Surgical instrument with guided laterally moving articulation member

• US 7,654,431 B2
• Filed: 04/07/2005
• Issued: 02/02/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 02/18/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ethicon Endo-Surgery, Inc. (Johnson & Johnson)
• Original Assignee: Ethicon Endo-Surgery, Inc. (Johnson & Johnson)
• Inventors: Wales, Kenneth S., Boudreaux, Chad P., Hueil, Joseph C.
• Primary Examiner(s): Rada; Rinaldi I.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Lopez; Michelle
• Application Number:
  US11/100,847
• Publication Number:
  US 20060226196A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,762 Days
• Field of Search: 227/175.1, 227/175.2, 227/176.1, 227/19, 227/181.1, 227/182.2, 606/32, 606 38- 42, 606139-144, 606170-174, 606205-207
• US Class Current: 227/175.1
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/07207 the staples being applied sequentially
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00535 pneumatically or hydraulically operated A61B2017/22051, A61B2090/401 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/2927 the angular position of the head being adjustable with respect to the shaft
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/2943 Toothed members, e.g. rack and pinion

Abstract

A surgical instrument particularly suited to endoscopic use articulates an end effector by including a laterally sliding member in a proximal portion of a shaft that pivots the end effector to a selected side. Differentially opposing actuating forces (e.g., hydraulic, fluidic, mechanical) act against the laterally sliding member without binding by incorporating guidance mechanisms between the laterally sliding member and a frame of the shaft.

Claims

1. A surgical instrument, comprising:

an end effector including a proximal camming surface;

an elongate shaft, wherein the elongate shaft defines a longitudinal axis, the elongate shaft further including a frame defining a lateral recess aligned with the longitudinal axis, wherein the lateral recess is proximate to a distal end of the elongate shaft;

an articulation joint pivotally attaching the end effector to the distal end of the elongate shaft comprising a pivot axis distal to the proximal camming surface;

a slide bar sized for lateral movement within the lateral recess and having a distal portion engaged to the proximal camming surface of the end effector to effect articulation of the end effector, wherein the slide bar is movable laterally relative to the longitudinal axis to effect articulation of the end effector;

a lateral guide mechanism engaging the slide bar to the frame, wherein the lateral guide mechanism is operable to move the slide bar laterally relative to the longitudinal axis while maintaining parallel alignment of the slide bar to the longitudinal axis of the elongate shaft; and

a handle portion proximally attached to the elongate shaft and operably configured to produce an articulation motion to laterally move the slide bar;

wherein the proximal camming surface of the end effector comprises a gear segment and the distal portion of the slide bar comprises a gear rack;

wherein the lateral guide mechanism comprises a channel formed laterally in the frame and a rib received in the channel, perpendicularly attached to the slide bar further comprising a flexible longitudinal portion connecting the rib to the gear rack, wherein manipulating the end effector causes backdriving of the gear segment that flexes the longitudinal portion, cocking the rib into binding engagement in the channel.

2. The surgical instrument of claim 1, wherein the proximal camming surface of the end effector comprises a proximally directed camming recess that receives the distal portion of the slide bar.

3. The surgical instrument of claim 1, wherein the lateral guide mechanism engaging the slide bar to the frame for lateral and longitudinally aligned movement of the slide bar comprises a rotatable link aligned parallel to the slide bar and aligned with a vertical centerline of the shaft, the rotatable link pivotally joined to a near surface of the slide bar causing lateral movement thereof as the rotatable link rotates.

4. The surgical instrument of claim 3, wherein the rotatable link includes a plurality of pivotal joinings to the slide bar spaced along a longitudinal length thereof to maintain the alignment during actuation.

5. The surgical instrument of claim 1, wherein right and left distal fluid actuated bladders are placed on respective sides of the slide bar, the handle portion including an articulation control operatively configured to differentially transfer fluid to the right and left distal fluid actuated bladders, wherein the left and right distal fluid actuated bladders together have a combined volume, wherein the combined volume of both the left and the right distal fluid actuated bladders remains constant as fluid is transferred from one to the other to move the slide bar in a selected lateral direction.

6. The surgical instrument of claim 1, wherein right and left mechanical actuators are placed on respective sides of the slide bar, the handle portion including an articulation control operatively configured to exert differential longitudinal motions to the right and left mechanical actuators to laterally displace the slide bar.

7. A surgical instrument, comprising:

a staple applying assembly, wherein the staple applying assembly has a proximal camming surface;

an elongate shaft attached to the staple applying assembly, wherein the elongate shaft defines a longitudinal axis, the elongate shaft further including a frame defining a recess aligned with the longitudinal axis;

an articulation joint pivotally attaching the staple applying assembly to a distal end of the elongate shaft;

a slide bar within the recess, wherein the slide bar is movable laterally relative to the longitudinal axis, the slide bar having a distal portion engaged to the proximal camming surface of the staple applying assembly, wherein the slide bar is positioned to impart an articulation rotation to the end effector in proportion to a lateral position of the slide bar within the recess;

right and left actuators on respective sides of the slide bar in the recess, wherein the right and left actuators are operable to move the slide bar laterally relative to the longitudinal axis to selectively laterally position the slide bar within the recess of the elongate shaft;

a means for laterally guiding the slide bar within the recess defined by the frame, maintaining the slide bar in parallel alignment with a longitudinal axis of the shaft during lateral movement of the slide bar relative to the longitudinal axis in response to the actuators; and

a handle portion proximally attached to the elongate shaft and operably configured to produce differential longitudinal motions to respective actuators to laterally move the slide bar relative to the longitudinal axis,

wherein the proximal camming surface of the staple applying assembly comprises a gear segment and the distal portion of the slide bar comprises a gear rack;

wherein the means for laterally guiding the slide bar comprises a channel formed laterally in the frame and a rib received in the channel, perpendicularly attached to the slide bar further comprising a flexible longitudinal portion connecting the rib to the gear rack, wherein manipulating the staple applying assembly causes backdriving of the gear segment that flexes the longitudinal portion, cocking the rib into binding engagement in the channel.