Combination unilateral/bilateral jaws on a surgical instrument
A surgical instrument includes a housing supporting first and second actuators thereon, and an elongated shaft extending distally from the housing. First and second drive members extend through the elongated shaft to operatively couple respective actuators to respective jaw members such that independent manipulation of one of the actuators may induce pivotal movement of an individual jaw member. A locking member is operatively associated with the first and second drive members, and is selectively movable between locked and unlocked positions. When the locking member is in the locked position, the first and second drive members are coupled to one another and move concurrently to drive the jaw members in a bilateral manner. When the locking member is in the unlocked position, the drive members are decoupled from one another and move independently to permit operation of the instrument in a unilateral manner.
1. A surgical instrument, comprising:
a housing supporting first and second actuators thereon;
a first jaw member and a second jaw member;
a first drive member defining a longitudinal axis and operatively coupled between the first actuator and the first jaw member such that manipulation of the first actuator induces pivotal movement of the first jaw member about a pivot axis, the pivot axis disposed at a non-parallel angle relative to the longitudinal axis;
a second drive member operatively coupled between the second actuator and the second jaw member such that manipulation of the second actuator induces pivotal movement of the second jaw member about the pivot axis; and
a coupling member operatively associated with the first drive member and the second drive member, the coupling member selectively movable between a locked configuration and an unlocked configuration, wherein in the locked configuration the first drive member and the second drive member are coupled to one another and move concurrently to pivot the first jaw member and the second jaw member about the pivot axis in a bilateral manner, wherein the coupling member includes a peg coupled to the first drive member, and wherein the second drive member includes a plurality of holes defined therein for receiving the peg when the coupling member is moved to the locked configuration.
2. The surgical instrument according to claim 1 , wherein each of the first drive member and the second drive member is coupled to a respective drive pin, and wherein each of the respective drive pins is engaged with a cam slot defined in a respective one of the first jaw member and the second jaw member.
3. The surgical instrument according to claim 2 , wherein each of the cam slots defines a generally curvilinear path through the respective jaw member.
4. The surgical instrument according to claim 2 , wherein each of the cam slots is disposed proximally of the pivot axis.
5. The surgical instrument according to claim 1 , wherein at least one of the first drive member and the second drive member is operatively associated with an immobilization member, the immobilization member operable to selectively impede motion of at least one of the first drive member and the second drive member with respect to the housing.
6. The surgical instrument according to claim 5 , wherein the immobilization member includes a peg receivable in at least one of the plurality of holes defined in the second drive member to impede motion of the second drive member with respect to the housing.
7. The surgical instrument according to claim 1 , further comprising an elongated shaft extending distally from the housing and defining a longitudinal axis, wherein the first jaw member and the second jaw member are relatively movable between an open configuration wherein the first jaw member and the second jaw member are substantially spaced relative to one another, and a neutral closed configuration wherein the first jaw member and the second jaw member are closer together and generally aligned with the longitudinal axis of the elongated shaft.
8. The surgical instrument according to claim 1 , wherein at least one of the first jaw member and the second jaw member includes an electrode coupled to a source of electrosurgical energy.
9. The surgical instrument according to claim 1 , wherein when the coupling member is in the unlocked configuration, the first drive member and the second drive member are decoupled from one another and move independently of each other to pivot their respective jaw member about the pivot axis in a unilateral manner.
10. A surgical instrument, comprising:
a housing supporting a first actuator and a second actuator thereon;
an elongated shaft defining a longitudinal axis, the elongated shaft attached to the housing and including first and second jaw members at a distal end thereof;
first and second drive members extending through the elongated shaft, the first drive member operatively coupled between the first actuator and the first jaw member such that manipulation of the first actuator induces pivotal movement of the first jaw member about a pivot axis, the pivot axis disposed at a non-parallel angle relative to the longitudinal axis, the second drive member operatively coupled between the second actuator and the second jaw member such that manipulation of the second actuator induces pivotal movement of the second jaw member about the pivot axis;
a coupling member operatively associated with the first and second drive members; and
an immobilization member operatively associated with the second drive member, the immobilization member movable between a locked configuration such that manipulation of the first actuator induces unilateral pivotal motion of the first jaw member about the pivot axis, and an unlocked configuration such that manipulation of the first actuator induces bilateral pivotal motion of both jaw members about the pivot axis,
wherein when the coupling member is in the unlocked configuration, the first drive member and the second drive member are decoupled from one another and are movable independently of each other to pivot their respective jaw member about the pivot axis in a unilateral manner.
11. The surgical instrument according to claim 10 , wherein the first actuator includes a movable handle pivotally supported by the housing.
12. The surgical instrument according to claim 11 , wherein the movable handle is pivotable in a proximal direction to induce longitudinal translation of the first drive member in a distal direction.
13. The surgical instrument according to claim 10 , wherein the first and second drive members are operatively coupled to independent first and second motors, and wherein each of the first and second drive members includes a generally flat surface disposed adjacent the generally flat surface of the other of the first and second drive members.
14. The surgical instrument according to claim 10 , wherein the immobilization member includes at least one locking wing, and wherein the second drive member includes a plurality of slots, at least one slot of the plurality of slots is configured to receive the at least one locking wing therethrough.
15. The surgical instrument according to claim 10 , wherein the coupling member includes a flange portion that is engaged by a biasing member, wherein the biasing member is positioned between the first drive member and the flange portion.
16. The surgical instrument according to claim 10 , wherein the coupling member is selectively movable between a locked configuration and an unlocked configuration, wherein in the locked configuration the first drive member and the second drive member are coupled to one another and are movable concurrently to pivot the first jaw member and the second jaw member about the pivot axis in a bilateral manner.
17. A surgical instrument, comprising:
a housing supporting first and second actuators thereon;
a first jaw member and a second jaw member;
a first drive member defining a longitudinal axis and operatively coupled between the first actuator and the first jaw member such that manipulation of the first actuator induces pivotal movement of the first jaw member about a pivot axis, the pivot axis disposed at a non-parallel angle relative to the longitudinal axis;
a second drive member operatively coupled between the second actuator and the second jaw member such that manipulation of the second actuator induces pivotal movement of the second jaw member about the pivot axis; and
a coupling member operatively associated with the first drive member and the second drive member, the coupling member selectively movable between a locked configuration and an unlocked configuration, wherein in the locked configuration the first drive member and the second drive member are coupled to one another and move concurrently to pivot the first jaw member and the second jaw member about the pivot axis in a bilateral manner,
wherein when the coupling member is in the unlocked configuration, the first drive member and the second drive member are decoupled from one another and move independently of each other to pivot their respective jaw member about the pivot axis in a unilateral manner.