Surgical instrument comprising an energy trigger lockout

• US 10,172,669 B2
• Filed: 10/09/2009
• Issued: 01/08/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 10/09/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cilag Gmbh International (Johnson & Johnson)
• Original Assignee: Ethicon, LLC (Johnson & Johnson)
• Inventors: Felder, Kevin D., Boudreaux, Chad P., Andreyko, Michael J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Giuliani, Thomas
• Application Number:
  US12/576,756
• Publication Number:
  US 20110087220A1
• Time in Patent Office: 3,378 Days
• Field of Search: 606 32, 606 37, 606 48, 606 50, 606 52, 606208
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 18/1233 with circuits for assuring patient safety
• 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 2018/00083 low, i.e. electrically insulating
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00196 reciprocating lengthwise
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00708 switching the power on or off
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/1412 Blade
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/1455 having a moving blade for cutting tissue grasped by the jaws

Abstract

A surgical instrument can comprise a lock movable between a locked position and an unlocked position, wherein the lock can be engaged with a drive shaft in order to prevent the drive shaft from being advanced when the lock is in its locked position. The surgical instrument can further comprise an electrical input and, in addition, a switch movable between an unactuated position and an actuated position, wherein the electrical input is electrically disconnected from an electrode when the switch is in its unactuated position, wherein the switch is configured to electrically couple the electrical input and the electrode when the switch is in its actuated position, and wherein the switch and the lock are operably coupled such that the movement of the switch from its unactuated position to its actuated position moves the lock from its locked position to its unlocked position.

Claims

1. A surgical instrument, comprising:

an end effector, comprising;

an electrode; and

a cutting member;

an elongate shaft comprising a proximal end and a distal end, wherein said end effector is coupled to said distal end of said elongate shaft, and wherein said elongate shaft further comprises;

a conductor electrically coupled with said electrode; and

a drive shaft operably coupled with said cutting member; and

a handle coupled to said proximal end of said elongate shaft, wherein said handle comprises;

a lock movable between a locked position and an unlocked position, wherein said lock is engaged with said drive shaft to prevent said drive shaft from being advanced toward said distal end of said elongate shaft when said lock is in said locked position, and wherein said lock is disengaged from said drive shaft to permit said drive shaft to be advanced toward said distal end of said elongate shaft when said lock is in said unlocked position;

an electrical input; and

a multipurpose power switch configured to move said lock between said locked position and said unlocked position and to electrically couple and electrically uncouple said electrical input and said conductor, wherein said multipurpose power switch is movable between an unactuated position and an actuated position, wherein said electrical input is electrically uncoupled from said conductor when said multipurpose power switch is in said unactuated position, wherein said multipurpose power switch is configured to electrically couple said electrical input and said conductor when said multipurpose power switch is in said actuated position, wherein said multipurpose power switch and said lock are operably coupled such that the movement of said multipurpose power switch from said unactuated position to said actuated position moves said lock from said locked position to said unlocked position.

2. The surgical instrument of claim 1, further comprising a link rotatably mounted to said handle, wherein said multipurpose power switch is mounted to said link, wherein the movement of said multipurpose power switch between said unactuated position and said actuated position rotates said link about an axis, and wherein said link and said lock are operably engaged such that the rotation of said link rotates said lock.

3. The surgical instrument of claim 1, further comprising a link rotatably mounted to said handle, wherein said multipurpose power switch is mounted to said link, wherein said multipurpose power switch comprises a button and a spring, wherein said spring is positioned intermediate said button and said link, wherein a force applied to said button to compress said spring rotates said link about an axis, and wherein said link and said lock are operably engaged such that the rotation of said link moves said lock between said locked position and said unlocked position.

4. The surgical instrument of claim 1, wherein said multipurpose power switch is moved into said actuated position and said lock is moved into said unlocked position simultaneously.

5. A surgical instrument, comprising:

an end effector, comprising;

an electrode, wherein said electrode is energized when in an energized state; and

a cutting member;

an elongate shaft comprising a proximal end and a distal end, wherein said end effector is coupled to said distal end of said elongate shaft, and wherein said elongate shaft further comprises;

a conductor electrically coupled with said electrode; and

a drive shaft operably coupled with said cutting member, wherein said drive shaft is advanced toward said distal end of said elongate shaft when in a firing state; and

a handle coupled to said proximal end of said elongate shaft, wherein said handle comprises;

a lock movable between a locked position and an unlocked position, wherein said lock is engaged with said drive shaft to prevent said drive shaft from being advanced toward said distal end of said elongate shaft when said lock is in said locked position, and wherein said lock is disengaged from said drive shaft to permit said drive shaft to be advanced toward said distal end of said elongate shaft when said lock is in said unlocked position;

an electrical input; and

a dual-function power switch configured to move said lock between said locked position and said unlocked position and to electrically couple and electrically uncouple said electrical input and said conductor, wherein said dual-function power switch is movable between an unactuated position and an actuated position upon the application of a first force to said dual-function power switch, wherein said electrical input is electrically uncoupled from said conductor when said dual-function power switch is in said unactuated position, wherein said dual-function power switch is configured to electrically couple said electrical input and said conductor when said dual-function power switch is in said actuated position, wherein said dual-function power switch and said lock are operably coupled such that a second force applied to said dual-function power switch moves said lock from said locked position to said unlocked position, and wherein said second force is larger than said first force such that initiation of the energizing state precedes initiation of the firing state.

6. The surgical instrument of claim 5, further comprising a link rotatably mounted to said handle, wherein said dual-function power switch is mounted to said link, wherein the movement of said dual-function power switch between said unactuated position and said actuated position rotates said link about an axis, and wherein said link and said lock are operably engaged such that the rotation of said link rotates said lock.

7. The surgical instrument of claim 5, further comprising a link rotatably mounted to said handle, wherein said dual-function power switch is mounted to said link, wherein said dual-function power switch comprises a button and a spring, wherein said spring is positioned intermediate said button and said link, wherein said first force is applied to said button to compress said spring and rotate said link about an axis, and wherein said link and said lock are operably engaged such that the rotation of said link moves said lock between said locked position and said unlocked position upon the application of said second force.

8. The surgical instrument of claim 5, wherein said dual-function power switch is depressed a first distance upon the application of said first force, and wherein said dual-function power switch is moved a second distance upon the application of said second force.

9. The surgical instrument of claim 5, wherein said lock is moved into said unlocked position after said dual-function power switch is moved into said actuated position.

10. A surgical instrument, comprising:

an end effector, comprising;

an electrode; and

a cutting member;

an elongate shaft comprising a proximal end and a distal end, wherein said end effector is coupled to said distal end of said elongate shaft, and wherein said elongate shaft further comprises;

a conductor electrically coupled with said electrode; and

a drive shaft operably coupled with said cutting member; and

a handle coupled to said proximal end of said elongate shaft, wherein said handle comprises;

a lock movable between a locked position and an unlocked position, wherein said lock is engaged with said drive shaft to prevent said drive shaft from being advanced toward said distal end of said elongate shaft when said lock is in said locked position, and wherein said lock is disengaged from said drive shaft to permit said drive shaft to be advanced toward said distal end of said elongate shaft when said lock is in said unlocked position;

an electrical input; and

a multifunction switch configured to move said lock between said locked position and said unlocked position and to electrically couple and electrically uncouple said electrical input and said conductor, wherein said multifunction switch is movable between an unactuated position, an actuated position, and a third position, wherein said electrical input is electrically uncoupled from said conductor when said multifunction switch is in said unactuated position, wherein said multifunction switch is configured to electrically couple said electrical input and said conductor when said multifunction switch is in said actuated position, and wherein said multifunction switch and said lock are operably coupled such that the movement of said multifunction switch from said actuated position to said third position moves said lock from said locked position to said unlocked position such that said multifunction switch electrically couples said electrical input and said conductor before said drive shaft is advanced toward said distal end of said elongate shaft.

11. The surgical instrument of claim 10, further comprising a link rotatably mounted to said handle, wherein said multifunction switch is mounted to said link, wherein the movement of said multifunction switch between said actuated position and said third position rotates said link about an axis, and wherein said link and said lock are operably engaged such that the rotation of said link rotates said lock.

12. The surgical instrument of claim 10, further comprising a link rotatably mounted to said handle, wherein said multifunction switch is mounted to said link, wherein said multifunction switch comprises a button and a spring, wherein said spring is positioned intermediate said button and said link, wherein a force applied to said button to compress said spring rotates said link about an axis, and wherein said link and said lock are operably engaged such that the rotation of said link moves said lock between said locked position and said unlocked position.

13. The surgical instrument of claim 12, wherein a first force applied to said multifunction switch is required to move said multifunction switch between said unactuated position and said actuated position, wherein a second force applied to said multifunction switch is required to move said multifunction switch between said actuated position and a third position, and wherein said second force is greater than said first force.

14. The surgical instrument of claim 10, wherein said lock is moved into said unlocked position after said multifunction switch is moved into said actuated position.

15. A surgical instrument, comprising:

an end effector comprising an electrode and a cutting member;

a drive shaft operably coupled to said cutting member;

a handle, comprising;

a firing trigger operably coupled to said drive shaft; and

an energy switch in communication with said electrode;

a lock movable from a locked position to an unlocked position to unlock said drive shaft; and

means for moving said lock from said locked position to said unlocked position by actuating said energy switch.