US 12,740,801 B2Granted

Method of operating an articulating ultrasonic surgical instrument

AssigneeCilag GmbH International

InventorsBarry C. Worrell, Benjamin J. Danziger, Benjamin D. Dickerson, Brian D. Black, Cara L. Shapiro, Charles J. Scheib, Craig N. Faller, Daniel J. Mumaw, David J. Cagle, David T. Martin, David A. Monroe, Disha V. Estera, Foster B. Stulen, Frederick L. Estera, Geoffrey S. Strobl, Gregory W. Johnson, Jacob S. Gee, Jason R. Sullivan, Jeffrey D. Messerly, Jeffrey S. Swayze, John A. Hibner, John B. Schulte, Joseph E Hollo, Kristen G. Denzinger, Kristen L. D'Uva, Matthew C. Miller, Michael R. Lamping, Richard W. Timm, Rudolph H. Nobis, Ryan M. Asher, Stephen M. Leuck, Tylor C. Muhlenkamp, William B. Weisenburgh, II, William A. Olson

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Abstract

An apparatus comprises a body assembly, a shaft, an acoustic waveguide, an articulation section, an end effector, and an articulation drive assembly. The shaft extends distally from the body assembly and defines a longitudinal axis. The acoustic waveguide comprises a flexible portion. The articulation section is coupled with the shaft. A portion of the articulation section encompasses the flexible portion of the waveguide. The articulation section comprises a plurality of body portions aligned along the longitudinal axis and a flexible locking member. The flexible locking member is operable to secure the body portions in relation to each other and in relation to the shaft. The end effector comprises an ultrasonic blade in acoustic communication with the waveguide. The articulation drive assembly is operable to drive articulation of the articulation section to thereby deflect the end effector from the longitudinal axis.

Claims18

Dependent claims

A surgical instrument, comprising:

(a) a shaft assembly defining a longitudinal axis, wherein the shaft assembly includes:
(i) a proximal end portion,
(ii) a distal end portion configured to receive an end effector, and
(iii) an articulation section configured to deflect the distal end portion from the longitudinal axis through an articulation plane;
and
(b) an articulation control assembly connected to the proximal end portion of the shaft assembly, wherein the articulation control assembly includes:
(i) an articulation control member rotatably mounted relative to the shaft assembly such that the articulation control member is spaced from the articulation plane, wherein the articulation control member is configured to be selectively manipulated by an operator, and
(ii) a transmission assembly operatively connected between the articulation control member and the articulation section of the shaft assembly, wherein the transmission assembly is configured to transmit selective manipulation of the articulation control member to the articulation section and selectively actuate the articulation section,
wherein the articulation control assembly is configured to lock without selective manipulation of the articulation control member to thereby inhibit actuation of the articulation section and unlock with selective manipulation of the articulation control member to thereby actuate the articulation section.

6 more elements

A surgical instrument, comprising:

(a) a shaft assembly defining a longitudinal axis and including:
(i) a proximal end portion,
(ii) a distal end portion configured to receive an end effector, and
(iii) an articulation section configured to deflect the distal end portion from the longitudinal axis;
and
(b) an articulation control assembly connected to the proximal end portion of the shaft assembly, wherein the articulation control assembly includes:
(i) an articulation control member rotatably mounted relative to the shaft assembly, wherein the articulation control member is configured to be selectively manipulated by an operator, and
(ii) a transmission assembly operatively connected between the articulation control member and the articulation section of the shaft assembly, wherein the transmission assembly is configured to transmit selective manipulation of the articulation control member to the articulation section and selectively actuate the articulation section, wherein the transmission assembly includes:
(A) a bevel drive gear fixed to the articulation control member such that the articulation control member is rotatable to rotate the bevel drive gear, and
(B) a bevel driven gear engaged with the bevel drive gear and positioned on the longitudinal axis, wherein the bevel driven gear is operatively connected to the articulation section such that the bevel driven gear is configured to rotate about the longitudinal axis to transmit rotation of the bevel drive gear to the remainder of the transmission assembly to selectively actuate the articulation section,
wherein the bevel drive gear is configured to rotate in a first plane about a first axis, wherein the first axis is transverse to the first plane, wherein the articulation section is configured to deflect the distal end portion from the longitudinal axis through an articulation plane, and wherein the first plane is parallel to the articulation plane.

8 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 17/964,363Filed 12 Oct 2022 · continuation
Priority: 22 Apr 2014
Published: US 2023/0112022 A113 Apr 2023
Granted: 22 Sep 2026
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification32 codes

A61B 17/320092
Using mechanical vibrations, e.g. ultrasonic: with additional movable means for clamping or cutting tissue, e.g. with a pivoting jaw
A61B 17/320068
Surgical cutting instruments: using mechanical vibrations, e.g. ultrasonic
A61B 18/1445
Probes having pivoting end effectors, e.g. forceps: at the distal end of a shaft, e.g. forceps or scissors at the end of a rigid rod
A61N 7/00
Ultrasound therapy

Family

Application62/176,880Us provisional application · filed 22 Apr 2014
Application14/688,684Parent of this continuation · filed 16 Apr 2015
Application16/244,282Parent of this continuation · filed 10 Jan 2019
US 10,258,363 B2Parent of this continuation · filed 16 Apr 2019
US 2023/0112022 A1Pre-grant publication · published 13 Apr 2023
US 11,484,333 B2Parent of this continuation
US 2015/0320437 A1Published application
US 2019/0216493 A1Published application
US 12,740,801 B2This patent

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