Instrument with improved tool

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9757138-B2
Application number	US-201414479013-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 5, 2014
Priority date	Sep 10, 2013
Publication date	Sep 12, 2017
Grant date	Sep 12, 2017

Abstract

An instrument ( 10 ) having a tool ( 15 ) of a particularly simple design comprises jaws ( 16, 17 ) with jaw supports ( 46 ) supported by spaced-apart hinges on a shared socket part 18 . The hinge axes ( 27, 28 ) of the hinges are oriented parallel relative to each other and are at a distance from each other. A slit ( 24 ) for precisely guiding a knife ( 25 ) may be provided between the two. The jaw supports ( 46 ) of the jaws ( 16, 17 ) are guided in their own hinges with minimal play and hence in a precise manner. They are held against each other by transverse interlocking means ( 37 ), thereby ensuring a simple assembly and precise guiding.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. Surgical instrument ( 10 ), for tissue coagulation and vessel sealing, comprising:
a tool ( 15 ) having two jaws ( 16 , 17 ) that are supported on a socket part ( 18 ) so as to be pivotable about two different hinge axes ( 27 , 28 ) toward each other and away from each other, wherein the hinge axes ( 27 , 28 ):
are defined by two spaced apart hinges, and
are aligned parallel to each other;

wherein individual ones of the two hinges comprises:
a bearing pin ( 31 ) having a cylindrical bearing section ( 34 ) and a fillet ( 35 ) extending radially away from said bearing section, and
a bearing bushing ( 22 , 23 ) having an opening ( 36 );

wherein the opening ( 36 ) of the bearing bushing ( 23 ) has a width ( 36 a ) that is smaller than a diameter of the bearing section ( 34 ) and greater than a thickness of the fillet ( 35 ).

2. Surgical instrument as in claim 1 , wherein the socket part ( 18 ) has a slit ( 24 ) for a knife, said slit being located between the hinge axes ( 27 , 28 ).

3. Surgical instrument as in claim 1 , wherein the bearing pin ( 31 ) is seamlessly connected to an actuating member ( 30 ) of the jaw ( 16 , 17 ) on one end side.

4. Surgical instrument as in claim 1 wherein the bearing pin ( 31 ) is provided on the jaw ( 16 ) and on the bearing bushing ( 23 ) in the socket part ( 18 ).

5. Surgical instrument as in claim 1 , wherein the socket part ( 18 ) is made of plastic material.

6. Surgical instrument as in claim 1 , wherein the bearing bushings ( 22 , 23 ) of the two hinges are oriented parallel to each other and are frontally open in opposite directions (+X, −X).

7. Surgical instrument as in claim 1 , wherein at least one of the jaws ( 16 , 17 ) comprises a jaw support ( 46 ).

8. Surgical instrument as in claim 1 , wherein the two jaws ( 16 , 17 ) comprise mutually engaging transverse interlocking means ( 37 ).

9. Surgical instrument as in claim 8 , wherein the transverse interlocking means ( 37 ) comprise at least one projection ( 38 ) on a first jaw ( 16 ), said projection being configured so as to extend into a recess ( 40 ) of the second jaw ( 17 ).

10. Surgical instrument as in claim 9 , wherein the projection ( 38 ) is a rib ( 38 ) extending on the jaw ( 16 ) relative to an axis ( 39 ) in circumferential direction (U).

11. Surgical instrument as in claim 10 , wherein the recess is a pocket ( 40 ) provided on the jaw ( 16 ) in the circumferential direction (U).

12. Surgical instrument as in claim 11 , wherein the pocket ( 40 ) and the rib ( 38 ) are laterally offset against each other.

13. Surgical instrument as in claim 11 , wherein the pocket ( 40 ) and the rib ( 38 ) are offset against each other in the circumferential direction (U).

14. A method for operating a surgical instrument ( 10 ) for tissue coagulation and vessel sealing, the method comprising:
moving two jaws ( 16 , 17 ) supported on a socket part ( 18 ) of a tool ( 15 ) toward each other and away from each other pivotally about respective and different hinge axes ( 27 , 28 ) that are spaced apart and aligned parallel to each other, wherein the different hinge axes are defined by two spaced apart hinges, wherein individual ones of the two hinges comprises:
a bearing pin ( 31 ) having a cylindrical bearing section ( 34 ) and a fillet ( 35 ) extending radially away from said bearing section, and
a bearing bushing ( 22 , 23 ) having an opening ( 36 );

wherein the opening ( 36 ) of the bearing bushing ( 23 ) has a width ( 36 a ) that is smaller than a diameter of the bearing section ( 34 ) and greater than a thickness of the fillet ( 35 ).

15. The method of claim 14 further comprising sliding a knife through a slit located between the hinge axes.

Assignees

• Erbe Elektromedizin

Inventors

• Guba Joachim
• Mitzlaff Lothar
• Kuehner Ralf
• Heim Martina

Classifications

• A61B17/285

  combined with cutting implements · CPC title

• A61B2017/2947

  Pivots · CPC title

• A61B2018/0063

  Sealing · CPC title

• A61B18/1442

  Probes having pivoting end effectors, e.g. forceps · CPC title

• A61B2018/1455

  having a moving blade for cutting tissue grasped by the jaws · CPC title