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EP-4739236-A1 - ACTUATION MECHANISMS FOR SURGICAL INSTRUMENTS AND SURGICAL INSTRUMENTS INCORPORATING THE SAME

EP4739236A1EP 4739236 A1EP4739236 A1EP 4739236A1EP-4739236-A1

Abstract

A surgical instrument includes a shaft including a longitudinally extending slot, a drive element slidably disposed within the shaft, a drive link, and a body. The drive link includes a first portion external of the shaft and a second portion extending through the slot to engage the drive element within the shaft. The drive link defines a depth, a width greater than the depth, and a length. The depth of the drive link is less than the width of the slot to enable the drive link to extend through the slot. The width of the drive link is greater than the width of the slot. The body is disposed about at least a portion of the shaft. The first portion of the drive link is coupled to the body such that translation of the body along the shaft translates the drive element through the shaft.

Inventors

  • BRAUSE, DAVID D.
  • MCCULLOUGH JR., ROBERT F.
  • FRY, MONTE S.

Assignees

  • Covidien LP

Dates

Publication Date
20260513
Application Date
20240701

Claims (15)

  1. 1. A surgical instrument, comprising: a shaft (88) including a slot (89) defined therein and extending longitudinally therealong, the slot (89) defining a width; a drive element (94) slidably disposed within the shaft (88); a drive link (56, 156, 256, 356, 456, 556, 656) including a first portion positioned externally of the shaft (88) and a second portion extending through the slot (89) into an interior of the shaft (88) to engage the drive element (94) within the shaft (88), the drive link (56, 156, 256, 356, 456, 556, 656) defining a depth, a width greater than the depth, and a length, wherein the depth of the drive link (56, 156, 256, 356, 456, 556, 656) is less than the width of the slot (89) to enable the drive link (56, 156, 256, 356, 456, 556, 656) to extend through the slot (89), and wherein the width of the drive link (56, 156, 256, 356, 456, 556, 656) is greater than the width of the slot (89); and a body (55a) disposed about at least a portion of the shaft (88), wherein the first portion of the drive link (56, 156, 256, 356, 456, 556, 656) is coupled to the body (55a) such that translation of the body (55a) along the shaft (88) translates the drive element (94) through the shaft (88).
  2. 2. The surgical instrument according to paragraph 1, wherein the length of the drive link (56, 156, 256, 356, 456, 556, 656) is greater than the width of the drive link.
  3. 3. The surgical instrument according to paragraph 1 or 2, wherein the second portion of the drive link (56, 156, 256, 356, 456, 556, 656) is forked (57c) to define first and second spaced-apart prongs (57d) configured to engage the drive element (94) therebetween.
  4. 4. The surgical instrument according to any preceding paragraph, where the drive element (94) includes a body and a leg (96) disposed at an angle relative to the body, and wherein the drive link (56, 156, 256, 356, 456, 556, 656) is configured to engage the leg (96) of the drive element.
  5. 5. The surgical instrument according to any preceding paragraph, wherein the drive link (56, 156, 256, 356, 456, 556, 656) defines a plate configuration having opposed relatively broad faces (57a) interconnected by a relatively narrow edge (57b), wherein the length and width of the drive link (56, 156, 256, 356, 456, 556, 656) are defined across the opposed relatively broad faces (57a) and wherein the depth is defined across the relatively narrow edge (57b).
  6. 6. The surgical instrument according to any preceding paragraph, further comprising at least one tab (157b, 257, 357, 457, 557b, 659) extending transversely from the first portion of the drive link (156, 256, 356, 456, 556, 656).
  7. 7. The surgical instrument according to paragraph 6, wherein the at least one tab (157b, 257, 357, 457, 557b, 659) remains external of the shaft (88).
  8. 8. The surgical instrument according to any preceding paragraph, wherein the first portion of the drive link (56, 156, 256, 356, 456, 556, 656) is rotatably coupled to the body (55a) such the drive link (56, 156, 256, 356, 456, 556, 656) is rotatable independently of the body (55a).
  9. 9. The surgical instrument according to any preceding paragraph, further comprising an end effector assembly (70) disposed at a distal end portion of the shaft (88), wherein the drive element (94) is configured to actuate a portion of the end effector assembly (70).
  10. 10. The surgical instrument according to paragraph 9, further comprising an outer shaft (12), wherein the outer shaft (12) supports the end effector assembly (70), and wherein the shaft (88) is a drive shaft (88) configured to actuate a different portion of the end effector assembly (70).
  11. 11. The surgical instrument according to paragraph 10, wherein the drive shaft (88) is configured to move at least one jaw member of first and second jaw members (72, 74) of the end effector assembly (70) to grasp tissue therebetween and wherein the drive element (94) is configured to move a knife (90) between the first and second jaw members (72, 74) to cut grasped tissue.
  12. 12. The surgical instrument according to paragraph 10 or 11, wherein the drive shaft (88) is configured to apply a force to the different portion of the end effector assembly (70) of at least 80 lbs.
  13. 13. The surgical instrument according to any preceding paragraph, further comprising a housing (20), wherein the drive link (56, 156, 256, 356, 456, 556, 656) and the body (55a) are disposed within the housing (20), and wherein a trigger (52) is coupled to the housing (20) and the drive link (56, 156, 256, 356, 456, 556, 656) such that actuation of the trigger (52) relative to the housing (20) translates the drive link (56, 156, 256, 356, 456, 556, 656) through the slot (89).
  14. 14. The surgical instrument according to any preceding paragraph, wherein the drive link (56, 156, 256, 356, 456, 556, 656) is metal.
  15. 15. The surgical instrument according to any preceding paragraph, wherein the drive link (56, 156, 256, 356, 456, 556, 656) is formed via stamping.

Description

ACTUATION MECHANISMS FOR SURGICAL INSTRUMENTS AND SURGICAL INSTRUMENTS INCORPORATING THE SAME CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS [0001] This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application Serial No. 63/524,947, filed July 5, 2023, the entire content of which is incorporated herein by reference. FIELD [0002] The present disclosure relates to surgical instruments and, more particularly, to actuation mechanisms for surgical instruments such as, for example, to actuate a cutting element of a surgical instrument. BACKGROUND [0003] Various different surgical instruments employ actuation mechanisms to actuate one or more operable components of the surgical instrument. A surgical forceps, for example, is a plierslike instrument that relies on mechanical action between its jaw members to grasp, clamp, and constrict tissue. Electrosurgical forceps utilize both mechanical clamping action and energy to heat tissue to treat, e.g., coagulate, cauterize, or seal, tissue. Typically, once tissue is treated, the surgeon has to accurately sever the treated tissue. Accordingly, many electrosurgical forceps are designed to incorporate a knife that is advanced between the jaw members to cut the treated tissue. Such electrosurgical forceps may include one or more actuation mechanisms to enable selective closure of the jaw members to grasp tissue for treating the grasped tissue and/or actuation of the knife to cut the treated tissue. SUMMARY [0004] As used herein, the term “distal” refers to the portion that is being described which is farther from an operator (whether a human user (surgeon, nurse, etc.) or a surgical robot), while the term “proximal” refers to the portion that is being described which is closer to the operator. Terms including “generally,” “about,” “substantially,” and the like, as utilized herein, are meant to encompass variations, e.g., manufacturing tolerances, material tolerances, use and environmental tolerances, measurement variations, design variations, and/or other variations, up to and including plus or minus 10 percent. Further, to the extent consistent, any or all of the aspects detailed herein may be used in conjunction with any or all of the other aspects detailed herein. [0005] Provided in accordance with the present disclosure is a surgical instrument including a shaft, a drive element, a drive link, and a body. The shaft includes a slot defined therein and extending longitudinally therealong. The slot defines a width. The drive element is slidably disposed within the shaft. The drive link includes a first portion positioned externally of the shaft and a second portion extending through the slot into an interior of the shaft to engage the drive element within the shaft. The drive link defines a depth, a width greater than the depth, and a length. The depth of the drive link is less than the width of the slot to enable the drive link to extend through the slot. The width of the drive link is greater than the width of the slot. The body is disposed about at least a portion of the shaft. The first portion of the drive link is coupled to the body such that translation of the body along the shaft translates the drive element through the shaft. [0006] In an aspect of the present disclosure, the length of the drive link is greater than the width of the drive link. [0007] In another aspect of the present disclosure, the second portion of the drive link is forked to define first and second spaced-apart prongs configured to engage the drive element therebetween. [0008] In still another aspect of the present disclosure, the drive element includes a body and a leg disposed at an angle relative to the body. The drive link, in such aspects, is configured to engage the leg of the drive element. [0009] In yet another aspect of the present disclosure, the drive link defines a plate configuration having opposed faces interconnected by an edge. In such aspects, the length and width of the drive link are defined across the opposed faces and the depth is defined across the edge. [0010] In still yet another aspect of the present disclosure, at least one tab extends transversely from the first portion of the drive link. [0011] In another aspect of the present disclosure, the first portion of the drive link is rotatably coupled to the body such the drive link is rotatable independently of the body. [0012] Another surgical instrument provided in accordance with the present disclosure includes a housing, a shaft, an end effector assembly, a drive element, and a drive link. The shaft includes a proximal end portion disposed within the housing and a distal end portion at which the end effector assembly is disposed. The proximal end portion of the shaft includes a slot defined therein and extending longitudinally therealong. The slot defines a width. The drive element is slidably disposed within the shaft and configured to actuate a portion of the end effector assembly. The drive link is dispose