SURGICAL STAPLING INSTRUMENTS WITH SMART STAPLE CARTRIDGES
A surgical instrument includes an anvil and an elongate channel. The elongate channel includes a plurality of first electrical contacts and a plurality of electrical connectors comprising a plurality of second electrical contacts, wherein the electrical connectors are spring-biased such that a gap is maintained between the first electrical contacts and the second electrical contacts. The surgical instrument further includes a staple cartridge releasably attachable to the elongate channel, wherein the staple cartridge has a cartridge body comprising a plurality of staple cavities, a plurality of staples deployable from the staple cavities into the tissue, and a plurality of third electrical contacts, wherein the attachment of the staple cartridge to the elongate channel moves the electrical connectors causing the second electrical contacts to bridge the gap and become electrically coupled to the first electrical contacts.
The present invention relates to surgical instruments and, in various arrangements, to surgical stapling and cutting instruments and staple cartridges for use therewith that are designed to staple and cut tissue.
Various features of the embodiments described herein, together with advantages thereof, may be understood in accordance with the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings as follows:
Corresponding reference characters indicate corresponding parts throughout the several views. The exemplifications set out herein illustrate various embodiments of the invention, in one form, and such exemplifications are not to be construed as limiting the scope of the invention in any manner.
DETAILED DESCRIPTIONApplicant of the present application owns the following U.S. patent applications that were filed on Dec. 21, 2016 and which are each herein incorporated by reference in their respective entireties:
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- U.S. patent application Ser. No. 15/386,185, entitled SURGICAL STAPLING INSTRUMENTS AND REPLACEABLE TOOL ASSEMBLIES THEREOF;
- U.S. patent application Ser. No. 15/386,230, entitled ARTICULATABLE SURGICAL STAPLING INSTRUMENTS;
- U.S. patent application Ser. No. 15/386,221, entitled LOCKOUT ARRANGEMENTS FOR SURGICAL END EFFECTORS;
- U.S. patent application Ser. No. 15/386,209, entitled SURGICAL END EFFECTORS AND FIRING MEMBERS THEREOF;
- U.S. patent application Ser. No. 15/386,198, entitled LOCKOUT ARRANGEMENTS FOR SURGICAL END EFFECTORS AND REPLACEABLE TOOL ASSEMBLIES; and
- U.S. patent application Ser. No. 15/386,240, entitled SURGICAL END EFFECTORS AND ADAPTABLE FIRING MEMBERS THEREFOR.
Applicant of the present application owns the following U.S. patent applications that were filed on Dec. 21, 2016 and which are each herein incorporated by reference in their respective entireties:
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- U.S. patent application Ser. No. 15/385,939, entitled STAPLE CARTRIDGES AND ARRANGEMENTS OF STAPLES AND STAPLE CAVITIES THEREIN;
- U.S. patent application Ser. No. 15/385,941, entitled SURGICAL TOOL ASSEMBLIES WITH CLUTCHING ARRANGEMENTS FOR SHIFTING BETWEEN CLOSURE SYSTEMS WITH CLOSURE STROKE REDUCTION FEATURES AND ARTICULATION AND FIRING SYSTEMS;
- U.S. patent application Ser. No. 15/385,943, entitled SURGICAL STAPLING INSTRUMENTS AND STAPLE-FORMING ANVILS;
- U.S. patent application Ser. No. 15/385,950, entitled SURGICAL TOOL ASSEMBLIES WITH CLOSURE STROKE REDUCTION FEATURES;
- U.S. patent application Ser. No. 15/385,945, entitled STAPLE CARTRIDGES AND ARRANGEMENTS OF STAPLES AND STAPLE CAVITIES THEREIN;
- U.S. patent application Ser. No. 15/385,946, entitled SURGICAL STAPLING INSTRUMENTS AND STAPLE-FORMING ANVILS;
- U.S. patent application Ser. No. 15/385,951, entitled SURGICAL INSTRUMENTS WITH JAW OPENING FEATURES FOR INCREASING A JAW OPENING DISTANCE;
- U.S. patent application Ser. No. 15/385,953, entitled METHODS OF STAPLING TISSUE;
- U.S. patent application Ser. No. 15/385,954, entitled FIRING MEMBERS WITH NON-PARALLEL JAW ENGAGEMENT FEATURES FOR SURGICAL END EFFECTORS;
- U.S. patent application Ser. No. 15/385,955, entitled SURGICAL END EFFECTORS WITH EXPANDABLE TISSUE STOP ARRANGEMENTS;
- U.S. patent application Ser. No. 15/385,948, entitled SURGICAL STAPLING INSTRUMENTS AND STAPLE-FORMING ANVILS;
- U.S. patent application Ser. No. 15/385,956, entitled SURGICAL INSTRUMENTS WITH POSITIVE JAW OPENING FEATURES;
- U.S. patent application Ser. No. 15/385,958, entitled SURGICAL INSTRUMENTS WITH LOCKOUT ARRANGEMENTS FOR PREVENTING FIRING SYSTEM ACTUATION UNLESS AN UNSPENT STAPLE CARTRIDGE IS PRESENT; and
- U.S. patent application Ser. No. 15/385,947, entitled STAPLE CARTRIDGES AND ARRANGEMENTS OF STAPLES AND STAPLE CAVITIES THEREIN.
Applicant of the present application owns the following U.S. patent applications that were filed on Dec. 21, 2016 and which are each herein incorporated by reference in their respective entireties:
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- U.S. patent application Ser. No. 15/385,896, entitled METHOD FOR RESETTING A FUSE OF A SURGICAL INSTRUMENT SHAFT;
- U.S. patent application Ser. No. 15/385,898, entitled STAPLE FORMING POCKET ARRANGEMENT TO ACCOMMODATE DIFFERENT TYPES OF STAPLES;
- U.S. patent application Ser. No. 15/385,899, entitled SURGICAL INSTRUMENT COMPRISING IMPROVED JAW CONTROL;
- U.S. patent application Ser. No. 15/385,901, entitled STAPLE CARTRIDGE AND STAPLE CARTRIDGE CHANNEL COMPRISING WINDOWS DEFINED THEREIN;
- U.S. patent application Ser. No. 15/385,902, entitled SURGICAL INSTRUMENT COMPRISING A CUTTING MEMBER;
- U.S. patent application Ser. No. 15/385,904, entitled STAPLE FIRING MEMBER COMPRISING A MISSING CARTRIDGE AND/OR SPENT CARTRIDGE LOCKOUT;
- U.S. patent application Ser. No. 15/385,905, entitled FIRING ASSEMBLY COMPRISING A LOCKOUT;
- U.S. patent application Ser. No. 15/385,907, entitled SURGICAL INSTRUMENT SYSTEM COMPRISING AN END EFFECTOR LOCKOUT AND A FIRING ASSEMBLY LOCKOUT;
- U.S. patent application Ser. No. 15/385,908, entitled FIRING ASSEMBLY COMPRISING A FUSE; and
- U.S. patent application Ser. No. 15/385,909, entitled FIRING ASSEMBLY COMPRISING A MULTIPLE FAILED-STATE FUSE.
Applicant of the present application owns the following U.S. patent applications that were filed on Dec. 21, 2016 and which are each herein incorporated by reference in their respective entireties:
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- U.S. patent application Ser. No. 15/385,920, entitled STAPLE FORMING POCKET ARRANGEMENTS;
- U.S. patent application Ser. No. 15/385,913, entitled ANVIL ARRANGEMENTS FOR SURGICAL STAPLERS;
- U.S. patent application Ser. No. 15/385,914, entitled METHOD OF DEFORMING STAPLES FROM TWO DIFFERENT TYPES OF STAPLE CARTRIDGES WITH THE SAME SURGICAL STAPLING INSTRUMENT;
- U.S. patent application Ser. No. 15/385,893, entitled BILATERALLY ASYMMETRIC STAPLE FORMING POCKET PAIRS;
- U.S. patent application Ser. No. 15/385,929, entitled CLOSURE MEMBERS WITH CAM SURFACE ARRANGEMENTS FOR SURGICAL INSTRUMENTS WITH SEPARATE AND DISTINCT CLOSURE AND FIRING SYSTEMS;
- U.S. patent application Ser. No. 15/385,911, entitled SURGICAL STAPLERS WITH INDEPENDENTLY ACTUATABLE CLOSING AND FIRING SYSTEMS;
- U.S. patent application Ser. No. 15/385,917, entitled STAPLE CARTRIDGE COMPRISING STAPLES WITH DIFFERENT CLAMPING BREADTHS;
- U.S. patent application Ser. No. 15/385,900, entitled STAPLE FORMING POCKET ARRANGEMENTS COMPRISING PRIMARY SIDEWALLS AND POCKET SIDEWALLS;
- U.S. patent application Ser. No. 15/385,931, entitled NO-CARTRIDGE AND SPENT CARTRIDGE LOCKOUT ARRANGEMENTS FOR SURGICAL STAPLERS;
- U.S. patent application Ser. No. 15/385,915, entitled FIRING MEMBER PIN ANGLE;
- U.S. patent application Ser. No. 15/385,897, entitled STAPLE FORMING POCKET ARRANGEMENTS COMPRISING ZONED FORMING SURFACE GROOVES;
- U.S. patent application Ser. No. 15/385,922, entitled SURGICAL INSTRUMENT WITH MULTIPLE FAILURE RESPONSE MODES;
- U.S. patent application Ser. No. 15/385,924, entitled SURGICAL INSTRUMENT WITH PRIMARY AND SAFETY PROCESSORS;
- U.S. patent application Ser. No. 15/385,912, entitled SURGICAL INSTRUMENTS WITH JAWS THAT ARE PIVOTABLE ABOUT A FIXED AXIS AND INCLUDE SEPARATE AND DISTINCT CLOSURE AND FIRING SYSTEMS;
- U.S. patent application Ser. No. 15/385,910, entitled ANVIL HAVING A KNIFE SLOT WIDTH;
- U.S. patent application Ser. No. 15/385,903, entitled CLOSURE MEMBER ARRANGEMENTS FOR SURGICAL INSTRUMENTS; and
- U.S. patent application Ser. No. 15/385,906, entitled FIRING MEMBER PIN CONFIGURATIONS.
Applicant of the present application owns the following U.S. patent applications that were filed on Dec. 21, 2016 and which are each herein incorporated by reference in their respective entireties:
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- U.S. patent application Ser. No. 15/386,188, entitled STEPPED STAPLE CARTRIDGE WITH ASYMMETRICAL STAPLES;
- U.S. patent application Ser. No. 15/386,192, entitled STEPPED STAPLE CARTRIDGE WITH TISSUE RETENTION AND GAP SETTING FEATURES;
- U.S. patent application Ser. No. 15/386,206, entitled STAPLE CARTRIDGE WITH DEFORMABLE DRIVER RETENTION FEATURES;
- U.S. patent application Ser. No. 15/386,226, entitled DURABILITY FEATURES FOR END EFFECTORS AND FIRING ASSEMBLIES OF SURGICAL STAPLING INSTRUMENTS;
- U.S. patent application Ser. No. 15/386,222, entitled SURGICAL STAPLING INSTRUMENTS HAVING END EFFECTORS WITH POSITIVE OPENING FEATURES; and
- U.S. patent application Ser. No. 15/386,236, entitled CONNECTION PORTIONS FOR DISPOSABLE LOADING UNITS FOR SURGICAL STAPLING INSTRUMENTS.
Applicant of the present application owns the following U.S. patent applications that were filed on Dec. 21, 2016 and which are each herein incorporated by reference in their respective entireties:
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- U.S. patent application Ser. No. 15/385,887, entitled METHOD FOR ATTACHING A SHAFT ASSEMBLY TO A SURGICAL INSTRUMENT AND, ALTERNATIVELY, TO A SURGICAL ROBOT;
- U.S. patent application Ser. No. 15/385,889, entitled SHAFT ASSEMBLY COMPRISING A MANUALLY-OPERABLE RETRACTION SYSTEM FOR USE WITH A MOTORIZED SURGICAL INSTRUMENT SYSTEM;
- U.S. patent application Ser. No. 15/385,890, entitled SHAFT ASSEMBLY COMPRISING SEPARATELY ACTUATABLE AND RETRACTABLE SYSTEMS;
- U.S. patent application Ser. No. 15/385,891, entitled SHAFT ASSEMBLY COMPRISING A CLUTCH CONFIGURED TO ADAPT THE OUTPUT OF A ROTARY FIRING MEMBER TO TWO DIFFERENT SYSTEMS;
- U.S. patent application Ser. No. 15/385,892, entitled SURGICAL SYSTEM COMPRISING A FIRING MEMBER ROTATABLE INTO AN ARTICULATION STATE TO ARTICULATE AN END EFFECTOR OF THE SURGICAL SYSTEM;
- U.S. patent application Ser. No. 15/385,894, entitled SHAFT ASSEMBLY COMPRISING A LOCKOUT; and
- U.S. patent application Ser. No. 15/385,895, entitled SHAFT ASSEMBLY COMPRISING FIRST AND SECOND ARTICULATION LOCKOUTS.
Applicant of the present application owns the following U.S. patent applications that were filed on Dec. 21, 2016 and which are each herein incorporated by reference in their respective entireties:
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- U.S. patent application Ser. No. 15/385,916, entitled SURGICAL STAPLING SYSTEMS;
- U.S. patent application Ser. No. 15/385,918, entitled SURGICAL STAPLING SYSTEMS;
- U.S. patent application Ser. No. 15/385,919, entitled SURGICAL STAPLING SYSTEMS;
- U.S. patent application Ser. No. 15/385,921, entitled SURGICAL STAPLE CARTRIDGE WITH MOVABLE CAMMING MEMBER CONFIGURED TO DISENGAGE FIRING MEMBER LOCKOUT FEATURES;
- U.S. patent application Ser. No. 15/385,923, entitled SURGICAL STAPLING SYSTEMS;
- U.S. patent application Ser. No. 15/385,925, entitled JAW ACTUATED LOCK ARRANGEMENTS FOR PREVENTING ADVANCEMENT OF A FIRING MEMBER IN A SURGICAL END EFFECTOR UNLESS AN UNFIRED CARTRIDGE IS INSTALLED IN THE END EFFECTOR;
- U.S. patent application Ser. No. 15/385,926, entitled AXIALLY MOVABLE CLOSURE SYSTEM ARRANGEMENTS FOR APPLYING CLOSURE MOTIONS TO JAWS OF SURGICAL INSTRUMENTS;
- U.S. patent application Ser. No. 15/385,928, entitled PROTECTIVE COVER ARRANGEMENTS FOR A JOINT INTERFACE BETWEEN A MOVABLE JAW AND ACTUATOR SHAFT OF A SURGICAL INSTRUMENT;
- U.S. patent application Ser. No. 15/385,930, entitled SURGICAL END EFFECTOR WITH TWO SEPARATE COOPERATING OPENING FEATURES FOR OPENING AND CLOSING END EFFECTOR JAWS;
- U.S. patent application Ser. No. 15/385,932, entitled ARTICULATABLE SURGICAL END EFFECTOR WITH ASYMMETRIC SHAFT ARRANGEMENT;
- U.S. patent application Ser. No. 15/385,933, entitled ARTICULATABLE SURGICAL INSTRUMENT WITH INDEPENDENT PIVOTABLE LINKAGE DISTAL OF AN ARTICULATION LOCK;
- U.S. patent application Ser. No. 15/385,934, entitled ARTICULATION LOCK ARRANGEMENTS FOR LOCKING AN END EFFECTOR IN AN ARTICULATED POSITION IN RESPONSE TO ACTUATION OF A JAW CLOSURE SYSTEM;
- U.S. patent application Ser. No. 15/385,935, entitled LATERALLY ACTUATABLE ARTICULATION LOCK ARRANGEMENTS FOR LOCKING AN END EFFECTOR OF A SURGICAL INSTRUMENT IN AN ARTICULATED CONFIGURATION; and
- U.S. patent application Ser. No. 15/385,936, entitled ARTICULATABLE SURGICAL INSTRUMENTS WITH ARTICULATION STROKE AMPLIFICATION FEATURES.
Applicant of the present application owns the following U.S. patent applications that were filed on Jun. 24, 2016 and which are each herein incorporated by reference in their respective entireties:
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- U.S. patent application Ser. No. 15/191,775, entitled STAPLE CARTRIDGE COMPRISING WIRE STAPLES AND STAMPED STAPLES;
- U.S. patent application Ser. No. 15/191,807, entitled STAPLING SYSTEM FOR USE WITH WIRE STAPLES AND STAMPED STAPLES;
- U.S. patent application Ser. No. 15/191,834, entitled STAMPED STAPLES AND STAPLE CARTRIDGES USING THE SAME;
- U.S. patent application Ser. No. 15/191,788, entitled STAPLE CARTRIDGE COMPRISING OVERDRIVEN STAPLES; and
- U.S. patent application Ser. No. 15/191,818, entitled STAPLE CARTRIDGE COMPRISING OFFSET LONGITUDINAL STAPLE ROWS.
Applicant of the present application owns the following U.S. patent applications that were filed on Jun. 24, 2016 and which are each herein incorporated by reference in their respective entireties:
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- U.S. Design patent application Ser. No. 29/569,218, entitled SURGICAL FASTENER;
- U.S. Design patent application Ser. No. 29/569,227, entitled SURGICAL FASTENER;
- U.S. Design patent application Ser. No. 29/569,259, entitled SURGICAL FASTENER CARTRIDGE; and
- U.S. Design patent application Ser. No. 29/569,264, entitled SURGICAL FASTENER CARTRIDGE.
Applicant of the present application owns the following patent applications that were filed on Apr. 1, 2016 and which are each herein incorporated by reference in their respective entirety:
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- U.S. patent application Ser. No. 15/089,325, entitled METHOD FOR OPERATING A SURGICAL STAPLING SYSTEM;
- U.S. patent application Ser. No. 15/089,321, entitled MODULAR SURGICAL STAPLING SYSTEM COMPRISING A DISPLAY;
- U.S. patent application Ser. No. 15/089,326, entitled SURGICAL STAPLING SYSTEM COMPRISING A DISPLAY INCLUDING A RE-ORIENTABLE DISPLAY FIELD;
- U.S. patent application Ser. No. 15/089,263, entitled SURGICAL INSTRUMENT HANDLE ASSEMBLY WITH RECONFIGURABLE GRIP PORTION;
- U.S. patent application Ser. No. 15/089,262, entitled ROTARY POWERED SURGICAL INSTRUMENT WITH MANUALLY ACTUATABLE BAILOUT SYSTEM;
- U.S. patent application Ser. No. 15/089,277, entitled SURGICAL CUTTING AND STAPLING END EFFECTOR WITH ANVIL CONCENTRIC DRIVE MEMBER;
- U.S. patent application Ser. No. 15/089,296, entitled INTERCHANGEABLE SURGICAL TOOL ASSEMBLY WITH A SURGICAL END EFFECTOR THAT IS SELECTIVELY ROTATABLE ABOUT A SHAFT AXIS;
- U.S. patent application Ser. No. 15/089,258, entitled SURGICAL STAPLING SYSTEM COMPRISING A SHIFTABLE TRANSMISSION;
- U.S. patent application Ser. No. 15/089,278, entitled SURGICAL STAPLING SYSTEM CONFIGURED TO PROVIDE SELECTIVE CUTTING OF TISSUE;
- U.S. patent application Ser. No. 15/089,284, entitled SURGICAL STAPLING SYSTEM COMPRISING A CONTOURABLE SHAFT;
- U.S. patent application Ser. No. 15/089,295, entitled SURGICAL STAPLING SYSTEM COMPRISING A TISSUE COMPRESSION LOCKOUT;
- U.S. patent application Ser. No. 15/089,300, entitled SURGICAL STAPLING SYSTEM COMPRISING AN UNCLAMPING LOCKOUT;
- U.S. patent application Ser. No. 15/089,196, entitled SURGICAL STAPLING SYSTEM COMPRISING A JAW CLOSURE LOCKOUT;
- U.S. patent application Ser. No. 15/089,203, entitled SURGICAL STAPLING SYSTEM COMPRISING A JAW ATTACHMENT LOCKOUT;
- U.S. patent application Ser. No. 15/089,210, entitled SURGICAL STAPLING SYSTEM COMPRISING A SPENT CARTRIDGE LOCKOUT;
- U.S. patent application Ser. No. 15/089,324, entitled SURGICAL INSTRUMENT COMPRISING A SHIFTING MECHANISM;
- U.S. patent application Ser. No. 15/089,335, entitled SURGICAL STAPLING INSTRUMENT COMPRISING MULTIPLE LOCKOUTS;
- U.S. patent application Ser. No. 15/089,339, entitled SURGICAL STAPLING INSTRUMENT;
- U.S. patent application Ser. No. 15/089,253, entitled SURGICAL STAPLING SYSTEM CONFIGURED TO APPLY ANNULAR ROWS OF STAPLES HAVING DIFFERENT HEIGHTS;
- U.S. patent application Ser. No. 15/089,304, entitled SURGICAL STAPLING SYSTEM COMPRISING A GROOVED FORMING POCKET;
- U.S. patent application Ser. No. 15/089,331, entitled ANVIL MODIFICATION MEMBERS FOR SURGICAL STAPLERS;
- U.S. patent application Ser. No. 15/089,336, entitled STAPLE CARTRIDGES WITH ATRAUMATIC FEATURES;
- U.S. patent application Ser. No. 15/089,312, entitled CIRCULAR STAPLING SYSTEM COMPRISING AN INCISABLE TISSUE SUPPORT;
- U.S. patent application Ser. No. 15/089,309, entitled CIRCULAR STAPLING SYSTEM COMPRISING ROTARY FIRING SYSTEM; and
- U.S. patent application Ser. No. 15/089,349, entitled CIRCULAR STAPLING SYSTEM COMPRISING LOAD CONTROL.
Applicant of the present application also owns the U.S. patent applications identified below which were filed on Dec. 31, 2015 which are each herein incorporated by reference in their respective entirety:
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- U.S. patent application Ser. No. 14/984,488, entitled MECHANISMS FOR COMPENSATING FOR BATTERY PACK FAILURE IN POWERED SURGICAL INSTRUMENTS;
- U.S. patent application Ser. No. 14/984,525, entitled MECHANISMS FOR COMPENSATING FOR DRIVETRAIN FAILURE IN POWERED SURGICAL INSTRUMENTS; and
- U.S. patent application Ser. No. 14/984,552, entitled SURGICAL INSTRUMENTS WITH SEPARABLE MOTORS AND MOTOR CONTROL CIRCUITS.
Applicant of the present application also owns the U.S. patent applications identified below which were filed on Feb. 9, 2016 which are each herein incorporated by reference in their respective entirety:
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- U.S. patent application Ser. No. 15/019,220, entitled SURGICAL INSTRUMENT WITH ARTICULATING AND AXIALLY TRANSLATABLE END EFFECTOR;
- U.S. patent application Ser. No. 15/019,228, entitled SURGICAL INSTRUMENTS WITH MULTIPLE LINK ARTICULATION ARRANGEMENTS;
- U.S. patent application Ser. No. 15/019,196, entitled SURGICAL INSTRUMENT ARTICULATION MECHANISM WITH SLOTTED SECONDARY CONSTRAINT;
- U.S. patent application Ser. No. 15/019,206, entitled SURGICAL INSTRUMENTS WITH AN END EFFECTOR THAT IS HIGHLY ARTICULATABLE RELATIVE TO AN ELONGATE SHAFT ASSEMBLY;
- U.S. patent application Ser. No. 15/019,215, entitled SURGICAL INSTRUMENTS WITH NON-SYMMETRICAL ARTICULATION ARRANGEMENTS;
- U.S. patent application Ser. No. 15/019,227, entitled ARTICULATABLE SURGICAL INSTRUMENTS WITH SINGLE ARTICULATION LINK ARRANGEMENTS;
- U.S. patent application Ser. No. 15/019,235, entitled SURGICAL INSTRUMENTS WITH TENSIONING ARRANGEMENTS FOR CABLE DRIVEN ARTICULATION SYSTEMS;
- U.S. patent application Ser. No. 15/019,230, entitled ARTICULATABLE SURGICAL INSTRUMENTS WITH OFF-AXIS FIRING BEAM ARRANGEMENTS; and
- U.S. patent application Ser. No. 15/019,245, entitled SURGICAL INSTRUMENTS WITH CLOSURE STROKE REDUCTION ARRANGEMENTS.
Applicant of the present application also owns the U.S. patent applications identified below which were filed on Feb. 12, 2016 which are each herein incorporated by reference in their respective entirety:
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- U.S. patent application Ser. No. 15/043,254, entitled MECHANISMS FOR COMPENSATING FOR DRIVETRAIN FAILURE IN POWERED SURGICAL INSTRUMENTS;
- U.S. patent application Ser. No. 15/043,259, entitled MECHANISMS FOR COMPENSATING FOR DRIVETRAIN FAILURE IN POWERED SURGICAL INSTRUMENTS;
- U.S. patent application Ser. No. 15/043,275, entitled MECHANISMS FOR COMPENSATING FOR DRIVETRAIN FAILURE IN POWERED SURGICAL INSTRUMENTS; and
- U.S. patent application Ser. No. 15/043,289, entitled MECHANISMS FOR COMPENSATING FOR DRIVETRAIN FAILURE IN POWERED SURGICAL INSTRUMENTS.
Applicant of the present application owns the following patent applications that were filed on Jun. 18, 2015 and which are each herein incorporated by reference in their respective entirety:
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- U.S. patent application Ser. No. 14/742,925, entitled SURGICAL END EFFECTORS WITH POSITIVE JAW OPENING ARRANGEMENTS;
- U.S. patent application Ser. No. 14/742,941, entitled SURGICAL END EFFECTORS WITH DUAL CAM ACTUATED JAW CLOSING FEATURES;
- U.S. patent application Ser. No. 14/742,914, entitled MOVABLE FIRING BEAM SUPPORT ARRANGEMENTS FOR ARTICULATABLE SURGICAL INSTRUMENTS;
- U.S. patent application Ser. No. 14/742,900, entitled ARTICULATABLE SURGICAL INSTRUMENTS WITH COMPOSITE FIRING BEAM STRUCTURES WITH CENTER FIRING SUPPORT MEMBER FOR ARTICULATION SUPPORT;
- U.S. patent application Ser. No. 14/742,885, entitled DUAL ARTICULATION DRIVE SYSTEM ARRANGEMENTS FOR ARTICULATABLE SURGICAL INSTRUMENTS; and
- U.S. patent application Ser. No. 14/742,876, entitled PUSH/PULL ARTICULATION DRIVE SYSTEMS FOR ARTICULATABLE SURGICAL INSTRUMENTS.
Applicant of the present application owns the following patent applications that were filed on Mar. 6, 2015 and which are each herein incorporated by reference in their respective entirety:
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- U.S. patent application Ser. No. 14/640,746, entitled POWERED SURGICAL INSTRUMENT, now U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2016/0256184;
- U.S. patent application Ser. No. 14/640,795, entitled MULTIPLE LEVEL THRESHOLDS TO MODIFY OPERATION OF POWERED SURGICAL INSTRUMENTS, now U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2016/02561185;
- U.S. patent application Ser. No. 14/640,832, entitled ADAPTIVE TISSUE COMPRESSION TECHNIQUES TO ADJUST CLOSURE RATES FOR MULTIPLE TISSUE TYPES, now U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2016/0256154;
- U.S. patent application Ser. No. 14/640,935, entitled OVERLAID MULTI SENSOR RADIO FREQUENCY (RF) ELECTRODE SYSTEM TO MEASURE TISSUE COMPRESSION, now U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2016/0256071;
- U.S. patent application Ser. No. 14/640,831, entitled MONITORING SPEED CONTROL AND PRECISION INCREMENTING OF MOTOR FOR POWERED SURGICAL INSTRUMENTS, now U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2016/0256153;
- U.S. patent application Ser. No. 14/640,859, entitled TIME DEPENDENT EVALUATION OF SENSOR DATA TO DETERMINE STABILITY, CREEP, AND VISCOELASTIC ELEMENTS OF MEASURES, now U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2016/0256187;
- U.S. patent application Ser. No. 14/640,817, entitled INTERACTIVE FEEDBACK SYSTEM FOR POWERED SURGICAL INSTRUMENTS, now U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2016/0256186;
- U.S. patent application Ser. No. 14/640,844, entitled CONTROL TECHNIQUES AND SUB-PROCESSOR CONTAINED WITHIN MODULAR SHAFT WITH SELECT CONTROL PROCESSING FROM HANDLE, now U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2016/0256155;
- U.S. patent application Ser. No. 14/640,837, entitled SMART SENSORS WITH LOCAL SIGNAL PROCESSING, now U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2016/0256163;
- U.S. patent application Ser. No. 14/640,765, entitled SYSTEM FOR DETECTING THE MIS-INSERTION OF A STAPLE CARTRIDGE INTO A SURGICAL STAPLER, now U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2016/0256160;
- U.S. patent application Ser. No. 14/640,799, entitled SIGNAL AND POWER COMMUNICATION SYSTEM POSITIONED ON A ROTATABLE SHAFT, now U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2016/0256162; and
- U.S. patent application Ser. No. 14/640,780, entitled SURGICAL INSTRUMENT COMPRISING A LOCKABLE BATTERY HOUSING, now U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2016/0256161.
Applicant of the present application owns the following patent applications that were filed on Feb. 27, 2015, and which are each herein incorporated by reference in their respective entirety:
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- U.S. patent application Ser. No. 14/633,576, entitled SURGICAL INSTRUMENT SYSTEM COMPRISING AN INSPECTION STATION, now U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2016/0249919;
- U.S. patent application Ser. No. 14/633,546, entitled SURGICAL APPARATUS CONFIGURED TO ASSESS WHETHER A PERFORMANCE PARAMETER OF THE SURGICAL APPARATUS IS WITHIN AN ACCEPTABLE PERFORMANCE BAND, now U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2016/0249915;
- U.S. patent application Ser. No. 14/633,560, entitled SURGICAL CHARGING SYSTEM THAT CHARGES AND/OR CONDITIONS ONE OR MORE BATTERIES, now U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2016/0249910;
- U.S. patent application Ser. No. 14/633,566, entitled CHARGING SYSTEM THAT ENABLES EMERGENCY RESOLUTIONS FOR CHARGING A BATTERY, now U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2016/0249918;
- U.S. patent application Ser. No. 14/633,555, entitled SYSTEM FOR MONITORING WHETHER A SURGICAL INSTRUMENT NEEDS TO BE SERVICED, now U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2016/0249916;
- U.S. patent application Ser. No. 14/633,542, entitled REINFORCED BATTERY FOR A SURGICAL INSTRUMENT, now U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2016/0249908;
- U.S. patent application Ser. No. 14/633,548, entitled POWER ADAPTER FOR A SURGICAL INSTRUMENT, now U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2016/0249909;
- U.S. patent application Ser. No. 14/633,526, entitled ADAPTABLE SURGICAL INSTRUMENT HANDLE, now U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2016/0249945;
- U.S. patent application Ser. No. 14/633,541, entitled MODULAR STAPLING ASSEMBLY, now U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2016/0249927; and
- U.S. patent application Ser. No. 14/633,562, entitled SURGICAL APPARATUS CONFIGURED TO TRACK AN END-OF-LIFE PARAMETER, now U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2016/0249917.
Applicant of the present application owns the following patent applications that were filed on Dec. 18, 2014 and which are each herein incorporated by reference in their respective entirety:
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- U.S. patent application Ser. No. 14/574,478, entitled SURGICAL INSTRUMENT SYSTEMS COMPRISING AN ARTICULATABLE END EFFECTOR AND MEANS FOR ADJUSTING THE FIRING STROKE OF A FIRING MEMBER, now U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2016/0174977;
- U.S. patent application Ser. No. 14/574,483, entitled SURGICAL INSTRUMENT ASSEMBLY COMPRISING LOCKABLE SYSTEMS, now U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2016/0174969;
- U.S. patent application Ser. No. 14/575,139, entitled DRIVE ARRANGEMENTS FOR ARTICULATABLE SURGICAL INSTRUMENTS, now U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2016/0174978;
- U.S. patent application Ser. No. 14/575,148, entitled LOCKING ARRANGEMENTS FOR DETACHABLE SHAFT ASSEMBLIES WITH ARTICULATABLE SURGICAL END EFFECTORS, now U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2016/0174976;
- U.S. patent application Ser. No. 14/575,130, entitled SURGICAL INSTRUMENT WITH AN ANVIL THAT IS SELECTIVELY MOVABLE ABOUT A DISCRETE NON-MOVABLE AXIS RELATIVE TO A STAPLE CARTRIDGE, now U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2016/0174972;
- U.S. patent application Ser. No. 14/575,143, entitled SURGICAL INSTRUMENTS WITH IMPROVED CLOSURE ARRANGEMENTS, now U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2016/0174983;
- U.S. patent application Ser. No. 14/575,117, entitled SURGICAL INSTRUMENTS WITH ARTICULATABLE END EFFECTORS AND MOVABLE FIRING BEAM SUPPORT ARRANGEMENTS, now U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2016/0174975;
- U.S. patent application Ser. No. 14/575,154, entitled SURGICAL INSTRUMENTS WITH ARTICULATABLE END EFFECTORS AND IMPROVED FIRING BEAM SUPPORT ARRANGEMENTS, now U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2016/0174973;
- U.S. patent application Ser. No. 14/574,493, entitled SURGICAL INSTRUMENT ASSEMBLY COMPRISING A FLEXIBLE ARTICULATION SYSTEM, now U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2016/0174970; and
- U.S. patent application Ser. No. 14/574,500, entitled SURGICAL INSTRUMENT ASSEMBLY COMPRISING A LOCKABLE ARTICULATION SYSTEM, now U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2016/0174971.
Applicant of the present application owns the following patent applications that were filed on Mar. 1, 2013 and which are each herein incorporated by reference in their respective entirety:
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- U.S. patent application Ser. No. 13/782,295, entitled ARTICULATABLE SURGICAL INSTRUMENTS WITH CONDUCTIVE PATHWAYS FOR SIGNAL COMMUNICATION, now U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2014/0246471;
- U.S. patent application Ser. No. 13/782,323, entitled ROTARY POWERED ARTICULATION JOINTS FOR SURGICAL INSTRUMENTS, now U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2014/0246472;
- U.S. patent application Ser. No. 13/782,338, entitled THUMBWHEEL SWITCH ARRANGEMENTS FOR SURGICAL INSTRUMENTS, now U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2014/0249557;
- U.S. patent application Ser. No. 13/782,499, entitled ELECTROMECHANICAL SURGICAL DEVICE WITH SIGNAL RELAY ARRANGEMENT, now U.S. Pat. No. 9,358,003;
- U.S. patent application Ser. No. 13/782,460, entitled MULTIPLE PROCESSOR MOTOR CONTROL FOR MODULAR SURGICAL INSTRUMENTS, now U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2014/0246478;
- U.S. patent application Ser. No. 13/782,358, entitled JOYSTICK SWITCH ASSEMBLIES FOR SURGICAL INSTRUMENTS, now U.S. Pat. No. 9,326,767;
- U.S. patent application Ser. No. 13/782,481, entitled SENSOR STRAIGHTENED END EFFECTOR DURING REMOVAL THROUGH TROCAR, now U.S. Pat. No. 9,468,438;
- U.S. patent application Ser. No. 13/782,518, entitled CONTROL METHODS FOR SURGICAL INSTRUMENTS WITH REMOVABLE IMPLEMENT PORTIONS, now U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2014/0246475;
- U.S. patent application Ser. No. 13/782,375, entitled ROTARY POWERED SURGICAL INSTRUMENTS WITH MULTIPLE DEGREES OF FREEDOM, now U.S. Pat. No. 9,398,911; and
- U.S. patent application Ser. No. 13/782,536, entitled SURGICAL INSTRUMENT SOFT STOP, now U.S. Pat. No. 9,307,986.
Applicant of the present application also owns the following patent applications that were filed on Mar. 14, 2013 and which are each herein incorporated by reference in their respective entirety:
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- U.S. patent application Ser. No. 13/803,097, entitled ARTICULATABLE SURGICAL INSTRUMENT COMPRISING A FIRING DRIVE, now U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2014/0263542;
- U.S. patent application Ser. No. 13/803,193, entitled CONTROL ARRANGEMENTS FOR A DRIVE MEMBER OF A SURGICAL INSTRUMENT, now U.S. Pat. No. 9,332,987;
- U.S. patent application Ser. No. 13/803,053, entitled INTERCHANGEABLE SHAFT ASSEMBLIES FOR USE WITH A SURGICAL INSTRUMENT, now U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2014/0263564;
- U.S. patent application Ser. No. 13/803,086, entitled ARTICULATABLE SURGICAL INSTRUMENT COMPRISING AN ARTICULATION LOCK, now U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2014/0263541;
- U.S. patent application Ser. No. 13/803,210, entitled SENSOR ARRANGEMENTS FOR ABSOLUTE POSITIONING SYSTEM FOR SURGICAL INSTRUMENTS, now U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2014/0263538;
- U.S. patent application Ser. No. 13/803,148, entitled MULTI-FUNCTION MOTOR FOR A SURGICAL INSTRUMENT, now U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2014/0263554;
- U.S. patent application Ser. No. 13/803,066, entitled DRIVE SYSTEM LOCKOUT ARRANGEMENTS FOR MODULAR SURGICAL INSTRUMENTS, now U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2014/0263565;
- U.S. patent application Ser. No. 13/803,117, entitled ARTICULATION CONTROL SYSTEM FOR ARTICULATABLE SURGICAL INSTRUMENTS, now U.S. Pat. No. 9,351,726;
- U.S. patent application Ser. No. 13/803,130, entitled DRIVE TRAIN CONTROL ARRANGEMENTS FOR MODULAR SURGICAL INSTRUMENTS, now U.S. Pat. No. 9,351,727; and
- U.S. patent application Ser. No. 13/803,159, entitled METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR OPERATING A SURGICAL INSTRUMENT, now U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2014/0277017.
Applicant of the present application also owns the following patent application that was filed on Mar. 7, 2014 and is herein incorporated by reference in its entirety:
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- U.S. patent application Ser. No. 14/200,111, entitled CONTROL SYSTEMS FOR SURGICAL INSTRUMENTS, now U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2014/0263539.
Applicant of the present application also owns the following patent applications that were filed on Mar. 26, 2014 and are each herein incorporated by reference in their respective entirety:
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- U.S. patent application Ser. No. 14/226,106, entitled POWER MANAGEMENT CONTROL SYSTEMS FOR SURGICAL INSTRUMENTS, now U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2015/0272582;
- U.S. patent application Ser. No. 14/226,099, entitled STERILIZATION VERIFICATION CIRCUIT, now U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2015/0272581;
- U.S. patent application Ser. No. 14/226,094, entitled VERIFICATION OF NUMBER OF BATTERY EXCHANGES/PROCEDURE COUNT, now U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2015/0272580;
- U.S. patent application Ser. No. 14/226,117, entitled POWER MANAGEMENT THROUGH SLEEP OPTIONS OF SEGMENTED CIRCUIT AND WAKE UP CONTROL, now U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2015/0272574;
- U.S. patent application Ser. No. 14/226,075, entitled MODULAR POWERED SURGICAL INSTRUMENT WITH DETACHABLE SHAFT ASSEMBLIES, now U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2015/0272579;
- U.S. patent application Ser. No. 14/226,093, entitled FEEDBACK ALGORITHMS FOR MANUAL BAILOUT SYSTEMS FOR SURGICAL INSTRUMENTS, now U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2015/0272569;
- U.S. patent application Ser. No. 14/226,116, entitled SURGICAL INSTRUMENT UTILIZING SENSOR ADAPTATION, now U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2015/0272571;
- U.S. patent application Ser. No. 14/226,071, entitled SURGICAL INSTRUMENT CONTROL CIRCUIT HAVING A SAFETY PROCESSOR, now U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2015/0272578;
- U.S. patent application Ser. No. 14/226,097, entitled SURGICAL INSTRUMENT COMPRISING INTERACTIVE SYSTEMS, now U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2015/0272570;
- U.S. patent application Ser. No. 14/226,126, entitled INTERFACE SYSTEMS FOR USE WITH SURGICAL INSTRUMENTS, now U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2015/0272572;
- U.S. patent application Ser. No. 14/226,133, entitled MODULAR SURGICAL INSTRUMENT SYSTEM, now U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2015/0272557;
- U.S. patent application Ser. No. 14/226,081, entitled SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR CONTROLLING A SEGMENTED CIRCUIT, now U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2015/0277471;
- U.S. patent application Ser. No. 14/226,076, entitled POWER MANAGEMENT THROUGH SEGMENTED CIRCUIT AND VARIABLE VOLTAGE PROTECTION, now U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2015/0280424;
- U.S. patent application Ser. No. 14/226,111, entitled SURGICAL STAPLING INSTRUMENT SYSTEM, now U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2015/0272583; and
- U.S. patent application Ser. No. 14/226,125, entitled SURGICAL INSTRUMENT COMPRISING A ROTATABLE SHAFT, now U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2015/0280384.
Applicant of the present application also owns the following patent applications that were filed on Sep. 5, 2014 and which are each herein incorporated by reference in their respective entirety:
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- U.S. patent application Ser. No. 14/479,103, entitled CIRCUITRY AND SENSORS FOR POWERED MEDICAL DEVICE, now U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2016/0066912;
- U.S. patent application Ser. No. 14/479,119, entitled ADJUNCT WITH INTEGRATED SENSORS TO QUANTIFY TISSUE COMPRESSION, now U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2016/0066914;
- U.S. patent application Ser. No. 14/478,908, entitled MONITORING DEVICE DEGRADATION BASED ON COMPONENT EVALUATION, now U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2016/0066910;
- U.S. patent application Ser. No. 14/478,895, entitled MULTIPLE SENSORS WITH ONE SENSOR AFFECTING A SECOND SENSOR'S OUTPUT OR INTERPRETATION, now U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2016/0066909;
- U.S. patent application Ser. No. 14/479,110, entitled POLARITY OF HALL MAGNET TO DETECT MISLOADED CARTRIDGE, now U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2016/0066915;
- U.S. patent application Ser. No. 14/479,098, entitled SMART CARTRIDGE WAKE UP OPERATION AND DATA RETENTION, now U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2016/0066911;
- U.S. patent application Ser. No. 14/479,115, entitled MULTIPLE MOTOR CONTROL FOR POWERED MEDICAL DEVICE, now U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2016/0066916; and
- U.S. patent application Ser. No. 14/479,108, entitled LOCAL DISPLAY OF TISSUE PARAMETER STABILIZATION, now U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2016/0066913.
Applicant of the present application also owns the following patent applications that were filed on Apr. 9, 2014 and which are each herein incorporated by reference in their respective entirety:
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- U.S. patent application Ser. No. 14/248,590, entitled MOTOR DRIVEN SURGICAL INSTRUMENTS WITH LOCKABLE DUAL DRIVE SHAFTS, now U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2014/0305987;
- U.S. patent application Ser. No. 14/248,581, entitled SURGICAL INSTRUMENT COMPRISING A CLOSING DRIVE AND A FIRING DRIVE OPERATED FROM THE SAME ROTATABLE OUTPUT, now U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2014/0305989;
- U.S. patent application Ser. No. 14/248,595, entitled SURGICAL INSTRUMENT SHAFT INCLUDING SWITCHES FOR CONTROLLING THE OPERATION OF THE SURGICAL INSTRUMENT, now U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2014/0305988;
- U.S. patent application Ser. No. 14/248,588, entitled POWERED LINEAR SURGICAL STAPLER, now U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2014/0309666;
- U.S. patent application Ser. No. 14/248,591, entitled TRANSMISSION ARRANGEMENT FOR A SURGICAL INSTRUMENT, now U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2014/0305991;
- U.S. patent application Ser. No. 14/248,584, entitled MODULAR MOTOR DRIVEN SURGICAL INSTRUMENTS WITH ALIGNMENT FEATURES FOR ALIGNING ROTARY DRIVE SHAFTS WITH SURGICAL END EFFECTOR SHAFTS, now U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2014/0305994;
- U.S. patent application Ser. No. 14/248,587, entitled POWERED SURGICAL STAPLER, now U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2014/0309665;
- U.S. patent application Ser. No. 14/248,586, entitled DRIVE SYSTEM DECOUPLING ARRANGEMENT FOR A SURGICAL INSTRUMENT, now U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2014/0305990; and
- U.S. patent application Ser. No. 14/248,607, entitled MODULAR MOTOR DRIVEN SURGICAL INSTRUMENTS WITH STATUS INDICATION ARRANGEMENTS, now U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2014/0305992.
Applicant of the present application also owns the following patent applications that were filed on Apr. 16, 2013 and which are each herein incorporated by reference in their respective entirety:
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- U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 61/812,365, entitled SURGICAL INSTRUMENT WITH MULTIPLE FUNCTIONS PERFORMED BY A SINGLE MOTOR;
- U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 61/812,376, entitled LINEAR CUTTER WITH POWER;
- U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 61/812,382, entitled LINEAR CUTTER WITH MOTOR AND PISTOL GRIP;
- U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 61/812,385, entitled SURGICAL INSTRUMENT HANDLE WITH MULTIPLE ACTUATION MOTORS AND MOTOR CONTROL; and
- U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 61/812,372, entitled SURGICAL INSTRUMENT WITH MULTIPLE FUNCTIONS PERFORMED BY A SINGLE MOTOR.
Numerous specific details are set forth to provide a thorough understanding of the overall structure, function, manufacture, and use of the embodiments as described in the specification and illustrated in the accompanying drawings. Well-known operations, components, and elements have not been described in detail so as not to obscure the embodiments described in the specification. The reader will understand that the embodiments described and illustrated herein are non-limiting examples, and thus it can be appreciated that the specific structural and functional details disclosed herein may be representative and illustrative. Variations and changes thereto may be made without departing from the scope of the claims.
The terms “comprise” (and any form of comprise, such as “comprises” and “comprising”), “have” (and any form of have, such as “has” and “having”), “include” (and any form of include, such as “includes” and “including”) and “contain” (and any form of contain, such as “contains” and “containing”) are open-ended linking verbs. As a result, a surgical system, device, or apparatus that “comprises,” “has,” “includes” or “contains” one or more elements possesses those one or more elements, but is not limited to possessing only those one or more elements. Likewise, an element of a system, device, or apparatus that “comprises,” “has,” “includes” or “contains” one or more features possesses those one or more features, but is not limited to possessing only those one or more features.
The terms “proximal” and “distal” are used herein with reference to a clinician manipulating the handle portion of the surgical instrument. The term “proximal” refers to the portion closest to the clinician and the term “distal” refers to the portion located away from the clinician. It will be further appreciated that, for convenience and clarity, spatial terms such as “vertical”, “horizontal”, “up”, and “down” may be used herein with respect to the drawings. However, surgical instruments are used in many orientations and positions, and these terms are not intended to be limiting and/or absolute.
Various exemplary devices and methods are provided for performing laparoscopic and minimally invasive surgical procedures. However, the reader will readily appreciate that the various methods and devices disclosed herein can be used in numerous surgical procedures and applications including, for example, in connection with open surgical procedures. As the present Detailed Description proceeds, the reader will further appreciate that the various instruments disclosed herein can be inserted into a body in any way, such as through a natural orifice, through an incision or puncture hole formed in tissue, etc. The working portions or end effector portions of the instruments can be inserted directly into a patient's body or can be inserted through an access device that has a working channel through which the end effector and elongate shaft of a surgical instrument can be advanced.
A surgical stapling system can comprise a shaft and an end effector extending from the shaft. The end effector comprises a first jaw and a second jaw. The first jaw comprises a staple cartridge. The staple cartridge is insertable into and removable from the first jaw; however, other embodiments are envisioned in which a staple cartridge is not removable from, or at least readily replaceable from, the first jaw. The second jaw comprises an anvil configured to deform staples ejected from the staple cartridge. The second jaw is pivotable relative to the first jaw about a closure axis; however, other embodiments are envisioned in which the first jaw is pivotable relative to the second jaw. The surgical stapling system further comprises an articulation joint configured to permit the end effector to be rotated, or articulated, relative to the shaft. The end effector is rotatable about an articulation axis extending through the articulation joint. Other embodiments are envisioned which do not include an articulation joint.
The staple cartridge comprises a cartridge body. The cartridge body includes a proximal end, a distal end, and a deck extending between the proximal end and the distal end. In use, the staple cartridge is positioned on a first side of the tissue to be stapled and the anvil is positioned on a second side of the tissue. The anvil is moved toward the staple cartridge to compress and clamp the tissue against the deck. Thereafter, staples removably stored in the cartridge body can be deployed into the tissue. The cartridge body includes staple cavities defined therein wherein staples are removably stored in the staple cavities. The staple cavities are arranged in six longitudinal rows. Three rows of staple cavities are positioned on a first side of a longitudinal slot and three rows of staple cavities are positioned on a second side of the longitudinal slot. Other arrangements of staple cavities and staples may be possible.
The staples are supported by staple drivers in the cartridge body. The drivers are movable between a first, or unfired position, and a second, or fired, position to eject the staples from the staple cavities. The drivers are retained in the cartridge body by a retainer which extends around the bottom of the cartridge body and includes resilient members configured to grip the cartridge body and hold the retainer to the cartridge body. The drivers are movable between their unfired positions and their fired positions by a sled. The sled is movable between a proximal position adjacent the proximal end and a distal position adjacent the distal end. The sled comprises a plurality of ramped surfaces configured to slide under the drivers and lift the drivers, and the staples supported thereon, toward the anvil.
Further to the above, the sled is moved distally by a firing member. The firing member is configured to contact the sled and push the sled toward the distal end. The longitudinal slot defined in the cartridge body is configured to receive the firing member. The anvil also includes a slot configured to receive the firing member. The firing member further comprises a first cam which engages the first jaw and a second cam which engages the second jaw. As the firing member is advanced distally, the first cam and the second cam can control the distance, or tissue gap, between the deck of the staple cartridge and the anvil. The firing member also comprises a knife configured to incise the tissue captured intermediate the staple cartridge and the anvil. It is desirable for the knife to be positioned at least partially proximal to the ramped surfaces such that the staples are ejected ahead of the knife.
Referring now to
In at least one form, the handle assembly 500 and the frame 506 may operably support another drive system referred to herein as a firing drive system 530 that is configured to apply firing motions to corresponding portions of the interchangeable surgical tool assembly that is attached thereto. As was described in detail in U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2015/0272575, the firing drive system 530 may employ an electric motor (not shown in
The electric motor is configured to axially drive a longitudinally movable drive member 540 in a distal and proximal directions depending upon the polarity of the motor. For example, when the motor is driven in one rotary direction, the longitudinally movable drive member 540 the will be axially driven in the distal direction “DD”. When the motor is driven in the opposite rotary direction, the longitudinally movable drive member 540 will be axially driven in a proximal direction “PD”. The handle assembly 500 can include a switch 513 which can be configured to reverse the polarity applied to the electric motor by the power source 522 or otherwise control the motor. The handle assembly 500 can also include a sensor or sensors (not shown) that is configured to detect the position of the drive member 540 and/or the direction in which the drive member 540 is being moved. Actuation of the motor can be controlled by a firing trigger 532 (
In at least one form, the longitudinally movable drive member 540 may have a rack of teeth (not shown) formed thereon for meshing engagement with a corresponding drive gear arrangement (not shown) that interfaces with the motor. Further details regarding those features may be found in U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2015/0272575. At least one form also includes a manually-actuatable “bailout” assembly that is configured to enable the clinician to manually retract the longitudinally movable drive member 540 should the motor become disabled. The bailout assembly may include a lever or bailout handle assembly that is stored within the handle assembly 500 under a releasable door 550. The lever is configured to be manually pivoted into ratcheting engagement with the teeth in the drive member 540. Thus, the clinician can manually retract the drive member 540 by using the bailout handle assembly to ratchet the drive member 5400 in the proximal direction “PD”. U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/249,117, entitled POWERED SURGICAL CUTTING AND STAPLING APPARATUS WITH MANUALLY RETRACTABLE FIRING SYSTEM, now U.S. Pat. No. 8,608,045, the entire disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by reference herein discloses bailout arrangements and other components, arrangements and systems that may also be employed with the various surgical tool assemblies disclosed herein.
Turning now to
Still referring to
As was also indicated above, the interchangeable surgical tool assembly 100 further includes a firing bar 170 that is supported for axial travel within the shaft spine 145. The firing bar 170 includes an intermediate firing shaft portion that is configured for attachment to a distal cutting portion or knife bar that is configured for axial travel through the surgical end effector 110. In at least one arrangement, the interchangeable surgical tool assembly 100 includes a clutch assembly (not shown) which can be configured to selectively and releasably couple the articulation driver to the firing bar 170. Further details regarding the clutch assembly features and operation may be found in U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2014/0263541. As discussed in U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2014/0263541, when the clutch assembly is in its engaged position, distal movement of the firing bar 170 can move the articulation driver arrangement 147 distally and, correspondingly, proximal movement of the firing bar 170 can move the articulation driver arrangement 147 proximally. When the clutch assembly is in its disengaged position, movement of the firing bar 170 is not transmitted to the articulation driver arrangement 147 and, as a result, the firing bar 170 can move independently of the articulation driver arrangement 147. The interchangeable surgical tool assembly 100 may also include a slip ring assembly (not shown) which can be configured to conduct electrical power to and/or from the end effector 110 and/or communicate signals to and/or from the end effector 110. Further details regarding the slip ring assembly may be found in U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2014/0263541. U.S. patent application Ser. No. 13/800,067, entitled STAPLE CARTRIDGE TISSUE THICKNESS SENSOR SYSTEM, now U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2014/0263552 is incorporated by reference in its entirety. U.S. Pat. No. 9,345,481, entitled STAPLE CARTRIDGE TISSUE THICKNESS SENSOR SYSTEM, is also hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety.
Still referring to
Attachment of the interchangeable surgical tool assembly 100 to the handle assembly 500 will now be described with reference to
Returning now to
As illustrated in
Turning now to
As can be seen in
Still referring to
Referring primarily to
As indicated above, the illustrated interchangeable surgical tool assembly 1000 includes an articulation joint 1200. Other interchangeable surgical tool assemblies, however, may not be capable of articulation. As can be seen in
As mentioned above, the interchangeable surgical tool assembly 1000 further includes a firing member assembly 1600 that is supported for axial travel within the spine assembly 1500. In the illustrated embodiment, the firing member assembly 1600 includes an intermediate firing shaft portion 1602 that is configured for attachment to a distal cutting portion or knife bar 1610. The firing member assembly 1600 may also be referred to herein as a “second shaft” and/or a “second shaft assembly”. As can be seen in
Further to the above, the interchangeable tool assembly 1000 can include a clutch assembly 1620 which can be configured to selectively and releasably couple the articulation driver 1800 to the firing member assembly 1600. In one form, the clutch assembly 1620 includes a lock collar, or sleeve 1622, positioned around the firing member assembly 1600 wherein the lock sleeve 1622 can be rotated between an engaged position in which the lock sleeve 1622 couples the articulation driver 1700 to the firing member assembly 1600 and a disengaged position in which the articulation driver 1700 is not operably coupled to the firing member assembly 1600. When lock sleeve 1622 is in its engaged position, distal movement of the firing member assembly 1600 can move the articulation driver 1700 distally and, correspondingly, proximal movement of the firing member assembly 1600 can move the articulation driver 1700 proximally. When lock sleeve 1622 is in its disengaged position, movement of the firing member assembly 1600 is not transmitted to the articulation driver 1700 and, as a result, the firing member assembly 1600 can move independently of the articulation driver 1700. In various circumstances, the articulation driver 1700 can be held in position by the articulation lock 1210 when the articulation driver 1700 is not being moved in the proximal or distal directions by the firing member assembly 1600.
Referring primarily to
In the illustrated arrangement, the switch drum 1630 includes a an L-shaped slot 1636 that extends into a distal opening 1637 in the switch drum 1630. The distal opening 1637 receives a transverse pin 1639 of a shifter plate 1638. In one example, the shifter plate 1638 is received within a longitudinal slot (not shown) that is provided in the lock sleeve 1622 to facilitate axial movement of the lock sleeve 1622 when engaged with the articulation driver 1700. Further details regarding the operation of the shifter plate and shift drum arrangements may be found in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 14/868,718, filed Sep. 28, 2015, entitled SURGICAL STAPLING INSTRUMENT WITH SHAFT RELEASE, POWERED FIRING AND POWERED ARTICULATION, the entire disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by reference herein.
As also illustrated in
Referring again to
Various interchangeable surgical tool assemblies employ a latch system 1810 for removably coupling the interchangeable surgical tool assembly 1000 to the frame 506 of the handle assembly 500. As can be seen in
In the illustrated arrangement, the lock yoke 1812 includes at least one and preferably two lock hooks 1824 that are adapted to contact corresponding lock lug portions 1426 that are formed on the closure shuttle 1420. When the closure shuttle 1420 is in an unactuated position, the lock yoke 1812 may be pivoted in a distal direction to unlock the interchangeable surgical tool assembly 1000 from the handle assembly 500. When in that position, the lock hooks 1824 do not contact the lock lug portions 1426 on the closure shuttle 1420. However, when the closure shuttle 1420 is moved to an actuated position, the lock yoke 1812 is prevented from being pivoted to an unlocked position. Stated another way, if the clinician were to attempt to pivot the lock yoke 1812 to an unlocked position or, for example, the lock yoke 1812 was in advertently bumped or contacted in a manner that might otherwise cause it to pivot distally, the lock hooks 1824 on the lock yoke 1812 will contact the lock lugs 1426 on the closure shuttle 1420 and prevent movement of the lock yoke 1812 to an unlocked position.
Still referring to
Returning to
In those embodiments wherein the firing member includes a tissue cutting surface, it may be desirable for the elongate shaft assembly to be configured in such a way so as to prevent the inadvertent advancement of the firing member unless an unspent staple cartridge is properly supported in the elongate channel 1102 of the surgical end effector 1100. If, for example, no staple cartridge is present at all and the firing member is distally advanced through the end effector, the tissue would be severed, but not stapled. Similarly, if a spent staple cartridge (i.e., a staple cartridge wherein at least some of the staples have already been fired therefrom) is present in the end effector and the firing member is advanced, the tissue would be severed, but may not be completely stapled, if at all. It will be appreciated that such occurrences could lead to undesirable catastrophic results during the surgical procedure. U.S. Pat. No. 6,988,649 entitled SURGICAL STAPLING INSTRUMENT HAVING A SPENT CARTRIDGE LOCKOUT, U.S. Pat. No. 7,044,352 entitled SURGICAL STAPLING INSTRUMENT HAVING A SINGLE LOCKOUT MECHANISM FOR PREVENTION OF FIRING, and U.S. Pat. No. 7,380,695 entitled SURGICAL STAPLING INSTRUMENT HAVING A SINGLE LOCKOUT MECHANISM FOR PREVENTION OF FIRING, and U.S. patent application Ser. No. 14/742,933, entitled SURGICAL STAPLING INSTRUMENTS WITH LOCKOUT ARRANGEMENTS FOR PREVENTING FIRING SYSTEM ACTUATION WHEN A CARTRIDGE IS SPENT OR MISSING each disclose various firing member lockout arrangements. Each of those references is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety herein.
An “unfired”, “unspent”, “fresh” or “new” cartridge 1110 means herein that the cartridge 1110 has all of its fasteners in their “ready-to-be-fired positions”. When in that position, the sled assembly 1120 is located in its starting position. The new cartridge 1110 is seated within the elongate channel 1102 and may be retained therein by snap features on the cartridge body that are configured to retainingly engage corresponding portions of the elongate channel 1102.
Referring now to
In the illustrated embodiment, the lock member 1652 comprises a generally U-shaped spring member wherein each laterally movable leg or locking portion 1654 extends from a central spring portion 1653 and is configured to move in lateral directions represented by “L” in
Operation of the firing member lock out system will be explained with reference to
Returning to
Turning to
As can be seen in
In the illustrated arrangement, the anvil 1130 is moved between an open position and closed positions by axially advancing and retracting the distal closure tube segment 1430. As will be discussed in further detail below, a distal end portion of the distal closure tube segment 1430 has an internal cam surface formed thereon that is configured to cammingly engage the cam surface 1552 or cam surfaces formed on the anvil mounting portion 1150.
As the distal closure tube segment 1430 cammingly engages the anvil mounting portion 1150 of the anvil 1130, the anvil 1130 is pivoted about the anvil axis AA which results in the pivotal movement of the distal end of the end 1133 of elongate anvil body portion 1132 toward the surgical staple cartridge 1110 and distal end 1105 of the elongate channel 1102. As the anvil body portion 1132 begins to pivot, it contacts the tissue that is to be cut and stapled which is now positioned between the underside 1135 of the elongate anvil body portion 1132 and the deck 1116 of the surgical staple cartridge 1110. As the anvil body portion 1132 is compressed onto the tissue, the anvil 1130 may experience considerable amounts of resistive forces. These resistive forces are overcome as the distal closure tube 1430 continues its distal advancement. However, depending upon their magnitudes and points of application to the anvil body portion 1132, these resistive forces could tend to cause portions of the anvil 1130 to flex which may generally be undesirable. For example, such flexure may cause misalignment between the firing member 1660 and the passages 1148, 1146 within the anvil 1130. In instances wherein the flexure is excessive, such flexure could significantly increase the amount of firing force required to fire the instrument (i.e., drive the firing member 1660 through the tissue from its starting to ending position). Such excessive firing force may result in damage to the end effector, and/or the firing member, and/or the knife bar, and/or the firing drive system components, etc. Thus, it may be advantageous for the anvil to be constructed so as to resist such flexure.
In the embodiment illustrated in
In the illustrated example, a weld 1178′ may extend around the entire perimeter 1172′ of the anvil cap 1170′ or the weld 1178′ may only be located along the long sides 1177′ of the anvil cap 1170′ and not the distal end 1173 and/or proximal end 1175 thereof. The weld 1178′ may be continuous or it may be discontinuous or intermittent. In those embodiments where the weld 1178′ is discontinuous or intermittent, the weld segments may be equally distributed along the long sides 1177′ of the anvil cap 1170′ or the weld segments may be more densely spaced closer to the distal ends of the long sides 1177′ or more densely spaced closer to the proximal ends of the long sides 1177′. In still other arrangements, the weld segments may be more densely spaced in the center areas of the long sides 1177′ of the anvil cap 1170′.
Still referring to
The anvil embodiments described herein with anvil caps may provide several advantages. One advantage for example, may make the anvil and firing member assembly process easier. That is, the firing member may be installed through the opening in the anvil body while the anvil is attached to the elongate channel. Another advantage is that the upper cap may improve the anvil's stiffness and resistance to the above-mentioned flexure forces that may be experienced when clamping tissue. By resisting such flexure, the frictional forces normally encountered by the firing member 1660 may be reduced. Thus, the amount of firing force required to drive the firing member from its starting to ending position in the surgical staple cartridge may also be reduced.
As indicated above, as the anvil 1130 begins to pivot, the anvil body 1132 contacts the tissue that is to be cut and stapled which is positioned between the undersurface of the elongate anvil body 1132 and the deck of the surgical staple cartridge 1110. As the anvil body 1132 is compressed onto the tissue, the anvil 1130 may experience considerable amounts of resistive forces. To continue the closure process, these resistive forces must be overcome by the distal closure tube segment 1430 as it cammingly contacts the anvil mounting portion 1150. These resistive forces may be generally applied to the distal closure tube segment 1430 in the vertical directions V which, if excessive, could conceivably cause the distal closure tube segment 1430 to expand or elongate in the vertical direction (distance ID in
In the illustrated arrangement, the distal closure tube segment 1430 also includes positive jaw or anvil opening features 1462 that correspond to each of the sidewalls 1446 and 1448 and protrude inwardly therefrom. As can be seen in
As can be seen in
In the example depicted in
In the illustrated arrangement, the anvil 1130 is moved between open and closed positions by distally advancing the distal closure tube segment 1430. As can be seen in
Returning to the example depicted in
As discussed above, excessive flexure of the anvil during the closure and firing processes can lead to the need for undesirably higher firing forces. Thus, stiffer anvil arrangements are generally desirable. Returning to
As indicated above, the interchangeable surgical tool 1000 includes an elastic spine member 1520. As can be seen in
Still referring to
Also in the illustrated example, the stretch limiting insert 1540 includes an elongated lateral cavity 1548 that is positioned on each lateral side of the body portion 1541. Only one lateral cavity 1548 may be seen in
Actuation of the interchangeable surgical tool assembly 1000 when operably attached to the handle assembly 500 will now be described in further detail with reference to
Returning to
The application of additional closure forces to the anvil 1130 by the distal closure tube segment 1430 when the anvil 1130 is in the second closed position, resists the amount of flexure forces applied to the anvil 1130 by the tissue that is clamped between the anvil 1130 and the cartridge 1110. Such condition may lead to better alignment between the passages in the anvil body 1130 and the firing member 1660 which may ultimately reduce the amount of frictional resistance that the firing member 1660 experiences as it continues to advance distally through the end effector 1100. Thus, the amount of firing force required to advance the firing member through the balance of its firing stroke to the ending position may be reduced. This reduction of the firing force can be seen in the chart in
Traditionally, surgical stapling and cutting instruments comprised robust mechanical lockouts configured to protect against unauthorized firing of the surgical stapling and cutting instruments because of the dangers associated with such unauthorized firing. For example, firing a surgical stapling and cutting instrument that is not loaded with a staple cartridge, or is loaded with a staple cartridge that has already been fired, may cause severe bleeding if the tissue cutting is performed without any tissue stapling.
The recent transition to motorized surgical stapling and cutting instruments presents new challenges in ensuring the safe operation of such instruments. Among other things, the present disclosure presents various electrical and electro-mechanical lockouts that are suitable for use with motorized surgical stapling and cutting instruments. Since lockout failure can result in a serious risk to the patient, the present disclosure presents multiple safeguards that operate in redundancy to ensure that lockout failures are avoided. The present disclosure provides various techniques for detecting when a staple cartridge is attached to an end effector of a surgical stapling and cutting instrument. The present disclosure further provides various techniques for detecting whether an attached staple cartridge is spent.
An end effector 4000 of a surgical stapling system is illustrated in
The cartridge jaw 4004 includes a channel or carrier 4022 configured to receive a staple cartridge, such as a staple cartridge 4008, for example. Referring to
Further to the above, the staple cartridge 4008 further comprises a sled 4018 configured to engage the staple drivers. More specifically, the sled 4018 comprises ramps 4020 configured to engage cams defined on the staple drivers and lift the staple drivers and the staples within the staple cavities 4016 as the sled 4018 is moved distally through the staple cartridge 4008. A firing member is configured to motivate the sled 4018 distally from a proximal, unfired, or starting position toward a distal, fired, or end position during a staple firing stroke.
Referring to
Referring to
As illustrated in
In at least one instance, a carrier 4022 may include a Hall effect sensor 4029 (
In certain instances, a Hall effect sensor and magnet combination can be employed to determine whether a staple cartridge is spent by detecting whether a staple driver is at a start or unfired position. As described above, during a firing stroke, a sled 4018 is transitioned from a start, proximal, or unfired position toward an end, distal, or fired position to motivate a plurality of staple drivers to deploy staples of a staple cartridge. Each staple driver is generally lifted from a start or unfired position toward an final or fired position to deploy one or more staples. The Hall effect sensor can be coupled to the carrier 4022 or the staple cartridge 4008. The corresponding magnet can be coupled to a staple driver such as, for example, a proximal staple driver of the staple cartridge 4008. In at least one instance, the corresponding magnet is coupled to a proximal-most staple driver of the staple cartridge 4008. In certain instances, the Hall effect sensor is coupled to the carrier 4022 or the staple cartridge 4008 while the magnet is coupled to the staple driver. In certain instances, the Hall effect sensor is coupled to the carrier 4022 or the staple cartridge 4008 while the magnet is coupled to the proximal-most staple driver.
The Hall effect sensor is configured to detect the presence of the magnet while the staple driver is in the start or unfired position. But once the sled 4018 motivates the staple driver to be lifted from the start or unfired position, the Hall effect sensor no longer senses the presence of the magnet. Alternatively, the Hall effect sensor and magnet arrangement can be configured to detect when the staple driver reaches the final or fired position, for example. The Hall effect sensor and magnet arrangement can be configured to detect when the distal-most staple driver reaches the final or fired position, for example. In any event, a controller 4050 can be configured to receive input from the Hall effect sensor to assess the position of the staple driver and, accordingly, determine whether an attached staple cartridge 4008 is spent based on the readings of the Hall effect sensor 4029. In certain instances, other position sensors can be employed to determine whether the staple driver is at the start or unfired position.
As illustrated in
The user interface 4058 may include one or more visual feedback elements including display screens, backlights, and/or LEDs, for example. In certain instances, the user interface 4058 may comprise one or more audio feedback systems such as speakers and/or buzzers, for example. In certain instances, the user interface 4058 may comprise one or more haptic feedback systems, for example. In certain instances, the user interface 4058 may comprise combinations of visual, audio, and/or haptic feedback systems, for example.
In at least one instance, the carrier 4022 includes one or more electrical contacts configured to be electrically connected to corresponding electrical contacts in a sled 4018 of a staple cartridge 4008 seated in the carrier 4022. The electrical contacts define an electrical circuit 4031 (
The electrical circuit 4031 may further include one or more sensors such as, for example, voltage or current sensors configured to detect whether the electrical circuit 4031 is in a closed configuration or an open configuration. Input from the one or more sensors can be received by a controller 4050. The controller 4050 can determine whether an attached staple cartridge 4008 is spent based on the input from the one or more sensors. The memory 4054 may include program instructions which, when executed by the processor 4052, cause the processor 4052 to determine whether an attached staple cartridge 4008 is spent based on input from the one or more sensors.
In certain instances, a staple cartridge 4008 may include an ETS lockout with a continuity path along a path of a sled defined by sled guide rails, for example. When the sled is in a proximal-most position, the sled is configured to interrupt the electrical path. However, when the sled is advanced distally the electrical path is completed and is sensed by an inductance sensor in the carrier 4022, for example. In various instances, one or more inductance sensors can be configured to track one or more proximal forming pockets for identification of the finger print of staples received within the proximal pockets. The inductance sensors can be configured to detect the absence of the staples from their respective forming pockets. Examples of ETS lockouts are described in U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2013/0248577, entitled SURGICAL STAPLING DEVICE WITH LOCKOUT SYSTEM FOR PREVENTING ACTUATION IN THE ABSENCE OF AN INSTALLED STAPLE CARTRIDGE, filed Mar. 26, 2012, now U.S. Pat. No. 9,078,653, the entire disclosure of which is incorporated by reference herein.
In at least one instance, a staple cartridge, similar to the staple cartridge 4008, includes at least one electrical circuit 4033 (
The electrical circuit 4033 may further include one or more sensors such as, for example, voltage or current sensors configured to detect whether the electrical circuit 4033 is in a closed configuration or an open configuration. Input from the one or more sensors can be received by a controller 4050. The controller 4050 can determine whether an attached staple cartridge 4008 is spent based on the input from the one or more sensors. The memory 4054 may include program instructions which, when executed by the processor 4052, cause the processor 4052 to determine whether an attached staple cartridge 4008 is spent based on input from the one or more sensors.
In at least one instance, a staple cartridge, similar to the staple cartridge 4008, includes at least one electrical circuit 4035 (
The electrical circuit 4035 may further include one or more sensors such as, for example, voltage or current sensors configured to detect whether the electrical circuit 4035 is in a closed configuration or an open configuration. Input from the one or more sensors can be received by a controller 4050. The controller 4050 can determine whether an attached staple cartridge 4008 is spent based on the input from the one or more sensors. The memory 4054 may include program instructions which, when executed by the processor 4052, cause the processor 4052 to determine whether an attached staple cartridge 4008 is spent based on input from the one or more sensors.
In various instances, upon determining that an attached staple cartridge 4008 is spent, a controller 4050 is configured to cause the firing system 4056 to be deactivated and/or provide user feedback as to the reason for the deactivation through a user interface such as, for example, a display 4058. The controller 4050 may identify and/or aid a user in addressing the cause of the deactivation of the firing system 4056. For example, the controller 4050 may alert a user that an attached staple cartridge is spent or is not the correct type to be used with the end effector 4000. Other techniques for determining whether a staple cartridge is spent are included in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 15/131,963, entitled METHOD FOR OPERATING A SURGICAL INSTRUMENT, filed Apr. 18, 2016, which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.
As illustrated in
To ensure a robust electrical connection, one or more of the electrical connectors 4038, external electrical contacts 4028, the electrical contacts 4036, the electrical contacts 4038a, and/or the electrical contacts 4038b can be coated, or at least partially coated, with a fluid-repellant coating, and/or potted in an insulating material such as silicon to prevent fluid ingress. As illustrated in
Further to the above, the electrical contacts 4038b of the spring-biased electrical connectors 4038 include wearing features, or point contacts, 4039 in the form of a raised dome-shaped structure configured to remove or scratch off the fluid-repellant coating from the external electrical contacts 4028 of the staple cartridge 4008 thus establishing an electrical connection with the staple cartridge 4008. A compressible seal 4041 is configured to prevent, or at least resist, fluid ingress between a carrier 4022 and a staple cartridge 4008 seated in the carrier 4022. The compressible seal 4041 can be comprised of a compressible material that snuggly fits between a carrier 4022 and a staple cartridge 4008 seated in the carrier 4022. As illustrated in
Referring primarily to
As illustrated in
The transition of the electrical interface 4042 from an open configuration to a closed configuration indicates that a staple cartridge has been attached to the carrier 4022. In addition, the transition of the electrical interface 4044 from an open configuration to a closed configuration indicates that a correct type of staple cartridge has been attached to the carrier 4022. When the electrical interface 4044 is in the closed configuration, the storage medium 4026 of the staple cartridge 4008 can be accessed to obtain information stored therein about staple cartridge 4008.
In certain instances, as illustrated in
In certain instances, one or more of the electrical interface 4042, the electrical interface 4044, the electrical interface 4046, and the cartridge-status circuit portion 4032 are connected in parallel with non-severable sections of the control circuit 4048 which helps avoid any single point failure due to a full interruption of the control circuit 4048. This arrangement ensures a continued electrical connection within the control circuit 4048 in the event one or more of the electrical interface 4042, the electrical interface 4044, the electrical interface 4046, and the cartridge-status circuit portion 4032 is in an open configuration. For example, as illustrated in
In certain instances, one or more of the electrical interface 4042, the electrical interface 4044, the electrical interface 4046, and the cartridge-status circuit portion 4032 are not connected in series. In such instances, one or more of the electrical interface 4042, the electrical interface 4044, the electrical interface 4046, and/or the cartridge-status circuit portion 4032 are configured to separately provide feedback regarding their dedicated functions.
Referring to
The conductive gate 4060 can be repeatedly transitioned between a closed configuration and an open configuration. The conductive gate 4060 includes a pivot portion 4062 rotatably attached to a first end-point 4068 of the control circuit 4048. The conductive gate 4060 is configured to pivot about the first end-point 4068 between the open and closed configurations. The conductive gate 4060 further includes an attachment portion 4066 spaced apart from the pivot portion 4062. A central bridge portion 4064 extends between and connects the pivot portion 4062 and the attachment portion 4066. As illustrated in
As illustrated in
In various instances, the memory 4054 includes program instructions which, when executed by the processor 4052, cause the processor 4052 to determine that a staple cartridge 4008 has been attached to the carrier 4022 when a transition of the electrical interface 4042 to a closed configuration is detected by the processor 4052. In addition, the memory 4054 may include program instructions which, when executed by the processor 4052, cause the processor 4052 to determine that that attached staple cartridge 4008 has already been spent or fired when a transition of the electrical interface 4042 to a closed configuration is detected by the processor 4052 but the cartridge-status circuit portion 4032 is in the open configuration.
Further to the above, the memory 4054 may also include program instructions which, when executed by the processor 4052, cause the processor 4052 to determine that a memory 4026 of an attached staple cartridge 4008 is accessible when a transition of the electrical interface 4044 to a closed configuration is detected by the processor 4052. In addition, the processor 4052 may be configured to retrieve certain information stored in the memory 4026 of the attached staple cartridge 4008. In certain instances, detecting a closed configuration of the electrical interface 4042 while not detecting a closed configuration of the electrical interface 4044 indicates that an incorrect staple cartridge is attached to the carrier 4022.
Further to the above, the memory 4054 may also include program instructions which, when executed by the processor 4052, cause the processor 4052 to determine that a successful connection between the end effector 4000 and the handle portion of the surgical instrument has been detected when a transition of the electrical interface 4046 to a closed configuration is detected by the processor 4052.
Referring to
Referring to
As illustrated in
In a closed configuration, the conductive gate 4160 extends across an elongate slot 4114 defined between a first deck portion 4112a and a second deck portion 4112b of the staple cartridge 4100. The conductive gate 4160 extends between a first end-point 4168 of the cartridge-status circuit 4102 and a second end-point 4170 of the cartridge-status circuit 4102. The first end-point 4168 is defined on a first side wall 4114a of the elongate slot 4114 and the second end-point 4170 is defined on a second side wall 4114b of the elongate slot 4114. To connect the first end-point 4168 and the second end-point 4170 in the closed configuration, the conductive gate 4160 bridges the elongate slot 4114, as illustrated in
As illustrated in
Although the conductive gate is spring-biased toward a closed configuration, the spring-biasing force is insufficient to bring the conductive gate 4160 to the second closed configuration. Accordingly, in the absence of an external force to motivate the conductive gate 4160 toward an open configuration or a second closed configuration, the conductive gate 4160 will swing, under the effect of the spring-biasing force, to a resting position at the first closed configuration, as illustrated in
The staple cartridge 4100 further comprises a sled 4118 which is similar in many respects to the sled 4018. A firing member 4113 is configured to motivate the sled 4118 distally from a proximal, unfired, or start position toward a distal, fired, or end position during a staple firing stroke. In addition, the sled 4118 includes a catch member 4119 configured to engage and transition the conductive gate 4160 from a second closed configuration to an open configuration as the sled 4118 is advanced distally from the proximal, unfired, or start position toward a distal, fired, or end position. Upon losing contact with the catch member 4119, the conductive gate 4160 is configured to return to the first closed configuration from the open configuration under the influence of the spring-biasing force and in the absence of any external force.
Referring to
At least a portion of the catch member 4119 may be constructed from a non-conductive material. In at least one example, the engagement portion 4119b is at least partially made from a non-conductive material.
Other arrangements and configurations of the catch member 4119 are contemplated by the present disclosure. In at least one aspect, the catch member 4119 can be a post extending away from a base 4118a of the sled 4118, for example. In another instances, the catch member 4119 can be in the form of a ramp wherein the conductive gate 4160 is configured to engage a lower portion of the ramp and, as the sled 4118 is advanced distally, the ramp transitions the conductive gate 4160 to an open configuration. Once the conductive gate 4160 reaches the top of the ramp, the spring-biasing force returns the conductive gate 4160 to a first closed position.
Referring to
The conductive gate 4160 can be configured to define a first resistance when the conductive gate 4160 is at the first closed configuration and a second resistance, different than the first resistance, when the conductive gate 4160 is at the second closed configuration. The controller 4050 may comprise a processor 4052 and/or one or more storage mediums such as, for example, a memory 4054. By executing instruction code stored in the memory 4054, the processor 4052 may identify a current resistance-status of the conductive gate 4160. The controller 4050 may, depending on the detected resistance-status, perform one or more function such as, for example, causing the firing system 4056 to become inactivated and/or providing user feedback as to the reason for such deactivation.
In various instances, the memory 4054 includes program instructions which, when executed by the processor 4052, cause the processor 4052 to determine that an unspent or unfired staple cartridge 4100 is attached to the carrier 4022 when a second resistance-status is detected by the processor 4052. In addition, the memory 4054 may include program instructions which, when executed by the processor 4052, cause the processor 4052 to determine that a spent or previously fired staple cartridge 4100 is attached to the carrier 4022 when a first resistance-status is detected by the processor 4052. The memory 4054 may include program instructions which, when executed by the processor 4052, cause the processor 4052 to determine that no staple cartridge is attached to the carrier 4022 when an infinite resistance-status is detected by the processor 4052.
The controller 4050 can be configured to make a determination as to whether a staple cartridge 4008 is detected upon activation or powering of the surgical stapling and cutting instrument by performing a first reading, or a plurality of readings, of the resistance-status. If an infinite resistance-status is detected, the controller 4050 may then instruct a user through the display 4058, for example, to load or insert a staple cartridge 4008 into the carrier 4022. If the controller 4050 detects that a staple cartridge 4008 has been attached, the controller 4050 may determine whether the attached staple cartridge has been previously fired by performing a second reading, or a plurality of readings, of the resistance-status. If a first resistance-status is detected, the controller 4050 may instruct the user that the attached staple cartridge 4008 has been previously fired and/or to replace the staple cartridge 4008.
The controller 4050 employs a resistance-status detector 4124 to detect a current resistance-status and, in turn, determine whether the conductive gate 4160 is in the open configuration, the first closed configuration, or the second closed configuration. In at least one aspect, the resistance-status detector 4124 may comprise a current sensor. For example, the controller 4050 may cause a predetermined voltage potential to be generated between the first end-point 4168 and the second end-point 4170, and then measure the current passing through the conductive gate 4160. If the measured current corresponds to the first resistance, the controller 4050 determines that the conductive gate 4160 is at the first closed configuration. On the other hand, if the measured current corresponds to the second resistance, the controller determines that the conductive gate 4160 is at the second closed configuration. Finally, if no current is detected, the controller 4050 determines that the conductive gate 4160 is at the open configuration. In at least one aspect, the resistance-status detector 4124 may comprise other sensors such as, for example, a voltage sensor.
In various instances, one or more controllers of the present disclosure such as, for example, the controller 4050 may be implemented using integrated and/or discrete hardware elements, software elements, and/or a combination of both. Examples of integrated hardware elements may include processors, microprocessors, controllers, integrated circuits, application specific integrated circuits (ASIC), programmable logic devices (PLD), digital signal processors (DSP), field programmable gate arrays (FPGA), logic gates, registers, semiconductor devices, chips, microchips, chip sets, microcontroller, system-on-chip (SoC), and/or system-in-package (SIP). Examples of discrete hardware elements may include circuits and/or circuit elements (e.g., logic gates, field effect transistors, bipolar transistors, resistors, capacitors, inductors, relay and so forth). In other embodiments, one or more controllers of the present disclosure may include a hybrid circuit comprising discrete and integrated circuit elements or components on one or more substrates, for example.
In one embodiment, as illustrated in
The processor 4082 may be any one of a number of single or multi-core processors known in the art. The memory circuit 4084 may comprise volatile and non-volatile storage media. In one embodiment, as illustrated in
In one embodiment, a circuit 4090 may comprise a finite state machine comprising a combinational logic circuit 4092, as illustrated in
In other embodiments, the circuit may comprise a combination of the processor 4082 and the finite state machine to implement one or more of the functions performed by one or more controllers of the present disclosure such as, for example, the controller 4050. In other embodiments, the finite state machine may comprise a combination of the combinational logic circuit 4090 and the sequential logic circuit 4200.
In some cases, various embodiments may be implemented as an article of manufacture. The article of manufacture may include a computer readable storage medium arranged to store logic, instructions and/or data for performing various operations of one or more embodiments. In various embodiments, for example, the article of manufacture may comprise a magnetic disk, optical disk, flash memory or firmware containing computer program instructions suitable for execution by a general purpose processor or application specific processor. The embodiments, however, are not limited in this context.
The functions of the various functional elements, logical blocks, modules, and circuits elements described in connection with the embodiments disclosed herein may be implemented in the general context of computer executable instructions, such as software, control modules, logic, and/or logic modules executed by the processing unit. Generally, software, control modules, logic, and/or logic modules comprise any software element arranged to perform particular operations. Software, control modules, logic, and/or logic modules can comprise routines, programs, objects, components, data structures and the like that perform particular tasks or implement particular abstract data types. An implementation of the software, control modules, logic, and/or logic modules and techniques may be stored on and/or transmitted across some form of computer-readable media. In this regard, computer-readable media can be any available medium or media useable to store information and accessible by a computing device. Some embodiments also may be practiced in distributed computing environments where operations are performed by one or more remote processing devices that are linked through a communications network. In a distributed computing environment, software, control modules, logic, and/or logic modules may be located in both local and remote computer storage media including memory storage devices.
Additionally, it is to be appreciated that the embodiments described herein illustrate example implementations, and that the functional elements, logical blocks, modules, and circuits elements may be implemented in various other ways which are consistent with the described embodiments. Furthermore, the operations performed by such functional elements, logical blocks, modules, and circuits elements may be combined and/or separated for a given implementation and may be performed by a greater number or fewer number of components or modules. As will be apparent to those of skill in the art upon reading the present disclosure, each of the individual embodiments described and illustrated herein has discrete components and features which may be readily separated from or combined with the features of any of the other several aspects without departing from the scope of the present disclosure. Any recited method can be carried out in the order of events recited or in any other order which is logically possible
The foregoing detailed description has set forth various embodiments of the devices and/or processes via the use of block diagrams, flowcharts, and/or examples. Insofar as such block diagrams, flowcharts, and/or examples contain one or more functions and/or operations, it will be understood by those within the art that each function and/or operation within such block diagrams, flowcharts, or examples can be implemented, individually and/or collectively, by a wide range of hardware, software, firmware, or virtually any combination thereof. In one embodiment, several portions of the subject matter described herein may be implemented via Application Specific Integrated Circuits (ASICs), Field Programmable Gate Arrays (FPGAs), digital signal processors (DSPs), or other integrated formats. Those skilled in the art will recognize, however, that some aspects of the embodiments disclosed herein, in whole or in part, can be equivalently implemented in integrated circuits, as one or more computer programs running on one or more computers (e.g., as one or more programs running on one or more computer systems), as one or more programs running on one or more processors (e.g., as one or more programs running on one or more microprocessors), as firmware, or as virtually any combination thereof, and that designing the circuitry and/or writing the code for the software and or firmware would be well within the skill of one of skill in the art in light of this disclosure. In addition, those skilled in the art will appreciate that the mechanisms of the subject matter described herein are capable of being distributed as a program product in a variety of forms, and that an illustrative embodiment of the subject matter described herein applies regardless of the particular type of signal bearing medium used to actually carry out the distribution. Examples of a signal bearing medium include, but are not limited to, the following: a recordable type medium such as a floppy disk, a hard disk drive, a Compact Disc (CD), a Digital Video Disk (DVD), a digital tape, a computer memory, etc.; and a transmission type medium such as a digital and/or an analog communication medium (e.g., a fiber optic cable, a waveguide, a wired communications link, a wireless communication link (e.g., transmitter, receiver, transmission logic, reception logic, etc.), etc.).
Various mechanisms are described herein for detecting attachment of a staple cartridge to a surgical stapling and cutting instrument. In addition, various mechanisms are described herein for determining whether an attached staple cartridge is spent. Since firing a surgical stapling and cutting instrument in the absence of an unspent and properly attached staple cartridge presents a significant danger to the patient, an electromagnetic lockout mechanism 4300 is employed in connection with a firing system such as, for example, the firing system 4056 to prevent firing the surgical stapling and cutting instrument if a staple cartridge is not attached to a carrier 4022 of the surgical stapling and cutting instrument, or if an attached staple cartridge is spent.
Referring to
As illustrated in
The electrical magnet 4310 is configured to selectively move the latch 4304 between a first position, where the latch 4304 is at least partially positioned in the hole 4306, and a second position, where the latch 4304 is outside the hole 4306. In other words, the electrical magnet 4310 is configured to selectively move the latch 4304 between a first position, where the latch 4304 interferes with advancement of the drive train 4302, and a second position, where the latch 4304 permits advancement of the drive train 4302. In an alternative embodiment, a drive train of the firing system 4056 comprises a protrusion or a latch configured to be received in a hole of a corresponding structure that is operably attached to the electrical magnet 4310. In such an embodiment, the electrical magnet 4310 is configured to selectively move the structure comprising the hole between the first position and the second position. Although a latch and a corresponding structure that includes a hole are described in connection with the lockout mechanism 4300, it is understood that other mechanical mating members can be employed.
As illustrated in
Further to the above, a permanent magnet 4318 is attached to the latch 4304. Alternatively, the latch 4304, or at least a portion thereof, can be made from a ferromagnetic material. When the electrical circuit 4308 activates the electrical magnet 4310, the permanent magnet 4318 is attracted toward the electrical magnet 4310 causing the spring 4316 to be biased or compressed. In addition, the permanent magnet 4318 causes the latch 4304 to be lifted or transitioned out of engagement with the drive train 4302, as illustrated in
Referring to
Referring primarily to
Referring primarily to
Referring again to
Referring primarily to
The shaft assembly 4504 includes a shaft assembly controller 4522 which communicates with the power management controller 4516 through an interface while the shaft assembly 4504 and the power assembly 4506 are coupled to the handle assembly 4502. The interface may comprise a first interface portion 4525 which includes one or more electric connectors for coupling engagement with corresponding shaft assembly electric connectors and a second interface portion 4527 which includes one or more electric connectors for coupling engagement with corresponding power assembly electric connectors to permit electrical communication between the shaft assembly controller 4522 and the power management controller 4516 while the shaft assembly 4504 and the power assembly 4506 are coupled to the handle assembly 4502. One or more communication signals can be transmitted through the interface to communicate one or more of the power requirements of the attached interchangeable shaft assembly 4504 to the power management controller 4516. In response, the power management controller modulates the power output of the battery of the power assembly 4506, as described below in greater detail, in accordance with the power requirements of the attached shaft assembly 4504. One or more of the electric connectors comprise switches which can be activated after mechanical coupling engagement of the handle assembly 4502 to the shaft assembly 4504 and/or to the power assembly 4506 to allow electrical communication between the shaft assembly controller 4522 and the power management controller 4516.
The interface facilitates transmission of the one or more communication signals between the power management controller 4516 and the shaft assembly controller 4522 by routing such communication signals through a main controller 4517 residing in the handle assembly 4502. Alternatively, the interface can facilitate a direct line of communication between the power management controller 4516 and the shaft assembly controller 4522 through the handle assembly 4502 while the shaft assembly 4504 and the power assembly 4506 are coupled to the handle assembly 4502.
The main controller 4517 may be any single core or multicore processor such as those known under the trade name ARM Cortex by Texas Instruments. The surgical instrument 4500 may comprise a power management controller 4516 such as a safety microcontroller platform comprising two microcontroller-based families such as TMS570 and RM4x known under the trade name Hercules ARM Cortex R4, also by Texas Instruments. Nevertheless, other suitable substitutes for microcontrollers and safety processor may be employed, without limitation. The safety processor may be configured specifically for IEC 61508 and ISO 26262 safety critical applications, among others, to provide advanced integrated safety features while delivering scalable performance, connectivity, and memory options.
The main controller 4517 may be an LM 4F230H5QR, available from Texas Instruments. The Texas Instruments LM4F230H5QR is an ARM Cortex-M4F Processor Core comprising on-chip memory of 256 KB single-cycle flash memory, or other non-volatile memory, up to 40 MHz, a prefetch buffer to improve performance above 40 MHz, a 32 KB single-cycle serial random access memory (SRAM), internal read-only memory (ROM) loaded with StellarisWare® software, 2 KB electrically erasable programmable read-only memory (EEPROM), one or more pulse width modulation (PWM) modules, one or more quadrature encoder inputs (QEI) analog, one or more 12-bit Analog-to-Digital Converters (ADC) with 12 analog input channels, among other features that are readily available for the product datasheet. The present disclosure should not be limited in this context.
The power assembly 4506 includes a power management circuit which comprises the power management controller 4516, a power modulator 4538, and a current sense circuit 4536. The power management circuit is configured to modulate power output of the battery based on the power requirements of the shaft assembly 4504 while the shaft assembly 4504 and the power assembly 4506 are coupled to the handle assembly 4502. For example, the power management controller 4516 can be programmed to control the power modulator 4538 of the power output of the power assembly 4506 and the current sense circuit 4536 is employed to monitor power output of the power assembly 4506 to provide feedback to the power management controller 4516 about the power output of the battery so that the power management controller 4516 may adjust the power output of the power assembly 4506 to maintain a desired output.
It is noteworthy that one or more of the controllers of the present disclosure may comprise one or more processors and/or memory units which may store a number of software modules. Although certain modules and/or blocks of the surgical instrument 4500 may be described by way of example, it can be appreciated that a greater or lesser number of modules and/or blocks may be used. Further, although various instances may be described in terms of modules and/or blocks to facilitate description, such modules and/or blocks may be implemented by one or more hardware components, e.g., processors, Digital Signal Processors (DSPs), Programmable Logic Devices (PLDs), Application Specific Integrated Circuits (ASICs), circuits, registers and/or software components, e.g., programs, subroutines, logic and/or combinations of hardware and software components.
The surgical instrument 4500 may comprise an output device 4542 which includes one or more devices for providing a sensory feedback to a user. Such devices may comprise visual feedback devices (e.g., an LCD display screen, LED indicators), audio feedback devices (e.g., a speaker, a buzzer) or tactile feedback devices (e.g., haptic actuators). The output device 4542 may comprise a display 4543 which may be included in the handle assembly 4502. The shaft assembly controller 4522 and/or the power management controller 4516 can provide feedback to a user of the surgical instrument 4500 through the output device 4542. The interface 4524 can be configured to connect the shaft assembly controller 4522 and/or the power management controller 4516 to the output device 4542. The reader will appreciate that the output device 4542 can instead be integrated with the power assembly 4506. In such circumstances, communication between the output device 4542 and the shaft assembly controller 4522 may be accomplished through the interface 4524 while the shaft assembly 4504 is coupled to the handle assembly 4502.
Having described a surgical instrument 4500 in general terms, the description now turns to a detailed description of various electrical/electronic component of the surgical instrument 4500. For expedience, any references herein to the surgical instrument 4500 should be construed to refer to the surgical instrument 4500 shown in connection with
It should be understood that the term processor as used herein includes any microprocessor, microcontroller, or other basic computing device that incorporates the functions of a computer's central processing unit (CPU) on an integrated circuit or at most a few integrated circuits. The processor is a multipurpose, programmable device that accepts digital data as input, processes it according to instructions stored in its memory, and provides results as output. It is an example of sequential digital logic, as it has internal memory. Processors operate on numbers and symbols represented in the binary numeral system.
The primary processor 4702 is any single core or multicore processor such as those known under the trade name ARM Cortex by Texas Instruments. The safety processor 4604 may be a safety microcontroller platform comprising two microcontroller-based families such as TMS570 and RM4x known under the trade name Hercules ARM Cortex R4, also by Texas Instruments. Nevertheless, other suitable substitutes for microcontrollers and safety processor may be employed, without limitation. In one embodiment, the safety processor 4704 may be configured specifically for IEC 61508 and ISO 26262 safety critical applications, among others, to provide advanced integrated safety features while delivering scalable performance, connectivity, and memory options.
The primary processor 4702 may be an LM 4F230H5QR, available from Texas Instruments. The Texas Instruments LM4F230H5QR is an ARM Cortex-M4F Processor Core comprising on-chip memory of 256 KB single-cycle flash memory, or other non-volatile memory, up to 40 MHz, a prefetch buffer to improve performance above 40 MHz, a 32 KB single-cycle serial random access memory (SRAM), internal read-only memory (ROM) loaded with StellarisWare® software, 2 KB electrically erasable programmable read-only memory (EEPROM), one or more pulse width modulation (PWM) modules, one or more quadrature encoder inputs (QEI) analog, one or more 12-bit Analog-to-Digital Converters (ADC) with 12 analog input channels, among other features that are readily available for the product datasheet. Other processors may be readily substituted and, accordingly, the present disclosure should not be limited in this context. Examples of powered surgical instruments that include primary processors and safety processors are described in U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2015/0272574, entitled POWER MANAGEMENT THROUGH SLEEP OPTIONS OF SEGMENTED CIRCUIT AND WAKE UP CONTROL, filed Mar. 26, 2014, the entire disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference.
The safety processor 4704 is configured to implement a watchdog function with respect to one or more operations of the powered surgical instrument 4500. In this regard, the safety processor 4704 employs the watchdog function to detect and recover from malfunctions of the primary processor 4702. During normal operation, the safety processor 4704 monitors for hardware faults or program errors of the primary processor 4702 and to initiate corrective action or actions. The corrective actions may include placing the primary processor 4702 in a safe state and restoring normal system operation. In at least one aspect, the primary processor 4702 and the safety processor 4704 operate in a redundant mode.
The primary processor 4702 and the safety processor 4704 are housed in a handle portion of the powered surgical stapling and cutting instrument 4500. At least one of the primary processor 4702 and the safety processor 4704 is in communication with a shaft processor 4706 through an interface 4707. The shaft processor 4706 is configured to receive input from a cartridge detection system 4709 configured to detect whether an unspent staple cartridge has been attached to the powered surgical stapling and cutting instrument 4500.
The circuit 4700 further includes a motor 4714 operably coupled to a firing member of the powered surgical stapling and cutting instrument 4500. One or more rotary position encoders 4741 can be configured to provide feedback to the primary processor 4702 and/or the safety processor 4704 as to the operational status of the motor 4714. A motor driver, including a metal-oxide-semiconductor field-effect transistor (MOSFET) 4711, controls power delivery to the motor 4714 from a power source 4713. The MOSFET 4711 is controlled by an AND logic gate 4717. A high output of the AND logic gate 4717 causes the MOSFET 4711 to be activated, which causes the motor 4714 to run. The high output of the AND logic gate 4717 depends on receiving an input from the primary processor 4702 and the safety processor 4704, as illustrated in
In the event of an agreement, where both of the primary processor 4702 and the safety processor 4704 determine to run the motor 4714, the AND logic gate 4717 produces a high output causing the MOSFET 4711 to be activated thereby allowing the motor 4714 to run and, in turn, the firing member to be advanced to fire the powered surgical stapling and cutting instrument 4500. However, in the event of a disagreement, where only one of the primary processor 4702 and the safety processor 4704 determines to run the motor 4714 while the other one of the primary processor 4702 and the safety processor 4704 determines not to run the motor 4714, the AND logic gate 4717 fails to produce a high output and, in turn, the MOSFET 4711 remains inactive.
Further to the above, the decision as to whether to run the motor 4714 depends, at least in part, on information communicated to the primary processor 4702 and/or the safety processor 4704 through the interface 4707 regarding whether or not an unspent staple cartridge has been attached to the powered surgical stapling and cutting instrument 4500. As described in greater detail elsewhere herein, a cartridge detection system 4709 can be employed to determine, among other things, whether or not an unspent staple cartridge, is attached to the powered surgical stapling and cutting instrument 4500.
Referring to
Further to the above, the cartridge detection system 4709 comprises a sensor circuit 4708 including, among other things, a voltage source 4403, for example, in communication with the sensors 4401′ and 4401 which supplies power to the sensors 4401′ and 4401. The sensor circuit 4708 further comprises a first switch 4405′ in communication with the first sensor 4401′ and a second switch 4405 in communication with the second sensor 4401. In at least one instance, the switches 4401′ and 4401 each comprise a transistor, such as a FET, for example. The outputs of the sensors 4401′, 4401 are connected to the central (gate) terminal of the switches 4405′, 4405, respectively. Prior to the firing stroke of the staple firing member 4460, the output voltages from the sensors 4401′, 4401 are high so that the first switch 4405′ and the second switch 4405 are in closed conditions.
When the magnetic element 4461 passes by the first sensor 4401′, the voltage output of the first sensor 4401′ is sufficient to change the first switch between a closed condition and an open condition. Similarly, the voltage output of the second sensor 4401 is sufficient to change the second switch 4405 between a closed condition and an open condition when the magnetic element 4461 passes by the second sensor 4401. When both of the switches 4405′ and 4405 are in an open condition, a ground potential is applied to an operational amplifier circuit 4406. The operational amplifier circuit 4406 is in signal communication with an input channel of a shaft processor 4706 of the motor controller and, when a ground potential is applied to the operational amplifier circuit 4406, the processor 4706 receives a ground signal from the circuit 4406.
When the processor 4706 receives a ground signal from the circuit 4406, the processor 4706 can determine that the staple firing stroke has been completed and that the staple cartridge positioned in the stapling assembly 4400 has been completely spent. Other embodiments are envisioned in which the sensor system is configured to detect a partial firing stroke of the staple firing member 4460 and supply a signal to the processor 4706 that indicates that the staple cartridge has been at least partially spent. In either event, the motor controller can be configured to prevent the staple firing member 4460 from performing another firing stroke until the staple cartridge has been replaced with an unspent cartridge. In at least one instance, further to the above, the sensor system comprises a sensor configured to detect whether the spent cartridge has been detached from the stapling assembly and/or whether an unspent cartridge has been assembled to the stapling assembly.
Further to the above, the sensor system can be configured to detect whether the staple firing member 4460 has been retracted along a retraction path 4462. In at least one instance, the magnetic element 4461 can be detected by the sensor 4401 as the magnetic element 4461 is retracted along the path 4462 and change the second switch 4405 back into a closed condition. Similarly, the magnetic element 4461 can be detected by the sensor 4401′ as the magnetic element 4461 is retracted along the path 4463 and change the first switch 4405′ back into a closed condition. By closing the switches 4405 and 4405′, the voltage polarity from the battery 4403 is applied to the circuit 4406 and, as a result, the processor 4706 receives a Vcc signal from the circuit 4406 on its input channel.
Further to the above, the cartridge detection system 4709 includes a cartridge circuit 4724. The cartridge circuit 4624 is similar in many respects to the cartridge circuit 4024 (FIG. 59). For example, the cartridge circuit 4724 includes a trace element 4734 which is transitioned between a severed status, where the staple cartridge is spent, and an intact status, where the staple cartridge is unspent. As illustrated in
As illustrated in
In at least one instance, the primary processor 4702 tracks the status of the trace element 4734 via a shared universal asynchronous receiver/transmitter (UART) pin, and the position of the motor 4714 via the rotary position encoder 4741, for example. The primary processor 4702 can be configured to prevent the motor 4714 from running if the primary processor 4702 detects that the trace element 4734 has been severed.
In various instances, the primary processor 4702 and/or the safety processor 4704 can be configured to prevent the motor 4714 from running if a movement of the firing member is detected by the proximal sensor 4401′, as described above, after a severed status of the trace element 4734 is detected. The detection of the movement of the firing member and the severed status of the trace element 4734 can be performed by the cartridge detection system 4709, as described above. The shaft processor 4706 can be configured to send a STOP command to the primary processor 4702 and/or the safety processor 4704 a severed status of the trace element 4734 is detected. The communication between the shaft processor 4706, the primary processor 4702, and/or the safety processor 4704 can be a CRC communication, for example. In various instances, the safety processor 4704 is configured to watch for the STOP command and to enter a sleep mode once the STOP command is received. In various instances, the safety processor 4704 is configured to stop the motor 4714 from running if a computed CRC, which is computed from the received data, does not match the received CRC. A CRC verification module can be employed by the safety processor 4704 to compute a CRC from the received data and compare the computed CRC with the received CRC.
In various instances, the primary processor 4702, the safety processor 4704, and/or the shaft processor 4706 may comprise security code generator modules and/or security code verification modules. Security codes can be generated by CHECK-SUM, HASH, or other suitable protocols. The security code generation module and/or the security code verification module may be implemented in hardware, firmware, software or any combination thereof. Ensuring the validity of the communications between the primary processor 4702, the safety processor 4704, and/or the shaft processor 4706 is important because body fluids may interfere with communicated signals between such processors.
As described above, the shaft processor 4706 can be configured to send a STOP command to the primary processor 4702 and/or the safety processor 4704 via a CRC communication. In one example, the shaft processor 4706 includes a security code generator configured to generate a security code and attached the security code to the STOP command transmitted to the primary processor 4702, for example. The primary processor 4702 includes a security code verification module configured to verify the integrity of the transmission received from the shaft processor 4706. The security code verification module is configured to compute a security code based on the received STOP command data and compare the computed security code to the security code received with the STOP command data. If the primary processor 4702 confirms the integrity of the received message, the primary processor 4702 may activate a stop mode 4688, for example.
In certain instances, the safety processor 4704 may be tasked with ensuring the integrity of messages transmitted to the primary processor 4702. In one example, the safety processor 4704 includes a security code verification module configured to verify the integrity of a message transmission from the shaft processor 4706. The security code verification module of the safety processor 4704 is configured to compute a security code based on the received STOP command data and compare the computed security code to the security code received with the STOP command data. If the safety processor 4704 confirms the integrity of the received message, the safety processor 4704 may activate a stop mode 4688 (
Turning now to
The circuit 4600 comprises a feedback element in the form of a display 4609. The display 4609 comprises a display connector coupled to the primary processor 4602. The display connector couples the primary processor 4602 to a display 4609 through one or more display driver integrated circuits. The display driver integrated circuits may be integrated with the display 4609 and/or may be located separately from the display 4609. The display 4609 may comprise any suitable display, such as an organic light-emitting diode (OLED) display, a liquid-crystal display (LCD), and/or any other suitable display. In some embodiments, the display 4609 is coupled to the safety processor 4604. Furthermore, the circuit 4600 further comprises one or more user controls 4611, for example.
The safety processor 4604 is configured to implement a watchdog function with respect to one or more operations of the powered surgical instrument 4500. In this regard, the safety processor 4604 employs the watchdog function to detect and recover from malfunctions of the primary processor 4602. During normal operation, the safety processor 4604 is configured to monitor for hardware faults or program errors of the primary processor 4602 and to initiate corrective action or actions. The corrective actions may include placing the primary processor 4602 in a safe state and restoring normal system operation.
In at least one aspect, the primary processor 4602 and the safety processor 4604 operate in a redundant mode. The primary processor 4602 and the safety processor 4604 are coupled to at least a first sensor. The first sensor measures a first property of the surgical instrument 4500. The primary processor 4602 is configured to determine an output based on the measured first property of the surgical instrument 4500 and compare the output to a predetermined value. Likewise, the safety processor 4604 is configured to separately determine an output based on the measured first property of the surgical instrument 4500 and compare the output to the same predetermined value. The safety processor 4604 and the primary processor 4602 are configured to provide a signal indicative of the value of their determined outputs. When either the safety processor 4604 or the primary processor 4602 indicates a value outside of an acceptable range, appropriate safety measures can be activated. In certain instances, the primary processor 4602 and the safety processor 4604 receive their inputs from separate sensors that are configured to separately measure the first property of the surgical instrument 4500. In certain instances, when at least one of the safety processor 4604 and the primary processor 4602 indicates a value within an acceptable range, the surgical instrument 4500 is allowed to continue in a normal mode of operation. For example, the firing system 4056 can be allowed to complete a firing stroke of the surgical instrument 4500 when at least one of the safety processor 4604 and the primary processor 4602 indicates a value within an acceptable range. In such instances, a discrepancy between the values or results determined by the safety processor 4604 and the primary processor 4602 can be attributed to a faulty sensor or a calculation error, for example.
As illustrated in
wherein a is the current acceleration of the firing member, wherein v2 is a current velocity of the firing member recorded at time t2, and wherein v1 is a previous velocity of the firing member at a previous time t1.
The acceleration of the firing member can also be determined based on the following equation:
wherein a is the current acceleration of the firing member, wherein d2 is a distance traveled by the firing member between an initial position and a current position during a time t2, and wherein d1 is a distance traveled by the firing member between an initial position a previous position during a time t1.
The primary processor 4602 is further configured to compare the determined acceleration value to a predetermined threshold acceleration which can be stored in a memory unit in communication with the primary processor 4602, for example. Likewise, the safety processor 4604 is configured to compare its determined acceleration value to a predetermined threshold acceleration which can be stored in a memory unit in communication with the safety processor 4604, for example. In the event the primary processor 4602 and/or the safety processor 4604 determine that the determined acceleration values are beyond the a predetermined threshold acceleration, appropriate safety measures can be taken such as, for example, stopping power delivery to the motor 4514 and/or resetting the firing system 4056. Alternatively, in certain instances, when at least one of the safety processor 4604 and the primary processor 4602 indicates an acceptable acceleration value, the surgical instrument 4500 is allowed to continue in a normal mode of operation. For example, the firing system 4056 can be allowed to complete a firing stroke of the surgical instrument 4500 when at least one of the safety processor 4604 and the primary processor 4602 reports an acceptable acceleration. In such instances, a discrepancy between the values or results determined by the safety processor 4604 and the primary processor 4602 can be attributed to a faulty sensor or a calculation error, for example.
As described above, the primary processor 4602 and the safety processor 4604 are further configured to compare the determined acceleration values to a predetermined threshold acceleration which can be stored in a memory unit, for example. The threshold acceleration can be determined from a threshold force corresponding to a failure load of a lockout mechanism of the firing system 4056. In certain instances, the failure load is known to be about 100 lbf. In such instances, Newton's second law of motion can be employed to determine the corresponding threshold acceleration based on the equation:
F=m×a
wherein F is the threshold force, and m is the mass exerting the force.
Acceleration of the firing member of the firing system 4056 can also be assessed by tracking the electrical current drawn by a motor 4514 during a firing stroke. The load on a firing member driven by the motor 4514 through a firing stroke is directly related the electrical current drawn by a motor 4514. Accordingly, the load experienced by the firing member can be assessed by measuring the electrical current drawn by the motor 4514 during a firing stroke. Newton's second law of motion can be employed to calculate the acceleration of the firing member based on the load experienced by the firing member which can be assessed by tracking the electrical current drawn by a motor 4514 during the firing stroke.
As illustrated in
Referring to
As described above, the readings of the sensor 4617 can be amplified using a buffer amplifier 4625, digitized using an ADC 4623, and transmitted to the primary processor 4602 which is configured to execute an algorithm to determine whether the readings of the sensor 4617 are within a predetermined normal range. In the event it is determined that the readings of the sensor 4617 is beyond the predetermined normal range, appropriate safety measures can be taken by the primary processor 4602. In one example, the primary processor 4602 may permit completion of the firing stroke in a safe mode because the abnormal motor current readings are likely due to a faulty sensor 4617. In another example, the primary processor may cause power delivery to the motor 4514 to be stopped and alert a user to utilize a mechanical bailout feature. The primary processor 4602 may alert a user through the display 4058 to contact a service department to replace the faulty sensor 4617. The primary processor 4602 may provide instructions on how to replace the faulty sensor 4617.
In certain instances, the safety processor 4604 can be configured to receive readings from another sensor, independent from the sensor 4617, configured to separately measure the current drawn by the motor 4514 during the firing stroke. Like the primary processor 4602, the safety processor 4604 can be configured to execute an algorithm to determine whether the readings of the other sensor are within a predetermined normal range. If at least one of the primary processor 4602 and the secondary processor 4604 determines that the current drawn by the motor 4514 is within the predetermined normal range, the motor 4514 is allowed to complete the firing stroke. In such instances, a discrepancy between the values or results determined by the safety processor 4604 and the primary processor 4602 are attributed to a faulty sensor or a calculation error, for example.
In certain instances, the primary processor 4602 and the safety processor 4604 can be configured to track or determine at least one acceleration of a firing member of the firing system 4056 using different techniques. If at least one of the primary processor 4602 and the safety processor 4604 determines that the acceleration of the firing member is within a normal range, the firing member is allowed to complete the firing stroke. A discrepancy between the acceleration values determined by the safety processor 4604 and the primary processor 4602 can be attributed to a faulty sensor or a calculation error. This ensures unnecessary interruptions of the firing system 4056 that are due to a faulty sensor or a calculation error.
In one example, the primary processor 4602 can be configured to determine or track an acceleration of a firing member of the firing system 4056 using a first technique. For example, the primary processor 4602 can be configured to determine or track an acceleration of the firing member by employing the sensor 4617 to measure the current drawn by the motor 4514. The primary processor 4602 can then execute an algorithm for calculating at least one acceleration of the firing member based on input from the sensor 4617, as described above. On the other hand, the safety processor 4604 can be configured to determine or track the acceleration of the firing member using a second technique, different than the first technique. For example, the safety processor 4604 can be configured to determine or track the same acceleration of the firing member by employing the position encoders 4640 to detect the position of the firing member during a firing stroke. The safety processor 4604 can execute an algorithm for calculating at least one acceleration of the firing member based on input from the position encoders 4640, as described above. The calculated accelerations can be compared against a predetermined normal range. In the event, the primary processor 4602 and the safety processor 4604 are in agreement that their respective acceleration values are within the normal range, the firing member is allowed to complete the firing stroke. If, however, the primary processor 4602 and the safety processor 4604 are in agreement that their respective acceleration values are outside the normal range, appropriate safety measures can be taken by the primary processor 4602, for example, as described above. In the event of a discrepancy between the outcomes determined by the primary processor 4602 and the safety processor 4604 with regard to the acceleration of the firing member, the firing member is allowed to complete the firing stroke.
Firing the powered surgical cutting and stapling instrument 4500 involves a mechanical component, where a firing trigger is squeezed by a user, and an electrical component, where an electrical current flows to the motor 4514 in response to a transition of the motor control circuit 4515 from an open configuration to a closed configuration when the firing trigger is squeezed by the user. A trigger-sensing control circuit 4627 (
During normal operation, the transmitted readings of the sensors 4629 and 4631 provide a redundant assurance to the primary processor 4602 that the mechanical and electrical components involved in the firing of the powered surgical cutting and stapling instrument 4500 are functioning properly. In the event of a disagreement, where the sensor 4629 indicates that firing trigger has been squeezed while the sensor 4631 indicates that no current is being drawn by the motor 4514, the primary processor 4602 may determine that the sensor 4631 is not functioning properly. Where the sensor 4629 fails to indicate that firing trigger has been squeezed while the sensor 4631 indicates that current is being drawn by the motor 4514, the primary processor 4602 may determine that the sensor 4629 is not functioning properly. In one aspect, the primary processor 4602 may permit completion of the firing stroke in a safe mode because the disagreement is attributed to a faulty sensor. In another example, the primary processor may cause power delivery to the motor 4514 to be stopped and alert a user, for example, to utilize a mechanical bailout feature. The primary processor 4602 may alert a user through the display 4058 to contact a service department to replace the faulty sensor. The primary processor 4602 may provide instructions on how to replace the faulty sensor.
As illustrated in
During normal operation, the readings of the rotary position encoder 4641 are in correlation with the readings of the linear position encoders 4640. This is because the motor 4514 is operably coupled to the firing member such that the rotation of the motor 4514 causes the firing member to be advanced during the firing stroke. The readings of the rotary position encoder 4641 may not correlate with the readings of the linear position encoders 4640 if the advancement speed of the firing member is outside a tolerance band as measured by the linear position encoder 4640. Upon detecting a loss in the correlation between the readings of the rotary position encoder 4641 and the readings of the linear position encoders 4640, appropriate safety measures can be activated by the primary processor 4602 and/or the safety processor 4604.
In various instances, an input member such as, for example, a sensor or switch can be positioned in parallel with a first resistive element and in series with a second resistive element to insure that the detection of failure of the sensor or interruption of its circuit is not merely lack of signal output. Referring to
The electrical circuit 4650 also includes a voltage source 4660 providing an input voltage of 5 volts, for example. As illustrated in
In the event the output voltage 4669 is equal to the input voltage of the voltage source 4660, the primary processor 4602 determines that connection wires 4668 are disconnected. In the event the output voltage 4669 is equal to half of the input voltage of the voltage source 4660, the primary processor 4602 determines that connection wires 4668 are connected but the end-of-stroke switch 4662 is in an open configuration. In the event the output voltage 4669 is equal to one third of the input voltage of the voltage source 4660, the primary processor 4602 determines that connection wires 4668 are connected and the end-of-stroke switch 4662 is in a closed configuration. In the event the output voltage 4669 is equal to zero, the primary processor 4602 determines that there is a short in the circuit 4650. In certain instances, determining that the output voltage 4669 is equal to zero indicates a failure of the end-of-stroke switch 4662. In certain instances, determining that the output voltage 4669 is equal to the input voltage indicates a failure of the end-of-stroke switch 4662.
Referring now to
The warning mode 4682 is limited to providing a user of the powered surgical cutting and stapling instrument 4500 with a warning without taking additional steps to stop or modify the progress or parameters of a firing stroke. The warning mode 4682 is activated in situations where aborting a firing stroke is unnecessary. For example, the warning mode 4682 is activated when a detected error is deemed to be attributed to a failed sensor or switch. The warning mode 4682 employs the user interface 4058 to deliver a visual, audio, and/or haptic warning.
The powered surgical cutting and stapling instrument 4500 further includes a warning/back-up system mode 4680. The warning/back-up system mode 4680 is activated if the readings of the linear position encoder 4640 do not correlate with the readings of the rotary position encoder 4641. Like the warning mode 4682, the warning/back-up system mode 4680 employs the user interface 4058 to deliver a visual, audio, and/or haptic warning. In addition, warning/back-up system mode 4680 causes a back-up system to be activated. During normal operation, a normal mode 4684 employs a primary system that includes primary sensors and primary control means. However, a back-up system which comprises secondary sensors and/or secondary control means is used in lieu of the primary system if an error is detected that warrants activation of the warning/back-up system mode 4680.
Further to the above, the powered surgical cutting and stapling instrument 4500 also includes a limp mode 4686 which is a failure response mode or state that is triggered if (i) the readings of the linear position encoder 4640 do not correlate with the readings of the rotary position encoder 4641 and (ii) a failure of at least one of the beginning-of-stroke switch 4652 and the end-of-stroke switch 4662 is detected. Like the warning mode 4682, the limp mode 4686 employs the user interface 4058 to deliver a visual, audio, and/or haptic warning. In addition, the limp mode 4686 slows the progress of the firing stroke.
In certain instances, the limp mode 4686 can reduce a current rotational speed of the motor 4514 by any percentage selected from a range of about 75% to about 25%. In one example, the limp mode 4686 can reduce a current rotational speed of the motor 4514 by 50%. In one example, the limp mode 4686 can reduce the current rotational speed of the motor 4514 by 75%. The limp mode 4686 may cause a current torque of the motor 4514 to be reduced by any percentage selected from a range of about 75% to about 25%. In one example, the limp mode 4686 may cause a current torque of the motor 4514 to be reduced by 50%.
Further to the above, the powered surgical cutting and stapling instrument 4500 also includes a stop mode 4688 which is an escalated failure response mode or state that is triggered if (i) the readings of the linear position encoder 4640 do not correlate with the readings of the rotary position encoder 4641, (ii) a failure of at least one of the beginning-of-stroke switch 4652 and the end-of-stroke switch 4662 is detected, and (iii) the readings of the sensor 4617, which represent current drawn by the motor 4514, are beyond a predetermined normal range. Like the warning mode 4682, the stop mode 4688 employs the user interface 4058 to deliver a visual, audio, and/or haptic warning. In addition, when triggered, the stop mode 4688 causes the motor 4514 to be deactivated or stopped leaving only a mechanical bailout system available for use to retract the firing member to a starting position. The stop mode 4688 employs the user interface 4058 to provide a user with instructions on operating the bailout system. Examples of suitable bailout systems are described in U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2015/0272569, entitled FEEDBACK ALGORITHMS FOR MANUAL BAILOUT SYSTEMS FOR SURGICAL INSTRUMENTS, filed Mar. 26, 2014, which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.
The above-identified operational modes of the powered surgical stapling and cutting instrument 4500 create redundant electronic control pathways that enable operation of the powered surgical stapling and cutting instrument 4500 even as some of the inputs, switches, and/or sensors fail integrity checks. For example, as illustrated in
The failure response system 4681 can be implemented using integrated and/or discrete hardware elements, software elements, and/or a combination of both. Examples of integrated hardware elements may include processors, microprocessors, controllers, integrated circuits, application specific integrated circuits (ASIC), programmable logic devices (PLD), digital signal processors (DSP), field programmable gate arrays (FPGA), logic gates, registers, semiconductor devices, chips, microchips, chip sets, microcontroller, system-on-chip (SoC), and/or system-in-package (SIP). Examples of discrete hardware elements may include circuits and/or circuit elements (e.g., logic gates, field effect transistors, bipolar transistors, resistors, capacitors, inductors, relay and so forth). In other embodiments, one or more controllers of the present disclosure may include a hybrid circuit comprising discrete and integrated circuit elements or components on one or more substrates, for example.
In at least one instance, the failure response system 4681 can be implemented by a circuit including a controller that comprises one or more processors (e.g., microprocessor, microcontroller) coupled to at least one memory circuit. The at least one memory circuit stores machine executable instructions that when executed by the processor, cause the processor to execute machine instructions to implement one or more of the functions performed by the failure response system 4681. The processor may be any one of a number of single or multi-core processors known in the art. The memory circuit may comprise volatile and non-volatile storage media. The processor may include an instruction processing unit and an arithmetic unit. The instruction processing unit may be configured to receive instructions from the one memory circuit.
In at least one aspect, the failure response system 4681 may comprise a finite state machine comprising a combinational logic circuit configured to implement one or more of the functions performed the failure response system 4681. In one embodiment, a failure response system 4681 may comprise a finite state machine comprising a sequential logic circuit. The sequential logic circuit may comprise the combinational logic circuit and at least one memory circuit, for example. The at least one memory circuit can store a current state of the finite state machine. The sequential logic circuit or the combinational logic circuit can be configured to implement one or more of the functions performed by one or more controllers of the present disclosure such as, for example, the controller. In certain instances, the sequential logic circuit may be synchronous or asynchronous.
In at least one aspect, as illustrated in
Further to the above, a logic inverter or a NOT logic gate 4694 maintains the normal mode 4684 in the absence of a high output from the AND logic gate 4690. An AND gate 4696 is responsible for causing the stop mode 4688 to be activated upon receiving a high output from the AND logic gate 4690 and a high output from a high output from a logic circuit 4698 configured to monitor current drawn by the motor 4514. The logic circuit 4698 is configured to receive the readings of the sensor 4617, which represent current drawn by the motor 4514, and deliver a high output when such readings are beyond a predetermined normal range which indicates a sensor failure. An OR logic gate 4699 is configured to cause the warning mode 4682 to be activated upon receiving a high output from one of the logic circuit 4698 and the OR logic gate 4692.
Referring to
Further to the above, the failure response system 4681′ includes a second logic circuit 4672, which can be configured to implement a decision block. The second logic circuit 4672 is configured to receive an input from an AND logic gate 4674. The AND logic gate 4674 delivers a positive output if the limp mode 4686 is active and the logic circuit 4698 determines that the readings of the sensor 4617, which represent current drawn by the motor 4514, are beyond a predetermined normal range. If, however, the AND logic gate 4674 does not deliver an output to the logic circuit 4672, the limp mode 4686 remains active.
Referring to
As illustrated in
The failure response system 5001 further includes a logic circuit 5002, which is configured to implement a decision block. The logic circuit 5002 is configured to maintain a limp mode 4686 in the absence of a positive output of the AND logic gate 5010. The logic circuit 5002 is further configured to transition from the limp mode 4686 to the stop mode 4688 in the presence of a positive output from the AND logic gate 5010.
Referring to
Further to the above, the failure response system 5021 includes an AND logic gate 5024, an OR logic gate 5026, and an AND logic gate 5028. A logic circuit 5022, which can be configured to implement a decision block, is configured to receive an input from the AND logic gate 5024. The logic circuit 5022 is configured to activate the stop mode 4688 if the logic circuit 5022 receives a positive input from the AND logic gate 5024. However, if the logic circuit 5024 does not receive a positive input from the AND logic gate 5024, the normal mode 4684 remains active.
As illustrated in
Accordingly, the failure response system 5021 protects against malfunctions that are based on sensor and/or switch errors by requiring a plurality of sensor and/or switch errors to be detected before activating the stop mode 4688. This ensures that a single point failure such as a failure of a sensor and/or a switch will not by itself render the powered surgical stapling and cutting instrument 4500 inoperable. The failure response system 5021 requires a plurality of inputs to indicate failures prior to activating the stop mode 4688. When one failure is reported such as, for example, a lack of correlation between the readings of the linear position encoder 4640 the readings of the rotary position encoder 4641, the failure response system 5021 is configured to look for failures in other related or relevant inputs such as, for example, motor current inputs, inputs from the beginning-of-stroke switch 4652 and the end-of-stroke switch 4662, before activating the stop mode 4688.
In at least one instance, a first circuit and a second circuit are configured to separately assess or detect an operational parameter of a powered surgical stapling and cutting instrument 4500 such as, for example, an operational parameter in connection with the performance of a firing member during a firing stroke of the powered surgical stapling and cutting instrument 4500. In at least one instance, the second circuit output can be used to verify and/or as a substitute, within a control loop of the firing stroke, for the output of the first circuit should the output of the first circuit be identified as erroneous.
For example, the primary processor 4702 can be configured to track a first operational parameter by assessing the current drawn by the motor 4514 during the firing stroke, and the safety processor 4704 can be configured to track a second operational parameter by assessing correlation between the rotational motion of the motor 4514 and the linear motion of the firing member during the firing stroke. Under normal operating conditions, the current drawn by the motor 4514 corresponds to the speed of the firing member and/or falls within a normal predetermined range. Also, under normal operating conditions, the rotational motion of the motor 4514 correlates with the linear motion of the firing member. Accordingly, the primary processor 4702 and the safety processor 4704 separately track separate operational parameters of the powered surgical stapling and cutting instrument 4500 that provide feedback as to the performance of the firing member within a control loop of the firing stroke.
The primary processor 4702 and/or the safety processor 4704 may be configured to generate outputs indicative of whether their respective operational parameters are within normal operating conditions. In one example, the output of the safety processor 4704 can be used to verify and/or as a substitute, within a control loop of the firing stroke, for the output of the primary processor 4702 should the assessment of operational parameter of the safety processor 4704 be identified as erroneous or indicative of abnormal operating conditions while the second operational parameter indicates normal operating conditions.
The outputs of the primary processor 4702 and/or the safety processor 4704 may comprise activating an operational mode of the powered surgical stapling and cutting instrument 4500 selected from a group comprising a normal mode, a warning mode, a limp mode, and a stop mode. In one example, the output of the primary processor 4702 may comprise activating a failure response mode such as, for example, a limp mode or a stop mode but if the output of the safety processor 4704 comprises activating/continuing a normal mode of operation, the normal mode is used as a substitute for the failure response mode. Accordingly, the powered surgical stapling and cutting instrument 4500 will continue to operate in normal mode in spite of the error identified based on the assessment of the operational parameter tracked by the primary processor 4702.
In one example, a failure response system can be configured to activate a first failure response mode if a first error is detected, a second failure response mode if a second error is detected in addition to the first error, and a third failure response mode if a third error is detected in addition to the first and second errors. In at least one instances, a powered surgical stapling and cutting instrument 4500 remain operational in the first failure response mode and the second failure response mode, and is deactivated in the third failure response mode.
In one example, a failure response system can be configured to elevate or escalate a failure response to accommodate an escalation in detected failures. In one example, a failure response system is configured to transition from a first failure response mode to a second response failure response mode in response to an increase in detected errors, wherein the detected errors include at least one sensor failure and/or at least one switch failures. In one example, a failure response system is configured to activate transition from a first failure response mode to a second failure response mode in response to an increase in detected errors, wherein the detected errors include at least one measurement outside a predetermine normal range.
In one example, a failure response system is configured to activate a first failure response mode if a first error is detected and is configured to transition from the first failure response mode to a second failure response mode if a second error is detected in addition to the first error. In one example, a failure response system is configured to activate a first failure response mode if a first plurality of errors are detected and is configured to transition from the first failure response mode to a second failure response mode if a second plurality of errors are detected, wherein the second plurality of errors are greater than the first plurality of errors, and wherein the second plurality of errors encompasses the first plurality of errors. In one example, the second failure response mode involves a greater number of restrictions on operation of the powered surgical stapling and cutting instrument 4500 than the first failure response mode.
EXAMPLES Example 1A surgical instrument comprising an anvil and an elongate channel, wherein at least one of the anvil and the elongate channel is movable to capture tissue between the anvil and the elongate channel. The elongate channel comprises a plurality of first electrical contacts, and a plurality of electrical connectors. The plurality of electrical connectors further comprise a plurality of second electrical contacts, wherein the electrical connectors are spring-biased such that a gap is maintained between the first electrical contacts and the second electrical contacts. The surgical instrument also comprises a staple cartridge releasably attachable to the elongate channel. The staple cartridge comprises a cartridge body including a plurality of staple cavities and, in addition, a plurality of staples deployable from the staple cavities into the tissue. The staple cartridge also comprises a plurality of third electrical contacts, wherein the attachment of the staple cartridge to the elongate channel moves the electrical connectors which causes the second electrical contacts to bridge the gap and become electrically coupled to the first electrical contacts.
Example 2The surgical instrument of Example 1, wherein the staple cartridge comprises a storage medium configured to store information about the staple cartridge. The storage medium is accessible by the surgical instrument through at least one of the third electrical contacts when the cartridge body is attached to the elongate channel.
Example 3The surgical instrument of Examples 1 or 2, wherein the storage medium comprises a memory unit.
Example 4The surgical instrument of Examples 1, 2, or 3, wherein the information comprises an identifier of the staple cartridge.
Example 5The surgical instrument of Examples 1, 2, 3, or 4, wherein the information further comprises a spent status of the staple cartridge.
Example 6The surgical instrument of Examples 1, 2, 3, 4, or 5, wherein the electrical connectors are at least partially coated with a fluid-repellant coating.
Example 7The surgical instrument of Examples 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, or 6, wherein the third electrical contacts are at least partially coated with a fluid-repellant coating.
Example 8The surgical instrument of Examples 5, 6, or 7, wherein the connectors comprise wearing features configured to at least partially remove the fluid-repellant coating during attachment of the staple cartridge to the elongate channel.
Example 9The surgical instrument of Example 8, wherein at least one of the wearing features comprises a raised-dome shape.
Example 10The surgical instrument of Example 1, wherein the staple cartridge comprises a cartridge-status circuit portion comprising a trace element configured to be broken during deployment of the staples.
Example 11The surgical instrument of Example 1, wherein the elongate channel comprises a compressible seal configured to resist fluid ingress between the staple cartridge and the elongate channel when the staple cartridge is attached to the elongate channel.
Example 12A staple cartridge for use with an end effector of a surgical instrument, wherein the staple cartridge comprises a cartridge body releasably attachable to the end effector, and wherein the cartridge body comprises a plurality of staple cavities. The staple cartridge also comprises a plurality of staples at least partially stored in the staple cavities and, in addition, a camming member movable relative to the cartridge body from a starting position to cause staples to be deployed from the staple cavities. The staple cartridge further comprises an electrical circuit including a plurality of external electrical contacts configured to be electrically coupled to corresponding electrical contacts of the end effector when the cartridge body is attached to the end effector. The electrical circuit also comprises a storage medium configured to store information about the staple cartridge, wherein the storage medium is accessible through at least one of the external electrical contacts when the cartridge body is attached to the end effector. The electrical circuit further comprises a cartridge-status circuit portion including a trace element configured to be broken during movement of the camming member.
Example 13The staple cartridge of Example 12, wherein the storage medium comprises a memory unit.
Example 14The staple cartridge of Examples 12 or 13, wherein the information comprises an identifier of the staple cartridge.
Example 15The staple cartridge of Examples 12, 13, or 14, wherein the information comprises a spent status of the staple cartridge.
Example 16The staple cartridge of Example 12, wherein the external electrical connectors are at least partially coated with a fluid-repellant coating.
Example 17A staple cartridge for use with an end effector of a surgical instrument, wherein the staple cartridge comprises a cartridge body releasably attachable to the end effector, and wherein the cartridge body comprises a plurality of staple cavities. The staple cartridge also comprises a plurality of staples at least partially stored in the staple cavities and, in addition, a sled movable relative to the cartridge body from a starting position to cause the staples to be deployed from the staple cavities during a firing stroke. The staple cartridge further comprises a detection means for determining a spent status of the staple cartridge and a storage medium configured to store a spent status of the staple cartridge.
Example 18The staple cartridge of Example 17, wherein the detection means includes an electrical circuit configured to be transitioned between a closed configuration and an open configuration by the sled during a firing stroke.
Example 19The staple cartridge of Examples 17 or 18, wherein the detection means includes a Hall effect sensor.
Example 20The staple cartridge of Examples 17, 18, or 19, wherein the detection means includes an electrical circuit comprising a conductive bridge configured to be severed during the firing stroke.
Example 21A powered surgical stapling and cutting instrument, comprising a staple cartridge, wherein the staple cartridge comprises a housing, a plurality of staple cavities and, in addition, a plurality of staples deployable from the staple cavities during a firing stroke. The staple cartridge also comprises a firing member movable during a firing stroke to deploy staples from the staple cavities and a motor operably coupled to the firing member, wherein the motor is configured to generate at least one rotational motion to motivate the firing member to cause staples to be deployed from the staple cavities during a firing stroke. The powered surgical stapling and cutting instrument also comprises a failure response system comprising a first circuit configured to detect a first operational error of the powered surgical stapling and cutting instrument if the movement of the firing member and the rotational motion of the motor are beyond a predetermined correlation during the firing stroke. The failure response system also comprises a second circuit configured to detect a second operational error of the powered surgical stapling and cutting instrument if a failure is detected in at least one of a beginning-of-stroke switch and an end-of-stroke switch. The failure response system further comprises a control circuit configured to activate a first failure response mode if the first operational error is detected, wherein the control circuit is configured to activate a second failure response mode which is different than the first failure response mode if the second operational error is detected in addition to detection of the first operational error.
Example 22The powered surgical stapling and cutting instrument of Example 21, wherein the first failure response mode is a warning mode.
Example 23The powered surgical stapling and cutting instrument of Examples 21 or 22, wherein the second failure response mode is a limp mode.
Example 24The powered surgical stapling and cutting instrument of Examples 21, 22, or 23, wherein the motor is run at a reduced speed in the limp mode.
Example 25The powered surgical stapling and cutting instrument of Examples 21, 22, 23 or 24, wherein the firing member is moved at a reduced speed in the limp mode.
Example 26The powered surgical stapling and cutting instrument of Example 21, further comprising a third circuit configured to detect a third operational error of the powered surgical stapling and cutting instrument if a current drawn by the motor during a firing stroke is beyond a predetermined range.
Example 27The powered surgical stapling and cutting instrument of Example 26, wherein the control circuit is configured to activate a third failure response mode which is different than the first failure response mode and the second failure response mode if the third operational error is detected in addition to detection of the first operational error and the second operational error.
Example 28The powered surgical stapling and cutting instrument of Example 27, wherein the third failure response mode is more restrictive than the second failure response mode.
Example 29A powered surgical stapling and cutting instrument, comprising a staple cartridge wherein the staple cartridge comprises a housing, a plurality of staple cavities and, in addition, a plurality of staples deployable from the staple cavities during a firing stroke. The staple cartridge also comprises a firing member movable during a firing stroke to cause staples to be deployed from the staple cavities, and a motor operably coupled to the firing member, wherein the motor is configured to generate at least one rotational motion to motivate the firing member to cause staples to be deployed from the staple cavities during a firing stroke. The powered surgical stapling and cutting instrument further comprises a failure response system which comprises a first circuit configured to detect a first operational error of the powered surgical stapling and cutting instrument if movement of the firing member and the rotational motion of the motor are beyond a predetermined correlation during a firing stroke. The failure response system also comprises a second circuit configured to detect a second operational error of the powered surgical stapling and cutting instrument if a failure is detected in at least one of a beginning-of-stroke switch and an end-of-stroke switch. The failure response system further comprises a controller which includes a memory and a storage medium comprising program instructions which, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to activate a first failure response mode if the first operational error is detected, and also cause the processor to activate a second failure response mode which is different than the first failure response mode if the second operational error is detected in addition to detection of the first operational error.
Example 30The powered surgical stapling and cutting instrument of Example 29, wherein the first failure response mode is a warning mode.
Example 31The powered surgical stapling and cutting instrument of Examples 29 or 30, wherein the second failure response mode is a limp mode.
Example 32The powered surgical stapling and cutting instrument of Examples 29, 30, or 31, wherein the motor is run at a reduced speed in the limp mode.
Example 33The powered surgical stapling and cutting instrument of Examples 29, 30, 31, or 32, wherein the firing member is moved at a reduced speed in the limp mode.
Example 34The powered surgical stapling and cutting instrument of Example 29, further comprising a third circuit configured to detect a third operational error of the powered surgical stapling and cutting instrument if a current drawn by the motor during a firing stroke is beyond a predetermined range.
Example 35The powered surgical stapling and cutting instrument of Example 29, wherein the storage medium comprises program instructions which, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to activate a third failure response mode which is different than the first failure response mode and the second failure response mode if the third operational error is detected in addition to detection of the first operational error and the second operational error.
Example 36The powered surgical stapling and cutting instrument of Example 35, wherein the third failure response mode is more restrictive than the second failure response mode.
Example 37A failure response system for use with a powered surgical stapling and cutting instrument configured to deploy a plurality of staples into tissue during a firing stroke, wherein the failure response system comprises a first circuit configured to detect a first operational error of the powered surgical stapling and cutting instrument during a firing stroke, and a second circuit configured to detect a second operational error of the powered surgical stapling and cutting instrument during a firing stroke, wherein the second operational error is different than the first operational error. The failure response system also comprises a third circuit configured to detect a third operational error of the powered surgical stapling and cutting instrument during a firing stroke, wherein the third operational error is different than the first operational error and the second operational error. The failure response system further comprises a control circuit configured to activate a first failure response mode if the first operational error is detected, wherein the control circuit is configured to activate a second failure response mode, which is different than the first failure response mode if the second operational error is detected in addition to detection of the first operational error. The control circuit is configured to activate a third failure response mode which is different than the first failure response mode and the second failure response mode if the third operational error is detected in addition to detection of the first operational error and the second operational error.
Example 38The failure response system of Example 37, wherein the first failure response mode is a warning mode.
Example 39The failure response system of Examples 37 or 38, wherein the second failure response mode is a limp mode.
Example 40The failure response system of Examples 37, 38, or 39, wherein the third failure response mode is more restrictive than the second failure response mode.
Example 41A powered surgical stapling and cutting instrument comprising, a staple cartridge comprising a housing, a plurality of staple cavities, and, in addition, a plurality of staples deployable from the staple cavities during a firing stroke. The staple cartridge also comprises a firing member movable during a firing stroke to cause staples to be deployed from the staple cavities, and a motor operably coupled to the firing member. The motor is configured to generate at least one rotational motion to motivate the firing member to cause the staples to be deployed from the staple cavities during the firing stroke. The powered surgical stapling and cutting instrument also comprises a primary controller comprising a primary processor and a primary storage medium storing first program instructions which, when executed by the primary processor, cause the primary processor to determine a first acceleration of the firing member during a firing stroke and compare the first acceleration to a predetermined threshold acceleration. The powered surgical stapling and cutting instrument further comprises a secondary controller including a secondary processor and a secondary storage medium storing second program instructions which, when executed by the secondary processor, cause the secondary processor to determine a second acceleration of the firing member during a firing stroke and to compare the second acceleration to the predetermined threshold value.
Example 42The powered surgical stapling and cutting instrument of Example 41, wherein the first acceleration is determined based on a distance between a first position and a second position, wherein the distance is traveled by the firing member during a firing stroke.
Example 43The powered surgical stapling and cutting instrument of Examples 41 or 42, further comprising a sensor configured to detect the firing member at the second position.
Example 44The powered surgical stapling and cutting instrument of Example 43, wherein the sensor is a linear position encoder.
Example 45The powered surgical stapling and cutting instrument of Examples 43 or 44, wherein the sensor is in electrical communication with the primary processor.
Example 46The powered surgical stapling and cutting instrument of Examples 41, 42, 43, 44, or 45, wherein the second acceleration is separately determined by the secondary processor based on the distance.
Example 47The powered surgical stapling and cutting instrument of Examples 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, or 46, further comprising another sensor configured to detect the firing member at the second position.
Example 48The powered surgical stapling and cutting instrument of Example 47, wherein the other sensor is a linear position encoder.
Example 49The powered surgical stapling and cutting instrument of Examples 47 or 48, wherein the other sensor is in electrical communication with the secondary processor.
Example 50The powered surgical stapling and cutting instrument of Examples 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, or 49, wherein the primary processor is configured to activate a failure response mode if (i) the first acceleration is beyond the predetermined threshold value and (ii) the second acceleration is beyond the predetermined threshold value.
Example 51The powered surgical stapling and cutting instrument of Examples 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, or 50, wherein the failure response mode comprises stopping the motor.
Example 52The powered surgical stapling and cutting instrument of Examples 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, or 48, wherein the primary processor is configured to activate a failure response mode if at least one of the first acceleration and the second acceleration is beyond the predetermined threshold value.
Example 53The powered surgical stapling and cutting instrument of Example 52, wherein the failure response mode comprises stopping the motor.
Example 54The powered surgical stapling and cutting instrument of Example 41, wherein the second program instructions further cause the secondary processor to generate an output based on the comparison of the second acceleration to the predetermined threshold value and cause the output to be communicated to the primary controller.
Example 55A powered surgical stapling and cutting instrument comprising a staple cartridge comprising a housing, a plurality of staple cavities, and in addition, a plurality of staples deployable from the staple cavities during a firing stroke. The powered surgical stapling and cutting instrument also comprises a firing member movable during a firing stroke to cause the staples to be deployed from the staple cavities, and a motor operably coupled to the firing member. The motor is configured to generate at least one rotational motion to motivate the firing member to deploy staples from the staple cavities during a firing stroke. The powered surgical stapling and cutting instrument further comprises a primary circuit including a primary processor configured to assess a first operational parameter indicative of performance of the firing member during a firing stroke and generate a first output based on the assessment of the first operational parameter. The powered surgical stapling and cutting instrument further comprises a second circuit including a safety processor configured to assess a second operational parameter indicative of the performance of the firing member during a firing stroke, wherein the second operational parameter is different than the first operational parameter and to generate a second output based on the assessment of the second operational parameter, wherein the second output is used to verify the first output within a control loop of a firing stroke.
Example 56The powered surgical stapling and cutting instrument of Example 55, wherein the second output is used as a substitute for the first output if it is determined that the first operational parameter indicates an abnormal performance of the firing member during a firing stroke while the second operational parameter indicates a normal performance of the firing member.
Example 57The powered surgical stapling and cutting instrument of Example 55, wherein the first output is configured to activate a mode of operation selected from a group comprising a normal mode, a warning mode, a limp mode, and a stop mode.
Example 58The powered surgical stapling and cutting instrument of Examples 55 or 57, wherein the second output is configured to activate a mode of operation selected from a group comprising a normal mode, a warning mode, a limp mode, and a stop mode.
Example 59The powered surgical stapling and cutting instrument of Example 55, wherein the first output is communicated to the safety processor in a message comprising the first output and a security code.
Example 60The powered surgical stapling and cutting instrument of Example 59, wherein the security code comprises a cyclic redundancy check (CRC).
Many of the surgical instrument systems described herein are motivated by an electric motor; however, the surgical instrument systems described herein can be motivated in any suitable manner. In various instances, the surgical instrument systems described herein can be motivated by a manually-operated trigger, for example. In certain instances, the motors disclosed herein may comprise a portion or portions of a robotically controlled system. Moreover, any of the end effectors and/or tool assemblies disclosed herein can be utilized with a robotic surgical instrument system. U.S. patent application Ser. No. 13/118,241, entitled SURGICAL STAPLING INSTRUMENTS WITH ROTATABLE STAPLE DEPLOYMENT ARRANGEMENTS, now U.S. Pat. No. 9,072,535, for example, discloses several examples of a robotic surgical instrument system in greater detail.
The surgical instrument systems described herein have been described in connection with the deployment and deformation of staples; however, the embodiments described herein are not so limited. Various embodiments are envisioned which deploy fasteners other than staples, such as clamps or tacks, for example. Moreover, various embodiments are envisioned which utilize any suitable means for sealing tissue. For instance, an end effector in accordance with various embodiments can comprise electrodes configured to heat and seal the tissue. Also, for instance, an end effector in accordance with certain embodiments can apply vibrational energy to seal the tissue.
The entire disclosures of:
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- U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2007/0175955, entitled SURGICAL CUTTING AND FASTENING INSTRUMENT WITH CLOSURE TRIGGER LOCKING MECHANISM, filed Jan. 31, 2006; and
- U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2010/0264194, entitled SURGICAL STAPLING INSTRUMENT WITH AN ARTICULATABLE END EFFECTOR, filed Apr. 22, 2010, now U.S. Pat. No. 8,308,040, are hereby incorporated by reference herein.
Although various devices have been described herein in connection with certain embodiments, modifications and variations to those embodiments may be implemented. Particular features, structures, or characteristics may be combined in any suitable manner in one or more embodiments. Thus, the particular features, structures, or characteristics illustrated or described in connection with one embodiment may be combined in whole or in part, with the features, structures or characteristics of one ore more other embodiments without limitation. Also, where materials are disclosed for certain components, other materials may be used. Furthermore, according to various embodiments, a single component may be replaced by multiple components, and multiple components may be replaced by a single component, to perform a given function or functions. The foregoing description and following claims are intended to cover all such modification and variations.
The devices disclosed herein can be designed to be disposed of after a single use, or they can be designed to be used multiple times. In either case, however, a device can be reconditioned for reuse after at least one use. Reconditioning can include any combination of the steps including, but not limited to, the disassembly of the device, followed by cleaning or replacement of particular pieces of the device, and subsequent reassembly of the device. In particular, a reconditioning facility and/or surgical team can disassemble a device and, after cleaning and/or replacing particular parts of the device, the device can be reassembled for subsequent use. Those skilled in the art will appreciate that reconditioning of a device can utilize a variety of techniques for disassembly, cleaning/replacement, and reassembly. Use of such techniques, and the resulting reconditioned device, are all within the scope of the present application.
The devices disclosed herein may be processed before surgery. First, a new or used instrument may be obtained and, when necessary, cleaned. The instrument may then be sterilized. In one sterilization technique, the instrument is placed in a closed and sealed container, such as a plastic or TYVEK bag. The container and instrument may then be placed in a field of radiation that can penetrate the container, such as gamma radiation, x-rays, and/or high-energy electrons. The radiation may kill bacteria on the instrument and in the container. The sterilized instrument may then be stored in the sterile container. The sealed container may keep the instrument sterile until it is opened in a medical facility. A device may also be sterilized using any other technique known in the art, including but not limited to beta radiation, gamma radiation, ethylene oxide, plasma peroxide, and/or steam.
While this invention has been described as having exemplary designs, the present invention may be further modified within the spirit and scope of the disclosure. This application is therefore intended to cover any variations, uses, or adaptations of the invention using its general principles.
Any patent, publication, or other disclosure material, in whole or in part, that is said to be incorporated by reference herein is incorporated herein only to the extent that the incorporated materials do not conflict with existing definitions, statements, or other disclosure material set forth in this disclosure. As such, and to the extent necessary, the disclosure as explicitly set forth herein supersedes any conflicting material incorporated herein by reference. Any material, or portion thereof, that is said to be incorporated by reference herein, but which conflicts with existing definitions, statements, or other disclosure material set forth herein will only be incorporated to the extent that no conflict arises between that incorporated material and the existing disclosure material.
Claims
1. A surgical instrument, comprising:
- an anvil;
- an elongate channel, wherein at least one of said anvil and said elongate channel is movable to capture tissue between said anvil and said elongate channel, wherein said elongate channel comprises: a plurality of first electrical contacts; and a plurality of electrical connectors comprising a plurality of second electrical contacts, wherein said electrical connectors are spring-biased such that a gap is maintained between said first electrical contacts and said second electrical contacts; and
- a staple cartridge releasably attachable to said elongate channel, and wherein said staple cartridge comprises: a cartridge body comprising a plurality of staple cavities; a plurality of staples deployable from said staple cavities into the tissue; and a plurality of third electrical contacts, wherein said attachment of said staple cartridge to said elongate channel moves said electrical connectors causing said second electrical contacts to bridge said gap and become electrically coupled to said first electrical contacts.
2. The surgical instrument of claim 1, wherein said staple cartridge comprises a storage medium configured to store information about said staple cartridge, and wherein said storage medium is accessible by said surgical instrument through at least one of said third electrical contacts when said cartridge body is attached to said elongate channel.
3. The surgical instrument of claim 2, wherein said storage medium comprises a memory unit.
4. The surgical instrument of claim 2, wherein said information comprises an identifier of said staple cartridge.
5. The surgical instrument of claim 2, wherein said information comprises a spent status of said staple cartridge.
6. The surgical instrument of claim 1, wherein said electrical connectors are at least partially coated with a fluid-repellant coating.
7. The surgical instrument of claim 1, wherein said third electrical contacts are at least partially coated with a fluid-repellant coating.
8. The surgical instrument of claim 7, wherein said connectors comprise wearing features configured to at least partially remove said fluid-repellant coating during attachment of said staple cartridge to said elongate channel.
9. The surgical instrument of claim 8, wherein at least one of said wearing features comprises a raised-dome shape.
10. The surgical instrument of claim 1, wherein said staple cartridge comprises a cartridge-status circuit portion comprising a trace element configured to be broken during said deployment of said staples.
11. The surgical instrument of claim 1, wherein said elongate channel comprises a compressible seal configured to resist fluid ingress between said staple cartridge and said elongate channel when said staple cartridge is attached to said elongate channel.
12. A staple cartridge for use with an end effector of a surgical instrument, wherein the staple cartridge comprises:
- a cartridge body releasably attachable to the end effector, wherein said cartridge body comprises a plurality of staple cavities;
- a plurality of staples at least partially stored in said staple cavities;
- a camming member movable relative to said cartridge body from a starting position to cause said staples to be deployed from said staple cavities; and
- an electrical circuit, comprising: a plurality of external electrical contacts configured to be electrically coupled to corresponding electrical contacts of the end effector when said cartridge body is attached to the end effector; a storage medium configured to store information about said staple cartridge, wherein said storage medium is accessible through at least one of said external electrical contacts when said cartridge body is attached to the end effector; and a cartridge-status circuit portion comprising a trace element configured to be broken during said movement of said camming member.
13. The staple cartridge of claim 12, wherein said storage medium comprises a memory unit.
14. The staple cartridge of claim 12, wherein said information comprises an identifier of said staple cartridge.
15. The staple cartridge of claim 12, wherein said information comprises a spent status of said staple cartridge.
16. The staple cartridge of claim 12, wherein said external electrical connectors are at least partially coated with a fluid-repellant coating.
17. A staple cartridge for use with an end effector of a surgical instrument, wherein the staple cartridge comprises:
- a cartridge body releasably attachable to the end effector, wherein said cartridge body comprises a plurality of staple cavities;
- a plurality of staples at least partially stored in said staple cavities;
- a sled movable relative to said cartridge body from a starting position to cause said staples to be deployed from said staple cavities during a firing stroke;
- a detection means for determining a spent status of said staple cartridge; and
- a storage medium configured to store said spent status of said staple cartridge.
18. The staple cartridge of claim 17, wherein said detection means includes an electrical circuit configured to be transitioned between a closed configuration and an open configuration by said sled during said firing stroke.
19. The staple cartridge of claim 17, wherein said detection means includes a Hall effect sensor.
20. The staple cartridge of claim 17, wherein said detection means includes an electrical circuit comprising a conductive bridge configured to be severed during said firing stroke.
Type: Application
Filed: Dec 21, 2016
Publication Date: Jun 21, 2018
Inventors: Sol A. Posada (Cincinnati, OH), Mark D. Overmyer (Cincinnati, OH), Raymond E. Parfett (Loveland, OH), Brian D. Schings (Cincinnati, OH), Brett E. Swensgard (West Chester, OH), Richard L. Leimbach (Cincinnati, OH), Shane R. Adams (Lebanon, OH), David C. Yates (West Chester, OH), Jason L. Harris (Lebanon, OH), Frederick E. Shelton, IV (Hillsboro, OH), Kharyl Evenson George Stephens (Cincinnati, OH), Jason M. Rector (Maineville, OH)
Application Number: 15/385,927