POWERED SURGICAL INSTRUMENTS WITH FIRING SYSTEM LOCKOUT ARRANGEMENTS

• US 20130193188A1
• Filed: 03/12/2013
• Published: 08/01/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 01/31/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cilag Gmbh International (Johnson & Johnson)
• Original Assignee: Ethicon Endo-Surgery, Inc. (Johnson & Johnson)
• Inventors: Shelton, Frederick E. IV, Hall, Steven G.
• Granted Patent: US 9,861,359 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 227/175.2
• 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 17/115 Staplers for performing anastomosis in a single operation
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00017 Electrical control of surgical instruments
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00199 with a console, e.g. a control panel with a display
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00221 with wireless transmission of data, e.g. by infrared radiation or radiowaves
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00398 using powered actuators, e.g. stepper motors, solenoids
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00402 Piezo electric actuators
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00685 Archimedes screw
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00734 battery operated
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/07214 Stapler heads
• 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 2017/07278 characterised by its sled or its staple holder
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/07285 characterised by its cutter
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/2943 Toothed members, e.g. rack and pinion
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/064 for measuring force, pressure or mechanical tension
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/065 for measuring contact or contact pressure
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/0803 Counting the number of times an instrument is used
• 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 34/30 : Surgical robots
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 34/71 : Manipulators operated by drive cable mechanisms
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 34/76 : Manipulators having means for providing feel, e.g. force or tactile feedback
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: G16Z 99/00 : Subject matter not provided for in other main groups of this subclass

Abstract

Surgical instruments and/or fastener apparatuses comprising an end effector with a pair of jaws pivoted at a proximal end thereof and movable between an open and closed position. At least one of the jaws may comprise a channel for receiving a cartridge containing a plurality of surgical fasteners. Also, an electrically powered actuator may be for deploying the surgical fasteners and may comprise a power source and a motor. An activation mechanism may be attached to the handle to move the pair of jaws from the open to the closed position and to activate the actuator. A lockout mechanism may be configured to permit current to flow from the power source to the motor when the pair of jaws is in the closed position and to prevent current from flowing to the power source to the motor when the pair of jaws is in the open position.

Claims

1. A surgical fastener apparatus comprising:

a handle;

an end effector, the end effector comprising a pair of jaws having an open position and a closed position, wherein at least one of the jaws comprises a channel for receiving a cartridge containing a plurality of surgical fasteners; and

an electrically powered actuator for deploying the surgical fasteners, the actuator comprising a power source and a motor;

an activation mechanism attached to the handle to move the pair of jaws from the open to the closed position and to activate the actuator; and

a lockout mechanism configured to permit current to flow from the power source to the motor when the pair of jaws is in the closed position and to prevent current from flowing to the power source to the motor when the pair of jaws is in the open position.

2. The surgical fastener apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a shaft positioned between the handle and the end effector, wherein the shaft defines a proximal end attached to the handle and a distal end attached to the end effector.

3. The surgical fastener apparatus of claim 1, wherein the lockout mechanism further comprises a closure lock switch connected to the power source and the motor such that the lockout mechanism permits current to flow from the power source to the motor when the pair of jaws is in the closed position and prevents current from flowing to the power source to the motor when the pair of jaws is in the open position.

4. The surgical fastener apparatus of claim 1:

wherein the activation mechanism comprises a firing trigger and a closure trigger, wherein the closure trigger has a first position to cause the pair of jaws to assume the open position and a second position to cause the pair of jaws to assume the closed position; and

wherein the lockout mechanism comprises a run motor sensor, wherein the run motor sensor is positioned to permit current to flow from the power source to the motor upon actuation by the firing trigger; and

wherein the firing trigger and closure trigger are relatively positioned such that actuation of the firing trigger causes actuation of the run motor sensor when the closure trigger is in the second position, and that actuation of the firing trigger does not cause actuation of the run motor sensor when the closure trigger is in the first position.

5. The surgical fastener apparatus of claim 1, wherein the lockout mechanism comprises a lockout sensor switch, wherein the lockout sensor switch is open to prevent current flow from the power source to the motor when the pair of jaws are in the open position and closed to allow current flow from the power source to the motor when the pair of jaws are in the closed position.

6. The surgical fastener apparatus of claim 5, wherein the lockout sensor switch is positioned at the end effector.

7. The surgical fastener apparatus of claim 5, wherein the lockout mechanism further comprises a force sensor positioned to sense a magnitude of a clamping force applied between the first and second jaw members, and wherein the lockout sensor switch is responsive to force sensor.

8. The surgical faster apparatus of claim 7, wherein the lockout mechanism further comprises a comparator circuit in communication with the force sensor and the lockout sensor switch, wherein the comparator circuit is also configured to close the lockout sensor switch when a received signal from the force sensor indicates that the magnitude of the clamping force applied between the first and second jaw members exceeds a first threshold.

9. The surgical fastener apparatus of claim 5, wherein the lockout sensor switch is configured to close a predetermined time after the pair of jaws are moved to the closed position.

10. The surgical fastener apparatus of claim 1, wherein the activation mechanism comprises:

a first trigger attached to the handle and communicating with the end effector such that when the first trigger is in a fully actuated position, the end effector is moved from the open to the closed position;

a second trigger attached to the handle for activating the actuator;

wherein the surgical fastener apparatus further comprises a latch operably mounted to one of the handle and the first trigger for releasably retaining the first trigger in the fully actuated position; and

wherein the lockout mechanism comprises a closure lock switch associated with the latch, the closure lock switch connected to the power source and the motor such that when the latch retains the first trigger in the fully actuated position, the closure lock switch permits current to flow from the power source to the motor and when the first trigger is not latched in the fully actuated position, the closure lock switch prevents current from flowing from the power source to the motor.

11. The surgical fastener apparatus of claim 10 wherein said latch comprises a hook pivotally attached to said handle and selectively movable from an unlatched position to a latched position wherein said hook retainingly engages a portion of said first trigger.

12. The surgical fastener apparatus of claim 11 wherein said hook is biased into said latched position.

13. The surgical fastener apparatus of claim 1, wherein the cartridge is removably supported within a channel portion of the end effector and wherein the surgical fastener apparatus comprises a cartridge sensor switch connected to the power source and the motor, the cartridge sensor switch preventing current from flowing from the power source to the motor unless a cartridge is operably supported within the channel portion of the end effector.

14. The surgical fastener apparatus of claim 1, wherein the actuator further comprises an actuator portion that is movable within the end effector between an undeployed position to deployed positions and wherein the motor operably interfaces with the actuator portion to selectively apply a distal driving motion thereto to move the actuator portion from the undeployed position to the deployed positions and to selectively apply a proximal driving motion to the actuator portion to retract the actuator portion to the undeployed position from the deployed positions.

15. The surgical fastener apparatus of claim 1, wherein the electrically powered actuator further comprises:

a rotary drive shaft rotatably supported within the end effector and operably coupled to the motor for receiving rotary motion therefrom; and

an actuator portion operably interfacing with the rotary drive shaft such that, upon application of current in a first direction to the motor, the actuator portion is driven from an undeployed position to a deployed position within the end effector and upon application of current in a second direction to the motor, the actuator portion is driven from the deployed position to the undeployed position.

16. The surgical fastener apparatus of claim 15, wherein the actuator portion comprises a cutting member and a sled portion for applying actuation motions to the plurality of surgical fasteners within the cartridge.

17. The surgical fastener apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a second lockout mechanism configured to permit current to flow from the power source to the motor when the cartridge is installed at the end effector, and to prevent current from flowing to the power source to the motor when the cartridge is not installed at the end effector.

18. A surgical instrument comprising:

an end effector, the end effector comprising a pair of jaws having an open position and a closed position, wherein at least one of the jaws comprises a channel for receiving a cartridge containing a plurality of surgical fasteners; and

an electrically powered actuator for deploying the surgical fasteners, the actuator comprising a power source and a motor;

an activation mechanism attached to the handle to move the pair of jaws from the open to the closed position and to activate the actuator; and

a lockout mechanism configured to permit current to flow from the power source to the motor when the pair of jaws is in the closed position and to prevent current from flowing to the power source to the motor when the pair of jaws is in the open position.

19. The surgical instrument of claim 18, further comprising a handle, and wherein the activation mechanism comprises:

a first trigger attached to the handle and communicating with the end effector such that when the first trigger is in a fully actuated position, the end effector is moved from the open to the closed position;

a second trigger attached to the handle for activating the actuator;

wherein the surgical fastener apparatus further comprises a latch operably mounted to one of the handle and the first trigger for releasably retaining the first trigger in the fully actuated position; and

wherein the lockout mechanism comprises a closure lock switch associated with the latch, the closure lock switch connected to the power source and the motor such that when the latch retains the first trigger in the fully actuated position, the closure lock switch permits current to flow from the power source to the motor and when the first trigger is not latched in the fully actuated position, the closure lock switch prevents current from flowing from the power source to the motor.

20. The surgical fastener apparatus of claim 18:

wherein the activation mechanism comprises a firing trigger and a closure trigger, wherein the closure trigger has a first position to cause the pair of jaws to assume the open position and a second position to cause the pair of jaws to assume the closed position; and

wherein the lockout mechanism comprises a run motor sensor, wherein the run motor sensor is positioned to permit current to flow from the power source to the motor upon actuation by the firing trigger; and

wherein the firing trigger and closure trigger are relatively positioned such that actuation of the firing trigger causes actuation of the run motor sensor when the closure trigger is in the second position, and that actuation of the firing trigger does not cause actuation of the run motor sensor when the closure trigger is in the first position.

21. A surgical fastening apparatus, comprising:

an end effector, comprising;

a first jaw;

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

a fastener cartridge comprising a plurality of fasteners removably stored therein;

a handle, comprising;

an electric motor;

an actuator configured to operate said electric motor; and

a battery configured to supply power to said electric motor;

a firing member, wherein said motor is configured to impart a firing motion to said firing member to eject said fasteners from said fastener cartridge; and

a lockout system configured to permit said motor to apply said firing motion to said firing member when said first jaw is in said closed position and to prevent said motor from applying said firing motion to said firing member when said first jaw is in said open position.

22. The surgical fastening apparatus of claim 21, wherein said fastener cartridge is supported by said second jaw.

23. The surgical fastening apparatus of claim 21, wherein said fastener cartridge is removably attached to said end effector.

24. The surgical fastening apparatus of claim 21, further comprising a shaft extending from said handle, wherein said end effector is engaged with and supported by said shaft.