Surgical instruments comprising a shifting mechanism

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11026712-B2
Application number	US-201816112121-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 24, 2018
Priority date	Oct 30, 2017
Publication date	Jun 8, 2021
Grant date	Jun 8, 2021

Abstract

A surgical instrument system is disclosed comprising a plurality of outputs driven by an input. The input is selectively engaged with the outputs by a shifting system.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A surgical instrument, comprising:
a handle comprising a first electric motor and a second electric motor;
a shaft assembly attached to said handle, wherein said shaft assembly comprises:
a rotatable input shaft operably coupled to said first electric motor;
a rotatable shifting shaft operably coupled to said second electric motor;
a first rotatable drive shaft; and
a second rotatable drive shaft; and

an end effector extending from said shaft assembly, wherein said end effector is configured to perform a first end effector function in response to the rotation of said first rotatable drive shaft, wherein said end effector is configured to perform a second end effector function in response to the rotation of said second rotatable drive shaft, wherein said rotatable shifting shaft is rotatable between a first position and a second position, wherein said rotatable input shaft is operably coupled to said first rotatable drive shaft when said rotatable shifting shaft is in said first position, and wherein said rotatable input shaft is operably coupled to said second rotatable drive shaft when said rotatable shifting shaft is in said second position.

2. The surgical instrument of claim 1 , wherein said end effector comprises:
a longitudinal axis;
a jaw assembly movable between an open configuration and a closed configuration, wherein the rotation of said first rotatable drive shaft in a first direction moves said jaw assembly toward said closed configuration, and wherein the rotation of said first rotatable drive shaft in a second direction moves said jaw assembly toward said open configuration; and
a rotation joint, wherein said jaw assembly is rotatable about said longitudinal axis by the rotation of said second rotatable drive shaft.

3. The surgical instrument of claim 1 , wherein said rotatable input shaft is rotatably supported by said rotatable shifting shaft.

4. The surgical instrument of claim 3 , wherein said shaft assembly comprises a first stop configured to stop the rotation of said rotatable shifting shaft in said first position and a second stop configured to stop the rotation of said rotatable shifting shaft in said second position.

5. The surgical instrument of claim 1 , wherein said rotatable input shaft and said rotatable shifting shaft are rotatable about a common longitudinal shaft axis.

6. The surgical instrument of claim 1 , wherein said shaft assembly further comprises a third rotatable drive shaft, wherein said end effector is configured to perform a third end effector function in response to the rotation of said third rotatable drive shaft, and wherein said rotatable shifting shaft is rotatable into a third position to operably couple said rotatable input shaft with said third rotatable drive shaft.

7. The surgical instrument of claim 1 , further comprising a control system, wherein said first electric motor and said second electric motor are in communication with said control system, and wherein said control system is configured to control the operation of said first electric motor and said second electric motor.

8. The surgical instrument of claim 7 , wherein said control system comprises a first input control and a second input control, wherein said control system operates said second electric motor to rotate said rotatable shifting shaft into said first position when said first input control is actuated, and wherein said control system operates said second electric motor to rotate said rotatable shifting shaft into said second position when said second input control is actuated.

9. The surgical instrument of claim 8 , wherein said control system does not operate said first electric motor while operating said second electric motor.

10. The surgical instrument of claim 8 , wherein said control system is configured to operate said first electric motor before said rotatable shifting shaft is placed in said first position and said second position by said second electric motor.

11. A surgical assembly, comprising:
a housing comprising a first electric motor and a second electric motor;
a shaft assembly attached to said housing, wherein said shaft assembly comprises:
a rotatable input shaft operably coupled to said first electric motor;
a rotatable shifting shaft operably coupled to said second electric motor;
a first rotatable drive shaft; and
a second rotatable drive shaft; and

an end effector extending from said shaft assembly, wherein said end effector is configured to perform a first end effector function in response to the rotation of said first rotatable drive shaft, wherein said end effector is configured to perform a second end effector function in response to the rotation of said second rotatable drive shaft, wherein said rotatable shifting shaft is rotatable between a first position and a second position, wherein said rotatable input shaft is operably coupled to said first rotatable drive shaft when said rotatable shifting shaft is in said first position, and wherein said rotatable input shaft is operably coupled to said second rotatable drive shaft when said rotatable shifting shaft is in said second position.

12. The surgical assembly of claim 11 , wherein said end effector comprises:
a longitudinal axis;
a jaw assembly movable between an open configuration and a closed configuration, wherein the rotation of said first rotatable drive shaft in a first direction moves said jaw assembly toward said closed configuration, and wherein the rotation of said first rotatable drive shaft in a second direction moves said jaw assembly toward said open configuration; and
a rotation joint, wherein said jaw assembly is rotatable about said longitudinal axis by the rotation of said second rotatable drive shaft.

13. The surgical assembly of claim 11 , wherein said rotatable input shaft is rotatably supported by said rotatable shifting shaft.

14. The surgical assembly of claim 13 , wherein said shaft assembly comprises a first stop configured to stop the rotation of said rotatable shifting shaft in said first position and a second stop configured to stop the rotation of said rotatable shifting shaft in said second position.

15. The surgical assembly of claim 11 , wherein said rotatable input shaft and said rotatable shifting shaft are rotatable about a common longitudinal shaft axis.

16. The surgical assembly of claim 11 , wherein said shaft assembly further comprises a third rotatable drive shaft, wherein said end effector is configured to perform a third end effector function in response to the rotation of said third rotatable drive shaft, and wherein said rotatable shifting shaft is rotatable into a third position to operably couple said rotatable input shaft with said third rotatable drive shaft.

17. The surgical assembly of claim 11 , further comprising a control system, wherein said first electric motor and said second electric motor are in communication with said control system, and wherein said control system is configured to control the operation of said first electric motor and said second electric motor.

18. The surgical assembly of claim 17 , wherein said control system comprises a first input control and a second input control, wherein said control system operates said second electric motor to rotate said rotatable shifting shaft into said first position when first input control is actuated, and wherein said control system operates said second electric motor to rotate said rotatable shifting shaft into said second position when said second input control is actuated.

19. The s

Assignees

• Ethicon Llc
• Cilag Gmbh Int

Inventors

• Shelton Iv Frederick E
• Harris Jason L
• Baxter Iii Chester O

Classifications

• A61B2017/00407

  Ratchet means · CPC title

• A61B2017/00061

  spectrum · CPC title

• A61B2017/00026

  Conductivity or impedance, e.g. of tissue · CPC title

• A61B2018/1452

  including means for cutting (A61B2018/146 takes precedence) · CPC title

• G09G3/344

  based on particles moving in a fluid or in a gas, e.g. electrophoretic devices (electrophoretic devices per se G02F1/167) · CPC title