Full stroke compelling mechanism for surgical instrument with drum drive
AssigneeEthicon, Inc.
InventorsJohn DiGiovanni, Szabolcs M. Vigh, William P. McVay, Anthony S. Miksza, Jr.
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An actuating mechanism is provided for a hand-operated surgical instrument having at least one operating member. The operating member is engaged by or extends from a flexible pusher member wound at least partially around the circumference of a drum and secured thereto. A pinion is connected to the drum for rotation therewith and is driven by a gear segment on a handle that is pivotally monted to the instrument. A full stroke compelling mechanism is associated with the drum for preventing return of the handle to the unactuated position unless and until the operating member has been moved through the full design range of movement.
Claims7
An actuating mechanism for a hand-operated surgical instrument for applying a plurality of fasteners to tissue, said instrument having at least one moveable operating member, said actuating mechanism placing said fasteners in the tissue, said mechanism comprising:
- a drum mounted for rotation relative to said instrument;
- said drum including an arm biased to a neutral position and including a laterally projecting pin extending from said arm;
- said arm adapted to be moved radially inwardly and radially outwardly relative to the axis of rotation of said drum;
- a flexibe pusher member engaging, extending from, or functioning as said operating member;
- said flexible pusher member being secured to said drum for being wound at least partially around the circumference of said drum;
- means for guiding said flexible pusher member for reciprocating movement adjacent said drum;
- means for rotating said drum in a first direction for unwinding said flexible pusher member from said drum to move said flexible pusher member relative to said instrument from a retracted position to an extended position for effecting movement of said operating member;
- means for rotating said drum in a second direction to return said flexible pusher member to said retracted position;
- and
- an array of fixed teeth adjacent said drum and extending generally in a circular arc about an axis coincident with the axis of rotation of said drum;
- said teeth having an exterior tooth surface for engaging said laterally projecting pin and deflecting said pin and arm radially outwardly when said drum is rotated in said first direction;
- said teeth defining an inner camming surface for deflecting said pin and arm radially inwardly and permitting rotation of said drum in said second direction only after said pin has been rotated in said first direction past the end of said circular arc array of ratchet teeth.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.