Stapling device with features to prevent inadvertent firing of staples

• US 9,668,733 B2
• Filed: 04/21/2014
• Issued: 06/06/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 04/21/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Covidien LP (Medtronic Plc)
• Original Assignee: Covidien LP (Medtronic Plc)
• Inventors: Williams, Justin
• Primary Examiner(s): CHUKWURAH, NATHANIEL C
• Application Number:
  US14/257,061
• Publication Number:
  US 20150297216A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,142 Days
• Field of Search: 2271752, 2271761
• 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 2017/00407 Ratchet means

Abstract

A surgical device includes a handle assembly, an elongated body, and a tool assembly. The handle assembly includes an actuation assembly operatively associated with an actuation shaft to advance the actuation shaft and configured to prevent advancement of the actuation shaft when the actuation shaft is in a fully retracted position and a moveable handle is in a non-compressed position and/or to prevent advancement of the actuation shaft when a grasping pawl is extended within a grasping slot of the actuation shaft. The actuation shaft including a vertical pawl locking surface near a distal end configured to engage a locking notch of a vertical pawl. The actuation assembly including a grasping pawl having a radial detent configured to engage a proximal surface of a grasping slot of the actuation shaft when the grasping pawl is positioned within the grasping slot.

Claims

1. A surgical device comprising:

a handle assembly including a housing, an actuation shaft, a stationary handle, and a movable handle, the movable handle being moveable in relation to the stationary handle from a non-compressed position to a compressed position and being operably associated with the actuation shaft such that movement of the movable handle towards the compressed position effects axial movement of the actuation shaft;

an elongated body extending distally from the handle assembly, the elongated body defining a longitudinal axis;

a tool assembly supported on a distal end of the elongated body, the tool assembly including a cartridge assembly having a plurality of staples supported therein and an anvil assembly, the anvil assembly and the cartridge assembly being movable in relation to each other between open and closed positions; and

an actuation assembly supported within the housing, the actuation assembly being positioned to translate movement of the movable handle into linear movement of the actuation shaft to advance the actuation shaft, the actuation assembly including a locking assembly configured to prevent the actuation shaft from advancing when the actuation shaft is in a fully retracted position and the moveable handle is in the non-compressed position.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein the locking assembly includes a vertical pawl having a locking notch and the actuation shaft defines a vertical pawl locking surface configured to engage the locking notch of the vertical pawl to prevent advancement of the actuation shaft when the actuation shaft is in the fully retracted position and the moveable handle is in the non-compressed position.

3. The device of claim 2, wherein the locking assembly further includes a distal link operatively associated with the moveable handle, the distal link defining a ramp which interconnects a first portion of the distal link to a second portion of the distal link, the distal link slidably positioned within a slot of the vertical pawl wherein the ramp is configured to engage the vertical pawl as the ramp moves through the slot to move the vertical pawl out of engagement with the vertical pawl locking surface of the actuation shaft when the moveable handle is moved towards the compressed position.

4. The device of claim 2, wherein the device includes a retraction assembly including a retraction handle operatively associated with a release plate, the release plate positioned to disengage the vertical pawl from the actuation shaft when retraction handle is pulled proximally to retract the actuation shaft.

5. The device of claim 4, wherein the actuation shaft includes a distally located fire mode locking surface and a proximal end and the release plate extends below the actuation shaft between the fire mode locking surface and the proximal end of the actuation shaft.

6. The device of claim 4, wherein a vertical pawl engages the actuation shaft from a grasping chamfer to a vertical pawl locking surface as the actuation shaft is retracted.

7. The device of claim 2, wherein the vertical pawl locking surface is distal facing and perpendicular to the longitudinal axis.

8. The device of claim 1, wherein the actuation assembly further includes an actuation pawl pivotally coupled to the moveable handle, an actuation button, and a grasping pawl, wherein the actuation button is movable from a first position to a second position to move the grasping pawl from an extended position to a retracted position, wherein in the extended position the grasping pawl is positioned within a grasping slot of the actuation shaft and in the retracted position the grasping pawl positioned below the actuation shaft.

9. The device of claim 8, wherein the actuation assembly is configured to prevent the actuation shaft from advancing to a firing mode when the grasping pawl is in the extended position.

10. The device of claim 9, wherein the grasping pawl includes a recess, a proximal surface of the grasping slot received within the recess when the grasping pawl is in the extended position, such that forward movement of the actuation shaft urges the grasping pawl towards the extended position.

11. The device of claim 1, wherein the actuation assembly includes a vertical pawl biasing member configured to urge the vertical pawl into engagement with the actuation shaft.

12. The device of claim 1, wherein a vertical pawl prevents retraction of the actuation shaft when engaged with the actuation shaft after the actuation shaft is advanced.

13. A surgical device comprising:

a handle assembly including an actuation shaft, a stationary handle, and a movable handle, the actuation shaft defining an actuation slot, the movable handle being moveable from a non-compressed position to a compressed position and being operably associated with the actuation shaft such that movement of the movable handle effects axial movement of the actuation shaft;

an elongated body extending distally from the handle assembly, the elongated body defining a longitudinal axis;

a tool assembly supported on a distal end of the elongated body, the tool assembly including a cartridge assembly having a plurality of staples supported therein and an anvil assembly, the anvil assembly and the cartridge assembly being movable in relation to each other between open and closed positions; and

an actuation assembly operatively associated with the actuation shaft to advance the actuation shaft upon movement of the moveable handle, the actuation assembly including a grasping pawl moveable between an extended position, wherein the grasping pawl is positioned within the grasping slot of the actuation shaft, and a retracted position, wherein the grasping pawl is positioned below the actuation shaft, the grasping pawl defining a recess positioned to receive a surface of the actuation shaft defining the grasping slot, wherein the recess is configured such that distal movement of the actuation shaft, when received in the recess, urges the grasping pawl towards the extended position.

14. The device of claim 13, wherein the actuation assembly is configured to prevent the actuation shaft from advancing when the actuation shaft is in a fully retracted position and the moveable handle is in the non-compressed position.

15. The device of claim 14, wherein the actuation assembly includes a vertical pawl having a locking notch and the actuation shaft includes a vertical pawl locking surface configured to engage the locking notch of the vertical pawl to prevent advancement of the action shaft when the actuation shaft is in a fully retracted position and the moveable handle is in the non-compressed position.

16. The device of claim 15, wherein the actuation assembly further includes a distal link operatively associated with the moveable handle having a second portion, the distal link slidably positioned within a slot of the vertical pawl and the second portion configured to engage the slot to move the vertical pawl out of engagement with the vertical pawl locking surface of the actuation shaft when the moveable handle is compressed towards the fixed handle.

17. The device of claim 15, further including a retraction assembly including a retraction handle operatively associated with a release plate to extend the release plate below a portion of the actuation shaft to disengage the vertical pawl from the actuation shaft when retraction handle is pulled proximally to retract the actuation shaft.

18. The device of claim 17, wherein the actuation shaft includes a distally located fire mode locking surface and a proximal end, wherein the release plate extends below the actuation shaft between the fire mode locking surface and the proximal end of the actuation shaft to retract the actuation shaft.

19. The device of claim 17, wherein the actuation shaft includes a vertical pawl locking surface and a grasping chamfer, the vertical pawl engaging the actuation shaft from the grasping chamfer to the vertical pawl locking surface as the actuation shaft is retracted.

20. The device of claim 13, further comprising an actuation button moveable between a first position and a second position to move the grasping pawl between the extended position and the retracted position.