US 9,320,521 B2Granted

Surgical instrument

AssigneeEthicon Endo-Surgery, Inc.

InventorsFrederick E. Shelton, IV, Jeffrey S. Swayze, Eugene L. Timperman

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Abstract

A surgical instrument is disclosed. The instrument comprises a rotary motion generator, a trigger configured to actuate the rotary motion generator, and a shifting assembly. The shifting assembly comprises a first gear selectively drivable by the rotary motion generator, a second gear selectively drivable by the rotary motion generator, and a toggle configured to switch between the selective drivability of the first gear and the selective drivability of the second gear. The shifting assembly further comprises a biasing mechanism engaged with the toggle, wherein the biasing mechanism is configured to motivate and maintain an operative meshment between the rotary motion generator and one of the first gear and the second gear. The surgical instrument further comprises a rotatable shaft, an end effector comprising a first iaw and a second iaw, and a firing member moveable relative to the end effector during a firing motion.

Claims26

Dependent claims

A surgical instrument, comprising:

a rotary motion generator;
a trigger configured to actuate said rotary motion generator;
a shifting assembly, comprising:
a first gear selectively drivable by said rotary motion generator, wherein said first gear is configured to transmit a first rotary motion;
a second gear selectively drivable by said rotary motion generator, wherein said second gear is configured to transmit a second rotary motion;
a toggle configured to switch between the selective drivability of said first gear and the selective drivability of said second gear, wherein said second gear is operably demeshed with said rotary motion generator when said first gear is driven by said rotary motion generator, and wherein said first gear is operably demeshed with said rotary motion generator when said second gear is driven by said rotary motion generator;
and
a biasing mechanism engaged with said toggle, wherein said biasing mechanism is configured to motivate and maintain an operative meshment between said rotary motion generator and one of said first gear and said second gear;
a rotatable shaft, wherein said first gear is configured to transmit the first rotary motion to said rotatable shaft;
an end effector comprising a first jaw and a second jaw, wherein said first jaw is moveable relative to said second jaw during a closing motion;
and
a firing member moveable relative to said end effector during a firing motion, wherein the closing motion is separate and distinct from the firing motion.

9 more elements

A surgical stapling instrument, comprising:

a rotary motion generator;
a trigger configured to actuate said rotary motion generator;
a shifting assembly, comprising:
a first gear interface selectively drivable by said rotary motion generator, wherein said first gear interface is configured to transmit a first rotary motion;
a second gear interface selectively drivable by said rotary motion generator, wherein said second gear interface is configured to transmit a second rotary motion;
a shifter configured to shift between the selective drivability of said first gear interface and the selective drivability of said second gear interface, wherein said second gear interface is operably disengaged with said rotary motion generator when said first gear interface is driven by said rotary motion generator, and wherein said first gear interface is operably disengaged with said rotary motion generator when said second gear interface is driven by said rotary motion generator;
and
a biasing mechanism engaged with said shifter, wherein said biasing mechanism is configured to motivate said shifting assembly to maintain an operative engagement between said rotary motion generator and one of said first gear interface and said second gear interface;
a rotatable shaft, wherein said first gear interface is configured to transmit the first rotary motion to said rotatable shaft;
an end effector comprising a first jaw and a second jaw, wherein said first jaw is moveable relative to said second jaw during a closing motion;
and
a firing member moveable relative to said end effector during a firing motion.

9 more elements

A surgical stapling instrument, comprising:

a rotary motion generator;
a trigger configured to actuate said rotary motion generator;
a shifting assembly, comprising:
a first gear interface selectively drivable by said rotary motion generator, wherein said first gear interface is configured to transmit a first rotary motion;
a second gear interface selectively drivable by said rotary motion generator, wherein said second gear interface is configured to transmit a second rotary motion;
a shifter configured to shift between the selective drivability of said first gear interface and the selective drivability of said second gear interface, wherein said second gear interface is operably deinterfaced with said rotary motion generator when said first gear interface is driven by said rotary motion generator, and wherein said first gear interface is operably deinterfaced with said rotary motion generator when said second gear interface is driven by said rotary motion generator;
and
a biasing system engaged with said shifter, wherein said biasing system is configured to motivate said shifting assembly to maintain an operative interfacement between said rotary motion generator and one of said first gear interface and said second gear interface;
a rotatable shaft, wherein said first gear interface is configured to transmit the first rotary motion to said rotatable shaft;
an end effector comprising a first jaw and a second jaw, wherein said first jaw is moveable relative to said second jaw during a closing motion;
and
a firing member moveable relative to said end effector during a firing motion.

9 more elements

A surgical stapling instrument, comprising:

a rotary motion generator;
a trigger configured to actuate said rotary motion generator;
a shifting assembly, comprising:
a first gear drive portion selectively drivable by said rotary motion generator, wherein said first gear drive portion is configured to transmit a first rotary motion;
a second gear drive portion selectively drivable by said rotary motion generator, wherein said second gear drive portion is configured to transmit a second rotary motion;
a shifter shiftable between a first position to selectively drive said first gear drive portion and a second position to selectively drive said second gear drive portion, wherein said second gear drive portion is operably disengaged with said rotary motion generator when said first gear drive portion is driven by said rotary motion generator, and wherein said first gear drive portion is operably disengaged with said rotary motion generator when said second gear drive portion is driven by said rotary motion generator;
and
a dynamic system engaged with said shifter, wherein said dynamic system is configured to motivate said shifting assembly to maintain an operative engagement between said rotary motion generator and one of said first gear drive portion and said second gear drive portion;
an end effector comprising a first jaw and a second jaw, wherein said first jaw is moveable relative to said second jaw during a closing motion;
and
a firing member moveable relative to said end effector during a firing motion.

8 more elements

A surgical stapling instrument, comprising:

a rotary motion generator;
a trigger configured to actuate said rotary motion generator;
a shifting assembly, comprising:
a first gear drive portion selectively drivable by said rotary motion generator, wherein said first gear drive portion is configured to transmit a first rotary motion;
a second gear drive portion selectively drivable by said rotary motion generator, wherein said second gear drive portion is configured to transmit a second rotary motion;
a shifter shiftable between a first position to selectively drive said first gear drive portion and a second position to selectively drive said second gear drive portion, wherein said second gear drive portion is operably disinterfaced with said rotary motion generator when said first gear drive portion is driven by said rotary motion generator, and wherein said first gear drive portion is operably disinterfaced with said rotary motion generator when said second gear drive portion is driven by said rotary motion generator;
and
a biasing mechanism engaged with said shifter, wherein said biasing mechanism is configured to motivate said shifting assembly to maintain an operative interfacement between said rotary motion generator and one of said first gear drive portion and said second gear drive portion;
a rotatable shaft, wherein said first gear drive portion is configured to transmit the first rotary motion to said rotatable shaft;
an end effector comprising a first jaw and a second jaw, wherein said first jaw is moveable relative to said second jaw during a closing motion;
and
a firing member moveable relative to said end effector during a firing motion.

9 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 13/662,950Filed 29 Oct 2012 · continuation
Priority: 27 Jun 2006
Published: US 2013/0048697 A128 Feb 2013
Granted: 26 Apr 2016
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification14 codes

A61B 17/105
For applying or removing wound clamps , e.g. containing only one clamp or staple ; Wound clamp magazines: wound clamp magazines
A61B 17/068
Surgical instruments, devices or methods: surgical staplers , e.g. containing multiple staples or clamps
A61B 17/0682
Surgical staplers , e.g. containing multiple staples or clamps: for applying U-shaped staples or clamps, e.g. without a forming anvil
A61B 17/07207
For applying a row of staples in a single action, e.g. the staples being applied simultaneously: the staples being applied sequentially

Family

Application11/475,412Parent of this continuation · filed 27 Jun 2006
US 2013/0048697 A1Pre-grant publication · published 28 Feb 2013
US 8,322,455 B2Parent of this continuation
US 2007/0295780 A1Published application
US 9,320,521 B2This patent

From the US filing history. Foreign family members aren’t listed.