Ratcheting mechanism for surgical stapling device

• US 8,919,630 B2
• Filed: 04/15/2014
• Issued: 12/30/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 03/12/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Covidien LP (Medtronic Plc)
• Original Assignee: Covidien LP (Medtronic Plc)
• Inventors: Milliman, Keith L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Long, Robert
• Application Number:
  US14/252,814
• Publication Number:
  US 20140217144A1
• Time in Patent Office: 259 Days
• Field of Search: 2271751-1821, 606/139, 606/142, 606/143, 606/205, 606/208
• US Class Current: 227/177.1
• 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 17/0684 having a forming anvil staying above the tissue during stapling
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/0686 having a forming anvil staying below the tissue during stapling
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/1114 of the digestive tract, e.g. bowels or oesophagus
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/115 Staplers for performing anastomosis in a single operation
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/1155 Circular staplers comprising a plurality of staples
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00407 Ratchet means
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00477 Coupling A61B2017/0046 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00685 Archimedes screw
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/07221 curved
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/07257 characterised by its anvil
• 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 2017/2837 with a locking ratchet
• 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 2090/0811 for the position of a particular part of an instrument with respect to the rest of the instrument, e.g. position of the anvil of a stapling instrument

Abstract

A surgical stapling device comprising a housing, an elongated portion, an end effector, and a movable handle disposed in mechanical cooperation with the housing and movable between a first open position and a second approximated position for affecting a function of the end effector. A ratchet mechanism is disposed in mechanical cooperation with the movable handle and is configured to substantially prevent the movable handle from moving towards its first open position until the movable handle reaches a predetermined position.

Claims

1. A ratchet mechanism for use with a surgical stapling device, the ratchet mechanism including:

a rack having rack teeth and a cam surface,

a pawl having pawl teeth, the rack teeth and the pawl teeth being configured for engagement with each other; and

a spring disposed in mechanical cooperation with one of the pawl and the rack, the spring being positioned to bias at least one of the pawl and the rack towards the other to engage the rack teeth and the pawl teeth,

wherein the cam surface is configured to disengage the pawl teeth and the rack teeth upon the cam surface contacting the pawl and wherein the ratchet mechanism is configured to substantially prevent a movable handle of the surgical stapling device from moving towards a first open position until the movable handle reaches a predetermined position, wherein the surgical stapling device further includes an override disposed in mechanical cooperation with the pawl, the override configured to allow a user to disengage the pawl teeth from the rack teeth before the movable handle reaches the predetermined position, wherein disengagement of the pawl teeth from the rack teeth allows the movable handle to be moved towards its first open position.

2. A ratchet mechanism for use with a surgical stapling device, the ratchet mechanism including:

a rack having rack teeth and a cam surface,

a pawl having pawl teeth, the rack teeth and the pawl teeth being configured for engagement with each other; and

a spring disposed in mechanical cooperation with one of the pawl and the rack, the spring being positioned to bias at least one of the pawl and the rack towards the other to engage the rack teeth and the pawl teeth,

wherein the cam surface is configured to disengage the pawl teeth and the rack teeth upon the cam surface contacting the pawl and wherein the ratchet mechanism is configured to substantially prevent a movable handle of the surgical stapling device from moving towards a first open position until the movable handle reaches a predetermined position, wherein the rack is pivotably coupled to the movable handle of the surgical stapling device.

3. A ratchet mechanism for use with a surgical stapling device, the ratchet mechanism including:

a rack having rack teeth and a cam surface,

a pawl having pawl teeth, the rack teeth and the pawl teeth being configured for engagement with each other; and

a spring disposed in mechanical cooperation with one of the pawl and the rack, the spring being positioned to bias at least one of the pawl and the rack towards the other to engage the rack teeth and the pawl teeth,

wherein the cam surface is configured to disengage the pawl teeth and the rack teeth upon the cam surface contacting the pawl and wherein the ratchet mechanism is configured to substantially prevent a movable handle of the surgical stapling device from moving towards a first open position until the movable handle reaches a predetermined position, wherein the predetermined position of the movable handle is between about 0.01 inches and about 0.05 inches from a second approximated position of the movable handle.