US 12,551,214 B2Granted

Surgical instruments with differential articulation joint arrangements for accommodating flexible actuators

AssigneeCilag GmbH International

InventorsPaul Moubarak, William C. Ryle, Spencer J. Witte

Life of this patent

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Abstract

Surgical instruments that include an articulation joint that is a configured to establish an upper pathway and a lower pathway through the articulation joint. The upper pathway and the lower pathway are parallel to each other when the surgical instrument is in an unarticulated position and the upper pathway and the lower pathway are concentric to each other when the surgical instrument is articulated. An upper flexible firing assembly slidably extends through the upper pathway and a lower flexible firing assembly slidably extends through the lower pathway. The upper and lower flexible firing assemblies interface with a firing member and a differential drive assembly configured to apply axial drive motions to the upper flexible firing assembly and the lower flexible firing assembly.

Claims20

Dependent claims

A surgical instrument, comprising:

(a) a shaft;
(b) an end effector operatively coupled with the shaft, the end effector including:
(i) a first jaw extending distally and configured to support a stapling assembly having a plurality of staples, and
(ii) a second jaw extending distally and configured to cooperate with the first jaw to clamp and staple tissue with the staples;
and
(c) a firing assembly translatable distally through a firing stroke to fire the staples from the stapling assembly, the firing assembly including:
(i) a firing driver actuatable longitudinally through the stapling assembly, the firing driver including:
(A) a lower protrusion defining a bottom of the firing driver, and
(B) an upper protrusion defining a top of the firing driver,
(ii) a lower pusher extending proximally from the firing driver and through the shaft along a lower pusher axis and having a distal end that terminates proximal to a distal end of the lower protrusion, and
(iii) an upper pusher extending proximally from the firing driver and through the shaft along an upper pusher axis offset from the lower pusher axis and having a distal end that terminates proximal to a distal end of the upper protrusion,
wherein the lower and upper pushers are resiliently deflectable laterally relative to a longitudinal axis of the shaft and are configured to transmit longitudinal drive forces to the firing driver.

9 more elements

A surgical instrument, comprising:

(a) a shaft;
(b) an end effector operatively coupled with the shaft, the end effector including:
(i) a first jaw extending distally and configured to support a stapling assembly having a plurality of staples, and
(ii) a second jaw extending distally and configured to cooperate with the first jaw to clamp and staple tissue with the staples;
and
(c) a firing assembly translatable distally through a firing stroke to close the end effector and fire the staples from the stapling assembly, the firing assembly including:
(i) a firing driver actuatable through the stapling assembly, the firing driver including:
(A) a lower protrusion translatable longitudinally through a lower slot defined in the first jaw, and
(B) an upper protrusion translatable longitudinally through an upper slot defined in the second jaw,
(ii) a lower pusher extending proximally from the firing driver and having a distal end that abuts and terminates at a proximal end of the lower protrusion, and
(iii) an upper pusher extending proximally from the firing driver and having a distal end that abuts and terminates at a proximal end of the upper protrusion,
wherein the lower and upper pushers include respective hollow tubular bodies that are resiliently deflectable laterally relative to a longitudinal axis of the shaft and are configured to transmit longitudinal drive forces to the firing driver.

9 more elements

A surgical instrument, comprising:

(a) a shaft;
(b) an end effector operatively coupled with the shaft, the end effector including:
(i) a first jaw extending distally and configured to support a stapling assembly having a plurality of staples, and
(ii) a second jaw extending distally and configured to cooperate with the first jaw to clamp and staple tissue with the staples;
and
(c) a firing assembly translatable distally through a firing stroke to fire the staples from the stapling assembly, the firing assembly including:
(i) a firing driver actuatable through the stapling assembly, the firing driver including:
(A) a lower protrusion defining a bottom of the firing driver, and
(B) an upper protrusion defining a top of the firing driver,
(ii) a lower push coil extending proximally from the firing driver and having a distal end that abuts and terminates at a proximal end of the lower protrusion, and
(iii) an upper push coil extending proximally from the firing driver and having a distal end that abuts and terminates at a proximal end of the upper protrusion,
wherein the lower and upper push coils are resiliently deflectable laterally relative to a longitudinal axis of the shaft and are configured to transmit longitudinal drive forces to the firing driver.

9 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 18/591,392Filed 29 Feb 2024 · continuation
Priority: 28 Jul 2020
Published: US 2024/0197317 A120 Jun 2024
Granted: 17 Feb 2026
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification34 codes

A61B 17/0686
For applying U-shaped staples or clamps, e.g. without a forming anvil: having a forming anvil staying below the tissue during stapling
A61B 17/00234
Surgical instruments, devices or methods: for minimally invasive surgery
A61B 17/068
Surgical instruments, devices or methods: surgical staplers , e.g. containing multiple staples or clamps
A61B 17/072
Surgical staplers , e.g. containing multiple staples or clamps: for applying a row of staples in a single action, e.g. the staples being applied…

Family

Application63/057,430Us provisional application · filed 28 Jul 2020
Application63/057,432Us provisional application · filed 28 Jul 2020
Application17/360,249Parent of this continuation · filed 28 Jun 2021
US 2024/0197317 A1Pre-grant publication · published 20 Jun 2024
US 11,974,741 B2Parent of this continuation
US 2022/0031351 A1Published application
US 12,551,214 B2This patent

From the US filing history. Foreign family members aren’t listed.