Robotically-controlled shaft based rotary drive systems for surgical instruments

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016015390-A1
Application number	US-201514867418-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Sep 28, 2015
Priority date	Jun 4, 2007
Publication date	Jan 21, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

A surgical instrument including an end effector that has a selectively reciprocatable implement movably supported therein. The implement is selectively advanceable in a distal direction upon application of a rotary actuation motion thereto and retractable in a proximal direction upon application of a rotary retraction motion thereto. An elongate shaft assembly is coupled to the end effector and is configured to transmit the rotary actuation motion and rotary retraction motion to the reciprocatable implement from a robotic system that is configured to generate the rotary actuation motion and said rotary retraction motion.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A surgical instrument comprising:
an end effector having a selectively reciprocatable implement movably supported therein, said implement being selectively advanceable in a distal direction upon application of a rotary actuation motion thereto and retractable in a proximal direction upon application of a rotary retraction motion thereto; an elongate shaft assembly coupled to said end effector and configured to transmit said rotary actuation motion and rotary retraction motion to said reciprocatable implement from a robotic system configured to generate said rotary actuation motion and said rotary retraction motion; and a firing drive comprising:
a first rotary drive assembly operably interfacing with a first corresponding drive portion of said robotic system, said first rotary drive assembly selectively interfacing with said elongate shaft assembly and configured to apply said rotary actuation motion thereto when activated; and
a second rotary drive assembly operably interfacing with a second corresponding drive portion of said robotic system, said second rotary drive assembly interfacing with said elongate shaft assembly and configured to apply said rotary retraction motion thereto when said first rotary drive assembly is deactivated and said second rotary drive assembly is activated.

2 . The surgical instrument of claim 1 , wherein said end effector comprises:
an elongate channel configured to operably support a staple cartridge therein; and an anvil movably coupled to said elongate channel and wherein said reciprocatable implement comprises a cutting member operably supported within said elongate channel.

3 . The surgical instrument of claim 2 , further comprising a closure drive assembly operably interfacing with a third corresponding portion of said robotic system configured to selectively generate a closing motion and an opening motion, wherein said anvil is operably engaged with said closure assembly and is movably responsive to said opening motion and said closing motion.

4 . The surgical instrument of claim 1 , wherein said first rotary drive assembly includes a plurality of first gear teeth, wherein said second rotary drive member includes a plurality of second gear teeth, wherein said elongate shaft assembly includes a rotatable drive shaft operably engaged with said reciprocatable implement, and wherein said drive shaft includes a first gear operably engaged with said first gear teeth and a second gear operably engaged with said second gear teeth.

5 . The surgical instrument of claim 4 , wherein said drive shaft defines an axis, wherein a portion of said first rotary drive assembly is positioned on a first side of said axis and is configured to rotate said drive shaft about said axis in a first direction, and wherein a portion of said second rotary assembly member is positioned on a second side of said axis to rotate said drive shaft about said axis in a second direction, wherein said second direction is opposite said first direction.

6 . A surgical instrument, comprising:
an end effector having a selectively reciprocatable implement member movably supported therein and being selectively advanceable in a distal direction upon application of a rotary actuation motion thereto and is retractable in a proximal direction upon application of a rotary retraction motion thereto; an elongate shaft assembly coupled to said end effector and configured to transmit said rotary actuation motion and rotary retraction motion to said reciprocatable implement from a robotic system; and a transmission operably interfacing with said robotic system and configurable in a first configuration for rotating said elongate shaft assembly about an axis in a first direction and a second configuration for rotating said elongate shaft assembly about said axis in a direction opposite said first direction.

7 . The surgical instrument of claim 6 , wherein said end effector comprises:
an elongate channel configured to operably support a staple cartridge therein; and an anvil movably coupled to said elongate channel and wherein said reciprocatable implement comprises a cutting member operably supported within said elongate channel.

8 . The surgical instrument of claim 6 , wherein said transmission further comprises a closure drive assembly operably interfacing with a corresponding portion of said robotic system for generating a closing motion and an opening motion, wherein said anvil is operably engaged with said closure drive and is movably responsive to said opening motion and said closing motion.

9 . A surgical instrument, comprising:
an elongate shaft assembly coupled to a remotely actuatable system capable of generating a plurality of control motions, wherein said elongate shaft assembly is operably engaged with a first drive member and a second drive member; an end effector coupled to said elongate shaft assembly, said end effector comprising: an elongate channel configured to operably support a staple cartridge therein; an anvil movably coupled to said elongate channel; and a cutting member operably supported within said elongate channel, wherein said cutting member is operably engaged with said elongate shaft assembly; wherein, when said remotely actuatable system is engaged with said first drive member, a first actuation advances said cutting member a first distance, wherein, when said remotely actuatable system engaged with said second drive member, a second actuation retracts said cutting member a second distance, and wherein said second distance is greater than said first distance.

10 . The surgical instrument of claim 9 , wherein said remotely actuatable system is configured to apply opening and closing motions to a closure drive operably engaged with said anvil.

11 . The surgical instrument of claim 9 , wherein, when said remotely actuatable system is controllably engaged with said first drive member, said remotely actuatable system is not controllably engaged with said second drive member, and wherein, when said remotely actuatable system is controllably engaged with said second drive member, said remotely actuatable system is not controllably engaged with said first drive member.

12 . The surgical instrument of claim 9 , wherein said first actuation of said remotely actuatable system causes said first drive member to apply a first rotary drive motion to advance said cutting member said first distance and wherein said second actuation causes said second drive member to apply a second rotary drive motion to retract said cutting member said second distance.

Assignees

• Ethicon Endo Surgery Inc

Inventors

• Timm Richard W
• Shelton Iv Frederick E

Classifications

• A61B2017/07285

  characterised by its cutter · CPC title

• A61B2017/00398

  using powered actuators, e.g. stepper motors, solenoids · CPC title

• A61B2090/0811

  for the position of a particular part of an instrument with respect to the rest of the instrument, e.g. position of the anvil of a stapling instrument · CPC title

• A61B2017/00477

  Coupling (A61B2017/0046 takes precedence) · CPC title

• A61B2017/2937

  with flexible part · CPC title