Surgical instrument with trigger assembly for generating multiple actuation motions

• US 8,789,741 B2
• Filed: 09/23/2011
• Issued: 07/29/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 09/24/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cilag Gmbh International (Johnson & Johnson)
• Original Assignee: Ethicon Endo-Surgery, Inc. (Johnson & Johnson)
• Inventors: Baxter, Chester O. III, Aronhalt, Taylor W., Young, Joseph E., Shelton, Frederick E. IV, Worrell, Barry C., Miller, Matthew C., Johnson, Gregory W.
• Primary Examiner(s): Truong, Thanh
• Assistant Examiner(s): CHUKWURAH, NATHANIEL C
• Application Number:
  US13/241,637
• Publication Number:
  US 20120074201A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,040 Days
• Field of Search: 227/175.1, 227/176.1, 227/179.1, 227/180.1, 227/19, 606/139, 606/213
• US Class Current: 227/180.1
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/07207 the staples being applied sequentially
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/0038 Simultaneous actuation of two tools by pushing one button or the like
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/2908 Multiple segments connected by articulations
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/2927 the angular position of the head being adjustable with respect to the shaft
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/2946 Locking means

Abstract

A surgical instrument that has an actuation system that is configured to generate at least two separate actuation motions. A clutch assembly is movable between an engaged position wherein the clutch assembly is in operable engagement with the actuation system and an unengaged position. In various forms, the surgical instrument includes a manually actuatable trigger assembly that interfaces with the clutch assembly and the actuation system such that a first stroke of the trigger assembly causes the actuation system to generate a first one of the actuation motions and moves the clutch assembly from the unengaged position to the engaged position whereupon a second stroke of the trigger assembly causes the actuation system to generate another one of the actuation motions.

Claims

1. A surgical instrument comprising:

a handle assembly;

a trigger assembly comprising;

a primary trigger movably supported on said handle assembly; and

a secondary trigger movably supported relative to said primary trigger and wherein said surgical instrument further comprises;

an actuation system operably supported by said handle assembly and configured to generate at least two separate actuation motions, said actuation system comprising;

a carriage operably supported by said handle assembly for selective axial travel relative thereto from an unactuated position to an actuated position upon application of a first stroke to said primary trigger to generate a first one of said actuation motions; and

a first actuation rack operably supported by said handle assembly and operably interfacing with a clutch assembly to generate a second one of said actuation motions upon application of a second stroke to said primary trigger and wherein said secondary trigger is configured to interface with said primary trigger such that upon application of said first stroke to said primary trigger, said secondary trigger moves said carriage from said unactuated position to said actuated position to enable said clutch assembly to move from an unengaged position to an engaged position.

2. The surgical instrument of claim 1 wherein one of said actuation motions comprises a first axial motion and wherein another one of said actuation motions comprises a second axial motion.

3. The surgical instrument of claim 1 wherein said actuation system further comprises:

a firing rack supported for axial travel within said handle assembly and configured to generate said second one of said actuation motions;

a drive gear in meshing engagement with said firing rack and interfacing with a clutch gear that is movable from said unengaged position wherein said clutch gear is rotatable relative to said drive gear and said engaged position wherein rotation of said clutch gear rotates said drive gear; and

an actuation bar supported for axial travel within said handle assembly and in meshing engagement with said primary trigger and said clutch gear such that upon application of said second stroke to said primary trigger, said actuation bar rotates said clutch gear.

4. The surgical instrument of claim 3 wherein said clutch assembly further comprises a biasing member for biasing said clutch gear into said unengaged position.

5. The surgical instrument of claim 4 wherein said clutch assembly further comprises a clutch plate movable between a first position wherein said clutch plate retains said clutch gear in said unengaged position and a second position wherein said clutch gear is movable to said engaged position by said biasing member, said clutch plate operably interfacing with said primary trigger such that, upon application of said second stroke to said primary trigger, said clutch plate is moved from said first position to said second position.

6. The surgical instrument of claim 3 further comprising a locking assembly operably supported by said handle assembly and configured to interact with said carriage such that when said carriage is in said actuated position, said carriage is releasably retained in said actuated position by said locking assembly.

7. The surgical instrument of claim 6 wherein said locking assembly comprises a locking button movably supported by said handle assembly and movable from a first position wherein said carriage is selectively movable from said unactuated position to said actuated position and said firing rack is prevented from moving and a second position wherein said carriage is retained in said actuated position and said firing rack is selectively movable upon application of said second stroke to said primary trigger.

8. The surgical instrument of claim 1 wherein said secondary trigger is in meshing engagement with said carriage.

9. The surgical instrument of claim 1 further comprising:

a surgical end effector configured to perform a first surgical action upon application of said first one of said actuation motions thereto and a second surgical action upon application of said second one of said actuation motions thereto; and

an elongated shaft assembly protruding from said handle assembly and operably interfacing with said surgical end effector, said elongated shaft assembly operably interfacing with said actuation system to apply said first and second actuation motions to said surgical end effector.

10. The surgical instrument of claim 9 wherein said elongated shaft assembly defines a longitudinal axis and wherein said end effector is selectively articulatable relative to said longitudinal axis.

11. The surgical instrument of claim 10 wherein said elongated shaft assembly has a flexible articulation joint therein and wherein said handle assembly operably supports an articulation control system for applying articulation motions to said end effector through said flexible articulation joint.

12. The surgical instrument of claim 9 wherein said surgical end effector comprises:

an elongated channel;

an anvil movably supported relative to said elongated channel and being selectively movable from an open position to closed positions relative to said elongated channel upon application of said first actuation motions thereto;

a surgical staple cartridge operably supported in said elongated channel;

a tissue cutting member operably supported relative to said staple cartridge and being movable from a proximal end of said elongated channel to a distal end of said elongated channel upon application of said second actuation motion thereto.

13. A method of cutting and stapling target tissue comprising:

providing a surgical instrument of claim 12;

manipulating said surgical end effector such that the target tissue is located between the anvil and the surgical staple cartridge;

applying said first stroke to the primary trigger to cause the target tissue to be clamped between the anvil and the surgical staple cartridge; and

applying said second stroke to the primary trigger to cause the tissue cutting member to cut the clamped target tissue and fire surgical staples in the surgical staple cartridge into the cut target tissue and into forming contact with the anvil.