Integrated tissue positioning and jaw alignment features for surgical stapler

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9517065-B2
Application number	US-201313780106-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 28, 2013
Priority date	Feb 28, 2013
Publication date	Dec 13, 2016
Grant date	Dec 13, 2016

Abstract

An apparatus includes a body, a shaft in communication with the body, and an end effector in communication with the shaft. The end effector is operable to drive staples through tissue. The end effector comprises an anvil and a cartridge. The anvil is operable to move pivotally relative to the cartridge. The cartridge is positioned to drive staples upwardly toward the anvil. The cartridge comprises a plurality of protrusions operable to prevent lateral rocking of the anvil. The plurality of protrusions is pointed toward the anvil. In some versions, an alignment member and/or a lateral stabilization member may be used between the anvil and the cartridge.

First claim

We claim:

1. An apparatus, comprising:
(a) a body;
(b) a shaft in communication with the body;
(c) an end effector in communication with the shaft, wherein the end effector is configured to drive serially positioned staples through tissue, wherein the end effector comprises:
(i) an anvil, and
(ii) a cartridge, wherein the anvil is operable to pivot relative to the cartridge about a pivot axis, wherein the cartridge is positioned to drive staples upwardly toward the anvil, and
(iii) a pair of protrusions comprising a first protrusion and a second protrusion, wherein the pair of protrusions are configured to prevent lateral rocking of the anvil when the anvil pivots relative to the cartridge, wherein the pair of protrusions are pointed toward either the anvil or the cartridge, wherein the pair of protrusions are located in a distal region of the end effector, wherein the first protrusion is located a first longitudinal distance from the pivot axis, wherein the second protrusion is located a second longitudinal distance from the pivot axis, wherein the first longitudinal distance is equal to the second longitudinal distance.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein a distal portion of the anvil is shaped to bend toward the cartridge.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the pair of protrusions comprises a pair of laterally spaced apart bumps positioned at the distal end of the cartridge.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the pair of protrusions are located on the cartridge and is pointed toward the anvil, wherein the anvil comprises at least one anvil protrusion that extends toward the cartridge, wherein the at least one anvil protrusion is configured to engage the pair of protrusions.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the anvil and the cartridge are shaped to laterally taper toward the distal end of the end effector.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the anvil comprises an engagement groove.

7. The apparatus of claim 6 , wherein the engagement groove has a length larger than its diameter.

8. The apparatus of claim 6 , wherein the cartridge comprises an engagement protrusion configured to engage the engagement groove.

9. The apparatus of claim 8 , wherein the engagement groove has a contoured curved shape operable to complement a curvature of the engagement protrusion.

10. The apparatus of claim 8 , wherein the engagement groove has a length longer than the engagement protrusion.

11. The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising an alignment member configured to engage the anvil and the cartridge, wherein the alignment member has a wedge-like shape.

12. The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising an alignment member configured to engage the anvil and the cartridge, wherein the alignment member is configured to provide the anvil and the cartridge with a planar contact surface.

13. The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising an alignment member configured to engage the anvil and the cartridge, wherein the alignment member is shaped to complement the contour of the anvil and the contour of the cartridge.

14. The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising a pair of lateral stabilization members laterally spaced apart between the anvil and the cartridge.

15. An apparatus comprising:
(a) a body;
(b) an end effector in communication with the body, wherein the end effector comprises an anvil and a cartridge, wherein the anvil is configured to pivot toward and away from the cartridge, wherein the anvil and the cartridge are configured to clamp against tissue; and
(c) a lateral stabilization feature comprising a first contact member and a second contact member, wherein the first contact member and the second contact member are laterally spaced apart from each other, wherein the first contact member and the second contact member are located at a common longitudinal position of the end effector, wherein the lateral stabilization feature is positioned between the anvil and the cartridge, wherein the lateral stabilization feature is configured to maintain parallel alignment between a center plane of the anvil and a center plane of the cartridge when the anvil pivots toward the cartridge, wherein at least part of the lateral stabilization feature is located at a distal end of the end effector.

16. The apparatus of claim 15 , wherein the lateral stabilization feature comprises a plurality of laterally aligned protrusions positioned between the anvil and the cartridge.

17. The apparatus of claim 15 , wherein the end effector defines a longitudinal axis extending through the end effector, wherein a roll angle is defined as the lateral roll of the anvil relative to the longitudinal axis, wherein the lateral stabilization feature is configured to maintain a substantially 0° roll angle when the anvil clamps against tissue and the cartridge.

18. The apparatus of claim 17 , wherein the anvil comprises a groove, wherein the cartridge comprises a ball shaped to fit in the groove, wherein the groove and the ball are configured to engage to prevent lateral pivoting deflection of the anvil relative to the longitudinal axis.

19. An apparatus comprising:
(a) a body;
(b) an end effector in communication with the body, wherein the end effector comprises:
(i) an anvil, and
(ii) a cartridge, wherein the anvil is configured to pivot toward and away from the cartridge, wherein the cartridge comprises a plurality of laterally positioned protrusions configured to contact the anvil when the anvil pivots toward the cartridge, wherein the plurality of laterally positioned protrusions are configured to laterally stabilize the anvil against the cartridge; and

(c) an alignment member positioned in between the anvil and the cartridge, wherein the alignment member comprises a first member and a second member, wherein the first member and the second member are fixed to either the anvil or the cartridge, wherein the first member and the second member are laterally spaced apart from each other yet are located at a common longitudinal position, wherein the alignment member is configured to simultaneously engage the distal end of the anvil and the distal end of the cartridge when the anvil is positioned to close against the cartridge.

Assignees

• Ethicon Endo Surgery Inc
• Ethicon Endo Surgery Llc

Inventors

• Simms Robert J
• Hoffman Douglas B
• Zerkle Jason E
• Scheib Charles J
• Volz Janna B

Classifications

• A61B17/07207 Primary

  the staples being applied sequentially · CPC title

• A61B17/072 Primary

  for applying a row of staples in a single action, e.g. the staples being applied simultaneously · CPC title

• A61B2090/0807

  Indication means · CPC title

• A61B2017/00115

  with audible or visual output · CPC title

• A61B2017/07278

  characterised by its sled or its staple holder · CPC title