Surgical stapling instrument incorporating a multistroke firing mechanism having a rotary slip-clutch transmission

• US 7,128,254 B2
• Filed: 09/07/2004
• Issued: 10/31/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 09/07/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cilag Gmbh International (Johnson & Johnson)
• Original Assignee: Ethicon Endo-Surgery, Inc. (Johnson & Johnson)
• Inventors: Shelton, Frederick E. IV, Hoffman, Douglas B., Setser, Michael Earl
• Primary Examiner(s): Smith, Scott A.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Weeks, Gloria R.
• Application Number:
  US10/935,450
• Publication Number:
  US 20060049230A1
• Time in Patent Office: 784 Days
• Field of Search: 227/19, 227/181.1, 227/182.1, 227/175.1
• US Class Current: 227/181.1
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/07207 the staples being applied sequentially

Abstract

A surgical stapling and severing instrument particularly suited to endoscopic procedures incorporates a handle that produces separate closing and firing motions to actuate an end effector. In particular, the handle produces multiple firing strokes in order to reduce the required amount of force required to fire (i.e., staple and sever) the end effector.

Claims

1. A surgical instrument, comprising:

an end effector operably configured to respond to a firing motion;

a shaft attached to the end effector and including an elongate firing member coupled to the end effector for movement to longitudinally transmit the firing motion; and

a handle proximally attached to the shaft, comprising;

a firing actuator repeatably moveable in a firing direction and a return direction; and

a rotary transmission, comprising;

an input rotary member coupled to the firing actuator for rotation in correspondence to at least the firing motion thereof,

an output rotary member engaged to the elongate firing member for rotation in correspondence to longitudinal motion thereof, and

a one-way clutch operatively configured to uncouple the output rotary member from the firing actuator when the firing actuator moves in the return direction between firing strokes.

2. The surgical instrument of claim 1, further comprising a rack connected to the elongate firing member, wherein the rack is coupled by gear engagement with the rotary transmission comprised of a gear train.

3. The surgical instrument of claim 2, wherein the rotary transmission comprises a gear reduction assembly relating the intermittent rotation of the input rotary member to an increased longitudinal motion of the rack.

4. The surgical instrument of claim 1, further comprising an anti-backup mechanism operably configured to prevent retraction of the elongate firing member between firing strokes of the firing actuator.

5. The surgical instrument of claim 1, wherein the end effector comprises a pair of opposing jaws responsive to a closure motion and a firing bar responsive to the firing member, the shaft operably configured to transmit the closure motion through a closure member to the end effector, the handle further comprising a closure mechanism operably configured to produce the closure motion.

6. The surgical instrument of claim 1, wherein the one-way clutch comprises a roller slip clutch between the input and output rotary members.

7. The surgical instrument of claim 1, wherein the one-way clutch comprises ratchet mechanism.

8. The surgical instrument of claim 7, wherein the firing actuator comprises a pivoting firing trigger, and the one-way clutch ratchet mechanism comprises a pawl positioned to rotate the input rotary member in one direction.

9. The surgical instrument of claim 7, wherein a selected one of the input and output rotary member is operatively configured to rotate less than one rotation during a multiple firing stroke operation of the firing trigger and further comprises a cam surface operatively configured to limit further rotation upon full firing motion of the firing member.

10. A surgical instrument, comprising:

an end effector operably configured to respond to a firing motion;

a shaft attached to the end effector and including an elongate firing member coupled to the end effector for movement to longitudinally transmit the firing motion; and

a handle proximally attached to the shaft, comprising;

a firing actuator repeatably moveable in a firing direction and a return direction;

a rotary transmission, comprising;

an input rotary member coupled to the firing actuator for rotation in correspondence to the firing and return direction motions thereof,

an output rotary member engaged to the elongate firing member for rotation in correspondence to longitudinal motion thereof,

a one-way clutch selectively communicating firing rotation of the input rotary member to the output rotary member, and

an anti-backup mechanism operably configured to prevent retraction of the elongate firing member between firing strokes of the firing actuator, wherein the anti-backup mechanism comprises a pendulum spring biased proximally into frictional engagement with the elongate firing member.

11. The surgical instrument of claim 10, further comprising a release mechanism operatively configured to respond to a release actuation to urge the anti-backup mechanism out of engagement with the elongate firing member.

12. A surgical instrument, comprising:

an end effector operably configured to respond to a firing motion;

a shaft attached to the end effector and including an elongate firing member coupled to the end effector for movement to longitudinally transmit the firing motion; and

a handle proximally attached to the shaft, comprising;

a firing actuator repeatably moveable in a firing direction and a return direction;

a rotary transmission, comprising;

an input rotary member coupled to the firing actuator for rotation in correspondence to the firing and return direction motions thereof,

an output rotary member engaged to the elongate firing member for rotation in correspondence to longitudinal motion thereof, and

a one-way clutch selectively communicating firing rotation of the input rotary member to the output rotary member;

wherein the firing actuator comprises a pivotally coupled lever providing a reciprocating arcing movement, the firing actuator including an arcuate surface engaged to the input rotary member.

13. The surgical instrument of claim 12, wherein the arcuate surface further comprises an arcuate gear segment, the input rotary member comprising a gear engaged thereto.

14. The surgical instrument of claim 12, wherein the rotary transmission is rotationally attached within a handle housing, the firing actuator including an aperture sized to received and in tangential engagement to the input rotary member to impart rotation within a range of the reciprocating arcing movement.

15. The surgical instrument of claim 14, wherein the arcuate surface further comprises an arcuate gear segment along one surface of the aperture in the firing actuator, the input rotary member comprising a gear engaged to the arcuate gear segment.