Motorized surgical cutting and fastening instrument

• US 10,660,640 B2
• Filed: 12/20/2013
• Issued: 05/26/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 02/14/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cilag Gmbh International (Johnson & Johnson)
• Original Assignee: Ethicon, LLC (Johnson & Johnson)
• Inventors: Yates, David C., Shelton, IV, Frederick E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Della, Jaymi E
• Assistant Examiner(s): Vierra, Rachel A.
• Application Number:
  US14/135,996
• Publication Number:
  US 20140107640A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,349 Days
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/064 Surgical staples, i.e. penetrating the tissue
• 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 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 18/1482 having a long rigid shaft for accessing the inner body transcutaneously in minimal invasive surgery, e.g. laparoscopy
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 18/18 by applying electromagnetic radiation, e.g. microwaves radiation therapy A61N5/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00022 Sensing or detecting at the treatment site
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00115 with audible or visual output with imaging means A61B90/37, A61B34/20
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00203 with speech control or speech recognition
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00398 using powered actuators, e.g. stepper motors, solenoids
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00734 battery operated
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/07214 Stapler heads
• 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 2017/0725 with settable gap between anvil and cartridge, e.g. for different staple heights at different shots
• 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 2017/2927 the angular position of the head being adjustable with respect to the shaft
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/0811 for the position of a particular part of an instrument with respect to the rest of the instrument, e.g. position of the anvil of a stapling instrument
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 34/70 : Manipulators specially adapted for use in surgery
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 34/71 : Manipulators operated by drive cable mechanisms
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 90/98 : using electromagnetic means, e.g. transponders

Abstract

A surgical cutting and fastening instrument comprises an end effector, a shaft connected to the end effector, and a handle connected to the shaft. The handle comprises an electric, DC motor connected to a drive train for powering the drive train and a plurality of series-connected DC power source connected to the motor for supplying electrical power to the motor. The handle also comprises a power source selection switch for connecting, when in a first state, all of the DC power sources to the motor, and, when in a second state, a subset of the DC power sources to the motor. Also disclosed are means for actuating a RF electrode in the end effector and means for indicating actuation of the RF electrode.

Claims

1. A surgical instrument, comprising:

an end effector, comprising;

a cutting instrument; and

;

a removable cartridge;

a shaft connected to the end effector, the shaft comprising a drive train for powering the end effector to cause the cutting instrument to move to cut tissue in the end effector;

a handle connected to the shaft;

an electric DC motor connected to the drive train for powering the drive train; and

a power pack that is insertable in and removable from the handle, wherein the power pack comprises;

a plurality of rechargeable battery cells; and

an electronic control circuit for controlling an output voltage provided by the power pack to the motor based on an input from the surgical instrument indicative of a status of the cartridge after the cartridge is received by the end effector and prior to energizing the motor, wherein;

the electronic control circuit connects a first voltage to the motor when the cartridge has a first status;

the electronic control circuit connects a second voltage to the motor when the cartridge has a second status, wherein the second voltage is less than the first voltage; and

the electronic circuit comprises at least one switch;

for connecting a first set of the plurality of rechargeable battery cells to the electric DC motor to connect the first voltage to the electric DC motor when the cartridge has the first status; and

for connecting a second set of the plurality of rechargeable battery cells to the electric DC motor to connect the second voltage to the electric DC motor when the cartridge has the second status.

2. The surgical instrument of claim 1, wherein the second set of the plurality of rechargeable battery cells has fewer rechargeable battery cells than the first set of the plurality of rechargeable battery cells.

3. The surgical instrument of claim 2, wherein:

the first set of the plurality of rechargeable battery cells comprises all of the rechargeable battery cells; and

the second set of the plurality of rechargeable battery cells comprises less than all, and at least one, of the rechargeable battery cells.

4. The surgical instrument of claim 3, wherein the at least one switch comprises at least one solid-state switch.

5. The surgical instrument of claim 3, wherein the at least one switch comprises at least one electro-mechanical switch.

6. The surgical instrument of claim 1, wherein the power pack is configured to be connected, when removed from the handle, to a charger base, separate from the surgical instrument, that charges the power pack.

7. The surgical instrument of claim 1, wherein the power pack comprises a memory unit for storing operating parameters from a surgical procedure involving the surgical instrument.

8. The surgical instrument of claim 7, wherein the power pack is configured to be connected, when removed from the handle, to an auxiliary device, separate from the surgical instrument and that comprises a processor and a memory unit, wherein the auxiliary device is for downloading the operating parameters from the memory unit of the battery pack to the memory unit of the auxiliary device.

9. The surgical instrument of claim 1, wherein the removable cartridge comprises staples for stapling tissue clamped by the end effector.

10. The surgical instrument of claim 1, wherein the end effector comprises RF electrodes for transmitting RF energy into tissue clamped by the end effector.