Endoscopic surgical instrument

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10154877-B2
Application number	US-201514932302-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 4, 2015
Priority date	Nov 4, 2015
Publication date	Dec 18, 2018
Grant date	Dec 18, 2018

Abstract

An endoscopic surgical instrument is provided. The instrument includes a housing, a handle, an elongated shaft extending distally from the housing and defining a longitudinal axis, an end effector assembly, a drive assembly, a clevis, a first link, and a second link. The end effector assembly is disposed adjacent a distal end of the elongated shaft and includes a first jaw member and a second jaw member. The first link is pivotably connected to the clevis about a first pivot axis, and is pivotably connected to the first jaw member about a first jaw member pivot. The second link is pivotably connected to the clevis about a second pivot axis, and is pivotably connected to the second jaw member about a second jaw member pivot. The first pivot axis and the second pivot axis are offset from the longitudinal axis.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An endoscopic surgical instrument, comprising:
a housing;
a handle movably connected to the housing;
an elongated shaft extending distally from the housing and defining a longitudinal axis;
an end effector assembly disposed adjacent a distal end of the elongated shaft, the end effector assembly including a first jaw member and a second jaw member, at least one of the jaw members movable with respect to the other jaw member from a spaced-apart position wherein the jaw members are spaced relative to one another to a grasping position wherein the jaw members are parallel to one another for grasping tissue;
a drive assembly disposed at least partially within the housing, the drive assembly including a drive bar extending at least partially through the elongated shaft such that longitudinal translation of the drive bar causes the jaw members to move between the spaced-apart position and the grasping position;
a clevis disposed adjacent a distal portion of the drive bar;
a first link pivotably connected to the clevis about a first pivot axis, and pivotably connected to the first jaw member about a first jaw member pivot, the first link disposed at a non-parallel angle relative to the longitudinal axis when the jaw members are in the grasping position; and
a second link pivotably connected to the clevis about a second pivot axis, and pivotably connected to the second jaw member about a second jaw member pivot, wherein the first pivot axis and the second pivot axis are offset from the longitudinal axis.

2. The endoscopic surgical instrument according to claim 1 , wherein the first pivot axis is offset from the longitudinal axis by a distance of about 0.005 inches.

3. The endoscopic surgical instrument according to claim 2 , wherein the second pivot axis is offset from the longitudinal axis by a distance of about 0.005 inches.

4. The endoscopic surgical instrument according to claim 1 , wherein the first pivot axis is on a first side of the longitudinal axis, and wherein the second pivot axis is on a second side of the longitudinal axis.

5. The endoscopic surgical instrument according to claim 1 , wherein a diameter of the elongated shaft is about 2.4 mm.

6. The endoscopic surgical instrument according to claim 1 , wherein a majority of the elongated shaft has a constant diameter of about 2.4 mm.

7. The endoscopic surgical instrument according to claim 1 , wherein the drive assembly is configured to apply pressure between the jaw members in the range of about 3 kg/cm 2 to about 16 kg/cm 2 .

8. The endoscopic surgical instrument according to claim 1 , wherein the first jaw member includes a support surface and an active electrode seal plate.

9. The endoscopic surgical instrument according to claim 8 , wherein the active electrode seal plate is bonded to the support surface with a high-temperature, dielectric epoxy.

10. The endoscopic surgical instrument according to claim 8 , wherein the support surface is coated with a high-temperature dielectric material.

11. The endoscopic surgical instrument according to claim 1 , wherein at least a portion of the first jaw member is coated with a high-temperature dielectric material.

12. The endoscopic surgical instrument according to claim 11 , wherein an entirety of the second jaw member lacks a high-temperature dielectric material.

13. The endoscopic surgical instrument according to claim 1 , wherein the first jaw member is connected to the second jaw member with a pivot pin.

14. The endoscopic surgical instrument according to claim 13 , wherein the pivot pin is disposed distally of the first jaw member pivot.

15. The endoscopic surgical instrument according to claim 13 , further comprising a knife configured to sever tissue, wherein the first jaw member includes a knife slot defined therein and configured to guide longitudinal translation of the knife, and wherein a proximal end of the knife slot is disposed proximally of the pivot pin.

16. The endoscopic surgical instrument according to claim 13 , wherein the first jaw member includes a tissue-contacting surface and a flange extending perpendicularly from the tissue-contacting surface, wherein the pivot pin extends through an opening in the flange.

17. The endoscopic surgical instrument according to claim 16 , wherein the flange includes a thickness of about 0.012 inches.

18. The endoscopic surgical instrument according to claim 1 , wherein the first jaw member pivot is movable toward and away from the longitudinal axis.

19. The endoscopic surgical instrument according to claim 1 , wherein the second link is disposed at a non-parallel angle relative to the longitudinal axis when the jaw members are in the grasping position.

20. The endoscopic surgical instrument according to claim 19 , wherein the first link is disposed at a non-parallel angle relative to the second link when the jaw members are in the grasping position.

21. An endoscopic surgical instrument, comprising:
a housing;
a handle movably connected to the housing;
an elongated shaft extending distally from the housing and defining a longitudinal axis, the elongated shaft including a diameter of about 2.4 mm along at least a majority of an entire length thereof;
an end effector assembly disposed adjacent a distal end of the elongated shaft, the end effector assembly including a first jaw member and a second jaw member, at least one of the jaw members movable with respect to the other jaw member from a spaced-apart position wherein the jaw members are spaced relative to one another to a grasping position wherein the jaw members are closer to one another for grasping tissue; and
a drive assembly disposed at least partially within the housing, the drive assembly including a drive bar extending at least partially through the elongated shaft such that longitudinal translation of the drive bar causes the jaw members to move between the spaced-apart position and the closer position for grasping tissue, wherein the drive assembly is configured to apply pressure between the jaw members in the range of about 3 kg/cm 2 to about 16 kg/cm 2 .

22. The endoscopic surgical instrument according to claim 21 , wherein at least a portion of the first jaw member is coated with a high-temperature dielectric material, and wherein an entirety of the second jaw member lacks a high-temperature dielectric material.

Assignees

• Covidien Lp

Inventors

• Schechter David A
• White Nathan
• Goetz Joshua K

Classifications

• A61B2017/2947

  Pivots · CPC title

• A61B2017/2936

  Pins in guiding slots · CPC title

• A61B34/37

  Leader-follower robots (A61B34/35 takes precedence) · CPC title

• A61B2018/00607

  Coagulation and cutting with the same instrument · CPC title

• A61B2018/00297

  Means for providing haptic feedback · CPC title