Installation features for surgical instrument end effector cartridge

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9808248-B2
Application number	US-201313780417-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 28, 2013
Priority date	Feb 28, 2013
Publication date	Nov 7, 2017
Grant date	Nov 7, 2017

Abstract

A surgical instrument comprises a body, a shaft, and an end effector. The end effector has a staple cartridge, a lower jaw, an anvil, and a firing beam. The staple cartridge comprises a cartridge body and a lower cartridge tray. One or both of the cartridge body or the lower cartridge tray comprises at least one notch. The lower jaw is configured to be coupled with the cartridge body and comprises protrusions. The protrusions of the lower jaw align with the notches of the cartridge body and/or lower cartridge tray when the lower jaw and staple cartridge are coupled. The body comprises a handle portion and a series of actuators capable of closing the anvil on the staple cartridge and driving the firing beam to vertically drive a plurality of staples.

First claim

I claim:

1. An end effector, comprising:
(a) a staple cartridge, wherein the staple cartridge comprises:
i. a cartridge body, and
ii. a lower cartridge tray,
wherein one or both of the cartridge body or the lower cartridge tray comprises at least one proximally presented protrusion engagement feature;

(b) a jaw, wherein the jaw comprises:
i. a channel comprising first and second spaced apart interior surfaces and a base extending therebetween, wherein the channel is configured to receive the staple cartridge, and
ii. at least one protrusion, wherein the at least one protrusion laterally extends from one of the interior surfaces into the channel, wherein the at least one protrusion lies directly over and is spaced apart from the base thereby forming a gap between the at least one protrusion and the base, wherein the gap extends from a bottom surface of the at least one protrusion to a top surface of the base in a direction normal to one or both of the bottom surface of the at least one protrusion or the top surface of the base, wherein the at least one protrusion is positioned to align with the at least one protrusion engagement feature when the staple cartridge and jaw are coupled together, wherein the at least one protrusion and the at least one protrusion engagement feature are configured to restrict movement of the staple cartridge; and

(c) an anvil, wherein the anvil is coupled to the jaw, wherein the anvil is movable relative to the jaw.

2. The end effector of claim 1 , wherein the lower cartridge tray comprises a channel, wherein the channel is configured to receive the cartridge body.

3. The end effector of claim 1 , wherein the cartridge body and lower cartridge tray each comprise a proximal end, and wherein the at least one protrusion engagement feature comprises at least one notch formed at the proximal end of one or both of the cartridge body or the lower cartridge tray.

4. The end effector of claim 1 , wherein the at least one protrusion engagement feature comprises at least one notch formed in both the cartridge body and the lower cartridge tray.

5. The end effector of claim 4 , wherein the same number of notches are formed in both the cartridge body and the lower cartridge tray.

6. The end effector of claim 5 , wherein the at least one notch of the cartridge body is positioned to align with the notches of the lower cartridge tray when the cartridge body is received within the channel of the lower cartridge tray.

7. The end effector of claim 6 , wherein the jaw comprises the same number of protrusions as the number of notches formed in the lower cartridge tray.

8. The end effector of claim 1 , wherein the at least one protrusion comprises at least two protrusions.

9. The end effector of claim 8 , wherein each of the at least two protrusions protrudes from a respective one of the interior surfaces.

10. The end effector of claim 1 , wherein the at least one protrusion is substantially parallel to the base of the channel of the jaw.

11. The end effector of claim 1 , wherein the cartridge body further comprises a plurality of staple apertures.

12. The end effector of claim 1 , wherein the anvil comprises a plurality of staple forming pockets.

13. The end effector of claim 1 , wherein the end effector further comprises a wedge sled and a firing beam, wherein both the wedge sled and the firing beam are configured to longitudinally slide through the staple cartridge.

14. The end effector of claim 13 , wherein the wedge sled is housed within the staple cartridge.

15. The end effector of claim 14 , wherein the firing beam includes a distally presented cutting edge.

16. A surgical instrument comprising:
(a) a handle portion;
(b) the end effector of claim 15 ;
(c) a shaft, wherein the shaft comprises a distal end and wherein the end effector is coupled to the distal end of the shaft;
(d) a first actuator operable to move the anvil toward the jaw; and
(e) a second actuator operable to drive the wedge sled and knife through the staple cartridge.

17. An end effector, comprising:
(a) a staple cartridge, wherein the staple cartridge comprises a cartridge body, wherein the cartridge body comprises a longitudinal slot and a plurality of staple apertures, and wherein the cartridge body comprises at least one notch;
(b) a jaw, wherein the jaw comprises:
i. a channel comprising first and second spaced apart interior surfaces and a base extending therebetween, wherein the channel is configured to receive the staple cartridge, and
ii. at least one protrusion, wherein the at least one protrusion laterally protrudes into the channel from one of the interior surfaces and lies directly over the base forming a gap between the at least one protrusion and the base, wherein the gap is defined between an underside of the at least one protrusion and the base in a direction perpendicular to one or both of the underside of the at least one protrusion or an upper surface of the base, and wherein the at least one protrusion is configured to align with the at least one notch when the staple cartridge and jaw are coupled together, wherein the at least one protrusion is configured to engage the notch to thereby prevent only proximal movement of the cartridge body;

(c) an anvil, wherein the anvil comprises a plurality of staple forming pockets; and
(d) a firing beam, wherein the firing beam is configured to slide through the longitudinal slot.

18. The end effector of claim 17 , wherein the staple cartridge further comprises a wedge sled, wherein the firing beam is configured to drive the wedge sled longitudinally through the longitudinal slot, and wherein the wedge sled is configured to vertically drive a plurality of staples through the plurality of staple apertures as it is driven longitudinally through the longitudinal slot.

19. The end effector of claim 17 , wherein the firing beam further comprises a knife.

20. A surgical instrument omprising:
(a) a body;
(b) an end effector, wherein the end effector extends distally from the body, and wherein the end effector comprises:
i. a staple cartridge, wherein the staple cartridge comprises a cartridge body having a longitudinal slot, a plurality of staple apertures, and at least one notch and wherein the staple cartridge further comprises a wedge sled configured to drive a plurality of staples through the plurality of staple apertures;
ii. a jaw, wherein the jaw is configured to couple with the staple cartridge, and wherein the jaw comprises at least one inwardly extending protrusion, wherein a gap is formed between the at least one inwardly extending protrusion and the base such that the gap extends from a bottom surface of the at least one inwardly extending protrusion to a top surface of the base in a direction normal to one or both of the bottom surface of the protrusion or the top surface of the base, and wherein the at least one protrusion aligns with and lies directly over the at least one notch when the staple cartridge and jaw are coupled together, wherein the at least one protrusion and at least one notch cooperate to allow the staple cartridge to move in a distal direction but prevent the staple cartridge from moving in a proximal direction;
iii. an anvil, wherein the anvil comprises a plurality of staple forming pockets, wherein the anvil is coupled to the jaw at an axis transverse to a longitudinal axis defined by the jaw, and wherein the anvil is pivotable about the transverse axis; and
iv. a firing beam, wherein the firing beam is configured to slide through

Assignees

• Ethicon Endo Surgery Inc
• Ethicon Llc

Inventors

• Hoffman Douglas B

Classifications

• A61B2017/2927

  the angular position of the head being adjustable with respect to the shaft · CPC title

• A61B2017/00398

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

• A61B17/07207 Primary

  the staples being applied sequentially · CPC title

• A61B2017/07271

  characterised by its cartridge · CPC title

• A61B2017/00477

  Coupling (A61B2017/0046 takes precedence) · CPC title