Shaft based rotary drive system for surgical instruments
First Claim
1. A surgical instrument comprising:
- an end effector having a selectively reciprocatable implement movably supported therein, said implement being selectively advanceable in a distal direction upon application of a rotary actuation motion thereto and retractable in a proximal direction upon application of a rotary retraction motion thereto;
an elongate shaft assembly coupled to said end effector and including a rotatable drive shaft operably engaged with said reciprocatable implement for transmitting said rotary actuation motion and rotary retraction motion thereto, said rotatable drive shaft including a first gear and a second gear; and
a firing drive comprising;
a first rotary drive member including a plurality of first gear teeth selectivelyinterfacing with said first gear to apply said rotary actuation motion thereto when activated; and
a second rotary drive member including a plurality of second gear teethoperably engaged with said second gear to apply said rotary retraction motion thereto when said first rotary drive member is deactivated and said second rotary drive member is activated.
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0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A surgical instrument including a drive mechanism configured to advance a staple driver and/or cutting member at a first rate and retract the staple driver and/or cutting member at a different rate. In at least one embodiment, the rate at which the driver and cutting member is advanced and/or retracted is the distance that the driver and/or cutting member is translated per actuation of a trigger, for example. In various embodiments, the cutting member can be retracted at a faster rate as compared to the rate in which it is advanced. In such embodiments, the surgical instrument can, owing to the slower advancing rate, provide a greater torque or advancing force to the cutting member while, owing to the faster retracting rate, reduce the time required for the surgeon to retract the cutting member.
3030 Citations
19 Claims
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1. A surgical instrument comprising:
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an end effector having a selectively reciprocatable implement movably supported therein, said implement being selectively advanceable in a distal direction upon application of a rotary actuation motion thereto and retractable in a proximal direction upon application of a rotary retraction motion thereto; an elongate shaft assembly coupled to said end effector and including a rotatable drive shaft operably engaged with said reciprocatable implement for transmitting said rotary actuation motion and rotary retraction motion thereto, said rotatable drive shaft including a first gear and a second gear; and a firing drive comprising; a first rotary drive member including a plurality of first gear teeth selectively interfacing with said first gear to apply said rotary actuation motion thereto when activated; and a second rotary drive member including a plurality of second gear teeth operably engaged with said second gear to apply said rotary retraction motion thereto when said first rotary drive member is deactivated and said second rotary drive member is activated. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
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7. A surgical instrument, comprising:
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an end effector having a selectively reciprocatable implement movably supported therein and being selectively advanceable in a distal direction upon application of a rotary actuation motion thereto and retractable in a proximal direction upon application of a rotary retraction motion thereto; an elongate shaft assembly coupled to said end effector and configured to transmit said rotary actuation motion and rotary retraction motion to said reciprocatable implement; and a firing drive interfacing with said elongate shaft to apply said rotary actuation and rotary retraction motions thereto, said firing drive comprising; a first ratchet assembly, comprising; a first ratchet wheel having a plurality of ratchet teeth; and a first pawl pivotably connected to an actuator device, wherein said first pawl is selectively engageable with said ratchet teeth of said first ratchet wheel to apply said rotary actuation motion to said elongate shaft; and a second ratchet assembly, comprising; a second ratchet wheel having a plurality of ratchet teeth; and a second pawl pivotably connected to said actuator device, wherein said second pawl is selectively engageable with said ratchet teeth of said second ratchet wheel to apply said rotary retraction motion to said elongate shaft. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. A surgical instrument, comprising:
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an end effector having a selectively reciprocatable implement member movably supported therein and being selectively advanceable in a distal direction upon application of a rotary actuation motion thereto and is retractable in a proximal direction upon application of a rotary retraction motion thereto; an elongate shaft assembly comprising; an output shaft coupled to said end effector and configured to transmit said rotary actuation motion and rotary retraction motion to said reciprocatable implement; a first input shaft; and a second input shaft movable relative to said first input shaft and wherein said surgical instrument further comprises; a transmission configurable in a first configuration for facilitating rotation of said output shaft about an axis in a first direction and a second configuration for rotating said output shaft about said axis in a direction opposite said first direction, said transmission comprising a switching mechanism communicating with said first and second input shafts such that when said switching mechanism is in a first position, rotation of said first input shaft is transferred to said output shaft and when said switching mechanism is in a second position, rotation of said second input shaft is transferred to said output shaft. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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Specification