Motor-driven surgical cutting and fastening instrument with articulatable end effector

A surgical cutting and fastening instrument comprising:

• an end effector comprising a moveable cutting instrument;
• a rotary main drive shaft assembly for actuating the cutting instrument in the end effector;
• a handle comprising:
• a gear drive train connected to the main drive shaft assembly for rotating the main drive shaft assembly;
• an electric motor for actuating the gear drive train;
• a battery connected to the motor for powering the motor;
• a closure trigger for causing the end effector to clamp an object positioned in the end effector when the closure trigger is retracted;
• and
• a firing trigger separate from the closure trigger for actuating the motor when the firing trigger is retracted, wherein a loading force on the firing trigger is related to a loading force experienced by the cutting instrument when the cutting instrument longitudinally traverses the end effector, wherein the firing trigger comprises an upper gear portion that meshes with a gear of the gear drive train;
• a sensor circuit comprising at least one sensor for (i) sensing retraction of the firing trigger, wherein, when retraction of the firing trigger is sensed, the motor is signaled to forward rotate to cause cutting of the object positioned in the end effector by the cutting instrument, (ii) detecting a condition indicative of an end of a cutting stroke by the cutting instrument in the end effector, wherein, when the condition indicative of the end of the cutting stroke is sensed, the motor is signaled to reverse rotate, and (iii) detecting a condition indicative of full retraction of the cutting instrument in the end effector, wherein, when the condition indicative of full retraction is sensed, the motor is signaled to stop rotating;
• and
• means for articulating the end effector.

A surgical cutting and fastening instrument comprising:

• an end effector comprising a moveable cutting instrument;
• a rotary main drive shaft assembly for actuating the cutting instrument in the end effector, wherein the main drive shaft assembly comprises means for articulating the end effector;
• a handle connecting to the main drive shaft comprising:
• a gear drive train connected to the main drive shaft assembly for rotating the main drive shaft assembly;
• an electric motor for actuating the gear drive train;
• a battery connected to the motor for powering the motor;
• a closure trigger, closeable by rotation toward a grip portion of the handle, for causing the end effector to clamp an object positioned in the end effector when the closure trigger is retracted;
• a firing trigger separate from the closure trigger and closeable by rotation toward the grip portion of the handle, wherein the firing trigger is for actuating the motor when the firing trigger is retracted, wherein a loading force on the firing trigger is related to a loading force experienced by the cutting instrument when the cutting instrument longitudinally traverses the end effector, and wherein the firing trigger comprises an upper gear portion that meshes with a gear of the gear drive train;
• and
• a sensor circuit comprising at least one sensor for (i) sensing retraction of the firing trigger, wherein, when retraction of the firing trigger is sensed, the motor is signaled to forward rotate to cause cutting of the object positioned in the end effector by the cutting instrument, (ii) detecting a condition indicative of an end of a cutting stroke by the cutting instrument in the end effector, wherein, when the condition indicative of the end of the cutting stroke is sensed, the motor is signaled to reverse rotate, and (iii) detecting a condition indicative of full retraction of the cutting instrument in the end effector, wherein, when the condition indicative of full retraction is sensed, the motor is signaled to stop rotating.

A surgical cutting and fastening instrument comprising:

• an end effector comprising:
• an elongate channel;
• a clamping member pivotably connected to the channel;
• and
• a moveable cutting instrument for traversing the channel to cut an object clamped in the end effector by the clamping member when the clamping member is in a clamped position;
• a rotary main drive shaft assembly for actuating the cutting instrument in the end effector;
• a handle comprising:
• a gear drive train connected to the main drive shaft assembly for rotating the main drive shaft assembly, wherein the gear drive train comprises a helical drum gear and a ring threaded on the helical gear drum;
• an electric motor for actuating the gear drive train;
• a battery connected to the motor for powering the motor;
• a closure trigger for causing the clamping member to pivot to the clamped position when retracted;
• a firing trigger separate from the closure trigger for actuating the motor when the firing trigger is retracted, wherein a loading force on the firing trigger is related to a loading force experienced by the cutting instrument when the cutting instrument traverses the channel;
• an arm connecting the firing trigger to the ring threaded on the helical gear drum;
• a sensor circuit comprising at least one sensor for (i) sensing retraction of the firing trigger, wherein, when retraction of the firing trigger is sensed, the motor is signaled to forward rotate to cause cutting of the object positioned in the end effector by the cutting instrument, (ii) detecting a condition indicative of an end of a cutting stroke by the cutting instrument in the end effector, wherein, when the condition indicative of the end of the cutting stroke is sensed, the motor is signaled to reverse rotate, and (iii) detecting a condition indicative of full retraction of the cutting instrument in the end effector, wherein, when the condition indicative of full retraction is sensed, the motor is signaled to stop rotating;
• and
• means for articulating the end effector.