LOCKOUT FEATURE FOR MOVABLE CUTTING MEMBER OF SURGICAL INSTRUMENT

• US 20140239041A1
• Filed: 02/28/2013
• Published: 08/28/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 02/28/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cilag Gmbh International (Johnson & Johnson)
• Original Assignee: Ethicon Endo-Surgery, Inc. (Johnson & Johnson)
• Inventors: Zerkle, Jason E., Hoffman, Douglas B., White, William J., Simms, Robert J.
• Granted Patent: US 9,717,497 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 227/176.1
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/07207 the staples being applied sequentially
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/0023 disposable
• 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 2017/07278 characterised by its sled or its staple holder
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/07285 characterised by its cutter
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/2927 the angular position of the head being adjustable with respect to the shaft
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/034 abutting on parts of the device itself
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/0801 Prevention of accidental cutting or pricking
• 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 2090/0814 Preventing re-use
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 34/30 Surgical robots
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 90/03 Automatic limiting or abutting means, e.g. for safety

Abstract

An end effector for use with a surgical instrument includes a first jaw, a second jaw, a blade assembly, and a lockout assembly. The first jaw removably couples with a staple cartridge. The second jaw is movably coupled with the first jaw. The blade assembly translates relative to the first jaw and includes a first tab. The lockout assembly includes a resilient member that biases the blade assembly to a lockout position. The lockout assembly engages the first tab of the blade assembly in the lockout position to prevent the blade assembly from translating distally relative to the first jaw when a staple cartridge is absent from the first jaw or when a spent staple cartridge is disposed in the first jaw.

Claims

1-20. -20. (canceled)

21. A stapling apparatus, comprising:

(a) an end effector, wherein the end effector is operable to apply at least one staple at a surgical site;

(b) a blade assembly operable to move along a first dimension between a locked position and an unlocked position, wherein the blade assembly is further operable to translate along a second dimension through the end effector in the unlocked position, wherein the blade assembly comprises upper portion and a lower portion;

(c) a lockout feature, wherein the lockout feature is configured to prevent the blade assembly from translating along the second dimension through the end effector in the locked position;

(d) a resilient member configured to bias the upper portion of the blade assembly into engagement with the lockout feature, wherein at least part of the lockout feature is interposed between at least part of the upper portion of the blade and at least part of the resilient member;

(e) a staple cartridge configured to fit in the end effector, wherein the staple cartridge contains the at least one staple,

wherein the staple cartridge includes a lockout bypass feature configured to maintain the blade in the unlocked position to thereby enable the blade assembly to clear the lockout feature.

22. The stapling apparatus of claim 21, wherein the staple cartridge further includes a sliding member, wherein the sliding member is configured to slide along at least part of a length of the staple cartridge.

23. The stapling apparatus of claim 22, wherein the sliding member includes at least a portion of the lockout bypass feature.

24. The stapling apparatus of claim 23, wherein the blade assembly includes a feature positioned to engage the lockout bypass feature of the sliding member.

25. The stapling apparatus of claim 21, wherein the resilient member comprises a leaf spring.

26. The stapling apparatus of claim 21, wherein the blade assembly is configured to drive the resilient member along the first dimension in response to translation of the blade assembly along the second dimension in the unlocked position.

27. The stapling apparatus of claim 26, wherein the blade assembly is configured to disengage the resilient member by translating along the second dimension through the end effector.

28. The stapling apparatus of claim 21, wherein the blade assembly comprises:

(i) a cutting edge, and

(ii) a first tab having a distally presented wall, wherein the distally presented wall is proximal to the cutting edge; and

29. The stapling apparatus of claim 28, wherein the lockout feature comprises a proximally presented wall, wherein the proximally presented wall is configured to engage the distally presented wall of the first tab in the locked position to prevent the blade assembly from translating distally relative to the end effector.

30. The stapling apparatus of claim 29, wherein the resilient member comprises an opening, wherein the blade assembly comprises a second tab, wherein the second tab is configured to be positioned within the opening of the resilient member when the blade assembly is in an unfired state.

31. The stapling apparatus of claim 21, wherein the first dimension is generally perpendicular to the second dimension.

32. The stapling apparatus of claim 21, wherein the end effector comprises:

(i) a first jaw, wherein the first jaw is configured to removably receive the staple cartridge, and

(ii) a second jaw movably coupled with the first jaw, wherein the second jaw includes a staple forming anvil.

33. The stapling apparatus of claim 32, wherein the blade assembly includes a protrusion, wherein the first jaw defines a slot, wherein the slot of the first jaw comprises a proximal portion, wherein the proximal portion is configured to receive the protrusion of the blade assembly when the blade assembly is in the locked position.

34. The stapling apparatus of claim 33, wherein the proximal portion of the slot is wider than a distal portion of the slot.

35. The stapling apparatus of claim 34, wherein the lower portion of the blade assembly includes a lower extension, wherein the protrusion of the blade assembly protrudes from the lower extension, wherein the lower extension of the blade assembly is wider than the protrusion such that the lower extension and protrusion form a shelf.

36. The stapling apparatus of claim 35, wherein the shelf is configured to engage a region of the first jaw at the distal portion of the slot.

37. A stapling apparatus, comprising:

(a) an end effector, wherein the end effector is operable to apply at least one staple at a surgical site;

(b) a blade assembly operable to translate through the end effector, wherein the blade assembly comprises an upper portion and a lower portion;

(c) a lockout feature configured to prevent the blade assembly from translating through the end effector;

(d) a resilient member configured to urge the blade assembly into engagement with the lockout feature, wherein at least part of the resilient member is interposed between at least part of the upper portion of the blade assembly and at least part of the lower portion of the blade assembly; and

(e) a staple cartridge configured to fit in the end effector, wherein the staple cartridge contains the at least one staple,

wherein the staple cartridge includes a lockout bypass feature configured to prevent the blade assembly from engaging the lockout feature, wherein the lockout bypass feature is configured to bear a resilient bias imposed by the resilient member via the blade assembly.

38. The stapling apparatus of claim 37, wherein the blade assembly is operable to translate through a first range of motion where the resilient member resiliently bears against the blade assembly, wherein the blade assembly is operable to translate through a second range of motion where the resilient member no longer resiliently bears against the blade assembly.

39. The stapling apparatus of claim 38, wherein the blade assembly is configured to reverse direction from the second range of motion and thereby travel through a third range of motion where the blade assembly re-engages the resilient member.

40. A stapling apparatus, comprising:

(a) a staple cartridge, wherein the staple cartridge comprises;

(i) a plurality of staples, and

(ii) a sliding member operable to drive the staples from the staple cartridge, wherein the sliding member includes a lockout bypass feature;

(b) a blade assembly, wherein the blade assembly includes;

(i) a bypass engagement feature configured to engage the lockout bypass feature, wherein the lockout bypass feature is configured to permit a portion of the blade assembly to translate through the staple cartridge when the bypass engagement feature of the blade assembly is engaged with the lockout bypass feature of the staple cartridge, and

(ii) an upper extension having a downwardly extending tab; and

(c) a lockout feature, wherein the lockout feature is configured to engage the downwardly extending tab and thereby prevent the portion of the blade assembly from translating through the staple cartridge when the bypass engagement feature of the blade assembly is disengaged from the lockout bypass feature of the staple cartridge.