Ultrasonic surgical instrument with movable rigidizing member

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12433631-B2
Application number	US-202318171043-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 17, 2023
Priority date	Apr 16, 2015
Publication date	Oct 7, 2025
Grant date	Oct 7, 2025

Abstract

A surgical apparatus includes a body assembly, a shaft, an acoustic waveguide, an articulation section, an end effector, and a rigidizing member. The shaft extends distally from the body assembly and defines a longitudinal axis. The acoustic waveguide includes a flexible portion. The articulation section is coupled with the shaft. A portion of the articulation section encompasses the flexible portion of the waveguide. The articulation section includes a first member and a second member. The second member is longitudinally translatable relative to the first member. The end effector includes an ultrasonic blade in acoustic communication with the waveguide. The rigidizing member is configured to selectively engage at least a portion of the articulation section to thereby selectively provide rigidity to the articulation section.

First claim

We claim:

1. An ultrasonic surgical instrument, comprising:
(a) an end effector including an ultrasonic blade;
(b) a shaft proximally extending from the end effector and having a distal shaft portion and a proximal shaft portion, wherein the proximal shaft portion defines a longitudinal axis;
(c) an acoustic waveguide having a flexible portion;
(d) an articulation section coupled with the shaft between the distal and proximal shaft portions, wherein at least a portion of the articulation section encompasses the flexible portion of the acoustic waveguide; and
(e) a rigidizing member configured to selectively move from a first position toward a second position, wherein the rigidizing member in the first position extends from the proximal shaft portion to the distal shaft portion in a rigid state to selectively lock rigidity to the articulation section, wherein the rigidizing member in the second position extends from the proximal shaft portion to the distal shaft portion in an articulatable state to selectively unlock rigidity of the articulation section such that the end effector is configured to deflect relative to the longitudinal axis,
wherein the rigidizing member includes a plurality of bars wherein the plurality of bars are pivotally connected.

2. The ultrasonic surgical instrument of claim 1 , further comprising a first fixed portion fixed to the articulation section, wherein the rigidizing member in the first position is selectively engaged with the first fixed portion to thereby selectively lock rigidity of the articulation section.

3. The ultrasonic surgical instrument of claim 2 , wherein the rigidizing member in the second position is selectively disengaged with the first fixed portion to thereby selectively unlock rigidity of the articulation section.

4. The ultrasonic surgical instrument of claim 3 , wherein the first fixed portion includes a first ridge extending from the articulation section.

5. The ultrasonic surgical instrument of claim 3 , further comprising a second fixed portion fixed to the proximal shaft portion, wherein the rigidizing member in the first position is selectively engaged with the second fixed portion to thereby further selectively lock rigidity of the articulation section.

6. The ultrasonic surgical instrument of claim 3 , wherein the rigidizing member is configured to proximally translate to thereby deflect the rigidizing member toward the second position for selective disengagement from the first fixed portion.

7. The ultrasonic surgical instrument of claim 6 , wherein the rigidizing member is configured to proximally translate to thereby transversely deflect the rigidizing member toward the second position for selective disengagement from the first fixed portion.

8. The ultrasonic surgical instrument of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of bars includes a first bar and a second bar, wherein the first and second bars are pivotally connected at a connector.

9. The ultrasonic surgical instrument of claim 8 , wherein the first bar is pivotally connected to the distal shaft portion, and wherein the first bar is translatably connected to the distal shaft portion.

10. The ultrasonic surgical instrument of claim 8 , further comprising a first fixed portion fixed to the articulation section, wherein the connector in the first position is selectively engaged with the first fixed portion to thereby selectively lock rigidity of the articulation section.

11. The ultrasonic surgical instrument of claim 10 , wherein the first fixed portion includes a first ridge extending from the articulation section.

12. The ultrasonic surgical instrument of claim 11 , wherein the first fixed portion includes a second ridge extending from the articulation section, wherein the first and second ridges define a gap therebetween, and wherein the connector is received within the gap in the first position.

13. The ultrasonic surgical instrument of claim 8 , wherein the plurality of bars includes a third bar, wherein the third bar is pivotally connected to the second bar.

14. An ultrasonic surgical instrument, comprising:
(a) an end effector including an ultrasonic blade;
(b) a shaft proximally extending from the end effector and having a distal shaft portion and a proximal shaft portion, wherein the proximal shaft portion defines a longitudinal axis;
(c) an acoustic waveguide having a flexible portion;
(d) an articulation section coupled with the shaft between the distal and proximal shaft portions and configured to articulate from a straight configuration to an articulated configuration, wherein at least a portion of the articulation section encompasses the flexible portion of the acoustic waveguide; and
(e) a plurality of bars configured to selectively move from a first position toward a second position, wherein the plurality of bars in the first position extends from the proximal shaft portion to the distal shaft portion in a rigid state to selectively lock rigidity to the articulation section, wherein the plurality of bars in the second position extends from the proximal shaft portion to the distal shaft portion in an articulatable state to selectively unlock rigidity of the articulation section such that the end effector is configured to deflect relative to the longitudinal axis along an articulation plane,
wherein the plurality of bars in the rigid state extends in a rigid plane, wherein the rigid plane is perpendicular to the articulation plane, and
wherein at least one of the plurality of bars is configured to move perpendicular to the rigid plane upon articulation of the articulation section from the straight configuration toward the articulated configuration.

15. The ultrasonic surgical instrument of claim 14 , further comprising a first fixed portion fixed to the articulation section, wherein the plurality of bars includes a first bar and a second bar, wherein the first and second bars are pivotally connected, and wherein at least a portion of the first bar is selectively engaged with the first fixed portion to thereby selectively lock rigidity of the articulation section.

16. An ultrasonic surgical instrument, comprising:
(a) an end effector including an ultrasonic blade;
(b) a shaft proximally extending from the end effector and having a distal shaft portion and a proximal shaft portion, wherein the proximal shaft portion defines a longitudinal axis;
(c) an acoustic waveguide having a flexible portion;
(d) an articulation section coupled with the shaft between the distal and proximal shaft portions, wherein at least a portion of the articulation section encompasses the flexible portion of the acoustic waveguide;
(e) a first fixed portion operatively connected to the articulation section; and
(f) a rigidizing member configured to selectively move from a first position toward a second position, wherein the rigidizing member in the first position extends from the proximal shaft portion to the distal shaft portion in a rigid state to selectively lock rigidity to the articulation section, wherein the rigidizing member in the second position extends from the proximal shaft portion to the distal shaft portion in an articulatable state to selectively unlock rigidity of the articulation section such that the end effector is configured to deflect relative to the longitudinal axis, wherein the rigidizing member is configured to proximally translate to thereby deflect the rigidizing member toward the second position for selective disengagement from the first fixed portion.

17. The ultrasonic surgical instrument of claim 16 , wherein the first fixed portion is fix

Assignees

• Cilag Gmbh Int

Inventors

• Weisenburgh Ii William B
• Worrell Barry C
• Messerly Jeffrey D
• D'Uva Kristen L
• Faller Craig N
• Schulte John B
• Denzinger Kristen G
• Hollo Joseph E
• Sullivan Jason R
• Black Brian D
• Estera Frederick L
• Leuck Stephen M
• Muhlenkamp Tylor C
• Trees Gregory A
• Johnson Gregory W

Classifications

• A61B2017/0046

  with a releasable handle; with handle and operating part separable · CPC title

• A61B2017/00424

  ergonomic, e.g. fitting in fist · CPC title

• A61B2017/00305

  Constructional details of the flexible means · CPC title

• A61B2017/2946

  Locking means · CPC title

• A61B2017/00336

  with a protective sleeve, e.g. retractable or slidable · CPC title