Motor-driven surgical cutting and fastening instrument with mechanical closure system

1. A surgical cutting and fastening instrument comprising:

an end effector comprising:

an elongate channel;

a clamping member pivotably connected to the channel; and

a moveable cutting instrument for traversing the channel to cut an object clamped in the end effector by the clamping member when the clamping member is in a clamped position;

a main drive shaft assembly for actuating the cutting instrument in the end effector;

a gear drive train connected to the main drive shaft assembly;

a motor for actuating the gear drive train;

a closure trigger;

a mechanical closure system connected to the closure trigger and to the clamping member for causing the clamping member to pivot to the clamped position when the closure trigger is retracted; and

a firing trigger separate from the closure trigger for actuating the motor when the firing trigger is retracted to cause the cutting instrument to traverse the channel such that a loading force on the firing trigger when retracted is related to another loading force experienced by the cutting instrument as the cutting instrument cuts the object clamped in the end effector.

2. The surgical cutting and fastening instrument of claim 1 , wherein the mechanical closure system comprises:

a bracket connected to the closure trigger; and

a closure tube assembly having a distal end connected to the clamping member and a proximate end seated in the bracket.

3. The surgical cutting and fastening instrument of claim 2 , wherein retraction of the closure trigger causes the closure tube assembly to slide proximately such that the clamping member rotates from an open position to the clamped position.

4. The surgical cutting and fastening instrument of claim 3 , wherein the end effector includes a staple cartridge seated in the elongate channel and the clamping member comprises a anvil.

5. The surgical cutting and fastening instrument of claim 3 , further comprising a locking mechanism for locking the closure trigger when retracted.

6. The surgical cutting and fastening instrument of claim 3 , wherein the end effector further comprises a helical drive screw, such that forward rotation of the helical drive screw causes the cutting instrument to undertake the cutting stroke by traveling distally along the channel, and reverse rotation of the helical drive screw causes the cutting instrument to retract by traveling proximately along the channel.

7. The surgical cutting and fastening instrument of claim 3 , wherein the main drive shaft assembly includes articulation means for articulating the end effector.

8. The surgical cutting and fastening instrument of claim 3 , wherein the firing trigger is geared into the gear drive train.

9. The surgical cutting and fastening instrument of claim 3 , further comprising a tactile position feedback system for applying force to the firing trigger such that the position of the firing trigger is related to the position of the cutting instrument in the end effector.

10. The surgical cutting and fastening instrument of claim 3 , further comprising a run motor sensor for sensing retracting of the firing trigger, wherein, when retraction of the firing trigger is sensed by the run motor sensor, the motor is signaled to forward rotate to cause cutting of the object positioned in the end effector by the cutting instrument.

11. The surgical cutting and fastening instrument of claim 10 , wherein the run motor sensor comprises a proportional switch such that the rate of rotation of the motor is proportional to the retraction force applied to the firing trigger.

12. The surgical cutting and fastening instrument of claim 11 , further comprising:

a reverse motor sensor for sensing a condition indicative of an end of a cutting stroke by the cutting instrument; and

a stop motor sensor for sensing a condition indicative of retraction of the cutting instrument.

13. The surgical cutting and fastening instrument of claim 3 , wherein the mechanical closure system further comprises a yoke connecting the closure trigger to the bracket.

14. The surgical cutting and fastening instrument of claim 3 , wherein the motor and a battery for powering the motor are disposed in a handle of the instrument.

15. The surgical cutting and fastening instrument of claim 3 , wherein the closure tube assembly comprises a proximate closure tube and a distal closure tube, and wherein the main drive shaft assembly is disposed inside the closure tube assembly.

16. The surgical cutting and fastening instrument of claim 15 , further comprising a spine tube disposed between the closure tube assembly and the main drive shaft assembly.

17. The surgical cutting and fastening instrument of claim 1 , wherein the rotational position of the firing trigger is related to the position of the cutting instrument in the end effector.

18. A surgical cutting and fastening instrument comprising:

an end effector comprising:

an elongate channel;

a clamping member pivotably connected to the channel; and

a moveable cutting instrument for traversing the channel to cut an object clamped in the end effector by the clamping member when the clamping member is in a clamped position;

a main drive shaft assembly for actuating the cutting instrument in the end effector;

a handle comprising:

a gear drive train connected to the main drive shaft assembly;

a motor for actuating the gear drive train;

a closure trigger; and

a firing trigger separate from the closure trigger for actuating the motor when the firing trigger is retracted, wherein a loading force on the firing trigger when retracted is related to another loading force experienced by the cutting instrument; and

a mechanical closure system connected to the closure trigger and to the clamping member for causing the clamping member to pivot to the clamped position when the closure trigger is retracted, wherein the mechanical closure system comprises:

a bracket connected to the closure trigger; and

a closure tube assembly having a distal end connected to the clamping member and a proximate end seated in the bracket.

19. The surgical cutting and fastening instrument of claim 18 , wherein retraction of the closure trigger causes the closure tube assembly to slide proximately such that the clamping member rotates from an open position to the clamped position.

20. The surgical cutting and fastening instrument of claim 19 , wherein the end effector further comprises a helical drive screw, such that forward rotation of the helical drive screw causes the cutting instrument to undertake the cutting stroke by traveling distally along the channel, and reverse rotation of the helical drive screw causes the cutting instrument to retract by traveling proximately along the channel.

21. The surgical cutting and fastening instrument of claim 18 , wherein the rotational position of the firing trigger is related to the position of the cutting instrument in the end effector.

22. A surgical cutting and fastening instrument comprising:

an end effector comprising:

an elongate channel;

a clamping member pivotably connected to the channel; and

a moveable cutting instrument for traversing the channel to cut an object clamped in the end effector by the clamping member when the clamping member is in a clamped position;

a main drive shaft assembly for actuating the cutting instrument in the end effector;

a gear drive train connected to the main drive shaft assembly;

a motor for actuating the gear drive train;

a closure trigger;

means for causing the clamping member to pivot to the clamped position when the closure trigger is retracted; and

a firing trigger separate from the closure trigger for actuating the motor when the firing trigger is retracted, wherein the rotational position of the firing trigger is related to the position of the cutting instrument in the end effector.