Surgical instrument with improvement safety lockout mechanisms

A surgical instrument including an operating mechanism for performing a surgical procedure, said instrument comprising:

• a handle;
• an actuator mounted on said handle for reciprocating movement between a first position and second position, wherein said actuator is operatively connected to the operating mechanism such that movement of said actuator from its first position actuates the operating mechanism and causes it to perform the surgical procedure;
• a latch mounted in said handle for reciprocating movement between a first position and a second position, wherein said latch is biased toward its first position;
• a plunger mounted in said handle for reciprocating translational movement between a first position, in which said first position said plunger engages said actuator in its first position, thereby preventing said actuator from actuating the operating mechanism;
• and engages said latch, thereby holding said latch in a position intermediate to its first and second positions, and a second position in which said plunger disengages said actuator, said plunger being biased toward its first position;
• a manually operated switch operably connected to said plunger such that operation of said switch moves said plunger from its first to its second position;
• wherein movement of said plunger from its first position to its second position allows said latch to move from its intermediate position to its first position, in which said first position said latch engages said plunger, said latch thereby holding said plunger in its second position and said plunger thereby allowing movement of said actuator from its first position to actuate the operating mechanism;
• wherein subsequent movement of said actuator from its first position towards its second position moves said latch from its first position towards its second position in which said second position said latch is clear of the plunger path, said latch thereby allowing said plunger to move from its second position to an intermediate position in which it is clear of the path of said actuator and interposed in the return path of said latch;
• and
• wherein subsequent movement of said actuator back towards its first position allows said plunger to move from its intermediate position back to its first position thereby again preventing said actuator from actuating the operating mechanism;
• whereby said switch must be manually operated each time said actuator is returned to its first position.

A surgical instrument including an operating mechanism for performing a surgical procedure, said instrument comprising:

• a handle;
• a trigger mounted on said handle for reciprocating pivoting movement between a first position and a second position, wherein the trigger has a contact surface, a cam surface, and a bearing surface and is operatively connected to the operating mechanism such that pivoting of said trigger actuates the operating mechanism causing it to perform the surgical procedure;
• an active lockout assembly having an activated and a deactivated state and including
• a plunger mounted in said handle for reciprocating translational movement between a first position and a second position and having first and second bearing surfaces and a contact surface;
• a manually operable switch operatively connected to said plunger;
• a resilient member biasing said plunger toward its first position;
• a resilient latch mounted in said handle for reciprocating pivoting movement between a first position and a second position, being biased toward its first position, and having a contact surface and a bearing surface;
• wherein, when said active lockout mechanism is in its activated state, said trigger is in its first position, said plunger is in its first position, and said latch is in a position intermediate its first and second positions such that said trigger contact surface abuts said first plunger bearing surface and said latch contact surface bears on said second plunger bearing surface, said plunger thereby preventing said trigger from actuating the operating mechanism;
• wherein said active lockout mechanism is deactivated by operating said switch, thereby moving said plunger from its first position to its second position and allowing said latch to move to its first position;
• wherein, when said active lockout mechanism is in its deactivated state, said trigger is in its first position, said plunger is in its second position, and said latch is in its first position such that said first plunger bearing surface is clear of the path of said trigger contact surface, said latch contact surface bears on said trigger cam surface, and said plunger contact surface bears on said latch bearing surface, said latch thereby holding said plunger in its second position and said plunger thereby allowing said trigger to actuate the operating mechanism;
• wherein said active lockout mechanism is reactivated by movement of said trigger, movement of said trigger towards its second position thereby moving said latch from its first position towards its second position and allowing said plunger to move to a position intermediate its first and second positions in which said plunger contact surface bears on said trigger bearing surface, said first plunger bearing surface is clear of said trigger contact surface paths, and said second plunger bearing surface is interposed in the return path of said latch;
• and
• wherein subsequent movement of said trigger back to its first position allows said plunger to return to its first position thereby again preventing said trigger from actuating the operating mechanism.

In a surgical instrument including an operating mechanism for repeatedly performing a surgical procedure, a control mechanism for manipulating the instrument between a neutral position and a ready position for performing the surgical procedure, a passive safety mechanism preventing the instrument from performing the surgical procedure unless the instrument is in its ready position, and an active safety mechanism preventing the instrument from performing the surgical procedure unless the active safety mechanism is deactivated, the improvement comprising:

• a passive lockout assembly including a key operatively connected to the control mechanism for reciprocating movement between a first position corresponding to the neutral position of the instrument in which said key immobilizes the operating mechanism, thereby preventing the instrument from performing the surgical procedure, and a second position corresponding to the ready position of the instrument in which said key releases the operating mechanism;
• and
• an active lockout assembly including a plunger operatively connected to a manually operable switch for reciprocating movement between a first position in which said plunger immobilizes the operating mechanism, thereby preventing the instrument from performing the surgical procedure, and a second position in which said plunger releases the operating mechanism, said plunger being movable to its second position by manual operation of said switch and being biased toward its first position such that said plunger returns to its first position after actuation of the operating mechanism;
• whereby each time the instrument is used to perform the surgical operation the instrument must be in the ready position and said active lockout switch must be operated, the operating mechanism of the instrument otherwise being immobilized by one or both of said passive and active lockout assemblies.

In a surgical instrument including an operating mechanism for performing a surgical procedure;

• a handle;
• an actuator mounted on the handle for reciprocating movement between a first position and a second position, wherein the actuator is operatively connected to the operating mechanism such that movement of the actuator from its first position actuates the operating mechanism and causes it to perform the surgical procedure, and an active safety mechanism preventing the instrument from performing the surgical procedure unless the active safety mechanism is deactivated;
• the improvement comprising:
• a latch mounted in the handle for reciprocating movement between a first position and a second position, wherein said latch is biased toward its first position;
• a plunger mounted in the handle for reciprocating translational movement between a first position, in which said first position said plunger engages the actuator in its first position, thereby preventing the actuator from actuating the operating mechanism, and engages said latch, thereby holding said latch in a position intermediate to its first and second positions, and a second position in which said plunger disengages the actuator, said plunger being biased toward its first position;
• a manually operated switch operably connected to said plunger such that operation of said switch moves said plunger from its first to its second position;
• wherein movement of said plunger from its first position to its second position allows said latch to move from its intermediate position to its first position, in which said first position said latch engages said plunger, said latch thereby holding said plunger in its second position and said plunger thereby allowing movement of the actuator from its first position to actuate the operating mechanism;
• wherein subsequent movement of the actuator from its first position towards its second position moves said latch from its first position towards its second position, in which said second position said latch is clear of the plunger path, said latch thereby allowing said plunger to move from its second position to an intermediate position in which it is clear of the path of the actuator and interposed in the return path of said latch;
• and
• wherein subsequent movement of the actuator back towards its first position allows said plunger to move from its intermediate position back to its first position thereby again preventing the actuator from actuating the operating mechanism;
• whereby said switch must be manually operated each time the actuator is returned to its first position.