Loading unit velocity and position feedback
AssigneeCovidien LP
InventorsMichael Ingmanson, Michael Zemlok
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A loading unit for a surgical stapling device has a cartridge assembly and an anvil assembly, the cartridge assembly including a channel and a staple cartridge having a plurality of surgical staples therein. An axial drive assembly has a clamping member, the clamping member having an upper flange for engaging the anvil assembly, and a lower flange for engaging the channel. The axial drive assembly is movable through the staple cartridge to drive the staples out of the staple cartridge and against the anvil assembly. Mechanical features are defined in the channel for indicating an end of stroke for the axial drive assembly, the mechanical features having a first pattern and a second pattern.
Claims20
A surgical stapling device, comprising:
- a handle portion including a controller and a motor in communication with the controller;
- a drive member operably coupled to the motor;
- a loading unit configured to be coupled to the handle portion, the loading unit including a driven member configured to be operably coupled to the drive member;
- and
- at least one mechanical feature associated with at least one of the drive member or the driven member, wherein the controller is configured to determine, based on a change in torque of the motor in response to the drive member or the driven member interacting with the at least one mechanical feature, at least one of:
- an end of stroke of the loading unit;
- or
- a position of the drive member or the driven member,
- wherein the driven member includes:
- a drive beam having a proximal end configured to be operably coupled to the drive member, and a distal end;
- and
- a clamping member coupled to the distal end of the drive beam and configured to interact with the at least one mechanical feature.
A loading unit for a surgical stapling device, comprising:
- an anvil assembly;
- a cartridge assembly coupled to the anvil assembly;
- a driven member having a proximal end configured to be operably coupled to a motor, and a distal end portion configured to approximate the cartridge assembly and the anvil assembly in response to a distal translation of the driven member;
- at least one mechanical feature associated with the driven member;
- and
- a sensing member configured to mechanically interact with the at least one mechanical feature, wherein:
- the at least one mechanical feature includes a plurality of recesses formed in the driven member;
- or
- the sensing member has a first end fixed to the cartridge assembly, and a free, second end configured to mechanically interact with the at least one mechanical feature.
A surgical stapling device, comprising:
- a handle portion including a controller and a motor in communication with the controller;
- a drive member operably coupled to the motor;
- a loading unit configured to be coupled to the handle portion, the loading unit including a driven member configured to be operably coupled to the drive member;
- and
- at least one mechanical feature associated with at least one of the drive member or the driven member, wherein the controller is configured to determine, based on a change in torque of the motor in response to the drive member or the driven member interacting with the at least one mechanical feature, at least one of:
- an end of stroke of the loading unit;
- or
- a position of the drive member or the driven member,
- wherein the loading unit further includes a cartridge assembly having a channel, the at least one mechanical feature associated with the channel.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.