Surgical fastening apparatus with a rotary end effector drive shaft for selective engagement with a motorized drive system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10258333-B2
Application number	US-201514851751-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 11, 2015
Priority date	Jun 28, 2012
Publication date	Apr 16, 2019
Grant date	Apr 16, 2019

Abstract

In various embodiments, a surgical fastening apparatus comprising a motorized drive system and an end effector is disclosed. The end effector comprises a channel and a rotary drive shaft. The channel is configured to support a removable staple cartridge including staples that are ejected from the removable staple cartridge as an ejector therein is moved from a starting position to an ending position. The rotary drive shaft defines an axis and is supported by the channel for movement in directions transverse to the axis between an engaged position wherein the rotary drive shaft is rotatable by the motorized drive system and a disengaged position wherein said rotary drive shaft is not rotatable by the motorized drive system. The rotary end effector drive shaft is retained in the disengaged position unless the removable staple cartridge has been operably installed within the channel and the ejector is in the starting position.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A surgical fastening apparatus, comprising:
a motorized drive system; and
an end effector, comprising:
a channel configured to operably support a removable staple cartridge that includes surgical staples stored therein that are ejected from the removable staple cartridge as an ejector that is movably supported therein is moved from a starting position to an ending position in the removable staple cartridge; and
a rotary end effector drive shaft defining a shaft axis and being movably supported by said channel for movement in directions transverse to said shaft axis between an engaged position wherein said rotary end effector drive shaft is rotatable by said motorized drive system and a disengaged position wherein said rotary end effector drive shaft is not rotatable by said motorized drive system, said rotary end effector drive shaft being retained in said disengaged position unless the removable staple cartridge has been operably installed within said channel and the ejector thereof is in the starting position.

2. The surgical fastening apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising:
a retainer in said end effector for releasably retaining said rotary end effector drive shaft in said disengaged position; and
a biasing element movably supported in said end effector for operable engagement by the ejector of the staple cartridge when the removable staple cartridge has been operably installed in said channel so as to initially bias said rotary end effector drive shaft into said engaged position.

3. The surgical fastening apparatus of claim 2 , wherein said biasing element comprises a portion of the ejector within the removable staple cartridge.

4. The surgical fastening apparatus of claim 1 , wherein said end effector further comprises a firing member in operable engagement with said rotary end effector drive shaft and supported for movable travel between a first position and a second position within said channel.

5. The surgical fastening apparatus of claim 4 , wherein said firing member is configured to retain said rotary end effector drive shaft in said engaged position as said firing member is driven between said first and second positions.

6. The surgical fastening apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising:
a retainer in said end effector for releasably retaining said rotary end effector drive shaft in said disengaged position; and
a biasing element movably supported in said end effector for operable engagement by the ejector of the staple cartridge when the removable staple cartridge has been operably installed in said channel so as to initially bias said rotary end effector drive shaft into said engaged position and wherein said end effector further comprises a firing member in operable engagement with said rotary end effector drive shaft and supported for movable travel between a first position and a second position within said channel, said biasing element being configured to move between said first and second positions with said firing member.

7. The surgical fastening apparatus of claim 1 , wherein said end effector further comprises:
an anvil supported relative to said channel such that one of said anvil and said channel is movable between open and closed positions relative to the other of said anvil and channel; and
a firing member in operable engagement with said rotary end effector drive shaft and supported for movable travel between a first position and a second position within said channel.

8. The surgical fastening apparatus of claim 7 , wherein said firing member is configured to slidably engage said anvil and said channel as said firing member is moved between said first and second positions.

9. The surgical fastening apparatus of claim 1 , wherein said motorized drive system comprises:
at least one electric motor;
a proximal drive shaft in operable engagement with said at least one electric motor; and
a differential interlock assembly in selective operable engagement with said proximal drive shaft and said end effector such that said rotary end effector drive shaft is in operable engagement with said differential interlock assembly when said rotary end effector drive shaft is in said engaged position.

10. A surgical fastening apparatus, comprising:
a motorized drive system;
an end effector, comprising:
a channel configured to operably support a removable staple cartridge that includes surgical staples stored therein that are ejected from the removable staple cartridge as an ejector that is movably supported therein is moved from a starting position to an ending position in the removable staple cartridge; and
a rotary end effector drive shaft movably supported by said channel between an engaged position wherein said rotary end effector drive shaft is rotatable by said motorized drive system and a disengaged position wherein said rotary end effector drive shaft is not rotatable by said motorized drive system, said rotary end effector drive shaft being retained in said disengaged position unless the removable staple cartridge has been operably installed within said channel and the ejector thereof is in the starting position;

a retainer in said end effector for releasably retaining said rotary end effector drive shaft in said disengaged position; and
a biasing element movably supported in said end effector for operable engagement by the ejector of the removable staple cartridge when the removable staple cartridge has been operably installed in said channel so as to initially bias said rotary end effector drive shaft into said engaged position.

11. The surgical fastening apparatus of claim 10 , wherein said end effector further comprises a firing member in operable engagement with said rotary end effector drive shaft and supported for movable travel between a first position and a second position within said channel.

12. The surgical fastening apparatus of claim 11 , wherein said firing member is configured to retain said rotary end effector drive shaft in said engaged position as said firing member is driven between said first and second positions.

13. The surgical fastening apparatus of claim 12 , wherein said biasing element is movable between said first and second positions with said firing member.

14. The surgical fastening apparatus of claim 13 , wherein said biasing element comprises a portion of the ejector within the removable staple cartridge.

15. The surgical fastening apparatus of claim 14 , wherein said motorized drive system comprises:
at least one electric motor;
a proximal drive shaft in operable engagement with said at least one electric motor; and
a differential interlock assembly in selective operable engagement with said proximal drive shaft and said end effector such that said rotary end effector drive shaft is in operable engagement with said differential interlock assembly when said rotary end effector drive shaft is in said engaged position.

16. The surgical fastening apparatus of claim 12 , wherein said end effector comprises an anvil supported relative to said channel such that one of said anvil and said channel is movable between open and closed positions relative to the other of said anvil and channel.

17. The surgical fastening apparatus of claim 16 , wherein said firing member is configured to slidably engage said anvil and said channel as said firing member is moved between said first and second positions.

18. A surgical fastening apparatus, comprising:
a motorized drive system; and
an end effector, comprising:
a channel configured to operably support a removable staple

Assignees

• Ethicon Endo Surgery Inc
• Ethicon Llc

Inventors

• Shelton Iv Frederick E
• Swayze Jeffrey S
• Baxter Iii Chester O

Classifications

• A61B17/068 Primary

  Surgical staplers {, e.g. containing multiple staples or clamps}({staplers containing only one staple A61B17/10; magazines or containers for staples A61B17/105;} for performing anastomosis A61B17/115; {staplers in general B25C5/00}) · CPC title

• A61B2017/00327

  with actuating members moving in opposite directions · CPC title

• A61B2017/2931

  with releasable head · CPC title

• A61B2017/2923

  Toothed members, e.g. rack and pinion · CPC title

• A61B34/74

  Manipulators with manual electric input means · CPC title