Granted Patent B2

US 12,369,911 · App. 17/020,989 · Granted Jul 29, 2025

Inventors: Frederick E. Shelton, IV (Hillsboro, OH); Chester O. Baxter, III (Loveland, OH); Jeffrey S. Swayze (West Chester, OH); Jerome R. Morgan (Cincinnati, OH)

Assignee: Cilag GmbH International

A61B17/07207A61B17/105A61B17/29A61B34/30A61B34/35A61B34/37A61B34/71A61B17/00234A61B2017/00309A61B2017/00314A61B2017/00398A61B2017/00477A61B2017/07214A61B2017/07271A61B2017/07278A61B2017/2903A61B2017/2908A61B2017/2929

Abstract

Claims (44)

1. A surgical instrument, comprising:

a rotatable motor-driven driver;

a first jaw;

a second jaw, wherein one of said first jaw and said second jaw is movable relative to the other of said first jaw and said second jaw between an open position and a closed position;

a firing beam advanceable through a firing stroke, wherein said firing beam comprises:

a first cam configured to engage said first jaw during said firing stroke; and

a second cam configured to engage said second jaw during said firing stroke;

a rotatable drive shaft operably responsive to rotation of said motor-driven driver, wherein said firing beam is selectively drivable through said firing stroke in response to rotation of said rotatable drive shaft;

a blocker movable between a locked position and an unlocked position, wherein, in the locked position, said rotatable motor-driven driver is rotatable and drivingly disengaged with said firing beam, and wherein, in the unlocked position, said rotatable motor-driven driver is drivingly engaged with said firing beam; and

a spring, wherein said spring is deformable to shift said blocker into said unlocked position.

2. The surgical instrument of claim 1 , further comprising a staple cartridge including staples removably stored therein, wherein said first jaw comprises a channel sized to receive said staple cartridge, wherein a portion of said staple cartridge overcomes said spring to shift said blocker into said unlocked position when said staple cartridge is seated in said channel, and wherein said staple cartridge is replaceable.

3. The surgical instrument of claim 1 , wherein said first jaw comprises a longitudinal axis, and wherein said blocker is displaced relative to said longitudinal axis when said blocker is moved from said locked position to said unlocked position.

4. The surgical instrument of claim 1 , wherein said firing beam comprises a proximal-most end, and wherein said blocker is proximal to said proximal-most end of said firing beam.

5. The surgical instrument of claim 1 , wherein said blocker is moveable in a direction transverse to said firing beam.

6. A surgical instrument, comprising:

a rotatable motor-driven driver;

a first jaw;

a second jaw, wherein one of said first jaw and said second jaw is movable relative to the other of said first jaw and said second jaw between an open position and a closed position;

a firing beam advanceable through a firing stroke, wherein said firing beam comprises:

a first cam configured to engage said first jaw during said firing stroke; and

a second cam configured to engage said second jaw during said firing stroke;

a rotatable drive shaft operably responsive to rotation of said rotatable motor-driven driver, wherein said firing beam is selectively drivable through said firing stroke in response to rotation of said rotatable drive shaft;

a blocker transitionable between a locked state and an unlocked state wherein, in the locked state, said rotatable motor-driven driver is rotatable and drivingly disengaged with said firing beam, and wherein, in the unlocked state, said rotatable motor-driven driver is drivingly engaged with said firing beam; and

a spring, wherein said spring is deformable to shift said blocker into said unlocked state.

7. The surgical instrument of claim 6 , further comprising a staple cartridge including staples removably stored therein, wherein said first jaw comprises a channel sized to receive said staple cartridge, wherein a portion of said staple cartridge overcomes said spring to shift said blocker into said unlocked state when said staple cartridge is seated in said channel, wherein said staple cartridge is replaceable, and wherein said blocker, in the locked state, biases said rotatable drive shaft into an inoperable position in which rotations of said rotatable motor-driven driver are not transmitted to said rotatable drive shaft.

8. The surgical instrument of claim 6 , wherein said first jaw comprises a longitudinal axis, and wherein said blocker is displaced relative to said longitudinal axis when said blocker is transitioned from said locked state to said unlocked state.

9. A surgical instrument, comprising:

a first jaw;

a second jaw, wherein one of said first jaw and said second jaw is movable relative to the other of said first jaw and said second jaw between an open position and a closed position;

a firing bar advanceable through a firing stroke;

a rotatable driver operably responsive to a motor-driven input, wherein said firing bar is selectively drivable through said firing stroke in response to rotation of said rotatable driver;

a blocker bar transitionable between a locked position and an unlocked position, wherein, in the locked position, said rotatable driver is rotatable and drivingly disengaged with said firing bar, and wherein, in the unlocked position, said rotatable driver is drivingly engaged with said firing bar; and

a shuttle comprising distally-extending legs, wherein said shuttle is shiftable between a first configuration and a second configuration, in which said shuttle biases said blocker bar into said unlocked position, wherein a portion of a staple cartridge installable in said first jaw is positionable to engage said distally-extending legs to shift said shuttle from said first configuration to said second configuration and transition said blocker bar into said unlocked position.

10. The surgical instrument of claim 9 , further comprising said staple cartridge, wherein said staple cartridge comprises a replaceable staple cartridge.

11. The surgical instrument of claim 9 , wherein said first jaw defines a longitudinal axis, and wherein said blocker bar is displaced relative to said longitudinal axis when said blocker bar is transitioned from said locked position to said unlocked position.

12. The surgical instrument of claim 9 , wherein said shuttle comprises a coil spring.

13. The surgical instrument of claim 12 , wherein said shuttle further comprises a proximal-facing surface, and wherein said coil spring extends proximally from said proximal-facing surface.

14. The surgical instrument of claim 13 , wherein said first configuration corresponds to an extended configuration, and wherein said second configuration corresponds to a retracted configuration.

15. The surgical instrument of claim 9 , wherein said first jaw defines a longitudinal axis, and wherein said blocker bar is deflectable about said longitudinal axis between said locked position and said unlocked position.

16. The surgical instrument of claim 9 , wherein said locked position corresponds to the staple cartridge being spent.

17. The surgical instrument of claim 9 , wherein said locked position corresponds to the staple cartridge being improperly installed in the first jaw.

18. The surgical instrument of claim 9 , wherein said blocker bar is oriented transverse to said firing bar.

19. The surgical instrument of claim 9 , wherein said firing bar comprises a proximal-most end, and wherein said blocker bar is proximal to said proximal-most end of said firing bar.

20. The surgical instrument of claim 9 , wherein said blocker bar is moveable in a direction transverse to said firing bar.

Assignments (2)

Continuity (3)

References Cited (400)