Spring loaded anvil retainer

• US 9,351,734 B2
• Filed: 04/26/2013
• Issued: 05/31/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 06/19/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Covidien LP (Medtronic Plc)
• Original Assignee: Covidien LP (Medtronic Plc)
• Inventors: Prior, Scott J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Chukwurah, Nathaniel
• Application Number:
  US13/871,431
• Publication Number:
  US 20130334279A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,131 Days
• Field of Search: 227/175.1, 227/175.2, 227/176.1, 227/178.1, 227/179.1, 227/180.1, 227/181.1
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/064 Surgical staples, i.e. penetrating the tissue
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/105 Wound clamp magazines for packaging sharps A61B50/3001
• 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 2017/00398 using powered actuators, e.g. stepper motors, solenoids
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00477 Coupling A61B2017/0046 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00734 battery operated
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/07235 containing different staples, e.g. staples of different shapes, sizes or materials
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/07242 achieving different staple heights during the same shot, e.g. using an anvil anvil having different heights or staples of different sizes
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/1132 End-to-end connections
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/2916 pins in guiding slots

Abstract

A surgical stapling device including a handle assembly, a body portion extending distally from the handle assembly, a head portion including an anvil retainer and a shell assembly, the anvil retainer being movable in relation to the shell assembly between unapproximated and approximated positions, a tube surrounding a portion of the anvil retainer, wherein the anvil retainer includes a distal annular protrusion for releasably engaging an anvil assembly and wherein the anvil assembly includes a center rod.

Claims

1. An anvil retaining apparatus, comprising:

an anvil retainer including a proximal portion configured to be operatively coupled to a surgical device, and a distal portion having an annular protrusion configured to be coupled to an anvil assembly; and

a tube surrounding the anvil retainer, wherein the tube is movable relative to and along the anvil retainer between a distal position, in which the annular protrusion of the anvil retainer is disposed within the tube, and a proximal position, in which the annular protrusion of the anvil retainer projects distally from the tube.

2. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the tube has an outer diameter larger than an outer diameter of a center rod of an anvil assembly.

3. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the tube has an outer diameter equal to an outer diameter of a center rod of an anvil assembly.

4. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the tube includes:

a proximal tube;

a distal tube; and

a resilient member disposed between the proximal tube and the distal tube.

5. The apparatus as claimed in claim 4, wherein the anvil retainer further includes a proximal protrusion configured to prevent the proximal tube from moving proximally.

6. The apparatus as claimed in claim 4, wherein the distal tube is slidable relative to and along the anvil retainer toward the proximal tube.

13. The device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the center rod further includes at least one resilient arm for releasably engaging the anvil retainer.

14. The device as claimed in claim 13, wherein the at least one resilient arm includes an internal shoulder, and wherein the anvil retainer includes a distal annular protrusion configured to releasably engage the internal shoulder.

7. A surgical stapling device, comprising:

a handle assembly;

a body portion extending distally from the handle assembly; and

a head portion coupled to the body portion and including;

an anvil retainer;

a tube surrounding the anvil retainer, the tube including;

a proximal tube;

a distal tube; and

a resilient member disposed between the proximal tube and the distal tube; and

a shell assembly, the anvil retainer being movable in relation to the shell assembly between unapproximated and approximated positions.

8. The device as claimed in claim 7, wherein the tube has an outer diameter larger than an outer diameter of a center rod that is configured to be coupled to the anvil retainer.

9. The device as claimed in claim 7, wherein the tube has an outer diameter equal to the outer diameter of a center rod that is configured to be coupled to the anvil retainer.

10. The device as claimed in claim 7, wherein the anvil retainer further includes a proximal protrusion configured to prevent the proximal tube from moving proximally.

11. The device as claimed in claim 7, wherein the head portion further includes an anvil assembly having a center rod configured to engage the anvil retainer.

12. The device as claimed in claim 11, wherein proximal advancement of the center rod relative to and along the anvil retainer causes proximal advancement of the distal tube toward the proximal tube.

15. An anvil retaining apparatus, comprising:

an anvil retainer including a proximal portion configured to be operatively coupled to a surgical device, and a distal portion configured to be coupled to an anvil assembly; and

a tube surrounding the anvil retainer, wherein the tube includes;

a proximal tube;

a distal tube; and

a resilient member disposed between the proximal tube and the distal tube.