EP0095970A2
Expired / Lapsed
EP
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Surgical stapler apparatus with flexible shaft
Assignee: United States Surgical Corp
•
Filing: 1983-05-20
•
Granted: —
•
Expires: 2003-05-20
Abstract
Abstract A surgical stapler including a stapling assembly, an actuator assembly remote from the stapling assembly, and a longitudinal shaft assembly having a longitudinally flexible section for connecting the actuator assembly to the stapling assembly and for transmitting the forces and motions required to operate the stapling assembly from the actuator assembly to the stapling assembly.
Inventors
- 👤 Douglas G. Noiles
- 👤 Alfred F. Decarlo
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-23 18:29
CPC Classifications
A; A61; A61B; A61B17/00; A61B17/11; A61B17/115; A61B17/1155; A61B17/00234; A61B2017/00292; A61B2017/003; A61B2017/00305; A61B2017/00314; A61B2017/00318; A61B2017/00323; A61B17/28; A61B17/29; A61B2017/2901; A61B2017/2905; Y; Y10; Y10T; Y10T74/00; Y10T74/20; Y10T74/20396; Y10T74/20402; Y10T74/2042; Y10T74/20438
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 11
Claim 1
Independent Claim
214 words
A shaft assembly for connecting the actuator of a surgical stapler to the remotely located stapling assembly of the stapler and for transmitting forces along the length of the shaft assembly between the actuator and the stapling assembly, the shaft assembly having a longitudinally flexible section which can be deformed into a curve and which will maintain that curve while transmitting forces, the shaft assembly comprising: longitudinally flexible compression means for transmitting a longitudinal compression force with the compression producing, when the flexible section is curved, a resultant force normal to the longitudinal axis of the flexible section of the shaft assembly; a longitudinally flexible tension member for transmitting a longitudinal tension force with the tension force producing, when the flexible section is curved, a resultant force normal to the longitudinal axis of the flexible section of the shaft assembly, the resultant force produced by the tension member being essentially equal in magnitude and opposite in direction to the resultant force produced by the compression means when the tension and compression forces are equal; and force-transmitting means for transmitting force normal to the longitudinal axis of the flexible section of the shaft assembly between the compression means and the tension member while allowing relative longitudinal motion between the tension member and the compression means.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
214 words
A shaft assembly for connecting the actuator of a surgical stapler to the remotely located stapling assembly of the stapler and for transmitting forces along the length of the shaft assembly between the actuator and the stapling assembly, the shaft assembly having a longitudinally flexible section which can be deformed into a curve and which will maintain that curve while transmitting forces, the shaft assembly comprising: longitudinally flexible compression means for transmitting a longitudinal compression force with the compression producing, when the flexible section is curved, a resultant force normal to the longitudinal axis of the flexible section of the shaft assembly; a longitudinally flexible tension member for transmitting a longitudinal tension force with the tension force producing, when the flexible section is curved, a resultant force normal to the longitudinal axis of the flexible section of the shaft assembly, the resultant force produced by the tension member being essentially equal in magnitude and opposite in direction to the resultant force produced by the compression means when the tension and compression forces are equal; and force-transmitting means for transmitting force normal to the longitudinal axis of the flexible section of the shaft assembly between the compression means and the tension member while allowing relative longitudinal motion between the tension member and the compression means.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
60 words
The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the compression means comprises a plurality of substantially non- compressible elements disposed in series along the length of the shaft assembly, each element being in longitudinal contact with the adjacent elements and free to pivot with respect to the adjacent elements as the flexible section of the shaft assembly is deformed into a curve.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
54 words
The apparatus of claim 2, wherein each of the elements has a longitudinal aperture, the tension member passing through the apertures, and the contacting surfaces of adjacent elements being so contoured that the elements make line contact as they pivot with respect to each other as the flexible section is deformed into the curve.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
26 words
The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the line contacts define a two-dimensional surface and the longitudinal axis of the tension member lies in the two-dimensional surface.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
34 words
The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the force-transmitting means includes means located between the tension member and the compression means in the space defined by the apertures of the elements of the compression means.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
85 words
The apparatus of claim 2 or 3, wherein each of the elements has first and second contacting surfaces, the first contacting surfaces being for contacting the second contacting surface of an adjacent element; and each first contacting surface being essentially flat, each second contacting surface having an essentially flat portion and a bevelled portion sloping away from the flat contacting surface of the adjacent element, and contact between contacting surfaces of adjacent elements occurring at the junction of the flat portion with the bevelled portion.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
78 words
The apparatus of claim 2 or 3, wherein each of the elements has first and second contacting surfaces, the first contacting surfaces being for contacting the second contacting surface of an adjacent non- compressible element; and each first contacting surface being essentially flat, each second contacting surface having two bevelled portions each of which slopes away from the flat surface of the adjacent element, and contact between adjacent elements occurring at the junction of the two bevelled portions.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
31 words
The apparatus of claim 2 or 3, wherein each of the contacting surfaces of each of the elements includes a cylindrical projection at which the surfaces of adjacent elements make contact.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
38 words
The apparatus of claim 5 wherein the force-transmitting means comprises a longitudinal member whose coefficient of friction with the tension member is sufficiently low to permit easy manual sliding of the tension member relative to the compression means.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
70 words
Surgical stapling apparatus comprising: a longitudinal shaft assembly according to any of the preceding claims; a stapling assembly comprising two parts between which tissue is stapled; an actuator assembly remote from the stapling assembly for controlling the stapling assembly; and the shaft assembly connecting the stapling assembly to the actuator assembly; and wherein the forces transmitted between the actuator and the stapling assembly include forces for controlling the stapling assembly.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
No citation records indexed.
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
Maintenance schedule is calculated for granted US utility patents.