Surgical instrument with stamped double-flange jaws
A surgical instrument includes an elongated shaft having a distal portion and a proximal portion coupled to a housing. An inner shaft member extends at least partially through the elongated shaft and is selectively movable in a longitudinal direction. An end effector is supported by the distal portion of the elongated shaft. The end effector includes upper and lower jaw members pivotally coupled to the distal portion of the elongated shaft about a pivot axis and including a pair of laterally spaced flanges. The pairs of flanges of the jaw members are arranged in an offset configuration such that one flange of the upper jaw member is positioned on a laterally exterior side of a corresponding flange of the lower jaw member, and the other flange of the upper jaw member is positioned on a laterally interior side of the other flange of the lower jaw member.
1. A surgical instrument, comprising:
a housing;
an elongated shaft including a distal portion and a proximal portion coupled to the housing, the elongated shaft defining a longitudinal axis;
an end effector supported by the distal portion of the elongated shaft and including first and second jaw members pivotally coupled to one another to move between open and closed configurations, wherein each of the jaw members includes a pair of laterally spaced flanges, and wherein each of the flanges includes a cam slot;
a knife extending at least partially through the elongated shaft and selectively movable in a longitudinal direction between the flanges of the jaw members, a blade of the knife extendable into a tissue contacting portion of the jaw members;
an inner shaft member extending at least partially through the elongated shaft and selectively movable in a longitudinal direction with respect to the knife and with respect to the elongated shaft, the inner shaft member carrying a cam pin configured to move within the cam slot of each of the flanges to move the jaw members between the open and closed configurations upon longitudinal movement of the inner shaft member; and
a knife guide disposed at a distal end of the inner shaft member and defining a longitudinal slot configured to receive the knife therethrough, the knife guide coupled to the jaw members by the cam pin, wherein longitudinal movement of the inner shaft member causes longitudinal movement of the knife guide and longitudinal movement of the knife guide causes the cam pin to move within the cam slot of each of the flanges to move the jaw members between the open and closed configurations.
2. The surgical instrument according to claim 1 , wherein the laterally spaced flanges of the jaw members are arranged in a nestled configuration wherein both of the flanges of one of the jaw members are arranged within a laterally interior side of the laterally spaced flanges of the other of the jaw members.
3. The surgical instrument according to claim 1 , wherein the knife guide defines a throughbore configured to receive the cam pin therethrough, the cam pin configured to translate along a longitudinal slot defined in the knife during longitudinal movement of the knife.
4. A surgical instrument, comprising:
an elongated shaft extending from a housing and defining a longitudinal axis;
first and second jaw members pivotally coupled to one another and disposed at a distal portion of the elongated shaft, each of the first and second jaw members including a cam slot;
a movable handle coupled to the housing and configured to move the first and second jaw members between an open position and a closed position;
a knife disposed within the elongated shaft and configured to move along the longitudinal axis to cut tissue disposed between the first and second jaw members;
an inner shaft disposed within the elongated shaft and having a distal portion coupled to the first and second jaw members by a cam pin configured to move within the cam slot of each of the first and second jaw members upon movement of the movable handle to move the first and second jaw members between the open and closed positions; and
a knife guide disposed at the distal portion of the inner shaft member and defining a longitudinal slot configured to receive the knife therethrough, the inner shaft configured to move the knife guide along the longitudinal axis upon movement of the movable handle to move the cam pin within the cam slot of each of the first and second jaw members.