US-20260123983-A1 - ACTUATION MECHANISMS FOR SURGICAL INSTRUMENTS AND SURGICAL INSTRUMENTS INCORPORATING THE SAME

US20260123983A1US 20260123983 A1US20260123983 A1US 20260123983A1US-20260123983-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

David D. Brause
Robert F. McCullough, JR.
Monte S. Fry

Assignees

COVIDIEN LP

Dates

Publication Date: 20260507
Application Date: 20251229

Claims (20)

1 . A surgical instrument, comprising: a shaft including a slot defined therein and extending longitudinally therealong, the slot defining a width; a drive element slidably disposed within the shaft; a drive link including 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 defining a depth, a width greater than the depth, and a length, wherein the depth of the drive link is less than the width of the slot to enable the drive link to extend through the slot, and wherein the width of the drive link is greater than the width of the slot; and a body disposed about at least a portion of the shaft, wherein 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.
2 . The surgical instrument according to claim 1 , wherein the length of the drive link is greater than the width of the drive link.
3 . The surgical instrument according to claim 1 , wherein the second portion of the drive link is forked to define first and second spaced-apart prongs configured to engage the drive element therebetween.
4 . The surgical instrument according to claim 1 , where the drive element includes a body and a leg disposed at an angle relative to the body, and wherein the drive link is configured to engage the leg of the drive element.
5 . The surgical instrument according to claim 1 , wherein the drive link defines a plate configuration having opposed faces interconnected by an edge, wherein the length and width of the drive link are defined across the opposed faces and wherein the depth is defined across the edge.
6 . The surgical instrument according to claim 1 , further comprising at least one tab extending transversely from the first portion of the drive link.
7 . The surgical instrument according to claim 1 , wherein the first portion of the drive link is rotatably coupled to the body such the drive link is rotatable independently of the body.
8 . A surgical instrument, comprising: a housing; a shaft including a proximal end portion disposed within the housing, the shaft extending distally from the housing, the proximal end portion of the shaft including a slot defined therein and extending longitudinally therealong, the slot defining a width; an end effector assembly disposed at a distal end portion of the shaft; a drive element slidably disposed within the shaft, the drive element configured to actuate a portion of the end effector assembly; and a drive link disposed within the housing and including 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 defining a depth, a width greater than the depth, and a length, wherein the depth of the drive link is less than the width of the slot to enable the drive link to extend through the slot, and wherein the width of the drive link is greater than the width of the slot, wherein translation of the drive link through the slot translates the drive element through the shaft to actuate the portion of the end effector assembly.
9 . The surgical instrument according to claim 8 , wherein the length of the drive link is greater than the width of the drive link.
10 . The surgical instrument according to claim 8 , wherein the second portion of the drive link is forked to define first and second spaced-apart prongs configured to engage the drive element therebetween.
11 . The surgical instrument according to claim 8 , where the drive element includes a body and a leg disposed at an angle relative to the body, and wherein the drive link is configured to engage the leg of the drive element.
12 . The surgical instrument according to claim 8 , wherein the drive link defines a plate configuration having opposed faces interconnected by an edge, wherein the length and the width of the drive link are defined across the opposed faces and wherein the depth is defined across the edge.
13 . The surgical instrument according to claim 8 , further comprising a trigger coupled to the housing and the drive link, wherein actuation of the trigger relative to the housing translates the drive link through the slot.
14 . The surgical instrument according to claim 13 , further comprising a body coupling the trigger with the drive link, wherein the first portion of the drive link is captured within the body.
15 . A surgical instrument, comprising: an outer shaft; a drive shaft slidably disposed within the outer shaft, the drive shaft including a slot defined therein and extending longitudinally therealong, the slot defining a width; an end effector assembly disposed at a distal end portion of the outer shaft, the end effector assembly including first and second jaw members, at least one of the first or second jaw members movable relative to another of the first or second jaw members to grasp tissue therebetween, the end effector assembly further including a knife movable between the first and second jaw members to cut tissue grasped therebetween; a drive element slidably disposed within the drive shaft, the drive element coupled to move the knife; and a drive link extending through the slot into an interior of the drive shaft to engage the drive element within the drive shaft, the drive link defining a depth, a width greater than the depth, and a length, wherein the depth of the drive link is less than the width of the slot to enable the drive link to extend through the slot, and wherein the width of the drive link is greater than the width of the slot, wherein translation of the drive link through the slot translates the drive element through the drive shaft to thereby move the knife relative to the first and second jaw members.
16 . The surgical instrument according to claim 15 , wherein the length of the drive link is greater than the width of the drive link.
17 . The surgical instrument according to claim 15 , wherein the outer shaft includes a slot, and wherein the drive link also extends through the slot of the outer shaft.
18 . The surgical instrument according to claim 15 , wherein the drive shaft is slidable through the outer shaft to move the at least one of the first or second jaw members to grasp tissue therebetween, and wherein the drive shaft is configured to apply a force to the at least one of the first or second jaw members of at least 80 lbs.
19 . The surgical instrument according to claim 15 , wherein the drive element includes a body and a leg disposed at an angle relative to the body, and wherein the drive link is configured to engage the leg of the drive element.
20 . The surgical instrument according to claim 15 , wherein the drive link includes a forked portion having first and second spaced-apart prongs configured to engage the drive element therebetween.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS This application is a continuation of International Patent Application No. PCT/IB2024/056413, filed July 1, 2024, which claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application Serial No. 63/524,947, filed July 5, 2023, which applications are incorporated herein by reference. To the extent appropriate, a claim of priority is made to each of the above disclosed applications. FIELD 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 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 pliers-like 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 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. 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. In an aspect of the present disclosure, the length of the drive link is greater than the width of the drive link. 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. 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. 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. In still yet another aspect of the present disclosure, at least one tab extends transversely from the first portion of the drive link. 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. 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 l