Clamping lockout for linear surgical stapler

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12588920-B2
Application number	US-202318504247-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 8, 2023
Priority date	Nov 8, 2023
Publication date	Mar 31, 2026
Grant date	Mar 31, 2026

Abstract

An apparatus includes a housing, a lockout arm, and a spring, and is configured for use with a linear surgical stapler having a first stapler half with a frame and a clamp lever, and a second stapler half with a latch projection. The lockout arm is rotatable between a lockout position and a bypass position and is biased toward the lockout position by the spring. In the lockout position the lockout arm inhibits a proximal end of the clamp lever in a closed state from coupling with a proximal end of the frame. In the bypass position the lockout arm permits the proximal end of the clamp lever in the closed state to couple with the proximal end of the frame. The lockout arm transitions from the lockout position to the bypass position only when the latch projection is properly captured by the clamp lever in the closed state.

First claim

We claim:

1 . An apparatus comprising:
(a) a housing configured to be fixedly coupled to a frame of a linear surgical stapler, wherein the linear surgical stapler includes a first stapler half having the frame and a clamp lever pivotably coupled with the frame, and a second stapler half having a latch projection configured to be captured by the clamp lever when the clamp lever is actuated to a closed state to approximate the first and second stapler halves to clamp tissue therebetween; (b) a lockout arm rotatably coupled to the housing, wherein the lockout arm is rotatable relative to the housing between a lockout position and a bypass position, wherein the lockout arm in the lockout position is configured to inhibit a proximal end of the clamp lever in the closed state from coupling with a proximal end of the frame, wherein the lockout arm in the bypass position is configured to permit the proximal end of the clamp lever in the closed state to couple with the proximal end of the frame; and (c) a spring configured to resiliently bias the lockout arm toward the lockout position, wherein the lockout arm is configured to transition from the lockout position to the bypass position only when the latch projection is properly captured by the clamp lever in the closed state.

2 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the first stapler half has a distal end configured to receive a staple cartridge.

3 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the housing is configured to be secured to a frame sidewall of the frame.

4 . The apparatus of claim 3 , wherein the housing includes one or more engagement bodies configured to engage the frame sidewall to retain the housing in a fixed position relative to the frame.

5 . The apparatus of claim 4 , wherein each engagement body includes an angled portion and a recessed portion, wherein the angled portion is configured to resiliently deflect and pass through an aperture of the frame sidewall so that the recessed portion resides within the aperture, wherein the angled portion is configured to inhibit removal of the housing from the frame.

6 . The apparatus of claim 4 , wherein the housing includes a recessed portion and at least one raised portion, wherein the recessed portion is configured to receive a portion of the lockout arm and permit rotation of the lockout arm relative to the housing between the lockout position and the bypass position.

7 . The apparatus of claim 6 , wherein the at least one raised portion comprises a pair of raised portions, wherein the raised portions are configured to be positioned against the frame sidewall to inhibit lateral movement of the lockout arm relative to the frame when the engagement features are engaged with the frame sidewall.

8 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the lockout arm includes a proximal arm end, a distal arm end, and a pivot positioned between the proximal and distal arm ends, wherein in the lockout position the proximal arm end is configured to engage a latch at the proximal end of the first stapler half and thereby inhibit the proximal end of the clamp lever from coupling with the proximal end of the frame when the latch projection is not properly captured by the clamp lever in the closed state.

9 . The apparatus of claim 8 , wherein in the bypass position the lockout arm is configured to extend parallel with a longitudinal axis of the linear surgical stapler, wherein in the lockout position the lockout arm is configured to extend obliquely relative to the longitudinal axis.

10 . The apparatus of claim 8 , wherein the distal arm end is configured to engage and be actuated by the second stapler half to rotate the lockout arm from the lockout position to the bypass position against the bias of the spring when the latch projection is properly captured by the clamp lever in the closed state.

11 . The apparatus of claim 10 , wherein the distal arm end includes a distal tab configured to engage a shroud of the second stapler half to rotate the lockout arm from the lockout position to the bypass position when the latch projection is properly captured by the clamp lever in the closed state.

12 . The apparatus of claim 10 , wherein the proximal arm end includes a proximal tab configured to engage a latch at a proximal end of the first stapler half and thereby inhibit the latch from coupling the proximal end of the clamp lever with the proximal end of the frame when the latch projection is not properly captured by the clamp lever in the closed state.

13 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the spring comprises a compression spring.

14 . A surgical instrument assembly comprising:
(a) the apparatus of claim 1 ; and (b) a linear surgical stapler.

15 . The surgical instrument assembly of claim 14 , wherein the linear surgical stapler includes:
(i) a first stapler half configured to receive a staple cartridge with a plurality of staples, and (ii) a second stapler half having an anvil with a plurality of staple forming pockets, wherein one of the first stapler half or the second stapler half includes a latch projection, wherein the other of the first stapler half or the second stapler half includes a clamp lever movable from a first position to a second position to capture the latch projection and thereby approximate the first and second stapler halves to clamp tissue therebetween, wherein the apparatus is mounted to the other of the first stapler half or the second stapler half.

16 . An apparatus comprising:
(a) a linear surgical stapler comprising:
(i) a first staple half having a distal portion configured to present a first stapling surface,
(ii) a second stapler half having a distal portion configured to present a second stapling surface, wherein the first and second stapler halves are configured to releasably couple together to enable the first and second stapling surfaces to cooperate to clamp and staple tissue with a plurality of staples,
(iii) a clamp presented by one of the first stapler half or the second stapler half, wherein the clamp is movable from a first position to a second position to approximate the first and second stapling surfaces for clamping tissue, and
(iv) a latch configured to transition from an unlatched state to a latched state to releasably retain the clamp in the second position; and
(b) an interlock device having a resilient portion and thereby being configured to inhibit at least one of the following when the first and second stapler halves are not properly aligned with one another:
(i) transitioning of the clamp from the first position to the second position, or
(ii) transitioning of the latch from the unlatched state to the latched state.

17 . The apparatus of claim 16 , wherein the interlock device is mounted to one of the first stapler half or the second stapler half and includes a movable lockout arm, wherein the movable lockout arm is actuatable by the other of the first stapler half or the second stapler half from a lockout position to a bypass position when the first and second stapler halves are properly aligned with one another.

18 . The apparatus of claim 17 , wherein the clamp is presented by the first stapler half, wherein the lockout arm is configured to releasably engage a portion of the first stapler half in the lockout position.

19 . A method of operating a linear surgical stapler that includes a first stapler half having a stapling assembly with a plurality of staples, a second stapler half having an anvil with a plurality of staple forming pockets, a clamp lever presented by o

Assignees

• Cilag Gmbh Int

Inventors

• Schings Brian D
• Deck Andrew C

Classifications

• A61B2017/07271

  characterised by its cartridge · CPC title

• A61B2017/07257

  characterised by its anvil · CPC title

• A61B17/2833 Primary

  Locking means · CPC title

• A61B17/07207 Primary

  the staples being applied sequentially · CPC title