Articulatable surgical instruments with separate and distinct closing and firing systems

• US 9,681,870 B2
• Filed: 12/23/2013
• Issued: 06/20/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 12/23/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cilag Gmbh International (Johnson & Johnson)
• Original Assignee: Ethicon, LLC (Johnson & Johnson)
• Inventors: Baxter, III, Chester O., Shelton, IV, Frederick E., Morgan, Jerome R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Weeks, Gloria R
• Application Number:
  US14/138,474
• Publication Number:
  US 20150173745A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,275 Days
• Field of Search: 2271752, 2271753
• 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 17/07207 the staples being applied sequentially
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00309 Cut-outs or slits
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00314 Separate linked members
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/07285 characterised by its cutter
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/0814 Preventing re-use

Abstract

A surgical instrument that has an articulatable end effector that includes a second jaw that is selectively moveable in a first direction relative to a first jaw upon application of a closing motion to the second jaw from a closure system and is further movable in a second direction relative to the first jaw upon application of an opening motion to the second jaw from the closure system. An elongated shaft assembly is coupled to the end effector and defines a longitudinal tool axis. The end effector is selectively articulatable in the first and second directions relative to the longitudinal tool axis upon application of articulation motions to the end effector. The end effector may include a firing member that is operable in response to firing motions applied thereto from a firing system. The closing system and firing system may be selectively independently operable from each other.

Claims

1. A surgical instrument, comprising:

a surgical end effector comprising first and second end effector portions, wherein the second end effector portion is selectively movable relative to the first end effector portion in a first direction upon application of an opening motion to said second end effector portion, said second end effector portion being further selectively movable in a second direction upon application of a closing motion to said second end effector portion;

an elongated shaft assembly defining a longitudinal tool axis and operably coupled to said surgical end effector, said elongated shaft assembly including an articulation portion for facilitating selective articulation of said surgical end effector relative to said longitudinal tool axis in said first and second directions upon application of articulation motions to said surgical end effector;

a firing member operably supported for operable movement within said surgical end effector upon application of firing and retraction motions thereto;

a firing system configured to selectively apply said firing and retraction motions to said firing member, said firing system comprising;

a source of said firing and retraction motions;

a first firing bar operably interfacing with said source of said firing and retraction motions and operably attached to said firing member; and

a second firing bar operably interfacing with said source of said firing and retraction motions and operably attached to said firing member, said first and second firing bars configured to move axially together and laterally relative to each other upon application of said firing and retraction motions to said first and second firing bars and wherein said surgical instrument further comprises;

a closure system configured to selectively apply said opening and closing motions to said first and second end effector portions; and

an articulation control system for applying said articulation motions to said surgical end effector.

2. The surgical instrument of claim 1, wherein said closure system is independently operable from the firing system.

3. The surgical instrument of claim 1, wherein one of said first and second end effector portions is configured to operably support a surgical staple cartridge therein and wherein said surgical instrument further comprises a lockout system for preventing actuation of said firing system unless said surgical staple cartridge has been installed in said one of said first and second end effector portions.

4. The surgical instrument of claim 3, wherein said surgical staple cartridge comprises:

a cartridge body;

a plurality of surgical staples operably supported in said cartridge body; and

a sled assembly operably supported in said cartridge body and movable from a first position to a second position within the cartridge body such that said sled assembly causes said surgical staples to be driven from said cartridge body as said sled assembly is driven from said first position to said second position.

5. The surgical instrument of claim 4, wherein said firing member comprises a cutting head configured to move between a locked position wherein said cutting head is prevented from being distally advanced through said cartridge body and an unlocked position wherein said cutting head is distally advanceable through said cartridge body upon application of said firing motion thereto and wherein said lockout system comprises a biasing member in said surgical end effector for biasing said cutting head into said locked position.

6. The surgical instrument of claim 5, wherein said sled assembly is configured to bias said cutting head into said unlocked position when said staple cartridge is installed in said one of said first and second end effector portions and said sled assembly is in said first position.

7. The surgical instrument of claim 1, wherein said firing member comprises:

a cutting head comprising;

a vertically extending portion extending between an upper end and a lower end and comprising a tissue cutting portion oriented between said upper end and said lower end;

a bottom foot protruding from said lower end of said vertically extending portion and configured to movably engage a bottom portion of said first end effector portion; and

an upper tab portion protruding from said upper end of said vertically extending portion and configured to engage a portion of said second end effector portion.

8. The surgical instrument of claim 7, wherein said first and second firing bars are spaced from each other at their respective points of attachment to the vertically extending portion and remaining portions of said first and second firing bars are in contiguous orientation relative to each other.

9. The surgical instrument of claim 8, wherein said remaining portions of said first and second firing bars that are in contiguous orientation relative to each other are operably coupled to a firing rod member of said firing system.

10. A surgical instrument comprising:

a housing;

a firing system operably supported by said housing, said firing system configured to selectively generate firing and retraction motions;

a closure system operably supported by said housing and configured to selectively generate opening and closing motions, said closure system being independently actuatable from said firing system;

an elongate shaft assembly defining a longitudinal tool axis;

a surgical end effector comprising;

an elongated channel coupled to said elongate shaft assembly and configured to removably support a surgical staple cartridge;

an anvil movably supported relative to said elongated channel, said anvil movable in a first direction from an open position to a closed position upon application of said closing motion to said anvil, said anvil being further movable from said closed position to said open position in a second direction upon application of said opening motion to said anvil; and

a firing member operably supported for operable movement within said surgical end effector upon application of said firing and retraction motions thereto and wherein said surgical instrument further comprises;

an axially movable closure member operably interfacing with said closure system for receiving said opening and closing motions therefrom, said closure member comprising a first cam member extending transversely relative to said longitudinal tool axis and configured to operably interface with said anvil to apply said opening and closing motions thereto and wherein said elongate shaft assembly comprises;

an articulation portion for facilitating selective articulation of said surgical end effector relative to said longitudinal tool axis in said first and second directions upon application of articulation motions to said surgical end effector from an articulation system operably supported by said housing.

11. The surgical instrument of claim 10, wherein said housing comprises a handle.

12. The surgical instrument of claim 10, wherein said surgical staple cartridge comprises:

a cartridge body;

a plurality of surgical staples operably supported in said cartridge body; and

a sled assembly operably supported in said cartridge body and movable from a first position to a second position within the cartridge body such that said sled assembly causes said surgical staples to be driven from said staple cartridge as said sled assembly is driven from said first position to said second position.

13. The surgical instrument of claim 12, wherein said firing member comprises a cutting head configured to move between a locked position wherein said cutting head is prevented from being distally advanced through said cartridge body and an unlocked position wherein said cutting head is distally advanceable through said cartridge body upon application of said firing motion thereto, and wherein said surgical instrument further comprises a biasing member in said end effector for biasing said cutting head into said locked position.

14. The surgical instrument of claim 13, wherein said sled assembly is configured to bias said cutting head into said unlocked position when said staple cartridge is installed in said elongate channel.

15. The surgical instrument of claim 10, wherein said firing member comprises:

a cutting head comprising;

a vertically extending portion including an upper end and a lower end and a tissue cutting portion oriented between said upper end and said lower end;

a bottom foot protruding from said lower end of said vertically extending portion and configured to movably engage a bottom portion of said elongated channel;

an upper tab portion protruding from said upper end of said vertically extending portion and configured to engage a portion of said anvil; and

a firing bar assembly operably coupled to said cutting head and operably interfacing with said firing system.

16. The surgical instrument of claim 15, wherein said firing bar assembly comprises:

an upper firing bar segment coupled to said upper end of said vertically extending portion of said cutting head; and

a lower firing bar segment coupled to said lower end of said vertically extending portion of said cutting head.

17. A surgical instrument comprising:

an elongate shaft assembly defining a longitudinal tool axis;

an elongated channel interfacing with said elongate shaft assembly and configured to removably support a surgical staple cartridge;

an anvil movably supported relative to said elongated channel;

a cutting head comprising;

a vertically extending portion including an upper end and a lower end and a tissue cutting portion oriented between said upper end and said lower end;

at least one bottom tab protruding from said lower end of said vertically extending portion and configured to movably engage a bottom portion of said elongated channel;

at least one upper tab portion protruding from said upper end of said vertically extending portion and configured to engage a portion of said anvil; and

a firing bar assembly comprising;

an upper firing bar comprising an upper distal end portion coupled to said upper end of said vertically extending portion of said cutting head and a proximal upper end portion;

a lower firing bar comprising a lower distal end portion coupled to said lower end of said vertically extending portion of said cutting head and a proximal lower end portion; and

a proximal firing member operably interfacing with a source of firing motions and coupled to said proximal upper end portion of said upper firing bar and said proximal lower end portion of said lower firing bar, and wherein said surgical instrument further comprises;

an axially movable closure member operably interfacing with a closure system for receiving opening and closing motions therefrom independent from said firing motions, said closure member comprising a first cam member extending transversely relative to said longitudinal tool axis and between said upper firing bar and said lower firing bar and being configured to operably interface with said anvil to apply said opening and closing motions thereto.

18. The surgical instrument of claim 17, wherein said upper and lower firing bars are spaced from each other at their respective points of attachment to the vertically extending portion and remaining portions of said upper and lower firing bars are in contiguous orientation relative to each other.

19. The surgical instrument of claim 18, wherein said remaining portions of said upper and lower firing bars that are in contiguous orientation relative to each other are operably coupled to a firing rod member interfacing with said source of firing motions.