Surgical instrument with safety mechanism
First Claim
1. A surgical instrument, comprising:
- a handle assembly including an approximation mechanism and a firing mechanism;
an elongated body portion extending distally from the handle assembly;
a head portion disposed adjacent a distal end of the elongated body portion and including a first jaw member and a second jaw member, the approximation mechanism moving the first jaw member in relation to the second jaw member between spaced and approximated positions; and
a safety mechanism disposed in mechanical cooperation with the handle assembly, the safety mechanism preventing actuation of the firing mechanism until the first and second jaw members are in the approximated position and preventing actuation of the firing mechanism if the jaw members are moved from the approximated position toward the spaced position, wherein the safety mechanism includes a lever engageable with the firing mechanism, wherein the lever is movable with respect to the firing mechanism from a first blocking position where the firing mechanism is prevented from being actuated to a second enabling position where the firing mechanism is able to be actuated, and wherein the lever is biased toward its first position.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A surgical instrument including a handle assembly, a safety mechanism, an elongated body portion and a head portion is disclosed. The handle assembly includes a stationary handle, an approximation mechanism, and a firing trigger. A lever of the safety mechanism is movable between a first position where the firing trigger is prevented from being actuated, and a second position where the firing trigger is able to be actuated. A first jaw member of the head portion is movable in relation to a second jaw member of the head portion between spaced and approximated positions. Movement of the first jaw member in relation to the second jaw member from the approximated position towards the spaced position causes the lever of the safety mechanism to move from its second position to its first position.
1398 Citations
18 Claims
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1. A surgical instrument, comprising:
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a handle assembly including an approximation mechanism and a firing mechanism; an elongated body portion extending distally from the handle assembly; a head portion disposed adjacent a distal end of the elongated body portion and including a first jaw member and a second jaw member, the approximation mechanism moving the first jaw member in relation to the second jaw member between spaced and approximated positions; and a safety mechanism disposed in mechanical cooperation with the handle assembly, the safety mechanism preventing actuation of the firing mechanism until the first and second jaw members are in the approximated position and preventing actuation of the firing mechanism if the jaw members are moved from the approximated position toward the spaced position, wherein the safety mechanism includes a lever engageable with the firing mechanism, wherein the lever is movable with respect to the firing mechanism from a first blocking position where the firing mechanism is prevented from being actuated to a second enabling position where the firing mechanism is able to be actuated, and wherein the lever is biased toward its first position. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. A surgical instrument, comprising:
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a handle assembly including an approximation mechanism and a firing mechanism; an elongated body portion extending distally from the handle assembly; a head portion disposed adjacent a distal end of the elongated body portion and including a first jaw member and a second jaw member, the approximation mechanism moving the first jaw member in relation to the second jaw member between spaced and approximated positions; and a safety mechanism disposed in mechanical cooperation with the handle assembly, the safety mechanism preventing actuation of the firing mechanism until the first and second jaw members are in the approximated position and preventing actuation of the firing mechanism if the jaw members are moved from the approximated position toward the spaced position, wherein the safety mechanism includes a lever engageable with the firing mechanism, and wherein the safety mechanism includes a latch and a latch retainer, wherein the latch and latch retainer are configured to releasably maintain the lever in a blocking position. - View Dependent Claims (15)
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16. A surgical instrument, comprising:
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a handle assembly including an approximation mechanism and a firing mechanism; an elongated body portion extending distally from the handle assembly; a head portion disposed adjacent a distal end of the elongated body portion and including a first jaw member and a second jaw member, the approximation mechanism moving the first jaw member in relation to the second jaw member between spaced and approximated positions; and a safety mechanism disposed in mechanical cooperation with the handle assembly, the safety mechanism preventing actuation of the firing mechanism until the first and second jaw members are in the approximated position and preventing actuation of the firing mechanism if the jaw members are moved from the approximated position toward the spaced position, wherein a predetermined amount of distal movement of the approximation mechanism to move first jaw member from the approximated position towards the spaced position causes the safety mechanism to automatically return to a blocking position to prevent actuation of the firing mechanism, wherein the safety mechanism includes a lever engageable with the firing mechanism in the blocking position and a slidable member engageable with the lever, wherein the predetermined amount of distal movement of the approximation mechanism urges the sliding member distally to release the lever to move to a second position, and wherein the safety mechanism includes a latch retainer and the lever includes a latch, wherein the predetermined amount of distal movement of the approximation mechanism towards its spaced position causes the latch retainer to release the latch, and wherein releasing of the latch causes the lever to move to the blocking position. - View Dependent Claims (17)
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18. A surgical instrument, comprising:
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handle assembly including an approximation mechanism and a firing mechanism; an elongated body portion extending distally from the handle assembly; a head portion disposed adjacent a distal end of the elongated body portion and including a first jaw member and a second jaw member, the approximation mechanism moving the first jaw member in relation to the second jaw member between spaced and approximated positions; and a safety mechanism disposed in mechanical cooperation with the handle assembly, the safety mechanism preventing actuation of the firing mechanism until the first and second jaw members are in the approximated position and preventing actuation of the firing mechanism if the jaw members are moved from the approximated position toward the spaced position, wherein the firing mechanism fires a plurality of fasteners from the first jaw member into contact with the second jaw member, wherein movement of the first jaw member in relation to the second jaw member from the approximated position towards the spaced position prior to firing of the fasteners causes the safety mechanism to be released to move from a second position back to a first blocking position, and wherein the safety mechanism includes a lever retained by a latch retainer in the second position and a predetermined amount of movement of the first jaw member from the approximated position towards the spaced position causes distal movement of the latch retainer to release the lever.
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Specification