US 2007/0175961 A1 · Electro-mechanical surgical cutting and fastening instrument having a rotary firing and closure system with parallel closure and anvil alignment components

Abstract

A surgical instrument. Various embodiments relate to a surgical cutting and fastening instrument that has an end effector with an anvil that can pivot between open and closed positions relative to an elongate channel that can support a staple cartridge therein. The anvil may be opened and closed by a drive system. Various embodiments employ a powered drive system for opening and closing the anvil and powering a knife and staple drive assembly used to cut tissue and deploy the staples in the cartridge. Other embodiments employ a mechanical system to open and close the anvil and employ a powered system to power the knife and staple drive assembly. In various embodiments, the drive assembly serves to axially and laterally align anvil relative to the elongate channel. The anvil is constructed to move in a substantially parallel path relative to the elongate channel during closing.

Claims21

Dependent claims

A surgical cutting and fastening instrument comprising:

a control handle;
an elongate channel coupled to said control handle and sized to support a cartridge therein;
an anvil pivotally coupled to said elongate channel such that said anvil is axially and laterally movable on said elongate channel and selectively pivotable between open and closed positions relative to said elongate channel;
a drive system operably supported in said elongate channel;
and
a closure nut movably supported in said channel and responsive to separate opening and closing motions from said drive system, said closure nut configured to coact with said anvil such that upon receiving a closing motion from said drive system, said closure nut pulls said anvil to cause said anvil to close and axially move to an aligned position relative to said elongate channel and upon application of an opening motion to said closure nut, said closure nut causes said anvil to move to an open position relative to said elongate channel.

3 more elements

A surgical cutting and fastening instrument comprising:

a control handle;
an elongate channel coupled to said control handle and sized to support a cartridge therein;
an anvil pivotally coupled to said elongate channel such that said anvil is axially and laterally movable on said elongate channel and selectively pivotable between open and closed positions relative to said elongate channel;
and
a closure wedge supported on a drive member that operably extends into a portion of said elongate channel and being configured to coact with said anvil, said drive member controlled by a control system in said control handle and being axially movable relative to said elongate channel such that upon application of a closing motion to said drive member, said drive member causes said closure wedge to apply a pulling force to said anvil to cause said anvil to move to a closed position wherein said anvil is aligned relative to said elongate channel and upon application of an opening motion to said drive member said closure wedge causes said anvil to move to an open position relative to said elongate channel.

2 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Electro-mechanical surgical cutting and fastening instrument having a rotary firing and closure system with parallel closure and anvil alignment components

Life of this patent

Electro-mechanical surgical cutting and fastening instrument having a rotary firing and closure system with parallel closure and anvil alignment components

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims21