Handle assembly for endoscopic suturing device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9615824-B2
Application number	US-201313938345-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 10, 2013
Priority date	Oct 6, 2009
Publication date	Apr 11, 2017
Grant date	Apr 11, 2017

Abstract

A handle assembly for operating an articulatable surgical instrument is provided and includes a housing; an actuation shaft translatably and rotatably supported in the housing; a first trigger supported on the housing and connected to the actuation shaft, the first trigger being configured to translate the actuation shaft to operate a first function of the surgical instrument; a second trigger supported on the housing and connected to the actuation shaft, the second trigger being configured to rotate the actuation shaft to operate a second function of the surgical instrument; and a second-trigger release supported in the housing, the second-trigger release having a first position blocking actuation of the second trigger and a second position permitting actuation of the second trigger, where the second-trigger release is actuated from the first position to the second position upon and complete actuation of the first trigger.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A handle assembly for operating a surgical instrument, the handle assembly comprising:
a housing;
an actuation shaft translatably and rotatably supported in the housing, the actuation shaft defining a longitudinal axis;
an articulation assembly supported on the housing for effectuating an articulation of an end effector operatively connected to the housing, the articulation assembly being operable to effect articulation of the end effector in a first pair of opposed directions and a second pair of opposed directions which is substantially transverse to the first pair of opposed directions;
a first trigger supported on the housing and connected to the actuation shaft, the first trigger translating the actuation shaft, upon an actuation of the first trigger, to operate a first function of the surgical instrument;
a second trigger supported on the housing and connected to the actuation shaft, the second trigger rotating the actuation shaft about the longitudinal axis thereof, upon an actuation of the second trigger, to operate a second function of the surgical instrument; and
a second-trigger release supported in the housing, the second-trigger release having a first position blocking actuation of the second trigger and a second position permitting actuation of the second trigger, where the second-trigger release is actuated from the first position to the second position upon complete actuation of the first trigger.

2. The handle assembly according to claim 1 , wherein the articulation assembly includes a pair of control elements supported on the housing, wherein each control element is operatively connected to a pair of articulation racks.

3. The handle assembly according to claim 2 , wherein a first movement of a first of the control elements results in translation of the respective pair of articulation racks in opposed directions to one another, and wherein a second movement of the first of the control elements results in a reversed translation of the respective pair of articulation racks.

4. The handle assembly according to claim 3 , wherein a first movement of a second of the control elements results in translation of the respective pair of articulation racks in opposed directions to one another, and wherein a second movement of the second of the control elements results in a reversed translation of the respective pair of articulation racks.

5. The handle assembly according to claim 2 , wherein the articulation assembly includes a friction adjustment assembly for increasing/decreasing a friction on each pair of articulation racks.

6. The handle assembly according to claim 5 , wherein the articulation assembly includes a support member defining channels configured to slidably support each pair of articulation racks, and wherein the friction adjustment assembly is configured to vary a dimension of the channels of the support member in order to increase/decrease the friction on each pair of articulation racks.

7. The handle assembly according to claim 1 , further comprising a trigger latch supported in the housing, the trigger latch being configured for selective engagement by the first trigger upon a first actuation of the first trigger and for disengagement by the first trigger upon a second actuation of the first trigger.

8. The handle assembly according to claim 7 , wherein the first trigger includes a resilient lever arm extending therefrom and having a curved profile, and wherein the trigger latch includes cam surfaces against which an end of the lever arm will act during the actuation of the first trigger.

9. The handle assembly according to claim 1 , wherein the second trigger is connected to a gear rack, wherein actuation of the second trigger results in translation of the gear rack, and wherein the gear rack engages a spur gear operatively supported on the actuation shaft such that translation of the gear rack results in rotation of the spur gear and rotation of the actuation shaft.

10. The handle assembly according to claim 1 , further comprising a drive block translatably supported in the housing, wherein the actuation shaft is axially fixed relative to the drive block such that upon a complete actuation of the first trigger, the drive block is moved proximally with proximal movement of the actuation shaft into engagement with the second-trigger release to move the second-trigger release from the first position to the second position.

11. A handle assembly for operating a surgical instrument, the handle assembly comprising:
a housing;
an actuation shaft translatably and rotatably supported in the housing, the actuation shaft defining a longitudinal axis;
a first trigger supported on the housing and connected to the actuation shaft, the first trigger translating the actuation shaft, upon an actuation of the first trigger, to operate a first function of the surgical instrument;
a second trigger supported on the housing and connected to the actuation shaft, the second trigger rotating the actuation shaft about the longitudinal axis thereof, upon an actuation of the second trigger, to operate a second function of the surgical instrument; and
an articulation assembly supported on the housing for effectuating an articulation of an end effector operatively connected to the housing, the articulation assembly being operable to effect articulation of the end effector in a first pair of opposed directions and a second pair of opposed directions which is substantially transverse to the first pair of opposed directions.

12. The handle assembly according to claim 11 , wherein the articulation assembly includes a pair of control elements supported on the housing, wherein each control element is operatively connected to a pair of articulation racks.

13. The handle assembly according to claim 12 , wherein a first movement of a first of the control elements results in translation of the respective pair of articulation racks in opposed directions to one another, and wherein a second movement of the first of the control elements results in a reversed translation of the respective pair of articulation racks.

14. The handle assembly according to claim 13 , wherein a first movement of a second of the control elements results in translation of the respective pair of articulation racks in opposed directions to one another, and wherein a second movement of the second of the control elements results in a reversed translation of the respective pair of articulation racks.

15. The handle assembly according to claim 12 , wherein the articulation assembly includes a friction adjustment assembly for increasing/decreasing a friction on each pair of articulation racks; and wherein the articulation assembly includes a support member defining channels configured to slidably support each pair of articulation racks, and wherein the friction adjustment assembly is configured to vary a dimension of the channels of the support member in order to increase/decrease the friction on each pair of articulation racks.

16. The handle assembly according to claim 11 , further comprising a trigger latch supported in the housing, the trigger latch being configured for selective engagement by the first trigger upon a first actuation of the first trigger and for disengagement by the first trigger upon a second actuation of the first trigger.

17. The handle assembly according to claim 16 , wherein the first trigger includes a resilient lever arm extending therefrom and having a curved profile, and wherein the trigger latch includes cam surfaces against which an end of the lever arm will act during the act

Assignees

• Covidien Lp

Inventors

• Furnish Greg
• Bielefeld Eric
• Bon Edwin
• Taylor Eric
• Hathaway Peter
• Chowaniec Matthew

Classifications

• A61B2017/0609

  having sharp tips at both ends, e.g. shuttle needle alternately retained and released by first and second facing jaws of a suturing instrument · CPC title

• A61B2017/2923

  Toothed members, e.g. rack and pinion · CPC title

• A61B2017/00327

  with actuating members moving in opposite directions · CPC title

• A61B17/0625

  the needle being specially adapted to interact with the manipulator, e.g. being ridged to snap fit in a hole of the manipulator (A61B17/06109 takes precedence) · 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