# US 2019/0167266 A1 · Surgical Instrument With Lockout Mechanism > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2019/0167266 A1 - Document ID: US20190167266A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 16/205,128 - Filed: 2018-11-29 - Published: 2019-06-06 - Earliest claimed: 2017-11-29 - Assignees: Intuitive Surgical Operations, Inc. - Applicants: Intuitive Surgical Operations, Inc. - Inventors: Atal C. Patel; Charles Godin; Matthew Aaron Wixey - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20190167266A1 ## CPC - A61B 17/07207: {the staples being applied sequentially} - A61B 17/295: combined with cutting implements - A61B 2017/07257: {characterised by its anvil} - A61B 2017/07271: {characterised by its cartridge} - A61B 2017/07285: {characterised by its cutter} - A61B 2017/2946: {Locking means} - A61B: DIAGNOSIS; SURGERY; IDENTIFICATION (usefulness limited to only animals A61D) ## Abstract Drive assemblies for surgical clamping and cutting instruments, as well as surgical clamping and cutting instruments using these drive assemblies, are disclosed. The drive assemblies may include a drive member, a locking member mounted to the drive member, and a spring. The drive member may be configured to releasably engage at least one of a knife or a shuttle of a surgical clamping and cutting instrument for translating the knife and/or shuttle in a distal direction through a firing stroke. The locking member may be movable from a first position permitting distal translation of the drive member through the firing stroke, and a second position inhibiting distal translation of the drive member through the firing stroke. The spring may be configured to bias the locking member toward the second position. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A drive assembly comprising: a drive member configured to releasably engage and translate at least one of a knife or a shuttle of a stapling instrument in a distal direction through a staple firing stroke; a locking member mounted to the drive member and movable from a first position permitting distal translation of the drive member through the staple firing stroke, to a second position inhibiting distal translation of the drive member through the staple firing stroke; and a spring configured to bias the locking member toward the second position. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) A drive assembly as in claim 1, wherein the locking member is generally L-shaped. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) A drive assembly as in claim 1, wherein the locking member is in alignment with a surface of the drive member in the first position, and extends beyond the surface of the drive member in the second position. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) A drive assembly as in claim 1, wherein the drive member is configured to releasably engage and translate the knife of the stapling instrument in a distal direction through the staple firing stroke. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) A drive assembly as in claim 1, wherein the drive member is configured to releasably engage and translate the shuttle of the stapling instrument in a distal direction through the staple firing stroke. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) A drive assembly as in claim 5, the drive member further comprising a knife fixedly secured thereto. ### Claim 7 (depends on 5) A drive assembly as in claim 5, the drive member further comprising a sharpened edge configured to cut tissue. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) A drive assembly as in claim 1, wherein the locking member is substantially linear. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) A drive assembly as in claim 8, wherein the locking member is in alignment with a surface of the drive member in the first position, and extends beyond the surface of the drive member in the second position. ### Claim 10 A surgical stapling instrument comprising: an anvil jaw assembly; a staple jaw assembly, the staple jaw assembly including a knife; a drive member configured to releasably engage the knife, the knife configured to disengage from the drive member upon subsequent distal movement of the drive member; a locking member supported by the drive member and pivotable from a first position permitting distal translation of the drive member, to a second position preventing distal translation of the drive member; and a slot configured to engage the locking member when the locking member is in the second position; wherein the knife, when proximally positioned, is configured to releasably engage the locking member to maintain the locking member in the first position, and configured to disengage from the locking member after the drive member has been driven distally. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) A surgical stapling instrument as in claim 10, wherein the staple jaw assembly includes a removable staple cartridge for housing the knife. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) A surgical stapling instrument as in claim 11, wherein the removable staple cartridge further includes a shuttle having a distal inclined portion. ### Claim 13 (depends on 10) A surgical stapling instrument as in claim 10, wherein the slot resides in the anvil jaw assembly. ### Claim 14 (depends on 10) A surgical stapling instrument as in claim 10, wherein the drive member further includes a first flange configured to translate through a channel in the anvil jaw assembly, and a second flange configured to translate through a channel in the staple jaw assembly. ### Claim 15 (depends on 10) A surgical stapling instrument as in claim 10, wherein the locking member is generally L-shaped. ### Claim 16 (depends on 10) A surgical stapling instrument as in claim 10, wherein the locking member is substantially linear. ### Claim 17 A surgical stapling instrument comprising: an anvil jaw assembly; a staple jaw assembly; a drive member configured to releasably engage a shuttle, the shuttle being configured to disengage from the drive member upon subsequent distal movement of the drive member; a locking member supported by the drive member and pivotable from a first position permitting distal translation of the drive member, to a second position preventing distal translation of the drive member; a shuttle including an inclined distal portion that, when proximally positioned, releasably engages the locking member to maintain the locking member in the first position, the shuttle being configured to disengage from the locking member after the drive member has been driven distally; a knife; and a slot configured to engage the locking member when the locking member is in the second position. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) A surgical stapling instrument as in claim 17, wherein the locking member is generally L-shaped. ### Claim 19 (depends on 17) A surgical stapling instrument as in claim 17, wherein the locking member is substantially linear. ### Claim 20 (depends on 17) A surgical stapling instrument as in claim 17, wherein the staple jaw assembly includes a removable staple cartridge. ### Claim 21 (depends on 17) A surgical stapling instrument as in claim 17, wherein the slot resides in the staple jaw assembly.