Articulation transmission mechanism for surgical instruments

• US 5,713,505 A
• Filed: 05/13/1996
• Issued: 02/03/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 05/13/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Ethicon Endo-Surgery, Inc. (Johnson & Johnson)
• Original Assignee: Ethicon Endo-Surgery, Inc. (Johnson & Johnson)
• Inventors: Huitema, Thomas
• Primary Examiner(s): Hail, III, Joseph J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): STELACONE, JAY
• Application Number:
  US08/645,355
• Time in Patent Office: 631 Days
• Field of Search: 227/175.1, 227/176.1, 227/177.1, 227/178.1, 227/179.1, 227/19
• US Class Current: 227/179.1
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/07207 the staples being applied sequentially
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00535 pneumatically or hydraulically operated A61B2017/22051, A61B2090/401 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/2905 flexible
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/2913 cams or guiding means
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/2923 Toothed members, e.g. rack and pinion
• 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 2017/2932 Transmission of forces to jaw members
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/2946 Locking means

Abstract

An articulating surgical instrument which has an articulation transmission assembly for remotely articulating an end effector of the instrument is disclosed. The articulation transmission assembly includes a detent housing mounted on the instrument with a plurality of detent teeth. A compressible deck with a plurality of ratchet deck teeth is matingly coupled with the teeth of the detent housing when the assembly is in a first locked position. An actuator is fitted on the detent housing for applying a rotational force on the deck. A drive member is in communication with the deck for translating rotational movement of the deck into axial movement of an elongated transmission member which is attached to the drive member. When a rotational force is applied to the actuator, the deck compresses to decouple the teeth of the deck from the teeth in the detent housing. The decoupling of the teeth reduces the rotational force necessary to rotate the deck and consequently the drive member which moves the elongated transmission member axially to effect articulation. Consequently, the ratcheting rotation of the deck from the first locked position to a second locked position, and therefore the articulation of the end effector from a first position to a second position angled from the first position, is significantly facilitated.

Claims

1. An articulating instrument adapted for endoscopic surgery, said instrument comprising:

a) a frame including a hand grip for gripping and manipulating said instrument at a first end of said instrument;

b) an elongated endoscopic shaft extending from said frame, said shaft having a longitudinal axis;

c) an end effector in communication with said shaft at an opposite end of said instrument for manipulating tissue to carry out a desired surgical function, said end effector being movable to provide articulation of said end effector from a first position generally parallel to said shaft longitudinal axis to a second position angled from said shaft longitudinal axis; and

d) an articulation transmission assembly adjacent said frame for remotely articulating said end effector from said first position to said second position, said articulation transmission assembly including;

i) a nozzle coupled to said shaft and secured to said frame, said nozzle having a nozzle body with a bore extending therethrough generally parallel to said shaft longitudinal axis, and a detent housing extending from said nozzle body, said detent housing containing a plurality of detent teeth therein;

ii) an articulation body rotatably mounted within said detent housing of said nozzle body for rotational movement from a plurality of locked positions spaced between a plurality of unlocked positions, said articulation body including;

a) a deck therein, said deck including first and second spaced-apart deck halves, said first deck half having a first detent attached thereto and said second deck half having a second detent attached thereto in mutual opposition to said first detent, said first and second deck halves separated by said mutually-opposed first and second detents, each of said deck halves containing a plurality of deck teeth thereon, said deck teeth positioned for interacting relationship with said detent teeth, wherein when said deck teeth mesh with said detent teeth, said articulation body is in one of said locked positions, and when said deck teeth do not mesh with said detent teeth, said articulation body is in one of said unlocked positions; and

b) a drive member coupled to said deck, said drive member descending into said bore of said nozzle body, said drive member having first and second elongated transmission members attached thereto and extending through said bore into said shaft;

iii) a lever secured to said articulation body for rotating said articulation body within said detent housing of said nozzle, said lever including a cap thereon fitted on said detent housing, said cap containing a slot therein for receiving said first and second detents of said deck halves for attachment of said deck halves to aid cap, wherein;

when a rotating force is applied to said lever, said cap slot urges said first and second detents toward each other so as to withdraw said deck teeth from said detent teeth for facilitating rotation of said articulation body within said detent housing from said locked positions to said unlocked positions.

2. The instrument of claim 1 wherein said articulation body has a base therein from which said drive member extends, and said base supports said deck halves.

3. The instrument of claim 2 wherein each of said deck halves is connected to said base of said articulation body by an outer flexible beam and an inner flexible beam.

4. The instrument of claim 3 wherein said drive member of said articulation body is a drive gear.

5. The instrument of claim 4 wherein said detent housing of said nozzle has a floor adjacent said nozzle body, and said base of said articulation body sits on said floor.

6. The instrument of claim 5 wherein said base of said articulation body has a pair of rotation stops thereon, and said floor of said detent housing has a pair of ledges thereon, wherein when said rotation stops are in abutment with said ledges after said articulation body has been rotated in a first rotation direction, said articulation body is thereafter prevented from rotating in said first direction.

7. An articulating surgical instrument comprising an articulation transmission assembly for remotely articulating an end effector of said instrument, said articulation transmission assembly including:

a) a detent housing mounted on said instrument, said detent housing having a plurality of detent teeth thereon;

b) a compressible deck with a plurality of ratchet deck teeth thereon, said deck teeth matingly coupled with said detent teeth when said articulation transmission assembly is in a first locked position;

c) an actuator fitted on said detent housing for applying a rotational force on said deck, wherein when said rotational force is applied, said deck compresses so as to decouple said deck teeth from said detent teeth for facilitating ratcheting rotation of said deck from said first locked position to a second locked position; and

d) a drive member in communication with said deck for translating rotational movement of said deck into axial movement of an elongated transmission member attached to said drive member.

8. The instrument of claim 7 wherein said deck has a pair of first and second spaced-apart deck halves, and said deck is compressed when said deck halves are urged towards each other.

9. The instrument of claim 8 wherein said first deck half has a first compression detent and said second deck half has a second compression detent in mutual opposition to said first detent, and said deck halves are urged toward each other when said compression detents are urged toward each other.

10. The instrument of claim 9 wherein said actuator has a slot therein for receiving said compression detents of said deck halves, and said slot urges said compression detents toward each other when said actuator is rotated.

11. The instrument of claim 10 wherein said deck halves are supported on a base from which said drive member extends, and inner and outer flexible beams connect each of said deck halves to said base.

12. An articulating surgical stapler adapted for endoscopic surgery, said stapler comprising:

a) a frame including a hand grip for gripping and manipulating said stapler at a first end of said stapler;

b) an elongated endoscopic shaft extending from said frame, said shaft having a longitudinal axis;

c) a surgical fastening assembly in communication with said shaft at an opposite end of said stapler for clamping tissue and firing staples into the clamped tissue, said surgical fastening assembly carrying an elongated anvil facing an elongated channel for receiving a staple cartridge therein, said surgical fastening assembly being movable to provide articulation of said surgical fastening assembly from a first position generally parallel to said shaft longitudinal axis to a second position angled from said shaft longitudinal axis; and

d) an articulation transmission assembly adjacent said frame for remotely articulating said surgical fastening assembly from said first position to said second position, said articulation transmission assembly including;

i) a nozzle coupled to said shaft and secured to said frame, said nozzle having a nozzle body with a bore extending therethrough generally parallel to said shaft longitudinal axis, and a detent housing extending from said nozzle body, said detent housing containing a plurality of detent teeth therein;

ii) an articulation body rotatably mounted within said detent housing of said nozzle body for rotational movement from a plurality of locked positions spaced between a plurality of unlocked positions, said articulation body including;

a) a deck therein, said deck including first and second spaced-apart deck halves, said first deck half having a first detent attached thereto and said second deck half having a second detent attached thereto in mutual opposition to said first detent, said first and second deck halves separated by said mutually-opposed first and second detents, each of said deck halves containing a plurality of deck teeth thereon, said deck teeth positioned for interacting relationship with said detent teeth, wherein when said deck teeth mesh with said detent teeth, said articulation body is in one of said locked positions, and when said deck teeth do not mesh with said detent teeth, said articulation body is in one of said unlocked positions; and

b) a drive member coupled to said deck, said drive member descending into said bore of said nozzle body, said drive member having first and second elongated transmission members attached thereto and extending through said bore into said shaft;

iii) a lever secured to said articulation body for rotating said articulation body within said detent housing of said nozzle, said lever including a cap thereon fitted on said detent housing, said cap containing a slot therein for receiving said first and second detents of said deck halves for attachment of said deck halves to said cap, wherein;

when a rotating force is applied to said lever, said cap slot urges said first and second detents toward each other so as to withdraw said deck teeth from said detent teeth for facilitating rotation of said articulation body within said detent housing from said locked positions to said unlocked positions.

13. The stapler of claim 12 wherein said articulation body has a base therein from which said drive member extends, and said base supports said deck halves.

14. The stapler of claim 13 wherein each of said deck halves is connected to said base of said articulation body by an outer flexible beam and an inner flexible beam.

15. The stapler of claim 14 wherein said drive member is a drive gear, and said drive gear has a flared opening therethrough for receiving a staple firing rod.

16. The stapler of claim 15 wherein said detent housing of said nozzle has a floor adjacent said nozzle body, and said base of said articulation body sits on said floor.

17. The stapler of claim 16 wherein said base of said articulation body has a pair of rotation stops thereon, and said floor of said detent housing has a pair of ledges thereon, wherein when said rotation stops are in abutment with said ledges after said articulation body has been rotated in a first rotation direction, said articulation body is thereafter prevented from rotating in said first direction.