Surgical stapling and cutting device
First Claim
1. A medical device, comprising:
- a control handle having;
a stapling actuator;
an articulation joint actuator different from said stapling actuator and having an unactuated state and an actuated state; and
a body through which said stapling actuator and said articulation joint actuator traverse, said body defining a first longitudinal axis and having a distal end;
a surgical stapling end effector having;
an anvil;
a proximal end;
a second longitudinal axis;
a stapler cartridge having at least one staple; and
an anvil-cartridge control device operatively connected to said stapling actuator, said anvil, and said stapler cartridge and stapling said at least one staple when said stapling actuator is actuated;
a passive articulating joint connecting said stapling end effector to said control handle and articulating about an articulation axis;
a portion of said stapling actuator passing through said passive articulating joint and flexing in a corresponding manner to an articulation of said passive articulating joint; and
said articulation joint actuator;
when in said unactuated state, holding said passive articulation joint and, thereby, said end effector, in a substantially fixed articulation position; and
when in said actuated state, releasing said passive articulation joint into a freely articulating state to permit free articulation of said end effector dependent upon external forces acting upon said end effector;
a centering device disposed at a first part of one of said distal end of said body and said proximal end of said end effector, said first part defining a pair of plunger cavities; and
alignment surfaces disposed at a second part of the other one of said distal end of said body and said proximal end of said end effector, said centering device including a pair of pre-loaded spring-biased plungers each disposed in a respective one of said plunger cavities and biasing said plungers towards and against said second part to substantially align said first and second longitudinal axes when said articulation joint actuator is in said actuated state.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A medical device includes a control handle, an end effector, and a passive articulating joint connecting the end effector to the handle. The handle has a stapling actuator, an articulation joint actuator different from the stapling actuator, and a body through which the stapling and articulation joint actuators traverse. The end effector has an anvil, a stapler cartridge with staples, and an anvil-cartridge control device connected thereto and to the stapling actuator and staples when the stapling actuator is actuated. The stapling actuator passes through the articulating joint and flexes correspondingly to articulation of the articulating joint. The articulation joint actuator, when unactuated, holds the articulation joint and, thereby, the end effector, in a substantially fixed articulation position, and, when actuated, releases the articulation joint into its freely articulating state to permit free articulation of the end effector dependent upon external forces acting upon the end effector.
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Citations
18 Claims
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1. A medical device, comprising:
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a control handle having; a stapling actuator; an articulation joint actuator different from said stapling actuator and having an unactuated state and an actuated state; and a body through which said stapling actuator and said articulation joint actuator traverse, said body defining a first longitudinal axis and having a distal end; a surgical stapling end effector having; an anvil; a proximal end; a second longitudinal axis; a stapler cartridge having at least one staple; and an anvil-cartridge control device operatively connected to said stapling actuator, said anvil, and said stapler cartridge and stapling said at least one staple when said stapling actuator is actuated; a passive articulating joint connecting said stapling end effector to said control handle and articulating about an articulation axis; a portion of said stapling actuator passing through said passive articulating joint and flexing in a corresponding manner to an articulation of said passive articulating joint; and said articulation joint actuator; when in said unactuated state, holding said passive articulation joint and, thereby, said end effector, in a substantially fixed articulation position; and when in said actuated state, releasing said passive articulation joint into a freely articulating state to permit free articulation of said end effector dependent upon external forces acting upon said end effector; a centering device disposed at a first part of one of said distal end of said body and said proximal end of said end effector, said first part defining a pair of plunger cavities; and alignment surfaces disposed at a second part of the other one of said distal end of said body and said proximal end of said end effector, said centering device including a pair of pre-loaded spring-biased plungers each disposed in a respective one of said plunger cavities and biasing said plungers towards and against said second part to substantially align said first and second longitudinal axes when said articulation joint actuator is in said actuated state. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. A medical device, comprising:
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a control handle having; a stapling actuator; an articulation joint actuator different from said stapling actuator and having an unactuated state and an actuated state; and a body through which said stapling actuator and said articulation joint actuator traverse, said body defining a first longitudinal axis and having a distal end; a surgical stapling end effector having; an anvil; a proximal end; a second longitudinal axis; a stapler cartridge having at least one staple; an anvil-cartridge control device operatively connected to said stapling actuator, said anvil, and said stapler cartridge and stapling said at least one staple when said stapling actuator is actuated; and an articulation lock; a passive articulating joint connecting said stapling end effector to said control handle and articulating about an articulation axis; a portion of said stapling actuator passing through said passive articulating joint and flexing in a corresponding manner to an articulation of said passive articulating joint; and said articulation joint actuator; when in said unactuated state, being connected to said articulation lock and, thereby, locking said passive articulation joint in a given articulated position to hold said end effector in position; and when in said actuated state, being disconnected from said articulation lock and, thereby, articulatingly releasing said passive articulation joint to articulate freely dependent upon an external force applied to said end effector; a centering device disposed at a first part of one of said distal end of said body and said proximal end of said end effector, said first part defining a pair of plunger cavities; and alignment surfaces disposed at a second part of the other one of said distal end of said body and said proximal end of said end effector, said centering device including a pair of pre-loaded spring-biased plungers each disposed in a respective one of said plunger cavities and biasing said plungers towards and against said second part to substantially align said first and second longitudinal axes when said articulation joint actuator is in said actuated state. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. A medical device, comprising:
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a control handle having; a stapling actuator; a pull-to-release and release-to-relock articulation joint actuator different from said stapling actuator and having a unactuated state in which said articulation joint actuator is at rest and an actuated state in which said articulation joint actuator is translated in a proximal direction; and a body though which said stapling actuator and said articulation joint actuator traverse, said body defining a first longitudinal axis and having a distal end; a surgical stapling end effector having; an anvil; a proximal end; a second longitudinal axis; a stapler cartridge having at least one staple; an anvil-cartridge control device operatively connected to said stapling actuator, said anvil, and said stapler cartridge and stapling said at least one staple when said stapling actuator is actuated; and an articulation lock; a passive articulating joint connecting said stapling end effector to said control handle and articulating said stapling end effector about an articulation axis; a portion of said stapling actuator passing through said passive articulating joint and flexing in a corresponding manner to an articulation of said passive articulating joint; and said articulation joint actuator; when at rest in said unactuated state, being connected to said articulation lock and, thereby, locking said passive articulation joint in a given articulated position to hold said end effector in position; and when proximally translated in said actuated state, being disconnected from said articulation lock and, thereby, articulatingly releasing said passive articulation joint to articulate freely dependent upon an external force applied to said end effector; a centering device disposed at a first part of one of said distal end of said body and said proximal end of said end effector, said first part defining a pair of plunger cavities; and alignment surfaces disposed at a second part of the other one of said distal end of said body and said proximal end of said end effector, said centering device including a pair of pre-loaded spring-biased plungers each disposed in a respective one of said plunger cavities and biasing said plungers towards and against said second part to substantially align said first and second longitudinal axes when said articulation joint actuator is in said actuated state.
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18. A medical device, comprising:
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a control handle having; a stapling actuator; means for unlocking articulation different from said stapling actuator and having a locked state and an unlocked state; and a body through which said stapling actuator and said articulation unlocking means traverse, said body defining a first longitudinal axis and having a distal end; a surgical stapling end effector having; an anvil; a proximal end; a second longitudinal axis; a stapler cartridge having at least one staple; and an anvil-cartridge control device operatively connected to said stapling actuator, said anvil, and said stapler cartridge and stapling said at least one staple when said stapling actuator is actuated; means for passively articulating said stapling end effector with respect to said control handle; a portion of said stapling actuator passing through said passively articulating means and flexing in a corresponding manner to an articulation of said passively articulating means; and said articulation unlocking means; when in said locked state, holding said end effector in a substantially fixed articulation position; and when in said unlocked state, releasing said end effector into a freely articulating state dependent upon external forces acting upon said end effector; a centering device disposed at a first part of one of said distal end of said body and said proximal end of said end effector, said first part defining a pair of plunger cavities; and alignment surfaces disposed at a second part of the other one of said distal end of said body and said proximal end of said end effector, said centering device including a pair of pre-loaded spring-biased plungers each disposed in a respective one of said plunger cavities and biasing said plungers towards and against said second part to substantially align said first and second longitudinal axes when said articulation unlocking means is in said unlocked state.
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Specification