Surgical instrument

• US 8,888,814 B2
• Filed: 10/24/2013
• Issued: 11/18/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 08/31/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Covidien LP (Medtronic Plc)
• Original Assignee: Covidien LP (Medtronic Plc)
• Inventors: Cappola, Kenneth M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Smith, Scott A.
• Application Number:
  US14/062,447
• Publication Number:
  US 20140052112A1
• Time in Patent Office: 390 Days
• Field of Search: 227/19, 227/175.1, 227/175.2, 227/176.1, 227/178.1, 227/180.1, 745/19, 745/26, 745/27, 745/28, 745/31, 606/139, 606/153, 606/219
• US Class Current: 606/219
• 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 17/0682 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 2017/00367 Details of actuation of instruments, e.g. relations between pushing buttons, or the like, and activation of the tool, working tip, or the like
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00473 Distal part, e.g. tip or head A61B2017/00464 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/07214 Stapler heads
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/07285 characterised by its cutter
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/2927 the angular position of the head being adjustable with respect to the shaft

Abstract

A surgical instrument comprising a handle assembly, a body, a tool assembly and an articulation assembly is disclosed. The articulation mechanism includes a receptacle, and a main shaft. A lower clutch is fixedly positioned within the receptacle and has a serrated portion including a plurality of serrations. An upper clutch includes at least one projection positioned to engage the serrations of the lower clutch to releasably retain the main shaft at a rotatably fixed position. An angle between a first pair of adjacent serrations is defined as a first angle, an angle between a second pair of adjacent serrations is defined as a second angle, and an angle between a third pair of adjacent serrations is defined as a third angle. The first angle, the second angle, and the third angle are each different from one another.

Claims

1. A method of articulating a tool assembly of a surgical instrument, comprising:

manipulating an articulation lever;

rotating an upper clutch with respect to a lower clutch; and

resiliently engaging a plurality of protrusions of the upper clutch with serrations of the lower clutch, engagement between the protrusions and the serrations tending to retain the tool assembly in one of a plurality of articulated positions, a first angle defined between a first pair of adjacent serrations, and a second angle defined between a different pair of adjacent serrations, the first angle different in value from the second angle.

2. The method according to claim 1, further comprising moving an articulation link.

3. The method according to claim 2, wherein a main shaft is attached to the upper clutch and further comprising rotating the main shaft.

4. The method according to claim 3, wherein the articulation link is attached to the main shaft.

5. The method according to claim 1, further comprising moving the articulation lever in a rotary fashion.

6. The method according to claim 5, wherein the articulation lever is movable in one of two directions.

7. The method according to claim 1, further comprising engaging a deep serration with one of the protrusions, the deep serration being deeper than an adjacent shallow serration.

8. The method according to claim 7, wherein the deep serration corresponds with a central position of the tool assembly.

9. The method according to claim 7, wherein the second angle is defined between the deep serration and the adjacent shallow serration, and wherein the second angle is larger than the first angle.

10. The method according to claim 9, wherein the first angle is defined between adjacent shallow serrations.