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Feedback and lockout mechanism for surgical instrument

  • US 8,608,044 B2
  • Filed: 02/15/2008
  • Issued: 12/17/2013
  • Est. Priority Date: 02/15/2008
  • Status: Active Grant
First Claim
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1. A surgical apparatus comprising:

  • a handle assembly including a movable handle, the movable handle being movable through an actuation stroke to clamp tissue and effect ejection of staples from a disposable loading unit;

    an elongate body extending distally from the handle assembly and defining a longitudinal axis, the elongate body having a distal end adapted to releasably engage both articulating and non-articulating disposable loading unit types;

    an actuation shaft supported at least in part within the handle assembly and mounted for longitudinal movement in response to manipulation of the movable handle, the actuation shaft comprising a toothed rack operably associated with the movable handle assembly by a driving pawl pivotably mounted to one end of the movable handle assembly about a first pivot pin, the driving pawl comprising a rack engagement finger coupled to the driving pawl to engage the toothed rack of the actuation shaft;

    a control rod having a distal end coupled to the disposable loading unit and proximal end coupled to a distal end of the actuation shaft, wherein the distal end of the actuation shaft rotatably receives the proximal end of the control rod;

    a direct current (DC) power source; and

    an energy activated firing lockout system to prevent longitudinal translation of the actuation shaft under a plurality of conditions, the energy activated firing lockout system comprising a solenoid operatively coupled to a pivotable locking member to prevent longitudinal movement of the actuation shaft when the solenoid is de-energized, and wherein the solenoid is energizable by the DC power source;

    wherein, when the solenoid is energized to release the locking member, the movable handle is pivotable about a second pivot in through the actuation stroke to move the engagement finger of the driving pawl into contact with the toothed rack to advance the actuation shaft linearly in the longitudinal direction by a predetermined distance, and wherein linear advancement of the actuation shaft by the predetermined distance in response to the actuation stroke of the movable handle causes a corresponding linear advancement of the control rod, and wherein further distal advancement of the actuation shaft is permitted by repeatedly pivoting the movable handle about the second pivot pin.

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