Scissor bias for direct pull surgical instrument

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9456839-B2
Application number	US-91063410-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 22, 2010
Priority date	Jun 18, 2010
Publication date	Oct 4, 2016
Grant date	Oct 4, 2016

Abstract

A surgical end effector includes a clevis having a first end to be supported by an elongated tube-like member and two jaws, each having a pivot portion and a working portion. The pivot portions are rotatably coupled to the clevis by two spaced apart pivots. The working portions may include a cutting edge that provide a shearing action as the first and second jaws rotate about their respective pivots. The pivot portion and the working portion of each jaw may be on opposite sides of a bisecting plane. A flexible cable or wire may be coupled to each jaw and extend through a guide way in the other jaw, between the first and second pivots, and through the first end of the clevis. One or more springs may urge the working portions together. A rocking pin pivotally supported by the clevis may constrain the jaws to have opposite motions.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A surgical end effector comprising:
a clevis;
a first jaw having a first pivot portion and a first working portion;
a first pivot that rotatably couples the first pivot portion to the clevis such that the first jaw rotates about a first axis that is fixed relative to the clevis;
a second jaw having a second pivot portion and a second working portion; and
a second pivot that rotatably couples the second pivot portion to the clevis such that the second jaw rotates about a second axis that is fixed relative to the clevis, the second axis being parallel to and spaced apart from the first axis, the second jaw coupled to the clevis such that the first pivot portion is entirely on a first side of a bisecting plane that is perpendicular to the first and second axes of rotation, the second pivot portion is entirely on a second side of the bisecting plane opposite the first side, the first working portion is entirely on the second side of the bisecting plane, and the second working portion is entirely on the first side of the bisecting plane.

2. The surgical end effector of claim 1 further comprising:
a first wire coupled to the first jaw, the first wire extending through a guide way in the second jaw, between the first and second axes of rotation, and through a first end of the clevis; and
a second wire coupled to the second jaw, the second wire extending through a guide way in the first jaw, between the first and second axes of rotation, and through the first end of the clevis.

3. The surgical end effector of claim 1 further comprising a first spring coupled to the first pivot portion and the clevis, the first spring urging the first pivot portion away from the bisecting plane.

4. The surgical end effector of claim 3 further comprising a second spring coupled to the second pivot portion and the clevis, the second spring urging the second pivot portion away from the bisecting plane.

5. The surgical end effector of claim 1 further comprising a first spring coupled to the first and second pivot portions, the first spring urging the first and second pivot portions away from the bisecting plane.

6. The surgical end effector of claim 5 wherein the first spring comprises a cupped spring washer.

7. The surgical end effector of claim 6 wherein the first spring engages the first jaw such that the first spring rotates in unison with the first jaw.

8. The surgical end effector of claim 7 further comprising a rocking pin pivotally supported by the clevis and pivotally coupled to the first and second jaws such that the rocking pin constrains the first and second jaws to have opposite motions, the rocking pin passing through a central opening in the first spring.

9. The surgical end effector of claim 1 further comprising a first spring coupled to the first pivot portion and the clevis and a second spring coupled to the second pivot portion and the clevis to urge the pivot portions away from the bisecting plane.

10. The surgical end effector of claim 1 wherein the first and second working portions each include a cutting edge that provide a shearing action as the first and second jaws rotate about their respective pivots.

11. A method of making a surgical end effector, the method comprising:
providing a clevis;
providing a first jaw having a first pivot portion and a first working portion;
rotatably coupling the first pivot portion to the clevis with a first pivot such that the first jaw rotates about a first axis that is fixed relative to the clevis;
providing a second jaw having a second pivot portion and a second working portion; and
rotatably coupling the second pivot portion to the clevis with a second pivot such that the second jaw rotates about a second axis that is fixed relative to the clevis, the second axis being parallel to and spaced apart from the first axis, the second jaw coupled to the clevis such that the first pivot portion is entirely on a first side of a bisecting plane that is perpendicular to the first and second axes of rotation, the second pivot portion is entirely on a second side of the bisecting plane opposite the first side, the first working portion is entirely on the second side of the bisecting plane, and the second working portion is entirely on the first side of the bisecting plane.

12. The method of claim 11 further comprising:
coupling a first wire to the first jaw, the first wire extending through a guide way in the second jaw, between the first and second axes of rotation, and through a first end of the clevis; and
coupling a second wire to the second jaw, the second wire extending through a guide way in the first jaw, between the first and second axes of rotation, and through the first end of the clevis.

13. The method of claim 11 further comprising coupling a first spring to the first pivot portion and the clevis, the first spring urging the first pivot portion away from the bisecting plane.

14. The method of claim 13 further comprising coupling a second spring to the second pivot portion and the clevis, the second spring urging the second pivot portion away from the bisecting plane.

15. The method of claim 11 further comprising coupling a first spring coupled to the first and second pivot portions, the first spring urging the first and second pivot portions away from the bisecting plane.

16. The method of claim 15 wherein the first spring comprises a cupped spring washer.

17. The method of claim 16 further comprising engaging the first spring with the first jaw such that the first spring rotates in unison with the first jaw.

18. The method of claim 17 further comprising pivotally supporting a rocking pin in the clevis, passing the rocking pin through a central opening in the first spring, and pivotally coupling the rocking pin to the first and second jaws such that the rocking pin constrains the first and second jaws to have opposite motions.

19. The method of claim 11 further comprising coupling a first spring to the first pivot portion and the clevis and coupling a second spring to the second pivot portion and the clevis to urge the pivot portions away from the bisecting plane.

20. The method of claim 11 wherein the first and second working portions each include a cutting edge that provide a shearing action as the first and second jaws rotate about their respective pivots.

21. A surgical end effector comprising:
a clevis;
a first jaw having a first pivot portion and a first working portion, the first pivot portion being entirely on a first side of a bisecting plane, the first working portion being entirely on a second side of the bisecting plane opposite the first side, the first working portion comprising a first cutting edge;
a first pivot that rotatably couples the first jaw to the clevis such that the first jaw rotates about a first axis that is fixed relative to the clevis, the first axis being perpendicular to the bisecting plane;
a second jaw having a second pivot portion and a second working portion, the second pivot portion being entirely on the second side of the bisecting plane, the second working portion being entirely on the first side of the bisecting plane, the second working portion comprising a second cutting edge that bypasses the first cutting edge to provide a shearing action in relation to the first cutting edge; and
a second pivot that rotatably couples the second jaw to the clevis such that the second jaw rotates about a second axis that is fixed relative to the clevis, the second axis being perpendicula

Assignees

• Cooper Thomas G
• Intuitive Surgical Operations

Inventors

• Cooper Thomas G

Classifications

• A61B34/71

  Manipulators operated by drive cable mechanisms · CPC title

• A61B17/2804

  with two or more pivotal connections (A61B17/29 takes precedence) · CPC title

• A61B2017/294

  Connection of actuating rod to jaw, e.g. releasable · CPC title

• A61B2017/2937

  with flexible part · CPC title

• A61B17/2816

  Pivots · CPC title