ARTICULATING RADIO FREQUENCY (RF) TISSUE SEAL WITH ARTICULATING STATE SENSING

• US 20160296268A1
• Filed: 04/07/2015
• Published: 10/13/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 04/07/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cilag Gmbh International (Johnson & Johnson)
• Original Assignee: Ethicon Endo-Surgery LLC (Johnson & Johnson)
• Inventors: Monroe, Emily H., Gee, Jacob S., Groene, David C., Molitor, Nicholas G.
• Granted Patent: US 10,314,638 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 18/085 Forceps, scissors
• 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 2017/00389 Button or wheel for performing multiple functions, e.g. rotation of shaft and end effector
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/0063 Sealing
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00916 with means for switching or controlling the main function of the instrument or device
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00922 by switching or controlling the treatment energy directly within the hand-piece

Abstract

A surgical instrument is presented that may include a handle assembly, a shaft assembly, an end effector and an articulation joint coupled to the shaft assembly and the end effector. The surgical instrument also may include an articulation control mechanism configured to: control movement of the articulation joint between a first and second maximum articulation angle; determine that the articulation joint has articulated to the first maximum articulation angle; provide a first indication that the articulation joint has articulated to the first maximum articulation angle; determine that the articulation joint has articulated to the second maximum articulation angle; and provide a second indication that the articulation joint has articulated to the second maximum articulation angle.

Claims

1. A surgical instrument, comprising:

a handle assembly;

a shaft assembly coupled to a distal end of the handle assembly;

an end effector comprising a surgical tool configured to interface with tissue of a patient;

an articulation joint coupled to the shaft assembly and the end effector and configured to articulate the end effector such that the end effector can be oriented at a different angle relative to the shaft assembly, the articulation joint comprising a first maximum articulation angle in a first direction such that the end effector is prevented from articulating beyond the first maximum articulation angle in the first direction, and a second maximum articulation angle in a second direction such that the end effector is prevented from articulating beyond the second maximum articulation angle in the second direction; and

an articulation control mechanism operatively coupled to the articulation joint through the shaft assembly and configured to;

control movement of the articulation joint between the first maximum articulation angle and the second maximum articulation angle;

determine that the articulation joint has articulated to the first maximum articulation angle;

provide a first indication that the articulation joint has articulated to the first maximum articulation angle;

determine that the articulation joint has articulated to the second maximum articulation angle; and

provide a second indication that the articulation joint has articulated to the second maximum articulation angle.

2. The surgical instrument of claim 1, wherein:

the shaft assembly comprises a guiding mechanism operatively coupled to the articulation joint and configured to manipulate the articulation joint; and

the articulation control mechanism comprises;

a latch coupled to the guiding mechanism;

a motor operatively coupled to the latch and configured to drive the latch along a longitudinal axis parallel to the shaft assembly; and

a switch coupled to the motor comprising a first and second button and both configured to operate the motor.

3. The surgical instrument of claim 2, wherein:

the first button is configured to direct the motor to drive the latch in a first direction along the longitudinal axis distally away from the handle assembly; and

the second button is configured to direct the motor to drive the latch in a second direction along the longitudinal axis proximally toward the handle assembly.

4. The surgical instrument of claim 3, wherein:

the latch comprises a raised end positioned toward the switch; and

the switch comprises;

a first prominent end positioned at a first edge of the switch near the first button and facing toward the latch; and

a second prominent end positioned at a second edge of the switch near the second button and facing toward the latch.

5. The surgical instrument of claim 4, wherein:

the articulation joint reaches the first maximum articulation angle when the raised end of the latch touches the first prominent end of the switch; and

the articulation joint reaches the second maximum articulation angle when the raised end of the latch touches the second prominent end of the switch.

6. The surgical instrument of claim 1, further comprising:

a first home position switch coupled to the shaft assembly and positioned distal to the handle assembly, the first home position switch disposed to be pressed into the shaft assembly; and

a second home position switch coupled to the shaft assembly and positioned distal to the handle assembly, the second home position switch disposed to be pressed into the shaft assembly;

wherein the articulation joint is positioned distal to both the first home position switch and the second home position switch.

7. The surgical instrument of claim 6, wherein the first home position switch pressed into the shaft assembly simultaneously with the second home position switch pressed into the shaft assembly causes the articulation joint to be articulated to an angle parallel to the shaft assembly.

8. The surgical instrument of claim 1, wherein the articulation joint comprises:

a first link and a second link, the first and second links coupled together by way of a hinge;

a first sensor coupled to a first edge of the first link; and

a second sensor coupled to a second edge of the first link, the second edge located opposite of the hinge.

9. The surgical instrument of claim 8, wherein articulation of the articulation joint in the first direction causes the first sensor to touch the second link, and articulation of the articulation joint in the second direction causes the second sensor to touch the second link.

10. The surgical instrument of claim 1, further comprising a rotation knob coupled to the shaft assembly and configured to rotate the shaft assembly, wherein rotation of the shaft assembly causes rotation of the articulation joint.

11. The surgical instrument of claim 10, wherein the shaft assembly comprises an orientation mechanism configured to maintain orientation of the articulation joint by the articulation control mechanism such that the articulation control mechanism causes the articulation joint to articulate, wherein relative to a first rotation reference point of 0-180 degrees, pressing a first button provides an articulation in a first direction and pressing a second button provides an articulation in a second direction, and wherein relative to a second reference point of 181-360 degrees pressing the first button provides an articulation in the second direction and pressing the second button provides articulation in the first direction.

12. The surgical instrument of claim 11, wherein the orientation mechanism comprises a commutator ring coupled to the shaft assembly and operatively coupled to the articulation control mechanism, such that relative to the first rotation reference point of 0-180 degrees, pressing the first button provides an articulation in the first direction and pressing the second button provides an articulation in the second direction, and wherein relative to the second reference point of 181-360 degrees pressing the first button provides an articulation in the second direction and pressing the second button provides articulation in the first direction.

13. A surgical instrument, comprising:

a handle assembly;

a shaft assembly coupled to a distal end of the handle assembly;

an end effector comprising a surgical tool configured to interface with tissue of a patient;

an articulation joint coupled to the shaft assembly and the end effector and configured to articulate the end effector such that the end effector can be oriented at a different angle relative to the shaft assembly, the articulation joint comprising a first maximum articulation angle in a first direction such that the end effector is prevented from articulating beyond the first maximum articulation angle in the first direction, and a second maximum articulation angle in a second direction such that the end effector is prevented from articulating beyond the second maximum articulation angle in the second direction; and

an articulation control mechanism operatively coupled to the articulation joint through the shaft assembly and configured to;

control movement of the articulation joint between the first maximum articulation angle and the second maximum articulation angle;

determine that the articulation joint has articulated to the first maximum articulation angle;

provide a first indication that the articulation joint has articulated to the first maximum articulation angle;

determine that the articulation joint has articulated to the second maximum articulation angle; and

provide a second indication that the articulation joint has articulated to the second maximum articulation angle;

wherein the shaft assembly comprises a guiding mechanism operatively coupled to the articulation joint and configured to manipulate the articulation joint; and

the articulation control mechanism comprises;

a latch coupled to the guiding mechanism; and

a wheel coupled to the latch and configured to rotate along a wheel axis;

wherein the latch is configured to move the guiding mechanism along a longitudinal axis of the shaft assembly by a rotation of the wheel.

14. The surgical instrument of claim 13, wherein the articulation control mechanism further comprises:

a raised ridge coupled to the wheel;

a circular housing coupled to the wheel and disposed on the outside of the surgical instrument such that the circular housing at least partially covers the wheel;

a switch coupled to the circular housing and comprising a first button and a second button configured to direct rotation of the wheel; and

a motor operatively coupled to the first button, the second button, and the wheel and configured to cause rotation of the wheel upon operation of the first or the second button.

15. The surgical instrument of claim 14, wherein:

the circular housing comprises an opening that partially exposes the wheel and exposes the raised ridge, the opening having a first edge and a second edge;

the rotation of the wheel causes rotation of the raised ridge;

the articulation joint reaches the first maximum articulation angle when rotation of the wheel causes the raised ridge to touch the first edge of the opening of the circular housing; and

the articulation joint reaches the second maximum articulation angle when rotation of the wheel causes the raised ridge to touch the second edge of the opening of the circular housing.

16. The surgical instrument of claim 13, wherein the articulation control mechanism further comprises:

a first and a second sensor, both coupled to the handle assembly, the first and the second sensors positioned on opposite sides of the latch equidistant to a central position of the latch, wherein the latch positioned at the central position indicates the articulation joint is angled parallel to the shaft assembly;

a knob coupled to the wheel and configured to rotate the wheel along the wheel axis; and

a proximity sensor operatively coupled to the wheel and configured to measure a first distance to the first sensor and measure a second distance to the second sensor.

17. The surgical instrument of claim 16, wherein:

the rotation of the knob causes rotation of the proximity sensor;

the articulation joint reaches the first maximum articulation angle when the proximity sensor is rotated to be closest in distance to the first sensor; and

the articulation joint reaches the second maximum articulation angle when the proximity sensor is rotated to be closest in distance to the second sensor.

18. A surgical instrument comprising:

a handle assembly;

a shaft assembly coupled to a distal end of the handle assembly;

an end effector comprising a surgical tool configured to interface with tissue of a patient;

an articulation joint coupled to the shaft assembly and the end effector and configured to articulate the end effector such that the end effector can be oriented at a different angle relative to the shaft assembly;

a first home position switch coupled to the shaft assembly and positioned distal to the handle assembly, the first home position switch disposed to be pressed into the shaft assembly; and

a second home position switch coupled to the shaft assembly and positioned distal to the handle assembly, the second home position switch disposed to be pressed into the shaft assembly;

wherein the articulation joint is positioned distal to both the first home position switch and the second home position switch.

19. The surgical instrument of claim 18, wherein the first home position switch pressed into the shaft assembly simultaneously with the second home position switch pressed into the shaft assembly causes the articulation joint to be articulated to an angle parallel to the shaft assembly.

20. The surgical instrument of claim 18, wherein the articulation joint comprises:

a first link and a second link, the first and second links coupled together by way of a hinge;

a first sensor coupled to a first edge of the first link; and

a second sensor coupled to a second edge of the first link, the second edge located opposite of the hinge.

21. The surgical instrument of claim 20, wherein articulation of the articulation joint in the first direction causes the first sensor to touch the second link, and articulation of the articulation joint in the second direction causes the second sensor to touch the second link.

22. The surgical instrument of claim 18, wherein the end effector comprises a trocar.

23. The surgical instrument of claim 18, wherein the end effector comprises a pair of electrosurgical jaws configured to seal tissue using electrosurgical energy.