Endoscopic vessel sealer and divider having a flexible articulating shaft
First Claim
1. An electrosurgical instrument for treating tissue, comprising:
- a housing having a shaft extending therefrom having a shaft axis defined therethrough, the shaft being at least partially flexible and including first and second jaw members attached at a distal end thereof, each jaw member including an electrically conductive tissue contacting surface adapted to connect to a source of electrosurgical energy such that the electrically conductive tissue contacting surfaces are capable of conducting electrosurgical energy through tissue held therebetween;
a drive assembly disposed in the housing and including a first actuator operably coupled to a drive rod for reciprocation thereof wherein actuation of the first actuator reciprocates the drive rod which, in turn, pivots at least one of the first and second jaw members about a pivot axis from a first position in spaced relation to one another to a second position closer to one another for engaging tissue;
a second actuator disposed on the housing and rotatable to articulate the first and second jaw members between an axially aligned condition wherein the first and second jaw members are aligned with the shaft axis, and an articulated condition wherein the first and second jaw members are displaced in a direction transverse to a plane defined by the shaft axis and the pivot axis; and
an adjustment actuator coupled to the drive rod which allows adjustment of the relative distance between the first and second jaw members independent of the first actuator, the adjustment actuator inaccessible during use of the electrosurgical instrument.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An electrosurgical instrument for treating tissue includes a housing having a shaft extending therefrom having an axis A-A defined therethrough. The shaft is at least partially flexible and includes first and second jaw members attached at a distal end thereof. Each jaw member includes an electrically conductive tissue contacting surface adapted to connect to a source of electrosurgical energy such that the electrically conductive tissue contacting surfaces are capable of conducting electrosurgical energy through tissue held therebetween. A drive assembly is disposed in the housing and has a first actuator operably coupled to a drive rod for reciprocation thereof to move the jaw members from a first position in spaced relation to one another to a second position closer to one another for engaging tissue. A second actuator is disposed on the housing and is actuatable to articulate the shaft.
943 Citations
17 Claims
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1. An electrosurgical instrument for treating tissue, comprising:
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a housing having a shaft extending therefrom having a shaft axis defined therethrough, the shaft being at least partially flexible and including first and second jaw members attached at a distal end thereof, each jaw member including an electrically conductive tissue contacting surface adapted to connect to a source of electrosurgical energy such that the electrically conductive tissue contacting surfaces are capable of conducting electrosurgical energy through tissue held therebetween; a drive assembly disposed in the housing and including a first actuator operably coupled to a drive rod for reciprocation thereof wherein actuation of the first actuator reciprocates the drive rod which, in turn, pivots at least one of the first and second jaw members about a pivot axis from a first position in spaced relation to one another to a second position closer to one another for engaging tissue; a second actuator disposed on the housing and rotatable to articulate the first and second jaw members between an axially aligned condition wherein the first and second jaw members are aligned with the shaft axis, and an articulated condition wherein the first and second jaw members are displaced in a direction transverse to a plane defined by the shaft axis and the pivot axis; and an adjustment actuator coupled to the drive rod which allows adjustment of the relative distance between the first and second jaw members independent of the first actuator, the adjustment actuator inaccessible during use of the electrosurgical instrument. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 15, 16, 17)
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8. An electrosurgical instrument for treating tissue, comprising:
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a housing having a flexible shaft extending therefrom having an axis defined therethrough, the shaft being at least partially flexible and including first and second jaw members attached at a distal end thereof, each jaw member including an electrically conductive tissue contacting surface adapted to connect to a source of electrosurgical energy such that the electrically conductive tissue contacting surfaces are capable of conducting electrosurgical energy through tissue held therebetween, each of the first and second jaw members bisected by a first plane; a drive assembly disposed in the housing and including a four bar mechanical linkage, the four bar mechanical linkage including a first actuator for actuation thereof, the four bar mechanical linkage operably coupled to a drive rod for reciprocation thereof wherein actuation of the four bar mechanical linkage reciprocates the drive rod, which in turn, moves the first and second jaw members from a first position in spaced relation to one another to a second position closer to one another for engaging tissue; a second actuator disposed on the housing and rotatable to articulate the first and second jaw members between an axially aligned condition wherein the first and second jaw members are aligned with the axis, and an articulated condition wherein the first and second jaw members are displaced in a direction transverse to the axis in a second plane orthogonal to the first plane; and an adjustment actuator coupled to the drive rod which allows adjustment of the relative distance between the first and second jaw members in the first position independent of the first actuator.
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9. An electrosurgical instrument for treating tissue, comprising:
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a housing having a flexible shaft extending therefrom having a shaft axis defined therethrough, the shaft being at least partially flexible and including first and second jaw members attached at a distal end thereof, each jaw member including an electrically conductive tissue contacting surface adapted to connect to a source of electrosurgical energy such that the electrically conductive tissue contacting surfaces are capable of conducting electrosurgical energy through tissue held therebetween; a drive assembly disposed in the housing and including a first actuator operably coupled to a drive rod for reciprocation thereof wherein actuation of the first actuator reciprocates the drive rod, which in turn, pivots at least one of the first and second jaw members about a pivot axis from a first position in spaced relation to one another to a second position closer to one another for engaging tissue; a second actuator disposed on the housing and rotatable to articulate the shaft such that the shaft and pivot axes remain in a common plane with one another; and an adjustment actuator coupled to the drive rod which allows adjustment of the relative distance between the first and second jaw members independent of the first actuator, the adjustment actuator inaccessible after final assembly of the electrosurgical instrument to adjust the relative distance between the first and second jaw members. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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Specification