Surgical clip applier with parallel closure jaws

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10779839-B2
Application number	US-201815891594-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 8, 2018
Priority date	Feb 8, 2018
Publication date	Sep 22, 2020
Grant date	Sep 22, 2020

Abstract

An end effector for a surgical clip applier includes a housing, and jaws that extend past a distal end of the housing and include opposed first and second jaw members each comprising an independent structure movable relative to the other. The first jaw member defines a first inner surface and the second jaw member defines a second inner surface opposite the first inner surface. An actuation mechanism is operatively coupled to the jaw members and operable to move the jaws between an open position and a closed position. The first and second inner surfaces remain substantially parallel to each other as the jaws move between the open and closed positions.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An end effector for a surgical clip applier, comprising:
a housing;
jaws that extend past a distal end of the housing and include opposed first and second jaw members each comprising an independent structure movable relative to the other, the first jaw member defining a first inner surface and the second jaw member defining a second inner surface opposite the first inner surface; and
an actuation mechanism operatively coupled to the jaw members to move the jaws between an open position and a closed position, the actuation mechanism including:
a pulley rotatably mounted within the housing;
a first transition pin extending from the pulley and slidably engageable with the first jaw member at a slot defined in the first jaw member; and
a second transition pin extending from the pulley and slidably engageable with the second jaw member at a slot defined in the second jaw member,

wherein the first and second inner surfaces remain substantially parallel to each other as the jaws move between the open and closed positions.

2. The end effector of claim 1 , wherein the actuation mechanism further includes one or more drive cables operatively coupled to the pulley and longitudinally movable to rotate the pulley and thereby transition the jaws between the open and closed positions.

3. The end effector of claim 1 , wherein the pulley is a first pulley and the actuation mechanism further includes:
a second pulley rotatably mounted within the housing distal to the first pulley and providing a first transition pin slidably engageable with the first jaw member and a second transition pin slidably engageable with the second jaw member; and
a closed-loop actuation cable wrapped about the first and second pulleys, wherein rotation of the first pulley correspondingly rotates the second pulley to transition the jaws between the open and closed positions.

4. The end effector of claim 3 , wherein the first transition pin of the first pulley and the first transition pin of the second pulley are each received within the slot defined in the first jaw member, and wherein the second transition pin of the first pulley and the second transition pin of the second pulley are each received within the slot defined in the second jaw member.

5. The end effector of claim 3 , wherein the first transition pins of the first and second pulleys are each received within a separate slot defined in the first jaw member, and wherein the second transition pins of the first and second pulleys are each received within a separate slot defined in the second jaw member.

6. The end effector of claim 1 , wherein the jaws are made of metal, plastic, or metal overmolded with plastic, and wherein the jaws are manufactured by one of machining, stamping, molding and an additive manufacturing process.

7. The end effector of claim 1 , further comprising a groove defined in each of the first and second inner surfaces for receiving legs of a surgical clip.

8. A surgical clip applier, comprising:
a drive housing;
an elongate shaft that extends from the drive housing;
an end effector arranged at a distal end of the elongate shaft, the end effector including:
a housing; and
jaws that extend past a distal end of the housing and include opposed first and second jaw members each comprising an independent structure movable relative to the other, the first jaw member defining a first inner surface and the second jaw member defining a second inner surface opposite the first inner surface; and

an actuation mechanism operatively coupled to the jaw members to move the jaws between an open position and a closed position, the actuation mechanism including:
a pulley rotatably mounted within the housing;
a first transition pin extending from the pulley and slidably engageable with the first jaw member at a slot defined in the first jaw member; and
a second transition pin extending from the pulley and slidably engageable with the second jaw member at a slot defined in the second jaw member,

wherein the first and second inner surfaces remain substantially parallel to each other as the jaws move between the open and closed positions.

9. The surgical clip applier of claim 8 , further comprising an articulable wrist joint interposing the end effector and the elongate shaft.

10. The surgical clip applier of claim 8 , wherein the actuation mechanism further includes one or more drive cables operatively coupled to the pulley and extending to the drive housing, wherein the one or more drive cables are longitudinally movable from the drive housing to rotate the pulley and thereby transition the jaws between the open and closed positions.

11. The surgical clip applier of claim 8 , wherein the pulley is a first pulley and the actuation mechanism further includes a second pulley rotatably mounted within the housing distal to the first pulley and providing a first transition pin slidably engageable with the first jaw member and a second transition pin slidably engageable with the second jaw member; and
a closed-loop actuation cable wrapped about the first and second pulleys,
wherein rotation of one of the first pulley correspondingly rotates the second pulley to transition the jaws between the open and closed positions.

12. The surgical clip applier of claim 11 , wherein the first transition pins of the first and second pulleys are each received within the slot defined in the first jaw member, and wherein the second transition pins of the first and second pulleys are each received within the slot defined in the second jaw member.

13. The surgical clip applier of claim 11 , wherein the first transition pins of the first and second pulleys are each received within a separate slot defined in the first jaw member, and wherein the second transition pins of the first and second pulleys are each received within a separate slot defined in the second jaw member.

14. A method of operating a surgical clip applier, comprising:
positioning the surgical clip applier adjacent a patient for operation, the surgical clip applier including a drive housing, an elongate shaft that extends from the drive housing, and an end effector arranged at a distal end of the elongate shaft, the end effector including:
a housing; and
jaws that extend past a distal end of the housing and include opposed first and second jaw members each comprising an independent structure movable relative to the other, wherein the first jaw member provides a first inner surface and the second jaw member provides a second inner surface opposite the first inner surface;

actuating an actuation mechanism operatively coupled to the first and second jaw members to move the first and second jaw members from an open position to a closed position, the actuation mechanism including:
a pulley rotatably mounted within the housing;
a first transition pin extending from the pulley and slidably engageable with the first jaw member at a slot defined in the first jaw member; and
a second transition pin extending from the pulley and slidably engageable with the second jaw member at a slot defined in the second jaw member;

maintaining the first and second inner surfaces substantially parallel to each other as the first and second jaw members move to the closed position; and
crimping a surgical clip disposed between the first and second jaw members.

15. The method of claim 14 , wherein actuating the actuation mechanism is preceded by:
distally advancing the surgical clip in a same plane as the jaw members and thereby traversing a space that separates the first and second jaw members; and
positioning the surgical clip

Assignees

• Ethicon Llc

Inventors

• Stokes Michael J
• Scott Gregory
• Labhasetwar Disha
• Brady John

Classifications

• A61B2017/2944

  Translation of jaw members · CPC title

• A61B2017/2937

  with flexible part · CPC title

• A61B2017/2936

  Pins in guiding slots · CPC title

• A61B2017/00473

  Distal part, e.g. tip or head (A61B2017/00464 takes precedence) · CPC title

• A61B34/71

  Manipulators operated by drive cable mechanisms · CPC title