Multi-axis articulating and rotating surgical tools

• US 9,125,662 B2
• Filed: 06/28/2012
• Issued: 09/08/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 06/28/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cilag Gmbh International (Johnson & Johnson)
• Original Assignee: Ethicon Endo-Surgery, Inc. (Johnson & Johnson)
• Inventors: Shelton, Frederick E. IV
• Primary Examiner(s): VOORHEES, CATHERINE M
• Application Number:
  US13/536,362
• Publication Number:
  US 20140005662A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,167 Days
• Field of Search: 606/41, 606 48- 50
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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 2017/003 Steerable
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00309 Cut-outs or slits
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00314 Separate linked members
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00327 with actuating members moving in opposite directions
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00477 Coupling A61B2017/0046 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/2903 transferring rotary motion
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/2927 the angular position of the head being adjustable with respect to the shaft
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/1455 having a moving blade for cutting tissue grasped by the jaws
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2034/306 Wrists with multiple vertebrae
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 34/30 Surgical robots
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 34/37 Master-slave robots A61B34/35 takes precedence

Abstract

Surgical end effectors are disclosed having an end effector and a shaft assembly coupled proximal to the end effector. The end effector has a first jaw member, a second jaw member, and a closure mechanism configured to move the first jaw member relative to the second jaw member. The shaft assembly has an articulation joint and/or a head rotation joint. The articulation joint is configured to independently articulate the end effector in a vertical direction and a horizontal direction. The head rotation joint is configured to independently rotate the end effector. The surgical instrument also has at least one active electrode disposed on at least one of the first jaw member and the second jaw member, and is configured to deliver RF energy to tissue located between the first jaw member and the second jaw member when in the closed position.

Claims

1. A surgical instrument, comprising:

an end effector, comprising;

a first jaw member;

a second jaw member; and

a closure mechanism configured to move the first jaw member relative to the second jaw member between an open position and a closed position and wherein said surgical instrument further comprises;

a shaft assembly extending distally from a housing and defining a longitudinal axis and comprising;

a head rotation joint coupled to the end effector to facilitate selective rotation of the end effector in an annular path around said longitudinal axis relative to said shaft assembly; and

an articulation joint located between said housing and to said head rotation joint and operably interfacing therewith, said articulation joint being configured to independently articulate the end effector in a vertical direction and a horizontal direction relative to said longitudinal axis and wherein said surgical instrument further comprises;

at least one active electrode disposed on at least one of the first jaw member and the second jaw member, wherein the at least one active electrode is configured to deliver RF energy to tissue located between the first jaw member and the second jaw member when in the closed position.

2. The surgical instrument of claim 1, further comprising at least one return electrode disposed on at least one of the first jaw member and the second jaw member, wherein the at least one active electrode and the at least one return electrode are in a bipolar configuration.

3. The surgical instrument of claim 2, wherein the at least one return electrode comprises components of the end effector and the shaft assembly.

4. The surgical instrument of claim 1, wherein the articulation joint comprises:

a ball member formed on the head rotation joint;

an intermediate articulation tube segment comprising a socket for movably supporting the ball member therein; and

cable segments attached to the ball member to facilitate articulation of said end effector in said vertical and horizontal directions relative to said longitudinal axis.

5. The surgical instrument of claim 1, further comprising:

a lumen in said shaft assembly; and

a rotary drive shaft configured to transmit rotary motions, the rotary drive shaft located in the lumen of the shaft assembly,

wherein the rotary drive shaft is selectively movable axially between a distal axial position and a proximal axial position relative to the shaft assembly,

wherein the rotary drive shaft is configured to apply the rotary motions to the closure mechanism when in the distal axial position, and

wherein the rotary drive shaft is configured to apply the rotary motions to the end effector when in the proximal axial position.

6. The surgical instrument of claim 5, wherein the closure mechanism comprises:

an I-beam member configured to translate in an axial direction to cam the first jaw member toward the second jaw member;

a threaded rotary drive member coupled to the I-beam member; and

a rotary drive nut operably interfacing with the threaded rotary drive member, wherein the rotary drive shaft is configured to engage with the rotary drive nut when the rotary drive shaft is in the distal axial position and to transmit rotary motions to the rotary drive nut, and wherein rotary motions of the rotary drive nut actuates translation of the threaded rotary drive member and the I-beam member in the axial direction.

7. The surgical instrument of claim 6, wherein the first jaw member comprises a first jaw channel and wherein the second jaw member comprises a second jaw channel, wherein the I-beam member is configured to slidably engage with the first and second jaw channels, and wherein rotary motions of the rotary drive nut actuate translation of the I-beam member in the first and second jaw channels between a proximally retracted position and a distally advanced position.

8. The surgical instrument of claim 5, further comprising a locking mechanism configured to mechanically prevent rotation of the end effector when the rotary drive shaft is in the distal axial position.

9. The surgical instrument of claim 5, further comprising:

an end effector drive housing coupled to the end effector;

an end effector connector tube coupled to the end effector drive housing through the head rotation joint; and

a locking mechanism configured to mechanically prevent rotation of the end effector drive housing relative to the end effector connector tube when the rotary drive shaft is in the distal axial position,

the locking mechanism comprising a spline lock connected to the rotary drive shaft, wherein the spline lock engages both the end effector drive housing and the end effector connector tube when the rotary drive shaft is in the distal axial position, and wherein the spline lock disengages from the end effector drive housing when the rotary drive shaft is in the proximal axial position.

10. A surgical instrument, comprising:

an end effector, comprising;

a first jaw member;

a second jaw member; and

a closure mechanism configured to move the first jaw member relative to the second jaw member between an open position and a closed position, and wherein said surgical instrument further comprises;

a shaft assembly coupled to the end effector and a housing, wherein the shaft assembly defines a longitudinal axis and comprises a head rotation joint configured to facilitate independent rotation of the end effector about the longitudinal axis in an annular path relative to said shaft assembly;

an articulation joint supported in the shaft assembly between said head rotation joint and said housing, wherein the articulation joint is configured to facilitate independent articulation of the end effector in a vertical direction and a horizontal direction without moving the first and second jaw members relative to each other; and

at least one electrode disposed on at least one of the first jaw member and the second jaw member, wherein the at least one electrode is configured to deliver RF energy to tissue located between the first jaw member and the second jaw member when in the closed position.

11. The surgical instrument of claim 10, wherein the articulation joint comprises:

an end effector connector tube coupled to the end effector and comprising a ball member;

an intermediate articulation tube segment including a socket for rotatably supporting the ball member therein; and

cable segments attached to the ball member to facilitate articulation of said end effector in said vertical and horizontal directions relative to said longitudinal axis.

12. The surgical instrument of claim 10, wherein the at least one electrode is an at least one active electrode, wherein the surgical instrument further comprises at least one return electrode disposed on at least one of the first jaw member and the second jaw member, and wherein the at least one active electrode and the at least one return electrode are in a bipolar configuration.

13. The surgical instrument of claim 12, wherein the at least one return electrode comprises components of the end effector and the shaft assembly.

14. The surgical instrument of claim 10, further comprising:

a lumen in said shaft assembly; and

a rotary drive shaft configured to transmit rotary motions, the rotary drive shaft located in the lumen of the shaft assembly,

wherein the rotary drive shaft is selectively movable axially between a distal axial position and a proximal axial position relative to the shaft assembly,

wherein the rotary drive shaft is configured to apply the rotary motions to the closure mechanism when in the distal axial position, and

wherein the rotary drive shaft is configured to apply the rotary motions to the end effector when in the proximal axial position.

15. The surgical instrument of claim 14, wherein the closure mechanism comprises:

an I-beam member configured to translate in an axial direction to cam the first jaw member toward the second jaw member;

a threaded rotary drive member coupled to the I-beam member; and

a rotary drive nut operably interfacing with the threaded rotary drive member, wherein the rotary drive shaft is configured to engage with the rotary drive nut when the rotary drive shaft is in the distal axial position and to transmit rotary motions to the rotary drive nut, and wherein rotary motions of the rotary drive nut actuates translation of the threaded rotary drive member and the I-beam member in the axial direction.

16. The surgical instrument of claim 15, wherein the first jaw member comprises a first jaw channel and wherein the second jaw member comprises a second jaw channel, wherein the I-beam member is configured to slidably engage with the first and second jaw channels, and wherein rotary motions of the rotary drive nut actuates translation of the I-beam member in the first and second jaw channels between a proximally retracted position and a distally advanced position.

17. The surgical instrument of claim 14, further comprising a locking mechanism configured to mechanically prevent rotation of the end effector when the rotary drive shaft is in the distal axial position.

18. The surgical instrument of claim 14, further comprising:

an end effector drive housing coupled to the end effector;

an end effector connector tube coupled to the end effector drive housing through the head rotation joint; and

a locking mechanism configured to mechanically prevent rotation of the end effector drive housing relative to the end effector connector tube when the rotary drive shaft is in the distal axial position,

the locking mechanism comprising a spline lock connected to the rotary drive shaft, wherein the spline lock engages both the end effector drive housing and the end effector connector tube when the rotary drive shaft is in the distal axial position, and wherein the spline lock disengages from the end effector drive housing when the rotary drive shaft is in the proximal axial position.