Robotically-controlled surgical end effector system

• US 8,783,541 B2
• Filed: 02/09/2012
• Issued: 07/22/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 05/20/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cilag Gmbh International (Johnson & Johnson)
• Original Assignee: Frederick E. Shelton, IV
• Inventors: Shelton, Frederick E. IV, Morgan, Jerome R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Lopez, Michelle
• Application Number:
  US13/369,601
• Publication Number:
  US 20120203247A1
• Time in Patent Office: 894 Days
• Field of Search: 227/175.1, 227/178.1, 227/180.1, 606/130, 606/167, 606/219
• US Class Current: 227/175.1
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/064 Surgical staples, i.e. penetrating the tissue
• 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 17/0682 for applying U-shaped staples or clamps, e.g. without a forming anvil
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/072 for applying a row of staples in a single action , e.g. the staples being applied simultaneously
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/07207 the staples being applied sequentially
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/105 Wound clamp magazines for packaging sharps A61B50/3001
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/320092 with additional movable means for clamping or cutting tissue, e.g. with a pivoting jaw
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 18/1445 at the distal end of a shaft, e.g. forceps or scissors at the end of a rigid rod
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00017 Electrical control of surgical instruments
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00398 using powered actuators, e.g. stepper motors, solenoids
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00473 Distal part, e.g. tip or head A61B2017/00464 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00734 battery operated
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/0688 Packages or dispensers for surgical staplers
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/07257 characterised by its anvil
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/07271 characterised by its cartridge
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/07278 characterised by its sled or its staple holder
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/07285 characterised by its cutter
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/2923 Toothed members, e.g. rack and pinion
• 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 2017/320093 : additional movable means performing cutting operation
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/320094 : additional movable means performing clamping operation
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/320095 : with sealing or cauterizing means
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/320097 : with stapling means
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00607 : Coagulation and cutting with the same instrument
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/0063 : Sealing
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2034/302 : specifically adapted for manipulations within body cavities, e.g. within abdominal or thoracic cavities
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 34/30 : Surgical robots
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 34/37 : Master-slave robots A61B34/35 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 50/20 : Holders specially adapted for surgical or diagnostic appliances or instruments drapes with means to hold surgical instruments A61B46/23; for catheters A61M25/02
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 50/36 : for collecting or disposing of used articles

Abstract

A surgical severing and stapling instrument, suitable for laparoscopic and endoscopic clinical procedures, clamps tissue within an end effector of an elongate channel pivotally opposed by an anvil. Various embodiments are configured to be operably attached to a robotic system to receive actuation/control motions therefrom.

Claims

1. A surgical tool for use with a robotic system that has a tool drive assembly that is operatively coupled to a control unit of the robotic system that is operable by inputs from an operator and is configured to provide at least one rotary output motion to at least one rotatable body portion supported on the tool drive assembly, said surgical tool comprising:

a surgical end effector comprising at least one component portion that is selectively movable between first and second positions relative to at least one other component portion thereof in response to control motions applied at least to said selectively movable component portion;

an elongated shaft assembly operably coupled to said surgical end effector, said elongated shaft assembly comprising;

an axially movable portion in operable communication with said at least one selectively movable component portion of said surgical end effector;

a rotatable member operably coupled with said axially movable portion such that rotation of said rotatable member causes said axially movable portion to move axially relative thereto; and

a closure clutch assembly selectively movable between a neutral disengaged position and an engaged first closure drive position wherein said closure clutch assembly is in driving engagement with said rotatable member and wherein the surgical tool further comprises;

a transmission arrangement in operable engagement with at least one of said at least one rotatable body portions supported on the tool drive assembly and in operable engagement with said closure clutch assembly to selectively move said closure clutch assembly between said neutral disengaged position and said engaged first closure drive position and apply rotary actuation motions thereto when in said engaged first closure drive position; and

a sensor arrangement communicating with said control unit for providing a signal thereto when said selectively movable component portion is in said second position.

2. The surgical tool of claim 1 wherein said other component portion of said surgical end effector comprises a surgical staple cartridge and wherein one of said at least one component portion that is selectively movable comprises an anvil that is selectively movable between a first open position and a second closed positions relative to said surgical staple cartridge.

3. The surgical tool of claim 2 further comprising a closure drive shaft in driving engagement with said rotatable member and wherein said transmission arrangement comprises a rotary drive assembly supported on a tool mounting portion and operably coupled to said closure drive shaft, said rotary drive assembly operable coupled to one of said at least one rotatable body portions supported on the tool drive assembly such that upon application of a rotary drive output motion in a first direction to said rotary drive assembly by said one of said at least one rotatable body portions, said rotary drive assembly applies a rotary closure motion to said closure drive shaft which causes said rotatable member to rotate and thereby axially drive said axially movable portion into closing engagement with said anvil and upon application of another rotary drive output motion in a second direction to said rotary drive assembly by said one of said at least one rotatable body portions, said rotary drive assembly applies another rotary closure motion to said closure drive shaft which causes said rotatable member to rotate in a second direction and thereby axially drive said axially movable portion out of said closing engagement with said anvil into opening engagement therewith.

4. The surgical tool of claim 3 further comprising a cutting instrument that is axially movable within said surgical staple cartridge between a starting position and an ending position in response to a firing motion applied thereto.

5. The surgical tool of claim 4 further comprising:

a knife bar attached to said cutting instrument and movably supported within said elongated shaft assembly; and

a knife drive assembly supported on said tool mounting portion and operably coupled to said knife bar, said knife drive assembly operably coupled to another one of said at least one rotatable body portions supported on the tool drive assembly such that upon application of a rotary knife output motion in a first direction to said knife drive assembly by said another one of said at least one rotatable body portions, said knife drive assembly applies said firing motion to said knife bar which causes said cutting instrument to move from said starting position to said ending position and upon application of another rotary knife output motion in a second direction to said knife drive assembly by said another one of said at least one rotatable body portions, said knife drive assembly applies a retraction motion to said knife bar which causes said cutting instrument to be retracted from said end position to said starting position.

6. The surgical tool of claim 5 wherein said knife drive assembly comprises:

a first rotary drive gear operably supported on said tool mounting portion and operably coupled to said another one of said at least one rotatable body portions supported on the tool drive assembly;

a first rotary driven gear operably supported on said tool mounting portion and in meshing engagement with said first rotary drive gear;

a second rotary driven gear operably supported on said tool mounting portion and in meshing engagement with said first rotary driven gear;

a third rotary driven gear operably supported on said tool mounting portion and in meshing engagement with said second rotary driven gear; and

a fourth rotary driven gear operably supported on said tool mounting portion and in meshing engagement with said third rotary driven gear and a threaded portion of said knife bar.

7. The surgical tool of claim 3 wherein said elongated shaft has a proximal end portion rotatably supported on said tool mounting portion for selective rotational travel about a longitudinal tool axis.

8. The surgical tool of claim 1 wherein said elongated shaft assembly is coupled to a tool mounting portion that operably supports said transmission arrangement thereon, said tool mounting portion attachable to said tool drive assembly such that said transmission arrangement is in operable engagement with said at least one rotatable body portion supported on the tool drive assembly of the robotic system.

9. The surgical tool of claim 8 wherein said elongated shaft assembly further comprises a spine assembly comprising:

a proximal spine shaft that is operably supported on said tool mounting portion and has a distal end portion that protrudes from said tool mounting portion and a proximal end portion in operable engagement with said transmission arrangement;

a distal spine shaft that is coupled to an elongated channel configured to support a surgical staple cartridge therein and is movably coupled to said distal end portion of said proximal spine shaft;

a drive sleeve coupled to a clutch plate portion of said closure clutch assembly, said drive sleeve movably supported on said distal spine shaft and coupled to said distal end portion of said proximal spine shaft such that axial movement of said proximal spine shaft causes said clutch plate portion to move between said neutral disengaged position and said engaged first closure drive position; and

a drive shaft in operable engagement with said drive sleeve and said transmission arrangement to selectively apply rotary control motions to said drive sleeve.

10. The surgical tool of claim 9 wherein said transmission arrangement comprises:

a shifter drive assembly supported on said tool mounting portion and operably interfacing with said proximal end portion of said proximal spine shaft, said shifter drive assembly operably coupled to one of said at least one rotatable body portions supported on the tool drive assembly such that upon application of a rotary shifter output motion in a first direction to said shifter drive assembly by said at least one rotatable body portion, said shifter drive assembly axially moves said proximal spine shaft and said drive sleeve to bring said clutch plate portion into driving engagement with said rotatable member and upon application of another rotary shifter output motion in a second direction to said shifter drive assembly, said shifter drive assembly axially moves said proximal spine shaft and drive sleeve in a second direction to move said clutch plate portion from said driving engagement with said rotatable member to said neutral disengaged position; and

a rotary drive assembly supported on said tool mounting portion and operably coupled to said drive shaft, said rotary drive assembly operably coupled to another one of said at least one rotatable body portions supported on the tool drive assembly such that upon application of a rotary drive output motion in a first direction to said rotary drive assembly by said another one of said at least one rotatable body portions, said rotary drive assembly applies a rotary closure motion to said drive shaft which causes said rotatable member to rotate and thereby axially drive said axially movable portion into closing engagement with an anvil movably supported relative to the elongated channel and upon application of another rotary drive output motion in a second direction to said rotary drive assembly by said another one of said at least one rotatable body portions, said rotary drive assembly applies another rotary closure motion to said drive shaft which causes said rotatable member to rotate in a second direction and thereby axially drive said axially movable portion out of said closing engagement with said anvil into opening engagement therewith.

11. The surgical tool of claim 10 wherein said surgical end effector further comprises a cutting instrument that is axially movable within said surgical staple cartridge between a starting position and an ending position in response to a firing motion applied thereto by said drive sleeve.

12. The surgical tool of claim 11 wherein said clutch plate portion is configured to move between said neutral disengaged position and a firing position wherein said clutch plate portion is in driving engagement with a knife drive shaft assembly operably supported within said elongated shaft assembly and in operable engagement with said cutting instrument.

13. The surgical tool of claim 12 further comprising a rotary end effector shaft operably supported within said surgical end effector and operably supporting said cutting instrument thereon such that rotation of said rotary end effector shaft in a first direction drives said cutting instrument from said starting position to said ending position and rotation of said rotary end effector shaft in a second direction drives said cutting instrument from said ending position to said starting position and wherein said knife drive shaft assembly comprises a knife shaft segment in meshing engagement with said rotary end effector shaft and configured to be drivingly engaged by said clutch plate portion when said clutch plate portion is in said firing position.

14. The surgical tool of claim 8 wherein said elongated shaft assembly has a proximal end portion rotatably supported on said tool mounting portion for selective rotational travel about a longitudinal tool axis.

15. The surgical tool of claim 14 wherein said transmission arrangement comprises a rotational gear assembly operably coupled to one of the at least one rotatable body portions supported on the tool drive assembly and in driving engagement with a portion of said proximal end portion of said elongated shaft assembly such that upon application of a rotary gear output motion in a first direction to said rotational gear assembly by said one of said at least one rotatable body portions, said rotational gear assembly rotates said elongated shaft assembly and said surgical end effector in a first rotary direction about said longitudinal tool axis and upon application of another rotary gear output motion in a second direction to said rotational gear assembly, said rotational gear assembly rotates said elongated shaft assembly and said surgical end effector about said longitudinal tool axis in a second rotary direction.

16. A surgical tool for use with a robotic system that has a tool drive assembly that is operatively coupled to a control unit of the robotic system that is operable by inputs from an operator and is configured to provide at least one rotary output motion to at least one rotatable body portion supported on the tool drive assembly, said surgical tool comprising:

a tool mounting portion configured to operably interface with the tool drive assembly;

a surgical end effector operably coupled to the tool mounting portion, said surgical end effector comprising;

an anvil that is selectively movable between a first open position and second closed positions relative to a surgical staple cartridge in response to control motions applied to said anvil; and

a cutting instrument that is axially movable within said surgical staple cartridge between a starting position and an ending position in response to a firing motion applied thereto and wherein said surgical tool further comprises;

an axially movable portion in operable communication with anvil of said surgical end effector;

a closure drive nut in threaded engagement with said anvil;

a closure drive shaft in driving engagement with said closure drive nut;

a transmission arrangement comprising a rotary drive assembly supported on said tool mounting portion and operably coupled to said closure drive shaft, said rotary drive assembly operable coupled to one of said at least one rotatable body portions supported on the tool drive assembly such that upon application of a rotary drive output motion in a first direction to said rotary drive assembly by said one of said at least one rotatable body portion, said rotary drive assembly applies a rotary closure motion to said closure drive shaft which causes said closure drive nut to rotate and thereby axially drive said axially movable portion into closing engagement with said anvil and upon application of another rotary drive output motion in a second direction to said rotary drive assembly by said one of said at least one rotatable body portions, said rotary drive assembly applies another rotary closure motion to said closure drive shaft which causes said closure drive nut to rotate in a second direction and thereby axially drive said axially movable portion out of said closing engagement with said anvil into opening engagement therewith;

a knife bar operably attached to said cutting instrument; and

a knife drive assembly supported on said tool mounting portion and operably coupled to said knife bar, said knife drive assembly operably coupled to another one of said at least one rotatable body portions supported on the tool drive assembly such that upon application of a rotary knife output motion in a first direction to said knife drive assembly by said another one of said at least one rotatable body portions, said knife drive assembly applies said firing motion to said knife bar which causes said cutting instrument to move from said starting position to said ending position and upon application of another rotary knife output motion in a second direction to said knife drive assembly by said another one of said at least one rotatable body portions, said knife drive assembly applies a retraction motion to said knife bar which causes said cutting instrument to be retracted from said end position to said starting position.

17. The surgical tool of claim 16 wherein said knife drive assembly comprises:

a first rotary drive gear operably supported on said tool mounting portion and operably coupled to said another one of said at least one rotatable body portions supported on the tool drive assembly;

a first rotary driven gear operably supported on said tool mounting portion and in meshing engagement with said first rotary drive gear;

a second rotary driven gear operably supported on said tool mounting portion and in meshing engagement with said first rotary driven gear;

a third rotary driven gear operably supported on said tool mounting portion and in meshing engagement with said second rotary driven gear; and

a fourth rotary driven gear operably supported on said tool mounting portion and in meshing engagement with said third rotary driven gear and a threaded portion of said knife bar.

18. The surgical tool of claim 16 wherein said surgical end effector is operably coupled to said tool mounting portion by an elongated shaft, said elongated shaft including a proximal end portion rotatably supported on said tool mounting portion for selective rotational travel about a longitudinal tool axis.

19. The surgical tool of claim 16 further comprising a sensor arrangement communicating with said control unit for providing a signal thereto when said anvil is in a second position.