Handle assembly for endoscopic suturing device

1. A handle assembly for operating a surgical instrument, the handle assembly comprising:

a housing;

an actuation shaft translatably and rotatably supported in the housing, the actuation shaft defining a longitudinal axis;

an articulation assembly supported on the housing for effectuating an articulation of an end effector operatively connected to the housing, the articulation assembly being operable to effect articulation of the end effector in a first pair of opposed directions and a second pair of opposed directions which is substantially transverse to the first pair of opposed directions;

a first trigger supported on the housing and connected to the actuation shaft, the first trigger translating the actuation shaft, upon an actuation of the first trigger, to operate a first function of the surgical instrument;

a second trigger supported on the housing and connected to the actuation shaft, the second trigger rotating the actuation shaft about the longitudinal axis thereof, upon an actuation of the second trigger, to operate a second function of the surgical instrument; and

a second-trigger release supported in the housing, the second-trigger release having a first position blocking actuation of the second trigger and a second position permitting actuation of the second trigger, where the second-trigger release is actuated from the first position to the second position upon complete actuation of the first trigger.

2. The handle assembly according to claim 1 , wherein the articulation assembly includes a pair of control elements supported on the housing, wherein each control element is operatively connected to a pair of articulation racks.

3. The handle assembly according to claim 2 , wherein a first movement of a first of the control elements results in translation of the respective pair of articulation racks in opposed directions to one another, and wherein a second movement of the first of the control elements results in a reversed translation of the respective pair of articulation racks.

4. The handle assembly according to claim 3 , wherein a first movement of a second of the control elements results in translation of the respective pair of articulation racks in opposed directions to one another, and wherein a second movement of the second of the control elements results in a reversed translation of the respective pair of articulation racks.

5. The handle assembly according to claim 2 , wherein the articulation assembly includes a friction adjustment assembly for increasing/decreasing a friction on each pair of articulation racks.

6. The handle assembly according to claim 5 , wherein the articulation assembly includes a support member defining channels configured to slidably support each pair of articulation racks, and wherein the friction adjustment assembly is configured to vary a dimension of the channels of the support member in order to increase/decrease the friction on each pair of articulation racks.

7. The handle assembly according to claim 1 , further comprising a trigger latch supported in the housing, the trigger latch being configured for selective engagement by the first trigger upon a first actuation of the first trigger and for disengagement by the first trigger upon a second actuation of the first trigger.

8. The handle assembly according to claim 7 , wherein the first trigger includes a resilient lever arm extending therefrom and having a curved profile, and wherein the trigger latch includes cam surfaces against which an end of the lever arm will act during the actuation of the first trigger.

9. The handle assembly according to claim 1 , wherein the second trigger is connected to a gear rack, wherein actuation of the second trigger results in translation of the gear rack, and wherein the gear rack engages a spur gear operatively supported on the actuation shaft such that translation of the gear rack results in rotation of the spur gear and rotation of the actuation shaft.

10. The handle assembly according to claim 1 , further comprising a drive block translatably supported in the housing, wherein the actuation shaft is axially fixed relative to the drive block such that upon a complete actuation of the first trigger, the drive block is moved proximally with proximal movement of the actuation shaft into engagement with the second-trigger release to move the second-trigger release from the first position to the second position.

11. A handle assembly for operating a surgical instrument, the handle assembly comprising:

a housing;

an actuation shaft translatably and rotatably supported in the housing, the actuation shaft defining a longitudinal axis;

a first trigger supported on the housing and connected to the actuation shaft, the first trigger translating the actuation shaft, upon an actuation of the first trigger, to operate a first function of the surgical instrument;

a second trigger supported on the housing and connected to the actuation shaft, the second trigger rotating the actuation shaft about the longitudinal axis thereof, upon an actuation of the second trigger, to operate a second function of the surgical instrument; and

an articulation assembly supported on the housing for effectuating an articulation of an end effector operatively connected to the housing, the articulation assembly being operable to effect articulation of the end effector in a first pair of opposed directions and a second pair of opposed directions which is substantially transverse to the first pair of opposed directions.

12. The handle assembly according to claim 11 , wherein the articulation assembly includes a pair of control elements supported on the housing, wherein each control element is operatively connected to a pair of articulation racks.

13. The handle assembly according to claim 12 , wherein a first movement of a first of the control elements results in translation of the respective pair of articulation racks in opposed directions to one another, and wherein a second movement of the first of the control elements results in a reversed translation of the respective pair of articulation racks.

14. The handle assembly according to claim 13 , wherein a first movement of a second of the control elements results in translation of the respective pair of articulation racks in opposed directions to one another, and wherein a second movement of the second of the control elements results in a reversed translation of the respective pair of articulation racks.

15. The handle assembly according to claim 12 , wherein the articulation assembly includes a friction adjustment assembly for increasing/decreasing a friction on each pair of articulation racks; and wherein the articulation assembly includes a support member defining channels configured to slidably support each pair of articulation racks, and wherein the friction adjustment assembly is configured to vary a dimension of the channels of the support member in order to increase/decrease the friction on each pair of articulation racks.

16. The handle assembly according to claim 11 , further comprising a trigger latch supported in the housing, the trigger latch being configured for selective engagement by the first trigger upon a first actuation of the first trigger and for disengagement by the first trigger upon a second actuation of the first trigger.

17. The handle assembly according to claim 16 , wherein the first trigger includes a resilient lever arm extending therefrom and having a curved profile, and wherein the trigger latch includes cam surfaces against which an end of the lever arm will act during the actuation of the first trigger.

18. The handle assembly according to claim 11 , wherein the second trigger is connected to a gear rack, wherein actuation of the second trigger results in translation of the gear rack, and wherein the gear rack engages a spur gear operatively supported on the actuation shafts such that translation of the gear rack results in rotation of the spur gear and of the actuation shaft.

19. A handle assembly for operating a surgical instrument, the handle assembly comprising:

a housing;

an actuation shaft translatably and rotatably supported in the housing, the actuation shaft defining a longitudinal axis;

a first trigger supported on the housing and connected to the actuation shaft, the first trigger translating the actuation shaft, upon an actuation of the first trigger, to operate a first function of the surgical instrument;

a second trigger supported on the housing and connected to the actuation shaft, the second trigger rotating the actuation shaft about the longitudinal axis thereof, upon an actuation of the second trigger, to operate a second function of the surgical instrument;

a second-trigger release supported in the housing, the second-trigger release having a first position blocking actuation of the second trigger and a second position permitting actuation of the second trigger, where the second-trigger release is actuated from the first position to the second position upon complete actuation of the first trigger; and

a drive block translatably supported in the housing, wherein the actuation shaft is axially fixed relative to the drive block such that upon a complete actuation of the first trigger, the drive block is moved proximally with proximal movement of the actuation shaft into engagement with the second-trigger release to move the second-trigger release from the first position to the second position.