Surgical stapler with rotary cam drive

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9713469-B2
Application number	US-201314033763-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 23, 2013
Priority date	Sep 23, 2013
Publication date	Jul 25, 2017
Grant date	Jul 25, 2017

Abstract

A surgical circular stapler has a handle assembly, a shaft, a stapling assembly, a motor, a drive assembly, and a firing assembly. The shaft extends distally from the handle assembly. The stapling assembly is secured to a distal end of the shaft. Longitudinal translation of the firing assembly causes the stapling assembly to drive a plurality of staples in a circular array to secure two lumens of tissue together. The stapling assembly may further drive a blade to sever any excess tissue interior of the circular array of staples. The motor is operable to rotate the drive assembly to thereby translate the firing assembly. A resilient member biases the firing assembly proximally. Through cooperation between the firing assembly and the resilient member, the firing assembly is driven distally and proximally to complete a firing stroke in response to rotation of the drive assembly through a single revolution.

First claim

We claim:

1. A surgical instrument comprising:
(a) a body assembly;
(b) a shaft extending distally from the body assembly, wherein the shaft comprises a proximal end and a distal end;
(c) a stapling assembly, wherein the stapling assembly is disposed at the distal end of the shaft, wherein the stapling assembly selectively moves from an open position to a closed position, and wherein the stapling assembly is operable to drive a plurality of staples into tissue;
(d) a motor;
(e) a cam assembly coupled with the motor and including a first cam portion and a second cam portion, wherein the motor rotates the first and second cam portions, wherein the cam assembly further comprises a first cam and a second cam, wherein the first cam includes the first cam portion, wherein the second cam includes the second cam portion; and
(f) a thing assembly having a distal portion operatively coupled with the stapling assembly, wherein the distal portion of the firing assembly moves distally from a proximal position to a distal position and thereby drives movement of the stapling assembly,
wherein the first and second cam portions of the cam assembly engage the firing assembly during rotation of the cam assembly, wherein the first portion of the cam assembly drives the distal portion of the firing assembly distally toward the distal position with a first force of a varying longitudinal force profile, and wherein the second portion of the cam assembly drives the distal portion of the firing assembly further distally toward the distal position with a second force of the varying longitudinal force profile such that the cam assembly provides the first and second forces to the distal portion of the firing assembly through the range of distal travel from the proximal position to the distal position, wherein the second portion of the cam assembly drives the distal portion of the firing assembly after the first portion of the cam assembly drives the distal portion of the firing assembly, and wherein second force is greater than the first force.

2. The instrument of claim 1 , wherein the firing assembly comprises a pivoting member rotatably secured to the body assembly and operatively connected to the distal portion of the firing assembly, wherein a first portion of the pivoting member engages the first cam portion of the cam assembly and a second portion of the pivoting member engages the second cam portion of the cam assembly, such that the first and second cam portions of the cam assembly thereby cause rotation of the pivoting member and respectively drive the distal portion of the firing assembly via the pivoting member.

3. The instrument of claim 1 , wherein the cam assembly distally drives the distal portion of the firing assembly from the proximal position to the distal position by rotation of the cam assembly through a single revolution.

4. The instrument of claim 1 , wherein the first cam and the second cam are positioned in a longitudinally spaced apart fashion along a common longitudinal axis such that the first and second cams rotate about the longitudinal axis, wherein the first cam extends to the first cam portion a first greater radial distance, wherein the second cam extends to the second cam portion a second greater radial distance, and wherein the first cam portion at the first greater radial distance and the second cam portion at the second greater radial distance are oriented at different angular positions about the longitudinal axis.

5. The instrument of claim 1 , wherein the first cam portion and the second cam portion have different outer contours.

6. The instrument of claim 1 , wherein the first cam has a first shape, the second cam has a second shape, and the first shape is different than the second shape.

7. The instrument of claim 1 , wherein the firing assembly comprises a pivoting member rotatably secured to the body assembly, wherein a first portion of the pivoting member engages the first cam portion of the first cam and a second portion of the pivoting member engages the second cam portion of the second cam, wherein a third portion of the pivoting member is operatively engaged with the distal portion of the firing assembly, and wherein the first and second cams rotate such that the first and second cam portions thereby cause rotation of the pivoting member and respectively drive, the distal portion of the firing assembly via the pivoting member.

8. The instrument of claim 7 , wherein the first cam and the first portion of the pivoting member contact to thereby cause longitudinal translation of the firing assembly toward the distal position along a first longitudinal distance, and wherein the second cam and the second portion of the pivoting member contact to thereby cause longitudinal translation of the firing assembly toward the distal position along a second longitudinal distance.

9. The instrument of claim 1 , wherein a proximal portion of the firing assembly defines a longitudinal axis, wherein the motor is oriented obliquely relative to the longitudinal axis.

10. The instrument of claim 9 , wherein the body assembly defines a pistol grip, wherein the motor is positioned in the pistol grip.

11. The instrument of claim 1 , wherein the firing assembly comprises an arm, wherein the arm is engaged with the cam assembly, and wherein the arm longitudinally translates to thereby provide the first and second forces to the distal portion of the firing assembly.

12. The instrument of claim 11 , wherein the cam assembly comprises a barrel cam.

13. The instrument of claim 12 , wherein barrel cam comprises a sloping distal face.

14. The instrument of claim 13 , wherein the sloping annular face comprises a plurality of different arcuate slopes.

15. The instrument of claim 1 , further comprising a resilient member that biases the firing assembly longitudinally proximally.

16. A surgical instrument comprising:
(a) a body assembly;
(b) a shaft extending distally from the body assembly, wherein the shaft comprises a proximal end and a distal end;
(c) a stapling assembly, wherein the stapling assembly is disposed at the distal end of the shaft, wherein the stapling assembly selectively moves from an open position to a closed position, and wherein the stapling assembly is operable to drive a plurality of staples in a circular array to secure two lumens of tissue together;
(d) a motor;
(e) a cam assembly coupled with the motor and including a first cam portion and a second cam portion, wherein the cam assembly further comprises a first cam and a second cam, wherein the first cam includes the first cam portion, wherein the second cam includes the second cam portion, and wherein the motor rotates the first and second cam portions;
(f) a firing assembly having a distal portion in mechanical communication with the stapling assembly, wherein the distal portion of the firing assembly moves distally from a proximal position to a distal position to cause the stapling assembly to longitudinally translate and thereby drive the plurality of staples, wherein the first and second cam portions of the cam assembly engage the firing assembly during rotation of the cam assembly, wherein the first portion of the cam assembly drives the distal portion of the firing assembly distally toward the distal position with a first force of a varying longitudinal force profile, and wherein the second portion of the cam assembly drive the distal portion of the firing assembly further distally toward the distal position with a second force of the varying longitudinal force profile, wherein the second force is different than the first force such

Assignees

• Ethicon Endo Surgery Inc
• Ethicon Llc

Inventors

• Leimbach Richard L
• Schwemberger Richard F
• Measamer John P
• Alexander Iii Johnny H
• Miller Christopher C
• Dinardo Brian F
• Rector Jason M

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

• A61B2017/00367

  Details of actuation of instruments, e.g. relations between pushing buttons, or the like, and activation of the tool, working tip, or the like · CPC title

• A61B2017/00398

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

• A61B17/1155 Primary

  Circular staplers comprising a plurality of staples · CPC title

• A61B17/115 Primary

  Staplers for performing anastomosis, e.g. in a single operation · CPC title