US-12622695-B2 - Firing circuit and control algorithm for surgical stapler

Abstract

A surgical instrument includes a body having a firing actuator, a shaft, a motor, an end effector, and a control circuit. The motor is configured to activate in response to a firing actuation of the firing actuator. The end effector is operable to staple and sever tissue and includes a cutting edge configured to selectively translate longitudinally between a proximal position and a distal position in response to an activation of the motor. The control circuit is configured to generate a forward motor control signal to pulsate the cutting edge. The forward motor control signal includes a first time duration including movement of the cutting edge distally from the proximal position to a second longitudinal position, a second time duration including ceased movement of the cutting edge, and a third time duration including movement of the cutting edge distally from the second longitudinal position toward the distal position.

Inventors

• Joseph D. Paulowski
• Shane R. Adams
• Nicholas J. Ross
• Johnnie Bell

Assignees

• CILAG GMBH INTERNATIONAL

Dates

Publication Date

20260512

Application Date

20241227

Claims (20)

1. 1 . A surgical instrument, comprising: (a) a motor; (b) an end effector including a cutting edge drivable by the motor from a start position to an end position to cut tissue captured by the end effector; and (c) a control circuit operatively coupled with the motor, wherein the control circuit is configured to generate a forward motor control signal operable to activate the motor to pulsate the cutting edge from the start position to the end position to cut the tissue, wherein the forward motor control signal includes: (i) a first output level that facilitates driving the cutting edge from the start position toward the end position, (ii) a second output level that facilitates stopping the cutting edge at an intermediate position between the start position and the end position, and (iii) a third output level that facilitates driving the cutting edge from the intermediate position toward the end position, wherein the first output level, the second output level, and the third output level cooperate to define a duty cycle of the forward motor control signal, wherein the control circuit further includes an adjustable input operable to adjust the duty cycle.
2. 2 . The surgical instrument of claim 1 , wherein the control circuit is configured to determine that the cutting edge has reached the end position, wherein the control circuit is further configured to generate a reverse motor control signal to activate the motor, in response to determining that the cutting edge has reached the end position, to transition the cutting edge from the end position back to the start position.
3. 3 . The surgical instrument of claim 2 , further comprising a power source operatively coupled with the motor, the control circuit further including a switch operable to reverse an electrical polarity provided to the motor by the power source, wherein the control circuit is configured to operate the switch in response to determining that the cutting edge has reached the end position.
4. 4 . The surgical instrument of claim 1 , wherein the control circuit further comprises a plurality of analog electrical components configured to oscillate the forward motor control signal between a high voltage signal and a low voltage signal, wherein the high voltage signal is operable to activate the motor and defines the first output level and the third output level, and wherein the low voltage signal is operable to deactivate the motor and defines the second output level.
5. 5 . The surgical instrument of claim 4 , wherein the analog electrical components comprise an RC circuit coupled with two transistors, wherein the RC circuit includes at least one resistor and at least one capacitor, and wherein the RC circuit and the two transistors are configured to oscillate the forward motor control signal between the first output level, the second output level, and the third output level.
6. 6 . The surgical instrument of claim 4 , wherein the analog electrical components further comprise an integrated-circuit timing device.
7. 7 . The surgical instrument of claim 4 , wherein the analog electrical components further comprise an operational amplifier configured to oscillate the forward motor control signal between the first output level, the second output level, and the third output level.
8. 8 . The surgical instrument of claim 4 , wherein the analog electrical components further comprise a variable timer relay configured to oscillate the forward motor control signal between the first output level, the second output level, and the third output level.
9. 9 . The surgical instrument of claim 1 , wherein the end effector includes a pair of jaws configured to cooperate to clamp and staple tissue with a plurality of surgical staples.
10. 10 . The surgical instrument of claim 1 , the control circuit further including a microcontroller configured to oscillate the forward motor control signal between a high voltage signal and a low voltage signal, wherein the high voltage signal is operable to activate the motor and defines the first output level and the third output level, and wherein the low voltage signal is operable to deactivate the motor and defines the second output level.
11. 11 . The surgical instrument of claim 1 , wherein the adjustable input comprises a bypass switch that is selectively actuatable to set the duty cycle at 100%.
12. 12 . The surgical instrument of claim 11 , wherein the bypass switch comprises a user-actuatable bypass switch.
13. 13 . The surgical instrument of claim 1 , wherein the forward motor control signal transitions from the second output level to the third output level to define a pulse, and wherein the forward motor control signal comprises a plurality of pulses to pulsate the cutting edge towards the end position.
14. 14 . The surgical instrument of claim 13 , wherein the plurality of pulses comprises three or four pulses.
15. 15 . The surgical instrument of claim 13 , wherein the plurality of pulses comprises seven, eight, or nine pulses.
16. 16 . A surgical instrument, comprising: (a) a motor; (b) an end effector including a cutting edge drivable by the motor from a start position to an end position to cut tissue captured by the end effector; and (c) a control circuit operatively coupled with the motor, wherein the control circuit is configured to generate an oscillating motor control signal that oscillates between: (i) an active state that facilitates activation of the motor and thus actuation of the cutting edge from the start position to the end position, and between the start position and the end position; (ii) an inactive state that facilitates deactivation of the motor and thus selective interruption of the actuation of the cutting edge from the start position to the end position such that the cutting edge periodically stops at a plurality of intermediate positions between the start position and the end position, wherein the active state and the inactive state cooperate to define a duty cycle of the oscillating motor control signal, wherein the control circuit further includes an adjustable input that is selectively operable to adjust the duty cycle.
17. 17 . The surgical instrument of claim 16 , the control circuit further comprising analog electrical components configured to oscillate the oscillating motor control signal between a high voltage signal and a low voltage signal, wherein the high voltage signal is operable to activate the motor, and wherein the low voltage signal is operable to deactivate the motor.
18. 18 . The surgical instrument of claim 16 , wherein the adjustable input comprises a bypass switch that is selectively actuatable to set the duty cycle at 100%.
19. 19 . A method of operating a surgical instrument including a motor, an end effector having a cutting edge, and a control circuit operatively coupled with the motor, the method comprising: (a) generating, at the control circuit, a pulsating forward motor control signal to selectively activate the motor; (b) activating the motor upon receiving a first signal portion of the forward motor control signal to translate the cutting edge from a proximal position toward a distal position; (c) deactivating the motor upon receiving a second signal portion of the forward motor control signal to stop the cutting edge at an intermediate position between the proximal position and the distal position; (d) activating the motor upon receiving a third signal portion of the forward motor control signal to translate the cutting edge from the intermediate position toward the distal position, wherein the first signal portion, the second signal portion, and the third signal portion cooperate to define a duty cycle of the forward motor control signal; and (e) adjusting the duty cycle in response to a user input.
20. 20 . The method of claim 19 , further comprising: (a) reversing a polarity of a power source coupled with the motor; (b) generating a reverse motor control signal to selectively activate the motor; (c) transmitting the reverse motor control signal to the motor; and (d) activating the motor upon receiving the reverse motor control signal and thereby driving the cutting edge proximally away from the distal position.

Description

PRIORITY This application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 16/930,613, entitled “Firing Circuit and Control Algorithm for Surgical Stapler.” filed Jul. 16, 2020, issued as U.S. Pat. No. 12,193,662 on Jan. 14, 2025, the disclosure of which is incorporated by reference herein in its entirety. BACKGROUND Examples of surgical instruments include surgical staplers. Some such staplers are operable to clamp down on layers of tissue, cut through the clamped layers of tissue, and drive staples through the layers of tissue to substantially seal the severed layers of tissue together near the severed ends of the tissue layers. Examples of surgical staplers are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 7,404,508, entitled “Surgical Stapling and Cutting Device,” issued Jul. 29, 2008; U.S. Pat. No. 7,434,715, entitled “Surgical Stapling Instrument Having Multistroke Firing with Opening Lockout,” issued Oct. 14, 2008; U.S. Pat. No. 7,721,930, entitled “Disposable Cartridge with Adhesive for Use with a Stapling Device,” issued May 25, 2010; U.S. Pat. No. 8,408,439, entitled “Surgical Stapling Instrument with An Articulatable End Effector,” issued Apr. 2, 2013; and U.S. Pat. No. 8,453,914, entitled “Motor-Driven Surgical Cutting Instrument with Electric Actuator Directional Control Assembly,” issued Jun. 4, 2013. The disclosure of each of the above-cited U.S. Patents is incorporated by reference herein in its entirety. While various kinds of surgical stapling instruments and associated components have been made and used, it is believed that no one prior to the inventor(s) has made or used the invention described in the appended claims. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and constitute a part of this specification, illustrate embodiments of the invention, and, together with the general description of the invention given above, and the detailed description of the embodiments given below, serve to explain the principles of the present invention. FIG. 1 depicts a perspective view of an exemplary articulating surgical stapling instrument; FIG. 2 depicts a side view of the instrument of FIG. 1; FIG. 3 depicts a perspective view of an opened end effector of the instrument of FIG. 1; FIG. 4A depicts a side cross-sectional view of the end effector of FIG. 3, taken along line 4-4 of FIG. 3, with the firing beam in a proximal position; FIG. 4B depicts a side cross-sectional view of the end effector of FIG. 3, taken along line 4-4 of FIG. 3, with the firing beam in a distal position; FIG. 5 depicts an end cross-sectional view of the end effector of FIG. 3, taken along line 5-5 of FIG. 3; FIG. 6 depicts an exploded perspective view of the end effector of FIG. 3; FIG. 7 depicts a perspective view of the end effector of FIG. 3, positioned at tissue and having been actuated once in the tissue; FIG. 8 depicts a schematic view of an exemplary control circuit that may be incorporated into the instrument of FIG. 1; FIG. 9 depicts a first exemplary firing circuit that may be incorporated into the control circuit of FIG. 8; FIG. 10 depicts a graph illustrating the relationship between a firing motor position and an output of the firing circuit of FIG. 9, with the firing circuit configured for pulsed-firing mode and actuated for a cutting and stapling operation; FIG. 11 depicts a second exemplary firing circuit that may be incorporated into the control circuit of FIG. 8; FIG. 12 depicts the firing circuit of FIG. 11, and including a pulse-adjustment mechanism and a pulse-bypass mechanism; FIG. 13 depicts a third exemplary firing circuit that may be incorporated into the control circuit of FIG. 8; FIG. 14 depicts the firing circuit of FIG. 13, and including a pulse-adjustment mechanism and a pulse-bypass mechanism; FIG. 15 depicts a fourth exemplary firing circuit that may be incorporated into the control circuit of FIG. 8; and FIG. 16 depicts a fifth exemplary firing circuit that may be incorporated into the control circuit of FIG. 8. The drawings are not intended to be limiting in any way, and it is contemplated that various embodiments of the invention may be carried out in a variety of other ways, including those not necessarily depicted in the drawings. The accompanying drawings incorporated in and forming a part of the specification illustrate several aspects of the present invention, and together with the description serve to explain the principles of the invention; it being understood, however, that this invention is not limited to the precise arrangements shown. DETAILED DESCRIPTION The following description of certain examples of the invention should not be used to limit the scope of the present invention. Other examples, features, aspects, embodiments, and advantages of the invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art from the following description, which is by way of illustration, one of the best modes contemplated for carrying out the invention. As will be realized