Handle assembly for articulated endoscopic instruments

• US 8,795,325 B2
• Filed: 10/04/2007
• Issued: 08/05/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 10/05/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Covidien LP (Medtronic Plc)
• Original Assignee: Covidien LP (Medtronic Plc)
• Inventors: Taylor, Eric J., Hathaway, Peter, Sniffin, Kevin
• Primary Examiner(s): NGUYEN, TUAN VAN
• Application Number:
  US12/443,040
• Publication Number:
  US 20100076260A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,497 Days
• Field of Search: 606/139, 606169-174, 606/205, 606/206, 606/207, 227/175.1, 227/176, 227/178.1
• US Class Current: 606/205
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/0469 Suturing instruments for use in minimally invasive surgery, e.g. endoscopic surgery
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/062 Needle manipulators
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/2909 Handles
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/003 Steerable
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/2905 flexible
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/2919 details of linkages or pivot points

Abstract

An endoscopic surgical instrument is provided and includes a handle assembly for operating the surgical instrument, an articulatable neck assembly supported on and extending from the handle assembly, and an end effector operatively supported on the neck assembly. The handle assembly includes a housing; a trigger operatively supported on the housing; at least one actuation shaft operatively connected to the trigger and extending from the housing, wherein an actuation of the trigger imparts axial translation to the actuation shaft; and at least one articulation cable operable from the housing. The end effector includes a pair of pivotably mounted, juxtaposed jaws, wherein the jaws are movable at least between an open position and a closed position, and wherein a distal end of an actuation shaft is operatively engaged with the pair of jaws to effectuate opening and closing of the jaws.

Claims

1. An endoscopic surgical instrument, comprising:

handle assembly for operating the surgical instrument, the handle assembly including;

a housing;

a trigger operatively supported on the housing;

at least one actuation shaft operatively connected to the trigger and extending from the housing, wherein an actuation of the trigger imparts axial translation to the actuation shaft;

at least one articulation cable operable from the housing, each articulation cable including a distal end operatively connectable with an end effector; and

an articulation control element slidably movable on the housing, the articulation control element operatively interposed between and engaging a first ratchet rack and a second ratchet rack, wherein the first ratchet rack and the second ratchet rack are configured to selectively maintain a position of the articulation control element relative to the housing;

an articulatable neck assembly supported on and extending from the handle assembly, wherein each actuation shaft and articulation cable extends through the neck assembly; and

an end effector operatively supported on the neck assembly, the end effector including a pair of pivotably mounted, juxtaposed jaws, wherein the jaws are movable at least between an open position and a closed position, and wherein a distal end of the at least one actuation shaft is operatively engaged with the pair of jaws to effectuate opening and closing of the jaws, wherein a sliding movement of the articulation control element results in articulation of the articulatable neck assembly.

2. The endoscopic surgical instrument according to claim 1, wherein movement of the articulation control element results in movement of the at least one articulation cable to effectuate an articulation of the neck assembly.

3. The endoscopic surgical instrument according to claim 1, wherein movement of the at least one articulation cable in a first direction causes an articulation of the end effector in a first direction and movement of the at least one articulation cable in a second direction results in articulation of the end effector in a second direction.

4. The endoscopic surgical instrument according to claim 2, further comprising a pair of articulation cables each having a proximal end operatively connected to the articulation control element such that movement of the articulation control element in a first direction results in movement of a first articulation cable in a first direction and movement of a second articulation cable in a second direction;

and movement of the articulation control element in a second direction results in movement of the first articulation cable in the second direction and movement of the second articulation cable in the first direction.

5. The endoscopic surgical instrument according to claim 1, wherein the trigger imparts proximal axial movement to the actuation shaft when the trigger is squeezed to close the jaws, and distal axial movement to the actuation shaft when the trigger is released to open the jaws.

6. The endoscopic surgical instrument according to claim 1, wherein the handle assembly further comprises a second ratchet mechanism operatively associated with the trigger, wherein the ratchet mechanism is configured to selectively maintain the position of the trigger relative to the housing and thus the relative open or closed position of the jaws.

7. The endoscopic according to claim 6, wherein the housing assembly further includes a release assembly operatively associated with the second ratchet mechanism, wherein the release assembly is configured such that actuation of the release assembly results in a disengagement of the second ratchet mechanism.

8. The endoscopic surgical instrument according to claim 7, wherein the second ratchet mechanism includes a ratchet rack having a first end coupled to the trigger and a second end extending into the handle, and a pawl selectively operatively engageable with teeth of the ratchet rack of the second ratchet mechanism.

9. The endoscopic surgical instrument according to claim 8, wherein the release assembly includes a release button supported on the housing, and a release lever interconnecting the release button and the pawl, wherein actuation of the release button selectively engages and disengages the pawl and the ratchet rack of the second ratchet mechanism.

10. The endoscopic surgical instrument according to claim 8, wherein the pawl is biased into engagement with the ratchet rack of the second ratchet mechanism.

11. The endoscopic surgical instrument according to claim 1, wherein the articulation control element includes an articulation trigger.

12. The endoscopic surgical instrument according to claim 11, wherein the articulation trigger is incrementally movable along the first ratchet rack and the second ratchet rack.

13. The endoscopic surgical instrument according to claim 1, wherein the pair of jaws define a surgical grasper.