Surgical stapler with electromechanical lockout

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016374665-A1
Application number	US-201514751215-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Jun 26, 2015
Priority date	Jun 26, 2015
Publication date	Dec 29, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

A surgical instrument includes a body, a shaft assembly, a stapling head assembly, an anvil, an anvil adjustment assembly, a trigger, and a lockout assembly. The stapling head assembly is operable to drive an annular array of staples. The anvil is configured to couple with the stapling head assembly. The anvil adjustment assembly includes a translating member, which translates relative to the body to thereby adjust the longitudinal position of the anvil relative to the stapling head assembly. The trigger is operable to actuate the stapling head assembly to thereby drive the annular array of staples through a distal surface of the stapling head assembly toward the anvil. The lockout assembly includes an electrically powered braking feature. In a first state, the lockout assembly is configured to permit translation of the translating member. In a second state, the lockout assembly is configured to prevent translation of the translating member.

First claim

I/We claim:

1 . A surgical instrument comprising:
(a) a body; (b) a shaft assembly extending distally from the body; (c) a stapling head assembly located at the distal end of the shaft assembly, wherein the stapling head assembly comprises a distal surface, wherein the stapling head assembly is operable to drive an annular array of staples through the distal surface; (d) an anvil, wherein the anvil is configured to couple with the stapling head assembly; (e) an anvil adjustment assembly, wherein the anvil adjustment assembly comprises a translating member, wherein the translating member is operable to translate relative to the body along a longitudinal axis to thereby adjust the longitudinal position of the anvil relative to the distal surface of the stapling head assembly; (f) a first trigger, wherein the first trigger is operable to actuate the stapling head assembly to thereby drive the annular array of staples through the distal surface toward the anvil; and (g) a lockout assembly, wherein the lockout assembly comprises an electrically powered braking feature, wherein the lockout assembly is configured to transition between a first state and a second state, wherein:
(i) in the first state, the lockout assembly is configured to permit translation of the translating member, and
(ii) in the second state, the lockout assembly is configured to prevent translation of the translating member.

2 . The surgical instrument of claim 1 , wherein the electrically powered braking feature comprises a solenoid.

3 . The surgical instrument of claim 2 , wherein the lockout assembly further comprises a second trigger, wherein the second trigger is movable between a non-actuated position and an actuated position, wherein the second trigger is operable to provide the solenoid in a non-activated state in response to the second trigger being in the non-actuated position, wherein the second trigger is further operable to provide the solenoid in an activated state in response to the second trigger being in the actuated position.

4 . The surgical instrument of claim 2 , wherein the braking feature further comprises a lock member, wherein the solenoid is operable to selectively drive the lock member into engagement with the translating member to thereby prevent translation of the translating member.

5 . The surgical instrument of claim 4 , wherein the translating member comprises a laterally presented array of teeth, wherein the lock member comprises an array of teeth, wherein the solenoid is operable to selectively drive the teeth of the lock member into engagement with the teeth of the translating member to thereby prevent translation of the translating member.

6 . The surgical instrument of claim 4 , wherein the solenoid is operable to selectively drive the lock member along a path that is transverse to the longitudinal axis to thereby drive the lock member into engagement with the translating member to thereby prevent translation of the translating member.

7 . The surgical instrument of claim 4 , wherein the anvil adjustment assembly comprises an annularly arranged array of teeth, wherein the lock member comprises an angularly arranged array of teeth, wherein the solenoid is operable to selectively drive the teeth of the lock member into engagement with the teeth of the anvil adjustment assembly to thereby prevent translation of the translating member.

8 . The surgical instrument of claim 7 , wherein the anvil adjustment assembly further comprises a rotary member, wherein the translating member is coupled with the rotary member, wherein the rotary member is operable to drive the translating member longitudinally in response to rotation of the rotary member, wherein the angularly arranged array of teeth are secured to the rotary member such that the teeth of the lock member are operable to prevent rotation of the rotary member to thereby prevent translation of the translating member.

9 . The surgical instrument of claim 4 , wherein the solenoid is operable to selectively drive the lock member along a path that is parallel to the longitudinal axis to thereby drive the lock member into engagement with the translating member to thereby prevent translation of the translating member.

10 . The surgical instrument of claim 1 , wherein in the first state, the lockout assembly is further configured to prevent actuation of the first trigger, and wherein in the second state, the lockout assembly is further configured to permit actuation of the first trigger.

11 . The surgical instrument of claim 10 , wherein the lockout assembly further comprises a second trigger, wherein the second trigger is movable between a non-actuated position and an actuated position, wherein the second trigger is operable to provide the lockout assembly in the first state in response to the second trigger being in the non-actuated position, wherein the second trigger is further operable to provide the lockout assembly in the second state in response to the second trigger being in the actuated position, wherein the first trigger is movable from an actuated position to a non-actuated position, wherein the first trigger is configured to drive the second trigger from the actuated position toward the non-actuated position in response to the first trigger being driven from the actuated position toward the non-actuated position.

12 . The surgical instrument of claim 1 , wherein the lockout assembly is inoperable to transition from the first state to the second state until the anvil is within a predetermined range of distance from the distal surface of the stapling head assembly.

13 . The surgical instrument of claim 12 , further comprising a blocking member, wherein the anvil adjustment assembly is operable to drive the blocking member based on the position of the anvil relative to the distal surface of the stapling head assembly, wherein the blocking member is configured to selectively block a portion of the lockout assembly to thereby prevent the lockout assembly from transitioning from the first state to the second state.

14 . The surgical instrument of claim 1 , further comprising a motor positioned in the body, wherein the motor is operable to actuate the stapling head assembly in response to actuation of the first trigger.

15 . The surgical instrument of claim 1 , wherein the body defines a socket configured to receive a battery pack, wherein the lockout assembly is configured to be in the first state in response to a battery pack being inserted in the socket, wherein the lockout assembly is configured to be in the second state in response to the absence of a battery pack from the socket.

16 . A surgical instrument comprising:
(a) a stapling head assembly, wherein the stapling head assembly comprises a plurality of staples; (b) a clamping member, wherein the clamping member comprises a plurality of staple forming features; (c) a clamping drive assembly, wherein the clamping drive assembly is operable to drive the clamping member toward and away from the stapling head assembly; (d) a firing assembly, wherein the firing assembly is operable to actuate the stapling head assembly to thereby drive the staples toward the staple forming features; and (e) a lockout assembly, wherein the lockout assembly is operable to selectively lock the clamping drive assembly and thereby prevent actuation of the clamping drive assembly in response to a first operational condition, wherein the lockout assembly is further operable to selectively lock the clamping drive assembly and thereby prevent actuation of the clamping drive assembly in respons

Assignees

• Ethicon Endo Surgery Llc

Inventors

• Dinardo Brian F
• Miller Christopher C
• Schwemberger Richard F
• Scheib Charles J
• Houser Kevin L
• Shelton Iv Frederick E

Classifications

• A61B17/068 Primary

  Surgical staplers {, e.g. containing multiple staples or clamps}({staplers containing only one staple A61B17/10; magazines or containers for staples A61B17/105;} for performing anastomosis A61B17/115; {staplers in general B25C5/00}) · CPC title

• A61B17/1155 Primary

  Circular staplers comprising a plurality of staples · CPC title

• A61B2017/00017

  Electrical control of surgical instruments · CPC title

• A61B2017/00022

  Sensing or detecting at the treatment site · 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