Surgical instruments with jaw opening features for increasing a jaw opening distance
A surgical instrument that includes a first jaw and a second jaw that is pivotally coupled to the first jaw. The second jaw is configured to pivot about a pivot axis that is constrained to only move along a vertical axis and is selectively movable between a fully open position and a fully closed position relative to the first jaw. A closure member is configured to move the first and second jaws from the fully open position to the fully closed position when the closure member is moved in a first direction.
1. A surgical instrument, comprising:
a surgical end effector comprising:
a first jaw; and
a second jaw pivotally coupled to said first jaw about a pivot axis between a fully open position and a fully closed position, wherein said pivot axis is constrained to only move along a vertical axis, wherein said surgical instrument further comprises:
a closure member configured to move said first and second jaws from said fully open position to said fully closed position when said closure member is moved in a first direction, wherein said second jaw comprises a pair of pivot pins that define said pivot axis and are each movably received within a corresponding vertical slot formed in said first jaw, wherein each said pivot pin is in operable engagement with said closure member, wherein each of said pivot pins is also received in a corresponding closure slot in said closure member, and wherein each said closure slot comprises a portion extending along a horizontal axis.
2. The surgical instrument of claim 1 , wherein said closure member is configured to move said pivot axis from a first vertical position along said vertical axis that corresponds to said fully open position to a second vertical position that corresponds to said fully closed position as said closure member is moved in said first direction.
3. The surgical instrument of claim 2 , wherein said closure member is configured to pivot said second jaw about said pivot axis to said fully closed position as said closure member is moved in said first direction.
4. The surgical instrument of claim 1 , wherein each said closure slot comprises:
a proximal slot portion that extends along a first horizontal axis; and
a distal slot portion that extends along a second horizontal axis that is offset from said first horizontal axis.
5. The surgical instrument of claim 4 , wherein said pivot pins are located in a first vertical position within said corresponding vertical slot in said first jaw and said distal slot portion of said corresponding closure slot in said closure member when said second jaw is in said fully open position and wherein said pivot pins are located in a second vertical position within said corresponding vertical slot in said first jaw and said proximal slot portion in said closure member when said second jaw is in said fully closed position.
6. The surgical instrument of claim 1 , wherein said second jaw comprises a cam surface configured to be cammingly contacted by said closure member when said closure member is moved in said first direction so as to pivot said second jaw about said pivot axis between said fully open position to said fully closed position.
7. The surgical instrument of claim 1 , wherein said first jaw comprises an elongate channel that is configured to removably support a surgical staple cartridge therein and wherein said second jaw comprises an anvil.
8. The surgical instrument of claim 7 , wherein said closure member comprises a portion of a shaft assembly that is operably coupled to said surgical end effector.
9. The surgical instrument of claim 8 , wherein said surgical end effector is coupled to said shaft assembly by an articulation joint for selective articulation about an articulation axis that is transverse to a shaft axis defined by said shaft assembly.
10. The surgical instrument of claim 8 , wherein said shaft assembly further comprises:
a firing member assembly configured for axial movement in said first direction upon application of a firing motion thereto; and
an end effector firing member operably coupled to said firing member assembly configured to sever tissue and firing staples out of a surgical staple cartridge that is operably supported in said elongate channel when said firing member assembly is moved in said first direction a predetermined firing distance.
11. A surgical instrument, comprising:
an elongate channel configured to operably support a surgical staple cartridge therein;
an anvil comprising a pair of anvil pins received within corresponding vertical channel slots formed in said elongate channel, each said corresponding vertical channel slot extending along a channel axis; and
a closure member configured to move in first and second directions relative to said elongate channel and said anvil, said anvil pins each extending into a corresponding closure slot in said closure member that is transverse to said channel slots such that when said closure member is moved in said first direction said anvil pins are moved along said channel axis and said anvil is simultaneously pivoted toward said elongate channel, and wherein at least a portion of said closure slot extends horizontally.
12. The surgical instrument of claim 11 , wherein each said closure slot comprises:
a proximal closure slot portion extending along a first closure axis that is transverse to said corresponding channel axis; and
a distal closure slot portion extending along a second closure axis that is transverse to said channel axis and offset from said first closure axis.
13. The surgical instrument of claim 11 , wherein said pair of anvil pins defines a pivot axis that is selectively movable along said channel axis.
14. The surgical instrument of claim 12 , wherein each said channel axis is vertically oriented and each said closure axis is horizontally oriented and parallel to each other.
15. The surgical instrument of claim 11 , wherein said closure member comprises a portion of a shaft assembly that is operably coupled to said elongate channel.
16. The surgical instrument of claim 15 , wherein said elongate channel is coupled to said shaft assembly by an articulation joint for selective articulation about an articulation axis that is transverse to a shaft axis defined by said shaft assembly.
17. The surgical instrument of claim 15 , wherein said shaft assembly further comprises:
a firing member assembly configured for axial movement in said first direction upon application of a firing motion thereto; and
an end effector firing member operably coupled to said firing member assembly configured to sever tissue and fire staples out of a surgical staple cartridge that is operably supported in said elongate channel when said firing member assembly is moved in said first direction a predetermined firing distance.
18. A surgical instrument, comprising:
a surgical end effector comprising:
a first jaw; and
a second jaw pivotally coupled to said first jaw about a pivot axis between a fully open position and a fully closed position, wherein said pivot axis is constrained to only move along a vertical axis, wherein said surgical instrument further comprises:
closure means for simultaneously moving said pivot axis vertically along said vertical axis while pivoting said second jaw about said pivot axis, wherein said second jaw comprises a pair of pivot pins that define said pivot axis and are each movably received within a corresponding vertical slot formed in said first jaw, wherein each said pivot pin is in operable engagement with said closure means, wherein each of said pivot pins is also received in a corresponding closure slot in said closure means, and wherein at least a portion of each said closure slot extends along a horizontal axis.