Lockout arrangements for surgical end effectors and replaceable tool assemblies
Surgical end effectors are disclosed. The surgical end effectors can include a first jaw, a second jaw rotatably coupled to the first jaw, and a lockout arrangement configured to prevent rotational movement of the second jaw toward the first jaw unless an unfired staple cartridge is positioned in the first jaw. The lockout arrangement can comprise a pivotable lock configured to pivot between a locked orientation and an unlocked orientation, a shiftable lock bar, and/or a spring-loaded lockout lever.
1. A surgical end effector, comprising:
a first jaw;
a second jaw rotatably coupled to said first jaw; and
a lockout arrangement configured to prevent rotational movement of said second jaw toward said first jaw unless an unfired staple cartridge is positioned in said first jaw, wherein said lockout arrangement comprises a pivotable lock configured to pivot between a locked orientation and an unlocked orientation, and wherein said pivotable lock comprises:
a first leg configured to engage said second jaw when said pivotable lock is in the locked orientation; and
a second leg configured to engage the unfired staple cartridge when the unfired staple cartridge is positioned in said first jaw, wherein the unfired staple cartridge is configured to move said pivotable lock into said unlocked orientation upon installation of the unfired staple cartridge in said first jaw.
2. The surgical end effector of claim 1 , further comprising a spring comprising a distal end, wherein said distal end is engaged with said pivotable lock, and wherein said spring is configured to bias said pivotable lock toward the locked orientation.
3. The surgical end effector of claim 2 , wherein said spring comprises a leaf spring.
4. The surgical end effector of claim 3 , wherein said pivotable lock comprises a third leg, and wherein said distal end is positioned against said third leg.
5. The surgical end effector of claim 1 , wherein said first jaw comprises an elongate channel, wherein said second jaw comprises an anvil comprising an inner rail extending into said elongate channel, and wherein an end portion of said first leg abuts said inner rail when said pivotable lock is in the locked orientation.
6. The surgical end effector of claim 1 , further comprising said unfired staple cartridge comprising a sled assembly, wherein said sled assembly is configured to engage said second leg when said sled assembly is in a pre-fired position.
7. A surgical end effector, comprising:
a first jaw;
a second jaw rotatably coupled to said first jaw; and
a lockout arrangement configured to prevent rotational movement of said second jaw toward said first jaw unless an unfired staple cartridge is positioned in said first jaw, wherein said lockout arrangement comprises a pivotable lock configured to pivot between a locked orientation and an unlocked orientation, and wherein said pivotable lock comprises:
a first leg configured to engage said second jaw when said pivotable lock is in the locked orientation; and
a second leg configured to engage the unfired staple cartridge when the unfired staple cartridge is positioned in said first jaw,
wherein a lockout notch is defined in said first jaw, and wherein said second leg is positioned at least partially in said lockout notch when said pivotable lock is in the unlocked orientation.
8. A surgical end effector, comprising:
a first jaw;
a second jaw rotatably coupled to said first jaw; and
a lockout arrangement configured to prevent rotational movement of said second jaw toward said first jaw unless an unfired staple cartridge is positioned in said first jaw, wherein said lockout arrangement comprises a pivotable lock configured to pivot between a locked orientation and an unlocked orientation, and wherein said pivotable lock comprises:
a first leg configured to engage said second jaw when said pivotable lock is in the locked orientation; and
a second leg configured to engage the unfired staple cartridge when the unfired staple cartridge is positioned in said first jaw,
wherein said lockout arrangement comprises a second pivotable lock.
9. An interchangeable surgical tool assembly, comprising:
a staple cartridge;
an end effector configured to receive said staple cartridge; and
a shaft, comprising:
a firing assembly, comprising:
a distal portion;
a proximal portion comprising a notch; and
a spring intermediate said proximal portion and said distal portion; and
a lockout lever movable between an unlocked orientation and a locked orientation, wherein said lockout lever extends into said notch when said lockout lever is in the locked orientation, and wherein a displacement of said distal portion of said firing assembly is configured to move said lockout lever to the unlocked orientation,
wherein said staple cartridge comprises:
a proximal end;
a longitudinal slot extending distally from said proximal end; and
a frangible gate extending across said longitudinal slot at said proximal end, wherein said frangible gate is configured to shift said distal portion of said firing assembly proximally when said staple cartridge is installed in said end effector.
10. The interchangeable surgical tool assembly of claim 9 , wherein said spring is configured to compress between said proximal portion and said distal portion when said staple cartridge is installed in said end effector.
11. The interchangeable surgical tool assembly of claim 9 , wherein said distal portion comprises a proximally-extending wedge configured to move said lockout lever to the unlocked orientation when said distal portion is shifted proximally.
12. The interchangeable surgical tool assembly of claim 9 , wherein said staple cartridge comprises a cartridge body comprising a cutout, and wherein said frangible gate comprises:
a first end pivotably coupled to said cartridge body; and
a second end friction-fit in said cutout.
13. The interchangeable surgical tool assembly of claim 9 , wherein said firing assembly is configured to break said frangible gate during a firing stroke.
14. An interchangeable surgical tool assembly, comprising:
an end effector configured to receive a staple cartridge; and
a shaft, comprising:
a firing assembly, comprising:
a distal portion;
a proximal portion comprising a notch; and
a spring intermediate said proximal portion and said distal portion; and
a lockout lever movable between an unlocked orientation and a locked orientation, wherein said lockout lever extends into said notch when said lockout lever is in the locked orientation, and wherein a displacement of said distal portion of said firing assembly is configured to move said lockout lever to the unlocked orientation,
wherein said shaft further comprises a reset spring configured to bias said lockout lever toward the locked orientation.
15. An interchangeable surgical tool assembly, comprising:
an end effector configured to receive a staple cartridge; and
a shaft, comprising:
a firing assembly, comprising:
a distal portion;
a proximal portion comprising a notch; and
a spring intermediate said proximal portion and said distal portion; and
a lockout lever movable between an unlocked orientation and a locked orientation, wherein said lockout lever extends into said notch when said lockout lever is in the locked orientation, and wherein a displacement of said distal portion of said firing assembly is configured to move said lockout lever to the unlocked orientation,
wherein said distal portion of said firing assembly is advanced from a pre-fired proximal position to a distal position during a firing stroke and is retracted from said distal position to a post-fired proximal position after the firing stroke, and wherein the post-fired proximal position is distal to the pre-fired proximal position.
16. A surgical end effector, comprising:
a movable firing member comprising a cutting member;
a first jaw;
a second jaw rotatably coupled to said first jaw, wherein said second jaw comprises a pin movable between a locked configuration and an unlocked configuration; and
a lockout arrangement configured to prevent rotational movement of said second jaw toward said first jaw unless a staple cartridge is positioned in said first jaw, wherein said lockout arrangement comprises a lock bar configured to translate relative to said movable firing member within the first jaw from a distal position to a proximal position when the staple cartridge is positioned in said first jaw, and wherein said lock bar is configured to move said pin to the unlocked configuration when said lock bar moves to the proximal position.
17. The surgical end effector of claim 16 , wherein said pin comprises a semicircular perimeter.
18. A surgical end effector, comprising:
a first jaw;
a second jaw rotatably coupled to said first jaw, wherein said second jaw comprises a pin movable between a locked configuration and an unlocked configuration;
a lockout arrangement configured to prevent rotational movement of said second jaw toward said first jaw unless a staple cartridge is positioned in said first jaw, wherein said lockout arrangement comprises a lock bar configured to translate within the first jaw from a distal position to a proximal position when the staple cartridge is positioned in said first jaw, and wherein said lock bar is configured to move said pin to the unlocked configuration when said lock bar moves to the proximal position; and
a spring extending between said first jaw and said second jaw, wherein said spring is configured to bias said second jaw toward said first jaw.
19. The surgical end effector of claim 18 , wherein said first jaw comprises a contoured slot, wherein said pin is configured to move along said contoured slot when said second jaw rotates toward said first jaw, wherein said first jaw further comprises a lockout notch extending from said contoured slot, and wherein said spring biases said pin into said lockout notch.