Surgical instruments with articulatable and rotatable end effector

• US 8,926,598 B2
• Filed: 03/15/2011
• Issued: 01/06/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 03/15/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ethicon Endo-Surgery, Inc. (Johnson & Johnson)
• Original Assignee: Ethicon Endo-Surgery, Inc. (Johnson & Johnson)
• Inventors: Mollere, Rebecca J., Scheib, Charles J., Boudreaux, Chad P., Vendely, Michael J., Zingman, Aron O., Swayze, Jeffrey S., Worrell, Barry C., Volz, Janna B., Schuckmann, John C., O'Connor, Megan A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Thomson, William
• Assistant Examiner(s): Shapiro, Victor
• Application Number:
  US13/048,579
• Publication Number:
  US 20120239009A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,393 Days
• Field of Search: 606 1- 10, 227/153, 227/175.1, 227/176.1, 227/177.1
• US Class Current: 606/1
• 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 2017/291 the position of the handle being adjustable with respect to the shaft
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/2927 the angular position of the head being adjustable with respect to the shaft
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/2929 with a head rotatable about the longitudinal axis of the shaft
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/293 with means preventing relative rotation between the shaft and the actuating rod

Abstract

Hand-held surgical instruments that have and end effector attached to an elongate shaft are disclosed. The end effector is articulatable and rotatable relative to the shaft by a nozzle arrangement supported by a handle from which the elongate shaft extends. In various embodiments, the nozzle is operable by the same hand that is used to support the handle.

Claims

1. An articulatable surgical instrument, the instrument comprising:

a shaft defining a longitudinal axis;

an end effector coupled to said shaft for selective travel about an articulation axis that is substantially transverse to said longitudinal axis;

a nozzle supported relative to said shaft such that said nozzle may be axially moved in first and second axial directions relative to said shaft and rotation of said nozzle about said longitudinal axis causes said shaft to rotate about said longitudinal axis without articulating the end effector about the longitudinal axis; and

an articulation assembly operably interfacing with said end effector and said nozzle such that movement of said nozzle in said first axial direction causes said articulation assembly to apply a first articulation motion to said end effector to thereby cause said end effector to pivot about said articulation axis in a first articulation direction and movement of said nozzle in said second axial direction causes said articulation assembly to apply a second articulation motion to said end effector to thereby cause said end effector to pivot about said articulation axis in a second articulation direction.

2. The articulatable surgical instrument of claim 1 wherein said articulation assembly comprises:

a first elongated articulation member having a first proximal end and a first distal end wherein the first distal end is operably coupled to said end effector and said first proximal end operably interfaces with said nozzle; and

a second elongated articulation member having a second proximal end and a second distal end wherein the second distal end is operably coupled to said end effector and wherein said second proximal end operably interfaces with said nozzle.

3. The articulatable surgical instrument of claim 2 further comprising a pivot member operably supported for pivotal travel about an actuation axis that is substantially transverse to said longitudinal axis, said pivot member interacting with said first and second elongated articulation members and said nozzle such that movement of said nozzle in said first axial direction causes said first and second elongated articulation members to apply said first articulation motion to said end effector and wherein movement of said nozzle in said second axial direction causes said first and second elongated articulation members to apply said second articulation motion to said end effector.

4. The articulatable surgical instrument of claim 3 wherein said first elongated articulation member has a first pivot pin protruding therefrom and received within a corresponding first aperture in said pivot member and wherein said second elongated articulation member has a second pivot pin protruding therefrom and received within a corresponding second aperture in said pivot member.

5. The articulatable surgical instrument of claim 1 wherein said end effector comprises a surgical cutting and fastening instrument.

18. A method of operating a surgical instrument comprising:

grasping the articulatable surgical instrument of claim 1 in a single hand;

applying a first amount of force to the nozzle by a portion of the single hand to rotate the end effector about the longitudinal axis; and

applying a second amount of force to the nozzle by a portion of the single hand to cause the end effector to pivot relative to the shaft.

6. An articulatable surgical instrument, the instrument comprising:

a shaft defining a longitudinal axis;

an end effector coupled to said shaft for selective travel about an articulation axis that is substantially transverse to said longitudinal axis;

a nozzle pivotally supported relative to said shaft such that said nozzle may be pivoted in first and second actuation directions relative to said shaft and rotation of said nozzle about said longitudinal axis causes said end effector to rotate about said longitudinal axis without articulating the end effector about the longitudinal axis; and

an articulation assembly operably interfacing with said end effector and said nozzle such that movement of said nozzle in said first actuation direction causes said articulation assembly to apply a first articulation motion to said end effector to thereby cause said end effector to pivot about said articulation axis in a first articulation direction and movement of said nozzle in said second actuation direction causes said articulation assembly to apply a second articulation motion to said end effector to thereby cause said end effector to pivot about said articulation axis in a second articulation direction.

7. The articulatable surgical instrument of claim 6 wherein said articulation assembly comprises:

a first elongated articulation member having a first proximal end and a first distal end wherein the first distal end is operably coupled to said end effector and said first proximal end operably interfaces with said nozzle; and

a second elongated articulation member having a second proximal end and a second distal end wherein the second distal end is operably coupled to said end effector and wherein said second proximal end operably interfaces with said nozzle.

8. The articulatable surgical instrument of claim 7 wherein said first elongated articulation member has a first pivot pin received within a corresponding first aperture in said nozzle and wherein said second elongated articulation member has a second pivot pin received within a corresponding second aperture in said nozzle.

19. A method of operating a surgical instrument comprising:

grasping the articulatable surgical instrument of claim 6 in a single hand;

applying a first amount of force to the nozzle by a portion of the single hand to rotate the end effector about the longitudinal axis;

applying a second amount of force to the nozzle by a portion of the single hand to cause the end effector to pivot relative to the shaft in the first articulation direction; and

applying a third amount of force to the nozzle by a portion of the single hand to cause the end effector to pivot relative to the shaft in the second articulation direction.

9. An articulatable surgical instrument, the instrument comprising:

a shaft defining a longitudinal axis;

an end effector coupled to said shaft for selective travel about an articulation axis that is substantially transverse to said longitudinal axis;

a rotation nozzle coupled to said shaft such that rotation of said rotation nozzle causes said end effector to rotate about said longitudinal axis without articulating the end effector about the longitudinal axis;

an articulation nozzle coaxially aligned with said rotation nozzle on said shaft and pivotally supported relative to said shaft such that said nozzle may be pivotally moved in first and second pivotal directions relative to said shaft; and

an articulation assembly operably interfacing with said end effector and said articulation nozzle such that movement of said articulation nozzle in said first pivotal direction causes said articulation assembly to apply a first articulation motion to said end effector to thereby cause said end effector to pivot about said articulation axis in a first articulation direction and movement of said articulation nozzle in said second pivotal direction causes said articulation assembly to apply a second articulation motion to said end effector to thereby cause said end effector to pivot about said articulation axis in a second articulation direction.

10. The articulatable surgical instrument of claim 9 wherein said articulation assembly comprises:

a first elongated articulation member having a first proximal end and a first distal end wherein the first distal end is operably coupled to said end effector and said first proximal end operably interfaces with said articulation nozzle; and

a second elongated articulation member having a second proximal end and a second distal end wherein the second distal end is operably coupled to said end effector and wherein said second proximal end operably interfaces with said articulation nozzle.

11. The articulatable surgical instrument of claim 10 wherein said first elongated articulation member has a first pivot pin received within a corresponding first aperture in said articulation nozzle and wherein said second elongated articulation member has a second pivot pin received within a corresponding second aperture in said articulation nozzle.

12. The articulatable surgical instrument of claim 9 wherein said end effector comprises a surgical cutting and fastening instrument.

20. A method of operating a surgical instrument comprising:

grasping the articulatable surgical instrument of claim 9 in a single hand;

applying a first amount of force to the rotation nozzle by a portion of the single hand to rotate the end effector about the longitudinal axis;

applying a second amount of force to the articulation nozzle by a portion of the single hand to cause the end effector to pivot relative to the shaft in the first articulation direction; and

applying a third amount of force to the articulation nozzle by a portion of the single hand to cause the end effector to pivot relative to the shaft in the second articulation direction.

13. An articulatable surgical instrument, the instrument comprising:

a shaft defining a longitudinal axis;

an end effector pivotally coupled to said shaft for selective pivotal travel about an articulation axis substantially transverse to said longitudinal axis;

a nozzle assembly comprising;

a first nozzle segment movably supported on said shaft; and

a second nozzle segment movably coupled to said first nozzle segment and movably supported on said shaft such that said first and second nozzle segments may be selectively moved on said shaft relative to each other and wherein said articulatable surgical instrument further comprises;

an articulation assembly operably interfacing with said end effector and said first and second nozzle segments such that movement of said first nozzle segment in a first axial direction causes said articulation assembly to apply a first articulation motion to said end effector to thereby cause said end effector to pivot about said articulation axis in a first articulation direction and movement of said second nozzle segment a second axial direction causes said articulation assembly to apply a second articulation motion to said end effector to thereby cause said end effector to pivot about said articulation axis in a second articulation direction.

14. The articulatable surgical instrument of claim 13 wherein said articulation assembly comprises:

a first elongated articulation member having a first proximal end and a first distal end wherein the first distal end is operably coupled to said end effector and said first proximal end operably interfaces with said first nozzle segment; and

a second elongated articulation member having a second proximal end and a second distal end wherein the second distal end is operably coupled to said end effector and wherein said second proximal end operably interfaces with said second nozzle segment.

15. The articulatable surgical instrument of claim 13 wherein said end effector comprises a surgical cutting and fastening instrument.

21. A method of operating a surgical instrument comprising:

grasping the articulatable surgical instrument of claim 13 in a single hand;

applying a first amount of force to the nozzle assembly by a portion of the single hand to rotate the end effector about the longitudinal axis;

applying a second amount of force to the first nozzle segment by a portion of the single hand to cause the end effector to pivot relative to the shaft in the first articulation direction; and

applying a third amount of force to the second nozzle segment by a portion of the single hand to cause the end effector to pivot relative to the shaft in the second articulation direction.

16. An articulatable surgical instrument, comprising:

a shaft defining a longitudinal axis;

an end effector pivotally coupled to said shaft for selective pivotal travel about an articulation axis substantially transverse to said longitudinal axis;

an actuator pivotally supported relative to said shaft for selective pivotal travel about an actuation axis that is transverse to said longitudinal axis and comprising;

a first actuator portion pivotally supported relative to said shaft and having a first actuator cam slot therein; and

a second actuator portion pivotally supported relative to said shaft and having a second actuator cam slot therein and wherein said articulatable surgical instrument further comprises;

a first elongated articulation member having a first proximal end and a first distal end wherein the first distal end is operably coupled to said end effector and said first proximal end has a first pivot pin extending therefrom into said first cam slot; and

a second elongated articulation member having a second proximal end and a second distal end wherein the second distal end is operably coupled to said end effector and said second proximal end has a second pin extending therefrom into said second cam slot such that operation of said actuator in a first pivotal direction causes said first elongated articulation member to apply a first articulation motion to said end effector and operation of said actuator in a second pivotal direction causes said second elongated

articulation member to apply a second articulation motion to said end effector.

17. The articulatable surgical instrument of claim 16 wherein said end effector comprises a surgical cutting and fastening instrument.

22. A method of operating a surgical instrument comprising:

grasping the articulatable surgical instrument of claim 16 in a single hand;

applying a first amount of force to the actuator by a portion of the single hand to rotate the end effector about the longitudinal axis;

applying a second amount of force to the first actuator portion by a portion of the single hand to cause the end effector to pivot relative to the shaft in the first pivotal direction; and

applying a third amount of force to the second actuator portion by a portion of the single hand to cause the end effector to pivot relative to the shaft in the second pivotal direction.