Back to results
US 5,634,584 AGranted
Surgical instrument
AssigneeEthicon Endo-Surgery, Inc.
InventorsLivyn O. Okorocha, Sean P. Conlon
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Loading patent…
Loading patent…
AssigneeEthicon Endo-Surgery, Inc.
InventorsLivyn O. Okorocha, Sean P. Conlon
Estimating the term…
Various mechanisms are provided for use in a surgical instrument. A shaft and an engaged lost motion operating knob are provided for rotation relative to a handle portion. A latch system prevents rotation of the shaft unless the shaft is rotated by the knob. A cartridge is provided for rotation at the distal end of the shaft. Engaging structures are provided for preventing rotation of the cartridge relative to the shaft when axial forces are applied to the cartridge. A loading tool is provided for engaging the cartridge to install the cartridge on the instrument. The cartridge includes a washer for engaging a carrier on which the cartridge is mounted so as to prevent rotation of the washer. The washer is adapted to engage a fastener advancing member in a first angular orientation and is disengaged when the cartridge is rotated to establish a second relative angular orientation. In the first angular orientation, the fastener advancing member is restrained against longitudinal movement to assist in installation of the cartridge onto the instrument. The distal end of the instrument can be articulated, and a helical gear operator is provided for effecting the articulation.
In a surgical instrument for applying a surgical fastener from a cartridge that can be releasably attached to a mounting portion of said instrument and that contains a reciprocatable fastener advancing member adapted to be driven from an actuator on said instrument, a system for preventing longitudinal movement of said advancing member unless and until said cartridge is properly attached, said system comprising:
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.
Drawings are temporarily unavailable. Open the PDF at USPTO
From the US filing history. Foreign family members aren’t listed.
Surgical staplers , e.g. containing multiple staples or clamps: for applying U-shaped staples or clamps, e.g. without a forming anvil
For applying U-shaped staples or clamps, e.g. without a forming anvil: having a forming anvil staying above the tissue during stapling
Details of tips or shafts, e.g. grooves, expandable, bendable; Multiple coaxial sliding cannulas, e.g. for dilating: cannulas
Characterized by features of the actuating rod: transferring rotary motion
Term ended 9 Oct 2012 (estimated)
USPTO file history isn’t available for this patent, so only indexed dates are shown.
This invention relates generally to surgical instruments and is especially suitable for incorporation in various instruments, particularly staplers, used in endoscopic procedures as well as in open surgery procedures.
A variety of designs have been commercialized or proposed for instruments which have an end effector for engaging tissue or other material during surgery and/or applying a fastener or other element to or through the material. Such instruments are typically actuatable from a handle, and some portions of the instrument may pivot and rotate to facilitate use of the instrument in various orientations. Examples of such instruments include tissue graspers, tissue clamps, needle graspers, tissue cutters, staplers, ligating clip appliers, and the like.
In many surgical procedures, the working area is confined, and instruments with relatively small cross sections are necessary or preferred. Thus, it would be desirable to provide improved assemblies that can be incorporated in a surgical instrument and that have relatively small cross sections.
In the accompanying drawings that form part of the specification, and in which like numerals are employed to designate like parts throughout the same,
FIG. 1 is a simplified, perspective view of an instrument which includes the preferred combination of all of the features of the present invention;
FIG. 2 is a greatly enlarged, side elevational view of a staple that can be applied with the preferred embodiment of the instrument illustrated in FIG. 1, and the staple in FIG. 2 is shown in an open condition;
While this invention is susceptible of embodiment in many different forms, this specification and the accompanying drawings disclose only one specific form as an example of the invention. The invention is not intended to be limited to the embodiment so described, however. The scope of the invention is pointed out in the appended claims.
For ease of description, components of this invention are described in various operating positions, and terms such as upper, lower, horizontal, etc., are used with reference to these positions. It will be understood, however, that components and assemblies incorporating features of this invention may be manufactured, stored, transported, used, and sold in an orientation other than the position described.
Some of the figures illustrating aspects of the invention show some mechanical elements that are known and that will be recognized by one skilled in the art. The detailed descriptions of such elements are not necessary to an understanding of the invention, and accordingly, are herein presented only to the degree necessary to facilitate an understanding of the novel features of the present invention.