proximal arms, wherein said pivot gear engages said pivot rack at a pivot; and an articulation rod pivotally attached to said distal arm for causing articulation of said distal arm with respect to said proximal arm about said pivot.
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53. A surgical instrument comprising:
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an endoscopic arm having a proximal arm and a distal arm, wherein said proximal arm and said distal arm are connected at a joint; an actuation mechanism operatively connected to said distal arm; a handle connected to said proximal end of said proximal arm; and means for actuating said actuation mechanism, wherein said means for actuating said actuation mechanism comprise; a triggering mechanism mounted on said handle for initiating the transmittal of said force from said proximal end of the proximal arm; a push drive cable having a proximal end and a distal end operatively connected at its proximal end to said triggering mechanism and operatively connected at its distal end to said actuation mechanism, wherein said drive cable is flexible; and a backstop supporting said drive cable and having a first end pivotally connected to one of said proximal and distal arms and a second end slidably connected to the other one of said proximal and distal arms. - View Dependent Claims (54, 55, 56)
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57. A surgical instrument comprising:
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an endoscopic arm having a proximal arm and a distal arm, wherein said proximal arm and said distal arm are connected at a joint; an actuation mechanism operatively connected to said distal arm; a handle connected to the proximal end of said endoscopic arm, wherein said proximal arm is rotatably mounted to said handle; means for actuating said actuation mechanism; and means for adjustably maintaining an angle of rotation of said endoscopic arm with respect to said handle, said means comprising; a protrusion located between said handle and said endoscopic arm, said protrusion having a plurality of grooves; a resilient member located between said endoscopic arm and said grooves, wherein said resilient member is rotatably adjustable between a plurality of fixed positions, wherein in each of said fixed positions said resilient member engages one of said grooves; wherein said means for actuating said actuation mechanism comprise; a triggering mechanism mounted on said handle for initiating the transmittal of said force from said proximal end of said proximal arm; a push drive cable having a proximal end and a distal end operatively connected at its proximal end to said triggering mechanism and operatively connected at its distal end to said actuation mechanism, wherein said drive cable is flexible; and a backstop supporting said drive cable and having a first end pivotally connected to one of said proximal and distal arms and a second end slidably connected to the other one of said proximal and distal arms.
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58. A surgical instrument comprising:
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an endoscopic arm having a proximal arm and a distal arm, wherein said proximal arm and said distal arm are connected at a joint; an actuation mechanism operatively connected to said distal arm; a handle connected to the proximal end of said proximal arm; means for articulation of said distal arm with respect to said proximal arm of said surgical instrument; means for actuating said actuation mechanism; and means for adjustably maintaining an angle of rotation of said endoscopic arm with respect to said handle, said means comprising; a protrusion located between said handle and said endoscopic arm, said protrusion having a plurality of grooves; a resilient member located between said endoscopic arm and said grooves, wherein said resilient member is rotatably adjustable between a plurality of fixed positions, wherein in each of said fixed positions said resilient member engages one of said grooves; wherein said means for articulating said distal arm with respect to said proximal arm of said surgical instrument comprise a pivot gear on one of said distal and proximal arms and a pivot rack on the other of said distal and proximal arms, wherein said pivot gear engages said pivot rack at a pivot; and an articulation rod pivotally attached to said distal arm for causing articulation of said distal arm with respect to said proximal arm about said pivot.
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59. A surgical instrument comprising:
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an endoscopic arm having a proximal arm and a distal arm, wherein said proximal arm and said distal arm are connected at a joint; an actuation mechanism connected to said distal arm; a handle connected to said proximal end of said proximal arm; means for articulation of said distal arm with respect to said proximal arm of said surgical instrument; and means for actuating said actuation mechanism, said means for actuating said actuation mechanism comprising a triggering mechanism mounted on said handle for initiating the transmittal of said force from said proximal end of said proximal arm; and a push drive cable having a proximal end and a distal end operatively connected at its proximal end to said triggering mechanism and operatively connected at its distal end to said actuation mechanism, wherein said drive cable is flexible; wherein said means for articulation of said distal arm with respect to said proximal arm of said surgical instrument comprise a pivot gear on one of said distal and proximal arms and a pivot rack on the other of said distal and proximal arms, wherein said pivot gear engages said pivot rack at a pivot; and an articulation rod pivotally attached to said distal arm for causing articulation of said distal arm with respect to said proximal arm about said pivot.
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60. A surgical instrument comprising:
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an endoscopic arm having a proximal arm and a distal arm, wherein said proximal arm and said distal arm are connected at a joint; an actuation mechanism connected to said distal arm; a handle connected to said proximal end of said proximal arm, wherein said endoscopic arm is rotatably mounted to said handle; means for adjustably maintaining an angle of rotation of said endoscopic arm with respect to said handle, said means comprising; a protrusion located between said handle and said endoscopic arm, said protrusion having a plurality of grooves; a resilient member located between said endoscopic arm and said grooves, wherein said resilient member is rotatably adjustable between a plurality of fixed positions, wherein in each of said fixed positions said resilient member engages one of said grooves; means for articulation of said distal arm with respect to said proximal arm of said surgical instrument;
said means for articulation comprisinga pivot gear on one of said distal and proximal arms and a pivot rack on the other of said distal and proximal arms, wherein said pivot gear engages said pivot rack at a pivot; and an articulation rod pivotally attached to said distal arm for causing articulation of said distal arm with respect to said proximal arm about said pivot; and means for actuating said actuation mechanism, said means for actuating said actuation mechanism comprising a triggering mechanism mounted on said handle for initiating the transmittal of said force from said proximal end of said proximal arm; and a drive cable having a proximal end and a distal end operatively connected at its proximal end to said triggering mechanism and operatively connected at its distal end to said actuation mechanism, wherein said drive cable is flexible.
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Specification