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US 11,076,878 B2Granted
Surgical device with anti-binding features
AssigneeEthicon, Inc.
InventorChad P. Boudreaux
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Methods and devices are provided for preventing binding between components of a drive assembly of a surgical device. In an exemplary embodiment, a surgical device is provided having a ball-and-socket joint that allows bending of various drive shafts relative to the handle without causing movement of a drive rack disposed within the handle. Since the drive rack does not move in response to bending of the shaft, the drive gear and rack will remain aligned thus preventing jamming of the device.
Claims20
A surgical device, comprising:
- a handle having an elongate shaft extending distally therefrom;
- an end effector at a distal end of the elongate shaft having first and second jaws that are movable between an open configuration for receiving tissue therebetween, and a closed configuration in which the first and second jaws are configured to engage tissue therebetween;
- a closure shaft extending through the elongate shaft and configured to translate proximally to move the first and second jaws form the open configuration to the closed configuration;
- a cutting shaft extending through the elongate shaft and a cutting element disposed in the end effector, the cutting shaft being distally movable to drive the cutting element distally through the end effector;
- and
- a cutting actuation assembly disposed in the handle and configured to distally advance the cutting shaft through the elongate shaft, the cutting actuation assembly and the cutting shaft being configured to remain in operable engagement when a load is applied to the cutting shaft that causes the cutting shaft to bend relative to a longitudinal axis thereof.
3 more elements
A surgical device, comprising:
- a handle having an elongate shaft extending distally therefrom and an end effector located on a distal end of the elongate shaft, the end effector having first and second jaws that are movable between an open configuration for receiving tissue therebetween, and a closed configuration for engaging tissue therebetween, a closure tube extending between the handle and the end effector, the closure tube being configured to move proximally toward the hand to move the first and second jaws form the open configuration to the close configuration;
- and
- a cutting assembly having an actuation mechanism in the handle and a cutting shaft extending through the handle and the elongate shaft and configured to distally drive a cutting element through the first and second jaws to cut tissue engaged therebetween upon actuation of the actuation mechanism, the cutting assembly include a joint that allows the cutting shaft to bend relative to a longitudinal axis thereof while remaining in operable engagement with the actuation mechanism.
A method for treating tissue, comprising:
- grasping tissue between first and second jaws of an end effector on a distal end of an elongate shaft of a surgical device by actuating a closure mechanism on the surgical device to move a jaw closure shaft proximally, the proximal movement of the jaw closure shaft causing the first and second jaws to approximate to engage the tissue;
- and
- manipulating the surgical device to move the tissue, wherein a force applied to the elongate shaft causes a knife pusher shaft extending therethrough to bend relative to a longitudinal axis thereof while remaining in operable engagement with an actuation mechanism in a handle of the surgical device.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.