Interlock and surgical instrument including same

• US 8,632,535 B2
• Filed: 06/03/2010
• Issued: 01/21/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 01/10/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cilag Gmbh International (Johnson & Johnson)
• Original Assignee: Ethicon Endo-Surgery, Inc. (Johnson & Johnson)
• Inventors: Shelton, Frederick E. IV, Giordano, James R.
• Primary Examiner(s): ROANE, AARON F
• Application Number:
  US12/793,599
• Publication Number:
  US 20100301095A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,328 Days
• Field of Search: 606/1, 227/19, 227/176.1, 227/179.1, 361/23
• US Class Current: 606/41
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/00 Surgical instruments, devices or methods, e.g. tourniquets A61B18/00 takes precedence; contraceptive devices, pessaries, or applicators therefor A61F6/00; eye surgery A61F9/007; ear surgery A61F11/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/00234 for minimally invasive surgery A61B17/0218, A61B17/0469, A61B17/12013, A61B17/1285, A61B17/29, A61B17/320016 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/068 Surgical staplers , e.g. containing multiple staples or clampsstaplers containing only one staple A61B17/10; magazines or containers for staples A61B17/105; for performing anastomosis A61B17/115; staplers in general B25C5/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/07207 the staples being applied sequentially
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00022 Sensing or detecting at the treatment site
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00039 Electric or electromagnetic phenomena other than conductivity, e.g. capacity, inductivity, Hall effect
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00212 using remote controls
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00221 with wireless transmission of data, e.g. by infrared radiation or radiowaves
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00362 Packages or dispensers for MIS instruments A61B2017/0479 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00398 using powered actuators, e.g. stepper motors, solenoids
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00734 battery operated
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/0688 Packages or dispensers for surgical staplers
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/07214 Stapler heads
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/2927 the angular position of the head being adjustable with respect to the shaft
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/320052 Guides for cutting instruments
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2050/3015 transparent
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2050/314 Flexible bags or pouches
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/065 for measuring contact or contact pressure
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/0811 for the position of a particular part of an instrument with respect to the rest of the instrument, e.g. position of the anvil of a stapling instrument
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2560/0266 for monitoring or limiting apparatus function
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 50/30 : Containers specially adapted for packaging, protecting, dispensing, collecting or disposing of surgical or diagnostic appliances or instruments for wound clamps A61B17/10; for ligaturing clips A61B17/122; packages or dispensers for surgical gloves or finger-stalls A61B42/40
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 90/98 : using electromagnetic means, e.g. transponders

Abstract

A surgical instrument is disclosed. The instrument includes an end effector comprising a moveable cutting instrument to cut an object and a motor coupled to the end effector. The motor actuates the cutting instrument in response to a current therethrough, causing the cutting instrument to move between a proximal-most position and a distal-most position. The instrument includes an interlock coupled to the end effector and to the motor to prevent actuation of the cutting instrument based on the current through the motor.

Claims

1. A method for preventing operation of a surgical instrument, the surgical instrument configured for removably receiving an expendable staple cartridge and comprising a moveable cutting instrument and a motor to actuate the cutting instrument in response to a current therethrough, the method comprising:

mechanically blocking actuation of the cutting instrument by the motor in the absence of an unexpended staple cartridge in the instrument;

detecting the current through the motor resulting from the blocked actuation of the cutting instrument; and

interrupting the current through the motor based on the detected current.

2. The method of claim 1, comprising:

sensing the motor current;

generating a signal representative of the sensed motor current; and

comparing the generated signal to a threshold signal.

3. The method of claim 2, comprising interrupting the current when the generated signal exceeds the threshold signal.

4. The method of claim 3, comprising interrupting the current based on a position of the cutting instrument.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein:

the cutting instrument is located in an end effector of the surgical instrument, and wherein upon actuation the cutting instrument is for traversing the end effector from a proximal position to a distal position;

mechanically blocking actuation of the cutting instrument comprises mechanically blocking actuation of the cutting instrument with a blocking mechanism in the end effector of the surgical instrument;

detecting the current through the motor comprises detecting the current through the motor with a current sensor that is in a current path of the motor; and

interrupting the current through the motor comprises opening a switch that is connected to the motor.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising detecting a position of the cutting instrument in the end effector, and wherein interrupting the current through the motor comprises interrupting the current through the motor when generated signal exceeds the threshold signal and the cutting instrument is within a threshold distance from its proximal-most position.