Rotary drive shaft assemblies for surgical instruments with articulatable end effectors

• US 8,747,238 B2
• Filed: 06/28/2012
• Issued: 06/10/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 06/28/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cilag Gmbh International (Johnson & Johnson)
• Original Assignee: Ethicon Endo-Surgery, Inc. (Johnson & Johnson)
• Inventors: Shelton, Frederick E. IV, Swayze, Jeffrey S., Morgan, Jerome R., Stammen, John L., Baxter, Chester O. III
• Primary Examiner(s): BINDA, GREGORY JOHN
• Application Number:
  US13/536,301
• Publication Number:
  US 20140005677A1
• Time in Patent Office: 712 Days
• Field of Search: 464/52, 464/149, 464/57, 628/2.11, 408/127, 745/025, 600139-142, 623/2.11, 606/130
• US Class Current: 464/149
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/003 Steerable
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00309 Cut-outs or slits
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00314 Separate linked members
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00323 Cables or rods
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00327 with actuating members moving in opposite directions
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/2903 transferring rotary motion
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2034/306 Wrists with multiple vertebrae
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 34/30 Surgical robots
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 34/37 Master-slave robots A61B34/35 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 2103/05 Stainless steel
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 2103/14 Titanium or alloys thereof
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 2103/42 Plastics B23K2103/16 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 2103/50 Inorganic material, e.g. metals, not provided for in B23K2103/02 – B23K2103/26
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 26/38 by boring or cutting
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 26/40 taking account of the properties of the material involved
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49826 Assembling or joining

Abstract

Drive shaft assemblies for a surgical instrument. Various forms include a plurality of movably interlocking joint segments that are interconnected to form a flexible hollow tube. A flexible secondary constraining member is configured in flexible constraining engagement with the plurality of movably interlocking joint segments to retain the interlocking joint segments in movable interlocking engagement while facilitating flexing of the drive shaft assembly.

Claims

1. A drive shaft assembly for a surgical instrument, the drive shaft assembly comprising:

a plurality of movably interlocking joint segments interconnected to form a flexible hollow tube, said interlocking joint segments being coupled together by a plurality of loosely interlocking opposed T-shaped portions formed therein; and

a flexible secondary constraining member in flexible constraining engagement with the plurality of movably interlocking joint segments to retain the interlocking joint segments in movable interlocking engagement while facilitating flexing of the drive shaft assembly, said flexible secondary constraining member comprising a helically wound member extending around a perimeter of the hollow tube and wherein the helically wound member includes a central portion and a proximal end portion and a distal end portion and wherein the proximal and distal end portions are wound tighter than the central portion.

2. The drive shaft assembly of claim 1 wherein the helically wound member includes a desired pitch for transmitting rotary motion to the surgical instrument.

3. The drive shaft assembly of claim 1 further comprising a surgical end effector operably interfacing with the drive shaft assembly, the surgical end effector configured to perform at least one action upon application of a control motion thereto.

4. A composite drive shaft assembly for a surgical instrument, the drive shaft assembly comprising:

a plurality of movably interlocking joint segments coupled together by a plurality of loosely interlocking opposed T-shaped portions cut into a hollow tube by a laser, the hollow tube having a proximal end and a distal end; and

a flexible secondary constraining member in flexible constraining engagement with the plurality of movably interlocking joint segments to retain the interlocking joint segments in movable interlocking engagement while facilitating flexing of the drive shaft assembly, the flexible secondary constraining member comprising a helically wound member extending around a perimeter of the hollow tube and wherein the helically wound member includes a central portion and a proximal end portion and a distal end portion and wherein the proximal and distal end portions are wound tighter than the central portion.

5. The composite drive shaft assembly of claim 4 wherein the helically wound member includes a desired pitch for transmitting rotary motion to the surgical instrument.

6. The composite drive shaft assembly of claim 4 further comprising a surgical end effector operably interfacing with the composite drive shaft assembly, the surgical end effector configured to perform at least one action upon application of a control motion thereto.