Dual articulation drive system arrangements for articulatable surgical instruments

• US 10,368,861 B2
• Filed: 06/18/2015
• Issued: 08/06/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 06/18/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cilag Gmbh International (Johnson & Johnson)
• Original Assignee: Ethicon, LLC (Johnson & Johnson)
• Inventors: Baxter, III, Chester O., Swayze, Jeffrey S., Dunki-Jacobs, Adam R., Shelton, IV, Frederick E., Hunter, Morgan R., Schultz, Darwin L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Tecco, Andrew M
• Application Number:
  US14/742,885
• Publication Number:
  US 20160367246A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,510 Days
• 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 17/072 for applying a row of staples in a single action , e.g. the staples being applied simultaneously
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/07207 the staples being applied sequentially
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/105 Wound clamp magazines for packaging sharps A61B50/3001
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00323 Cables or rods
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00327 with actuating members moving in opposite directions
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00398 using powered actuators, e.g. stepper motors, solenoids
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/0046 with a releasable handle; with handle and operating part separable for prosthetic joint-implanting tools A61F2/4603
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00734 battery operated
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/07214 Stapler heads
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/07271 characterised by its cartridge
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/07278 characterised by its sled or its staple holder
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/07285 characterised by its cutter
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/2902 characterized by features of the actuating rod
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/2927 the angular position of the head being adjustable with respect to the shaft
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/2929 with a head rotatable about the longitudinal axis of the shaft
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/2933 camming or guiding means
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/2936 Pins in guiding slots
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/2939 Details of linkages or pivot points
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/2943 Toothed members, e.g. rack and pinion
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/2946 : Locking means
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/0818 : Redundant systems, e.g. using two independent measuring systems and comparing the signals
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 34/30 : Surgical robots
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 34/71 : Manipulators operated by drive cable mechanisms
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 90/30 : Devices for illuminating a surgical field, the devices having an interrelation with other surgical devices or with a surgical procedure

Abstract

A surgical stapling instrument comprising an elongate shaft assembly that includes a surgical end effector that is operably coupled thereto by an articulation joint. The surgical instrument may include a first distal articulation driver operably coupled to the surgical end effector and a second distal articulation driver that is coupled to the surgical end effector. At least one driver member may operably engage the first and second distal articulation drivers such that when the first distal articulation driver is moved in a distal direction, the least one driver moves the second distal articulation driver in a proximal direction and when the first distal articulation driver is moved in the proximal direction, the at least one driver member moves the second distal articulation driver in the distal direction.

Claims

1. A surgical instrument comprising:

a housing;

an elongate shaft assembly operably coupled to said housing and defining a shaft axis;

a surgical end effector pivotally coupled to said elongate shaft assembly for selective articulation relative to said elongate shaft assembly about an articulation axis that is transverse to said shaft axis; and

an articulation system, comprising;

a source of axial articulation motions operably supported by said housing;

a proximal articulation driver operably supported in said elongate shaft assembly and interfacing with said source of axial articulation motions for selective axial movement in first and second axial directions;

a first distal articulation driver operably interfacing with said proximal articulation driver and supported for selective longitudinal travel in a distal direction and a proximal direction in response to corresponding articulation motions applied thereto by said proximal articulation driver, said first distal articulation driver operably coupled to said surgical end effector;

a second distal articulation driver supported for longitudinal travel in said distal and proximal directions, said second distal articulation driver operably coupled to said surgical end effector; and

at least two pinion gears in meshing engagement with said first distal articulation driver and said second distal articulation driver such that when said first distal articulation driver is moved in said distal direction, said at least two pinion gears drive said second distal articulation driver in said proximal direction to articulate said surgical end effector about said articulation axis in a first articulation direction and when said first distal articulation driver is moved in said proximal direction, said at least two pinion gears drive said second distal articulation driver in said distal direction to articulate said surgical end effector about said articulation axis in a second articulation direction that is opposite to said first articulation direction.

2. The surgical instrument of claim 1, wherein said at least two pinion gears comprises:

a proximal pinion gear; and

a distal pinion gear located distal to said proximal pinion gear.

3. The surgical instrument of claim 1, wherein said first distal articulation driver is pivotally coupled to said surgical end effector and wherein said second distal articulation driver is pivotally attached to said surgical end effector.

4. The surgical instrument of claim 1, wherein said first distal articulation driver is attached to said surgical end effector by a first movable coupler and wherein said second distal articulation driver is attached to said surgical end effector by a second movable coupler.

5. The surgical instrument of claim 4, wherein said first movable coupler is attached to said first distal articulation driver by a first ball joint and wherein said second distal articulation driver is attached to said second movable coupler by a second ball joint.

6. The surgical instrument of claim 5, wherein said first ball joint comprises:

a proximal first ball joint coupled to said first distal articulation driver; and

a distal first ball joint coupled to said proximal first ball joint and said surgical end effector and wherein said second ball joint comprises;

a proximal second ball joint coupled to said second distal articulation driver; and

a distal second ball joint coupled to said proximal second ball joint and said surgical end effector.

7. The surgical instrument of claim 1, further comprising means for selectively locking said surgical end effector in a plurality of articulated positions relative to said elongate shaft assembly.

8. The surgical instrument of claim 7, wherein said means for selectively locking comprises means for selectively preventing said first distal articulation driver from longitudinally moving in said proximal and distal directions.

9. The surgical instrument of claim 8, wherein said proximal articulation driver operably interfaces with said means for selectively preventing to selectively unlock said means for selectively preventing and causes said means for selectively preventing to apply said proximal and distal articulation motions to said first distal articulation driver.

10. The surgical instrument of claim 6, wherein said means for selectively locking comprises an articulation lock located between said proximal articulation driver and said first distal articulation driver and interfacing therewith.

11. The surgical instrument of claim 1, wherein a portion of said surgical end effector that is pivotally coupled to said elongate shaft assembly comprises an elongate channel that is configured to operably support a surgical staple cartridge therein.

12. The surgical instrument of claim 11, further comprising an anvil supported relative to said elongate channel such that one of said anvil and said elongate channel is selectively movable relative to the other one of said anvil and said elongate channel between open and closed positions.