Surgical instrument including a retractable firing member

• US 10,695,062 B2
• Filed: 05/11/2017
• Issued: 06/30/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 10/01/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cilag Gmbh International (Johnson & Johnson)
• Original Assignee: Ethicon, LLC (Johnson & Johnson)
• Inventors: Leimbach, Richard L., Schwemberger, Richard F., Swensgard, Brett E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Lopez, Michelle
• Application Number:
  US15/592,820
• Publication Number:
  US 20180000483A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,146 Days
• Field of Search: 2271751
• 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 17/10 for applying or removing wound clamps, e.g. containing only one clamp or staple A61B17/076 takes precedence; containing multiple wound clamps A61B17/068; Wound clamp magazines containers, packaging elements or packages specially adapted for particular articles or with special means for dispensing contents B65D83/00, B65D85/00
• 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 2017/2923 Toothed members, e.g. rack and pinion
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/42 Methods or arrangements for servicing or maintenance of secondary cells or secondary half-cells H01M10/60 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 2200/103 Fuse
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 2220/30 Batteries in portable systems, e.g. mobile phone, laptop
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 2310/23 The load being a medical device, a medical implant, or a life supporting device
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0068 Battery or charger load switching, e.g. concurrent charging and load supply H02J7/0013 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/10 Energy storage using batteries

Abstract

A surgical instrument for cutting and fastening tissue comprising an end effector, a firing member, a housing, a motor, a power source, an opening in the housing, an access panel covering the opening and movable between a closed position and an open position, a bailout switch configured to prevent power from flowing from the power source to the motor when the access panel is moved to the open position, and a retraction lever accessible through the opening in the housing is disclosed. The retraction lever is movable between an unactuated position and an actuated position. The retraction lever is configured to manually retract the firing member in a proximal direction, operably couple the motor to the firing member when the retraction lever is in the unactuated position, and operably decouple the motor from the firing member when the retraction lever is in the actuated position.

Claims

1. A surgical instrument for cutting and fastening tissue, comprising:

an end effector, comprising;

a first jaw; and

a second jaw movable relative to said first jaw between an open position and a closed position;

a firing member configured to move relative to said end effector during a firing stroke; and

a housing, comprising;

a drive rack operably engaged with said firing member;

a drive gear selectively engageable with said drive rack;

a motor operably engaged with said drive gear, wherein said motor is configured to transmit rotary motions to said drive gear;

a power source configured to supply power to said motor;

an access opening;

an access door covering said access opening, wherein said access door is movable between a closed position and an open position;

a control circuit comprising a bailout switch, wherein said bailout switch is in a closed state when said access door is in said closed position, wherein said bailout switch is in an open state when said access door is in said open position, and wherein said control circuit is configured to permit power to flow from said power source to said motor when said bailout switch is in said closed state, and wherein said control circuit is further configured to prevent power from flowing to said motor from said power source when said bailout switch is in said open state; and

a bailout lever operably engageable with said drive gear and accessible by a user of the surgical instrument through said access opening when said access door is in said open position, wherein said bailout lever is configured to be manually actuated by the user of the surgical instrument between an unactuated position and an actuated position to retract said firing member, wherein said drive gear is engaged with said drive rack when said bailout lever is in said unactuated position, and wherein said drive gear is disengaged with said drive rack when said bailout lever is in said actuated position.

2. The surgical instrument of claim 1, further comprising a replaceable staple cartridge.

3. A surgical instrument for cutting and fastening tissue, comprising:

an end effector, comprising;

a first jaw; and

a second jaw movable relative to said first jaw between an open position and a closed position;

a firing member configured to move relative to said end effector during a firing stroke;

a housing, comprising;

a motor configured to output rotary motions;

a power source configured to provide power to said motor;

a drive train configurable in a first configuration and a second configuration, wherein said drive train is configured to transmit said rotary motions from said motor to said firing member when said drive train is in said first configuration, and wherein said drive train is prevented from transmitting said rotary motions from said motor to said firing member when said drive train is in said second configuration;

a bailout switch movable between a closed state and an open state, wherein said bailout switch is configured to prevent power from being supplied to said motor from said power source when said bailout switch is in said open state and permit power to flow to said motor from said power source when said bailout switch is in said closed state;

an access opening;

an access panel covering said access opening, wherein said access panel is operably engaged with said bailout switch, wherein said access panel is movable between a closed configuration and an open configuration, and wherein said bailout switch is moved into said open state when said access panel is moved to said open configuration; and

a retraction lever operably engaged with said drive train and accessible by a user of the surgical instrument through said access opening when said access panel is in said open configuration, wherein said retraction lever is configured to be manually actuated by the user of the surgical instrument between an unactuated position and an actuated position to retract said firing member, wherein said drive train is in said first configuration when said retraction lever is in said unactuated position, and wherein said drive train is in said second configuration when said retraction lever is in said actuated position.

4. The surgical instrument of claim 3, further comprising a replaceable staple cartridge.

5. A surgical instrument for cutting and fastening tissue, comprising:

an end effector;

a firing member movable through a firing stroke;

a housing;

a motor configured to output rotary motions;

a power source configured to provide power to said motor;

a bailout switch configured to prevent power from flowing to said motor from said power source when said bailout switch is actuated;

an opening in said housing, wherein said opening provides a user of the surgical instrument access to the inside of the housing;

an access panel covering said opening, wherein said bailout switch is actuated when said access panel is moved to an open configuration; and

a retraction lever accessible by the user of the surgical instrument through said opening when said access panel is in said open configuration, wherein said retraction lever is configured to be manually actuated by the user of the surgical instrument between an unactuated position and an actuated position to retract said firing member, wherein said firing member is operably responsive to said rotary motions when said retraction lever is in said unactuated position, and wherein said firing member is mechanically and electrically disconnected from said motor when said retraction lever is in said actuated position.

6. The surgical instrument of claim 5, further comprising a replaceable staple cartridge.

7. A surgical instrument for cutting and fastening tissue, comprising:

an end effector;

a firing member movable through a firing stroke;

a housing;

a motor configured to output rotary motions;

a power source configured to provide power to said motor;

an opening in said housing, wherein said opening provides a user of the surgical instrument access to the inside of the housing;

an access panel covering said opening, wherein said access panel is movable between a closed position and an open position;

a bailout switch configured to prevent power from flowing from said power source to said motor when said access panel is moved to said open position; and

a retraction lever accessible by the user of the surgical instrument through said opening in said housing when said access panel is in said open position, wherein said retraction lever is movable between an unactuated position and an actuated position, and wherein said retraction lever is configured to;

manually retract said firing member in a proximal direction;

operably couple said motor to said firing member when said retraction lever is in said unactuated position; and

operably decouple said motor from said firing member when said retraction lever is in said actuated position.

8. The surgical instrument of claim 7, further comprising a replaceable staple cartridge.