Surgical Instrument With Stamped Double-Flag Jaws

• US 20130296922A1
• Filed: 05/01/2012
• Published: 11/07/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 05/01/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Covidien LP (Medtronic Plc)
• Original Assignee: Tyco Healthcare Group LP (Medtronic Plc)
• Inventors: Allen, James D. IV, Lyons, Michael B., Olson, Jessica E. C., O'Neill, Sean T., Sims, Grant T., TWOMEY, John R.
• Granted Patent: US 9,820,765 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 606/205
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/282 Jaws
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/29 Forceps for use in minimally invasive surgery
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/295 combined with cutting implements
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/3205 Excision instruments
• 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 2017/00526 Methods of manufacturing
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/292 connection of actuating rod to handle, e.g. ball end in recess
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/2936 Pins in guiding slots
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/0063 Sealing
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/1455 having a moving blade for cutting tissue grasped by the jaws
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/031 torque limiting
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49826 Assembling or joining

Abstract

A surgical instrument includes an elongated shaft having a distal portion and a proximal portion coupled to a housing. An inner shaft member extends at least partially through the elongated shaft and is selectively movable in a longitudinal direction. An end effector is supported by the distal portion of the elongated shaft. The end effector includes upper and lower jaw members pivotally coupled to the distal portion of the elongated shaft about a pivot axis and including a pair of laterally spaced flanges. The pairs of flanges of the jaw members are arranged in an offset configuration such that one flange of the upper jaw member is positioned on a laterally exterior side of a corresponding flange of the lower jaw member, and the other flange of the upper jaw member is positioned on a laterally interior side of the other flange of the lower jaw member.

Claims

1. A surgical instrument, comprising:

a housing including an elongated shaft having a distal portion and a proximal portion coupled to the housing, the elongated shaft defining a longitudinal axis;

an inner shaft member extending at least partially through the elongated shaft, the inner shaft member selectively movable in a longitudinal direction with respect to the elongated shaft; and

an end effector supported by the distal portion of the elongated shaft, the end effector adapted for treating tissue, and comprising;

an upper jaw member pivotally coupled to the distal portion of the elongated shaft about a pivot axis and including a first pair of laterally spaced flanges; and

a lower jaw member pivotally coupled to the distal portion of the elongated shaft about the pivot axis and including a second pair of laterally spaced flanges, wherein the first and second pairs of flanges of the jaw members are arranged in an offset configuration such that one flange of the upper jaw member is positioned on a laterally exterior side of a corresponding flange of the lower jaw member, and the other flange of the upper jaw member is positioned on a laterally interior side of the other flange of the lower jaw member.

2. The surgical instrument according to claim 1, wherein the housing includes a movable actuating mechanism configured to cause longitudinal movement of the inner shaft member relative to the elongated shaft.

3. The surgical instrument according to claim 2, wherein the elongated shaft includes at least one feature formed therein configured to operably engage the movable actuating mechanism.

4. The surgical instrument according to claim 3, wherein the elongated shaft has a generally circular profile joined along two opposing longitudinal edges.

5. The surgical instrument according to claim 4, wherein the two opposing longitudinal edges are laser welded together.

6. The surgical instrument according to claim 4, wherein the two opposing longitudinal edges are joined by one of a box joint interface and a dovetail joint interface.

7. The surgical instrument according to claim 1, further comprising:

a cam pin supported by the inner shaft member such that longitudinal movement of the inner shaft member is imparted to the cam pin.

8. The surgical instrument according to claim 7, wherein each of the first and second laterally spaced flanges define a camming slot for engaging the cam pin.

9. The surgical instrument according to claim 1, wherein the upper and lower jaw members are constructed as substantially identical components positioned in a laterally offset manner with respect to one another.

10. The surgical instrument according to claim 1, wherein the pivot axis extends through each of the flanges in a direction substantially transverse to the longitudinal axis.

11. The surgical instrument according to claim 1, wherein the inner shaft member extends through the jaw members on a laterally interior side of each of the flanges.

12. The surgical instrument according to claim 1, further comprising a knife selectively movable in a longitudinal direction with respect to the inner shaft member.

13. The surgical instrument according to claim 12, wherein the inner shaft member includes a knife guide disposed on a distal end of the inner shaft member such that the knife is substantially surrounded on four lateral sides.

14. A surgical instrument, comprising:

a housing;

an elongated shaft including a distal portion and a proximal portion coupled to the housing, the elongated shaft defining a longitudinal axis;

an end effector supported by the distal portion of the elongated shaft, the end effector adapted for treating tissue and including first and second jaw members pivotally coupled to one another to move between open and closed configurations, wherein each of the jaw members includes a pair of laterally spaced flanges, and wherein each of the flanges includes a camming surface thereon;

a knife extending at least partially through the elongated shaft and selectively movable in a longitudinal direction between the flanges of the jaw members, a blade of the knife extendable into a tissue contacting portion of the jaw members; and

an inner shaft member extending at least partially through the elongated shaft and selectively movable in a longitudinal direction with respect to the knife and with respect to the elongated shaft, the inner shaft member carrying a cam pin positioned to engage the camming surface of each of the flanges to induce the jaw members to move between the open and closed configurations.

15. The surgical instrument according to claim 14, wherein the elongated shaft includes at least one feature defined therein configured to engage a movable actuating mechanism operably associated with the housing.

16. The surgical instrument according to claim 14, wherein the laterally spaced flanges of the jaw members are arranged in a nestled configuration wherein both of the flanges of one of the jaw members are arranged within a laterally interior side of the laterally spaced flanges of the other of the jaw members.

17. A method of manufacturing a surgical device including a housing and an elongated shaft for coupling an end effector with the housing of the surgical device, comprising the steps of:

stamping at least one feature into a blank of sheet metal;

folding the blank into a substantially circular profile such that two opposing longitudinal edges of the blank meet at a longitudinal seam to form an elongated shaft;

operably coupling an end effector to at least one feature formed at a distal portion of the elongated shaft; and

engaging at least one actuating mechanism supported by the housing with at least one feature formed at a proximal portion of the elongated shaft to operably couple the proximal portion of the elongated shaft with the housing, the actuating mechanism configured to selectively move the end effector between an open position and a closed position.

18. The method according to claim 17, further comprising the step of:

joining the two opposing longitudinal edges along the longitudinal seam.

19. The method according to claim 18, wherein the joining step further comprises laser welding the longitudinal seam.

20. The method according to claim 18, wherein the longitudinal seam is one of a box joint configuration and a dovetail joint configuration.

21. The method according to claim 17, further comprising the step of:

coupling a drive rod to the at least one actuating mechanism at a proximal end and to the end effector at a distal end, the drive rod configured to translate within and relative to the elongated shaft upon movement of the at least one actuation mechanism to effect actuation of the end effector.

22. The method according to claim 17, further comprising the step of:

stamping at least one feature at a distal end of the blank such that a clevis is formed at a distal end of the elongated shaft, the clevis configured to support the end effector.