SURGICAL STAPLING INSTRUMENT WITH LOCKOUT FEATURES TO PREVENT ADVANCEMENT OF A FIRING ASSEMBLY UNLESS AN UNFIRED SURGICAL STAPLE CARTRIDGE IS OPERABLY MOUNTED IN AN END EFFECTOR PORTION OF THE INSTRUMENT

• US 20150289873A1
• Filed: 06/22/2015
• Published: 10/15/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 10/03/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cilag Gmbh International (Johnson & Johnson)
• Original Assignee: Ethicon Endo-Surgery, Inc. (Johnson & Johnson)
• Inventors: Shelton, Frederick E. IV, Setser, Michael E., Weisenburgh, William B. II
• Granted Patent: US 10,206,678 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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 17/0682 for applying U-shaped staples or clamps, e.g. without a forming anvil
• 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 17/320092 with additional movable means for clamping or cutting tissue, e.g. with a pivoting jaw
• 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 2017/00017 Electrical control of surgical instruments
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00398 using powered actuators, e.g. stepper motors, solenoids
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00473 Distal part, e.g. tip or head A61B2017/00464 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00734 battery operated
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/0688 Packages or dispensers for surgical staplers
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/07257 characterised by its anvil
• 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 2017/07285 characterised by its cutter
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/2923 Toothed members, e.g. rack and pinion
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/2927 the angular position of the head being adjustable with respect to the shaft
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/320052 Guides for cutting instruments by marking A61B2090/395
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/320093 : additional movable means performing cutting operation
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/320094 : additional movable means performing clamping operation
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/320095 : with sealing or cauterizing means
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/320097 : with stapling means
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00607 : Coagulation and cutting with the same instrument
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/0063 : Sealing
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2034/302 : specifically adapted for manipulations within body cavities, e.g. within abdominal or thoracic cavities
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 34/30 : Surgical robots
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 34/37 : Master-slave robots A61B34/35 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 50/20 : Holders specially adapted for surgical or diagnostic appliances or instruments drapes with means to hold surgical instruments A61B46/23; for catheters A61M25/02
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 50/36 : for collecting or disposing of used articles

Abstract

A surgical severing and stapling instrument, suitable for laparoscopic and endoscopic clinical procedures, clamps tissue within an end effector of an elongate channel pivotally opposed by an anvil. Various embodiments are configured to be operably attached to a robotic system to receive actuation/control motions therefrom.

Claims

1-20. -20. (canceled)

21. A surgical stapling instrument, comprising:

a surgical end effector comprising first and second jaws movably supported relative to each other for selective movement between open and closed positions;

a longitudinally-reciprocating firing assembly, comprising;

a firing bar; and

a knife, comprising;

a vertically extending knife body coupled to a distal end of said firing bar, said vertically extending knife body including an upper end portion and a lower end;

at least one upper-most lateral member laterally protruding from said upper end portion of said vertically extending knife body;

a bottom-most lateral member laterally protruding from said lower end of said vertically extending knife body; and

a cutting edge on said vertically extending knife body between said at least one upper-most lateral member and said bottom-most lateral member and wherein said surgical stapling instrument further comprises;

a firing assembly lockout arrangement on one of said first and second jaws and being configured to engage said bottom-most lateral member on said vertically extending knife body to prevent distal advancement of said knife from a starting to an ending position unless an unfired surgical staple cartridge is operably supported in said one of said first and second jaws; and

means for applying a firing motion to said longitudinally-reciprocating firing assembly to drive said knife from said starting to said ending position and return said knife from said ending position to said starting position.

22. The surgical stapling instrument of claim 21, wherein said firing assembly lockout arrangement comprises a cavity in said one of said first and second jaws sized to receive at least a portion of said bottom-most lateral member therein.

23. The surgical stapling instrument of claim 22, wherein said unfired surgical staple cartridge comprises a sled positioned in a pre-fired position wherein said sled engages said vertically extending knife body to prevent said bottom-most lateral member from entering said cavity.

24. The surgical stapling instrument of claim 23, further comprising means for biasing said longitudinally-reciprocating firing assembly into a locked position wherein said at least a portion of said bottom-most lateral member is received in said cavity unless said sled is in engagement with said knife body.

25. The surgical stapling instrument of claim 21, wherein said vertically extending knife body comprises a vertical attachment aperture configured to retainingly receive a portion of said firing bar therein.

26. The surgical stapling instrument of claim 21, wherein said vertically extending knife body is attached to said firing bar by an attachment treatment selected from the group of attachment treatments comprising adhesive and brazing.

27. The surgical stapling instrument of claim 21, further comprising:

a handle; and

an elongate shaft operably coupled to said handle and said surgical end effector and wherein said means for applying comprises a manually actuatable firing trigger operably supported on said handle and configured to generate said firing motion upon manual actuation thereof.

28. The surgical stapling instrument of claim 21, further comprising an elongate shaft operably coupled to said surgical end effector and wherein said means for applying comprises a robotically controlled system operably coupled to said elongate shaft.

29. The surgical stapling instrument of claim 27, wherein said elongate shaft defines a longitudinal axis and comprises an articulation joint configured to facilitate selective articulation of said surgical end effector in directions transverse to said longitudinal axis.

30. The surgical stapling instrument of claim 28, wherein said elongate shaft defines a longitudinal axis and comprises an articulation joint configured to facilitate selective articulation of said surgical end effector in directions transverse to said longitudinal axis.

31. A surgical stapling instrument, comprising:

a surgical end effector comprising first and second jaws movably supported relative to each other for selective movement between open and closed positions, wherein one of said first and second jaws is configured to operably support a surgical staple cartridge therein and the other of said first and second jaws comprises an anvil;

a longitudinally-reciprocating firing assembly, comprising;

a firing bar; and

a knife, comprising;

a vertically extending knife body coupled to a distal end of said firing bar, said vertically extending knife body including an upper end portion and a lower end; and

a cutting edge on said vertically extending knife body between said upper end portion and said lower end and wherein said surgical stapling instrument further comprises;

a firing assembly lockout arrangement on said one of said first and second jaws and being configured to engage said lower end of said vertically extending knife body to prevent distal advancement of said knife from a starting to an ending position unless an unfired surgical staple cartridge is operably supported in said one of said first and second jaws; and

means for applying a firing motion to said firing assembly to drive said knife from said starting to said ending position and return said knife from said ending position to said starting position.

32. The surgical stapling instrument of claim 31, further comprising a pair of laterally extending upper members protruding laterally from said upper end portion of said vertically extending knife body, wherein one said laterally protruding upper member protrudes in one lateral direction and wherein the other said laterally protruding upper member protrudes in another lateral direction.

33. The surgical stapling instrument of claim 31, further comprising a bottom foot formed on said lower end of said vertically extending knife body.

34. The surgical stapling instrument of claim 31, further comprising:

a pair of laterally extending upper members protruding laterally from said upper end portion of said vertically extending knife body, wherein one said laterally protruding upper member protrudes in one lateral direction and wherein the other said laterally protruding upper member protrudes in another lateral direction; and

a bottom foot formed on said lower end of said vertically extending knife body.

35. The surgical stapling instrument of claim 34, further comprising a pair of laterally extending middle members protruding laterally from said vertically extending knife body, wherein one said laterally extending middle member protrudes in said one lateral direction and wherein the other said laterally protruding middle member protrudes in said another lateral direction.

36. The surgical stapling instrument of claim 31, further comprising:

a handle; and

an elongate shaft operably coupled to said handle and said surgical end effector and wherein said means for applying comprises a manually actuatable firing trigger operably supported on said handle and configured to generate said firing motion upon manual actuation thereof.

37. The surgical stapling instrument of claim 31, further comprising an elongate shaft operably coupled to said surgical end effector and wherein said means for applying comprises a robotically controlled system operably coupled to said elongate shaft.

38. A surgical stapling instrument, comprising:

a surgical end effector comprising first and second jaws movably supported relative to each other for selective movement between open and closed positions, wherein one of said first and second jaws is configured to operably support a surgical staple cartridge therein and the other of said first and second jaws comprises an anvil;

an elongate shaft defining a longitudinal axis and operably interfacing with said surgical end effector, said elongate shaft comprising an articulation joint configured to facilitate selective articulation of said surgical end effector in directions transverse to said longitudinal axis;

a longitudinally-reciprocating firing assembly, comprising;

a firing bar defining a distal end and comprising a plurality of laminated strips; and

a knife, comprising a knife body coupled to said distal end of said firing bar by a knife attachment means, said knife body comprising;

a cutting edge;

at least one laterally protruding first member configured to slidably engage said one of said first and second jaws as said knife is distally advanced from a starting position to an ending position within the surgical end effector;

a second formation configured to slidably engage the other one of said first and second jaws not engaged by said at least one laterally protruding first member as said knife is distally advanced from said starting to said ending position; and

at least one laterally protruding third member located between said first and second members on said knife body and laterally protruding therefrom and wherein said surgical stapling instrument further comprises;

means for applying a firing motion to said firing assembly to drive said knife from said starting to said ending position and return said knife from said ending position to said starting position.

39. The surgical stapling instrument of claim 38, further comprising:

a handle; and

an elongate shaft operably coupled to said handle and said surgical end effector and wherein said means for applying comprises a manually actuatable firing trigger operably supported on said handle and configured to generate said firing motion upon manual actuation thereof.

40. The surgical stapling instrument of claim 38, further comprising an elongate shaft operably coupled to said surgical end effector and wherein said means for applying comprises a robotically controlled system operably coupled to said elongate shaft.