Granted Patent B2

US 10,639,034 · App. 15/385,958 · Granted May 5, 2020

Inventors: Jason L. Harris (Lebanon, OH); Frederick E. Shelton, IV (Hillsboro, OH)

Assignee: Ethicon LLC

A61B17/07207A61B34/30A61B2017/00017A61B2017/00039A61B2017/0046A61B2017/00367A61B2017/00398A61B2017/00473A61B2017/00477A61B2017/0725A61B2017/07228A61B2017/07264A61B2017/07271A61B2017/07278A61B2017/07285A61B2017/2927A61B2017/2933A61B2017/2936A61B2090/036A61B2090/0814

Abstract

Claims (61)

1. A surgical end effector, comprising:

a first jaw configured to operably support a surgical staple cartridge therein;

a second jaw supported relative to said first jaw such that at least one of said first and second jaws is selectively movable relative to the other one of said first and second jaws between an open position and a closed position relative to each other;

a firing member supported for axial movement within the second jaw between a starting position and an ending position upon applications of firing and retraction motions thereto; and

a lock member supported within said surgical end effector and being movable between an unlocked configuration and a locked configuration wherein said lock member prevents said firing member from being distally advanced from said starting position, said lock member operably interfacing with said end effector so as to be biased into said unlocked configuration when said at least one of said first and second jaws is in said open position, said lock member being moved to said locked configuration when said at least one of said first and second jaws is moved to said closed position unless a surgical staple cartridge comprising a cam assembly that is located in an unfired position is supported within said first jaw to thereby retain said lock member in said unlocked configuration.

2. The surgical end effector of claim 1 , wherein said surgical staple cartridge comprises an elongate slot configured to slidably receive said firing member therein as said firing member is moved between said starting and ending positions and wherein said lock member is configured to axially align said firing member with said elongate slot.

3. The surgical end effector of claim 1 , wherein said firing member comprises two lateral sides and wherein said lock member is configured to retainingly engage each lateral side of said firing member when said lock member is in said locked configuration.

4. The surgical end effector of claim 3 , wherein said lock member comprises:

a spring arm corresponding to each said lateral side of said firing member; and

a lock notch in each said spring arm configured to releasably engage a corresponding lock lug on each said lateral side of said firing member.

5. The surgical end effector of claim 4 , wherein each said spring arm comprises an unlocking tab configured to engage a corresponding portion of a cam assembly supported in the unfired position within a surgical staple cartridge mounted within said first jaw.

6. The surgical end effector of claim 1 , further comprising a tissue cutting surface on said firing member.

7. The surgical end effector of claim 6 , wherein said second jaw comprises an anvil.

8. The surgical end effector of claim 7 , wherein said anvil comprises:

an anvil body;

an axial slot in said anvil body to permit a portion of said firing member to axially pass therethrough; and

an axial passage within said anvil body on each side of said axial slot.

9. The surgical end effector of claim 8 , wherein said firing member comprises:

a firing member body;

a foot configured to slidably pass within a corresponding passage within said first jaw; and

laterally extending anvil engagement features extending laterally from a top portion of said firing member body and configured to pass through a corresponding one of said axial passages within said anvil body, and wherein said firing member further comprises first and second engagement features located between said foot and said anvil engagement features.

10. A surgical instrument, comprising:

a shaft assembly defining a shaft axis;

an elongate channel coupled to said shaft assembly and being configured to removably support a surgical staple cartridge therein;

an anvil supported relative to said elongate channel such that at least one of said anvil and said elongate channel is selectively movable between a fully open position and a fully closed position relative to the other of said anvil and said elongate channel;

a firing member supported for axial movement within the elongate channel between a starting position and an ending position upon applications of firing and retraction motions thereto; and

a lock member movable between an unlocked configuration that corresponds to said fully open position of said at least one of said anvil and said elongate channel and a locked configuration wherein said lock member prevents said firing member from being distally advanced from said starting position, said lock member being biased into said unlocked configuration when said at least one of said anvil and said elongate channel is in said fully open position and being moved to said locked configuration by one of said anvil and said elongate channel when said at least one of said anvil and elongate channel is moved to said fully closed position unless a surgical staple cartridge comprising a cam assembly that is located in an unfired position is supported within said elongate channel to thereby retain said lock member in said unlocked configuration.

11. The surgical instrument of claim 10 , wherein said lock member is configured to axially align said firing member along said shaft axis when said at least one of said anvil and said elongate channel is in said fully open position.

12. The surgical instrument of claim 11 , wherein said lock member comprises a firing member alignment tab corresponding to each lateral side of said firing member.

13. The surgical instrument of claim 10 , wherein said lock member further comprises at least one anvil spring in biasing contact with said anvil to bias said lock member towards said locked configuration as said anvil is moved from said fully open position to said fully closed position.

14. The surgical instrument of claim 10 , wherein said firing member comprises two lateral sides and wherein said lock member is configured to retainingly engage each said lateral side of said firing member when said lock member is in said locked configuration.

15. The surgical instrument of claim 14 , wherein said lock member comprises:

a spring arm corresponding to each said lateral side of said firing member; and

a lock notch in each said spring arm configured to releasably engage a corresponding lock lug on each said lateral side of said firing member.

16. The surgical instrument of claim 15 , wherein each said spring arm comprises an unlocking tab configured to engage a corresponding portion of a cam assembly supported in the unfired position within a surgical staple cartridge mounted within said elongate channel.

17. The surgical instrument of claim 10 , further comprising a tissue cutting surface on said firing member.

18. The surgical instrument of claim 10 , wherein said anvil comprises:

an anvil body;

an axial slot in said anvil body to permit a portion of said firing member to axially pass therethrough; and

an axial passage within said anvil body on each side of said axial slot.

19. The surgical instrument of claim 18 , wherein said firing member comprises:

a firing member body;

a foot configured to slidably pass within a corresponding passage within said elongate channel; and

laterally extending anvil engagement features extending laterally from a top portion of said firing member body and configured to pass through a corresponding one of said axial passages within said anvil body, and wherein said firing member further comprises first and second engagement features located between said foot and said anvil engagement features.

20. A surgical instrument, comprising:

a shaft assembly defining a shaft axis;

an elongate channel coupled to said shaft assembly and being configured to removably support a surgical staple cartridge therein;

an anvil supported relative to said elongate channel such that at least one of said anvil and said elongate channel is selectively movable between a fully opened position and a fully closed position relative to the other of said anvil and said elongate channel;

a firing member supported for axial movement within the elongate channel between a starting position and an ending position upon applications of firing and retraction motions thereto; and

means for preventing said firing member from being distally advanced from said starting position unless a surgical staple cartridge comprising a cam assembly that is located in an unfired position is supported within said elongate channel, wherein said means for preventing is movable between an unlocked configuration that corresponds to said fully opened position of said anvil and said elongate channel and a locked configuration, wherein said means for preventing prevents said firing member from being distally advanced from said starting position when said at least one of said anvil and said elongate channel is moved from said fully opened to said fully closed position.

21. A surgical end effector, comprising:

a channel configured to operably support a surgical staple cartridge therein;

an anvil supported relative to said channel, wherein said anvil is selectively movable relative to said channel between an open position and a closed position;

a firing member supported for axial movement between a starting position and an ending position upon applications of firing and retraction motions thereto; and

a lock member supported within said surgical end effector, wherein said lock member is movable between an unlocked configuration and a locked configuration, wherein when said lock member is in said locked configuration, said lock member prevents said firing member from being distally advanced from said starting position, wherein said lock member is biased into said unlocked configuration when said anvil is in said open position, wherein said lock member is configured to operably interface with said anvil such that when said anvil is moved to said closed position, said lock member is moved into said locked configuration unless a surgical staple cartridge comprising a cam assembly that is located in an unfired position is supported within said channel to thereby retain said lock member in said unlocked configuration.

22. The surgical end effector of claim 21 , wherein said firing member comprises two lateral sides, and wherein said lock member is configured to retainingly engage each lateral side of said firing member when said lock member is in said locked configuration.

23. The surgical end effector of claim 22 , wherein said firing member further comprises a central lock lug protruding from each said lateral side of said firing member, and wherein said lock member further comprises a lateral lock arm corresponding to each said central lock lug, wherein each said lateral lock arm is configured to move between a locked position, wherein said lateral lock arm lockingly engages said corresponding central lock lug and an unlocked position, wherein said lateral lock arm is not in locking engagement with said corresponding central lock lug.

24. The surgical end effector of claim 23 , wherein each said lateral lock arm is configured to move in a first direction when moving between said locked and unlocked position.

25. The surgical end effector of claim 24 , wherein each said lateral lock arm is configured to move in a second direction when said firing member is moved into said starting position.

26. The surgical end effector of claim 25 , wherein said first direction comprises a vertical direction, and wherein said second direction comprises a lateral direction.

27. The surgical end effector of claim 25 , wherein each said central lock lug comprises a proximal chamfered end configured to bias said corresponding lateral lock arm laterally when said firing member is returned to said starting position.

Assignments (3)

Continuity (1)

Cited By (121)

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