EP0537757A2
Expired / Lapsed
EP
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Surgical stapling apparatus
Assignee: United States Surgical Corp
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Filing: 1992-10-16
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Granted: —
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Expires: 2012-10-16
Abstract
Abstract A surgical stapling apparatus comprising an anvil jaw 30 pivotally connected to a first handle 20 for movement from an open position to a closed position to clamp body tissue, staple advancing means 51 for advancing an individual staple into contact with the anvil jaw for deformation of the staple legs and means for closing the anvil and for actuating the staple advancing means in a three phase movement of the handles. In the first movement of the handle the anvil jaw pivots to a closed position; in a second subsequent movement of the handles the anvil jaw remains stationary and the staple advancing means is not yet actuated; and in a third movement of the handle the staple advancing means is actuated. This second movement constitutes a dwell period of the apparatus.
Inventors
- 👤 Stanley H. Remiszewski
- 👤 David T. Green
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-22 22:01
CPC Classifications
A; A61; A61B; A61B17/00; A61B17/068; A61B17/0682; A61B17/0686; A61B17/10; A61B17/105
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 39
Claim 1
Independent Claim
123 words
A surgical stapling apparatus comprising: first and second handles; an anvil jaw pivotally connected to said first handle for movement from an open position to a closed position to clamp body tissue; staple advancing means for advancing an individual staple into contact with said anvil jaw for deformation of the staple legs; and means for closing the anvil jaw and for actuating the staple advancing means in a three phase movement wherein in a first movement of said handle said anvil jaw pivots to a closed position, in a second subsequent movement of said handle said anvil jaw remains stationary and said staple advancing means is not yet actuated, and in a third movement of said handle said staple advancing means is actuated.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
22 words
Apparatus as claimed in claim 1, further comprising cam means for closing said anvil jaw and for actuating said staple advancing means.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
27 words
Apparatus as claimed in claim 2, wherein said cam means for closing said anvil jaw comprises a camming slot having an angled portion and a vertical portion.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
29 words
Apparatus as claimed in claim 3, wherein said cam means for actuating said staple advancing means comprises a first camming slot having a vertical portion and an angled portion.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
47 words
Apparatus as claimed in claim 4, wherein said angled portion of said camming shot for said anvil jaw terminates below said angled portion of said first camming slot for said staple advancing means so at least a portion of said vertical portions of said camming slots overlap.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
41 words
Apparatus as claimed in claim 2, 3, 4 or 5, further comprising a first link member connecting said first handle to said anvil jaw, wherein said link member includes a camming slot cooperating with a pin connected to said first handle.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
57 words
Apparatus as claimed in claim 6, wherein said camming slot has an angled portion and a vertical portion, wherein said pin first travels in said angled portion to advance said first link member to pivot said anvil jaw to a closed position, and when said pin subsequently travels in said vertical portion, said first link remains stationary.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
40 words
Apparatus as claimed in claim 6 or 7, further comprising a second link member connecting said second handle to said staple advancing means, said second link member including a camming slot cooperating with a pin connected to said second handle.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
52 words
Apparatus as claimed in claim 8, wherein said camming slot of said second link member has a vertical portion, wherein when said pin first travels in said vertical portion and said link member remains stationary, and when said pin subsequently travels in said angled portion said second link member is advanced distally.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
33 words
Apparatus as claimed in claim 9, wherein said vertical portions of both said camming slots overlap, and said second movement of said handle causes said pin to travel in said overlapping vertical portions.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
27 words
Apparatus as recited in any one of claims 6 to 10, wherein said anvil jaw has a slot cooperating with a slot in said first link member.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
23 words
Apparatus as claimed in any one of claims 6 to 11, wherein said first link member is spring biased to a distal position.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
52 words
Apparatus as claimed in any one of claims 6 to 12, wherein said first link member includes a second slot cooperating with a slot formed in said anvil jaw to receive a camming pin, said camming pin pivoting said anvil jaw to said closed position upon first movement of said first handle.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
27 words
Apparatus as claimed in any one of claims 6 to 13, wherein said first link member is advanced distally during said first movement of said first handle.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
41 words
Apparatus as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 5, further comprising a link member connecting said second handle to said staple advancing means, said link member including a camming slot cooperating with a pin connected to said second handle.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
54 words
Apparatus as claimed in claim 15, wherein said camming slot of said second link member has a vertical portion and an angled portion, wherein when said pin first travels in said vertical portion said link member remains stationary, and when said pin subsequently travels in said angled portion said link member is advanced distally.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
24 words
Apparatus as claimed in claim 15 or 16, wherein said second link member is advanced distally during said third movement of said first handle.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
54 words
Apparatus as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, further comprising a staple cartridge containing a stack of staples, and means for advancing said stack of staples, said staple stack advancing means comprises a first toothed rack engaging a staple stack pusher, said rack movable during said third movement of said first handle.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
23 words
Apparatus as claimed in claim 18, further comprising a second toothed rack positioned opposite said first toothed rack and engaging said stack pusher.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
20 words
Apparatus as claimed in claim 19, wherein said second toothed rack remains stationary during movement of said first toothed rack.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
44 words
Apparatus as claimed in any one of claims 18 to 20, further comprising link means for connecting said staple advancing means to said first handle, wherein said first toothed rack moves distally only after said staple advancing means is moved a predetermined distal distance.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
24 words
Apparatus as claimed in claim 21, wherein said link means includes a camming slot cooperating with a guide pin connected to said first handle.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
26 words
Apparatus as claimed in any one of claims 18 to 22, wherein said staple advancing means inlcudes a staple pusher for engagement with a distalmost staple.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
29 words
Apparatus as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, further comprising a ratchet mechanism for preventing retraction of said staple advancing means until completion of a firing stroke.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
29 words
Apparatus as claimed in claim 24, wherein said ratchet mechanism includes a toothed member engageable with a plate, said plate sliding distally during said third movement of said handle.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
98 words
A surgical stapling apparatus comprising: a first handle; a staple cartridge communicating with said first handle, said staple cartridge containing a plurality of staples aligned in a row; a second handle pivotally mounted to said first handle; an anvil jaw linked to said second handle and movable in response to a first movement of said second handle to clamp tissue; means for advancing a staple into said anvil jaw for deformation of the staple legs in response to a subsequent movement of said second handle; and means for indicating to a user the termination of said first movement.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
43 words
Apparatus as claimed in claim 26, wherein said indicating means comprises a dwell period occurring between said first and subsequent movement in which said second handle is pivoted and said anvil jaw is not pivoted and said staple advancing means is not actuated.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
37 words
Apparatus as claimed in claim 26 or 27, further comprising camming means including first and second slots, said first slot configured to pivot said anvil jaw and said second slot configured to advance said staple advancing means.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
50 words
Apparatus as claimed in any one of claims 26 to 28, wherein said first slot has a vertical portion and a distally directed diagonally portion and said second slot has a vertical portion and a proximally directed diagonal portion, and wherein at least a portion of said vertical portions overlap.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
36 words
Apparatus as claimed in any one of claims 26 to 29, wherein said staple is advanced by said staple advancing means around a curved surface to re-orient the staple prior to contact with said anvil jaw.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
71 words
A surgical staple cartridge comprising: a first rack having a plurality of teeth; a stack of staples longitudinally aligned in said first rack; means for advancing said staple stack distally, said advancing means comprising a stack pusher positioned adjacent a proximalmost staple and engaging said teeth of said first rack; and means for advancing said stack pusher distally, said advancing means including means for preventing proximal movement of said stack pusher.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
41 words
A cartridge as claimed in claim 31, wherein said stack pusher advancing means comprises a second rack positioned over said first rack and said preventing means comprises a plurality of teeth formed in said second rack and engaging said stack pusher.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim
19 words
A cartridge as claimed in claim 32, wherein said first rack remains stationary during advancement of said second rack.
Claim 34
Dependent Claim
48 words
A cartridge as claimed in claim 33, further comprising staple pusher means for advancing a distalmost staple into body tissue, said staple pusher means engaging said second rack to carry it distally to advance said stack pusher only after said staple advancing means has moved a perdetermined distance.
Claim 35
Dependent Claim
32 words
A cartridge as claimed in any one of claims 31 to 34, wherein said staple advancing means terminates in a staple pusher finger for advancing an individual staple into said anvil jaw.
Claim 36
Dependent Claim
46 words
A surgical staple cartridge comprising: a plurality of staples aligned in a longitudinal row; a stack pusher mounted adjacent a proximalmost staple; and slidable rack means for engaging and distally advancing said stack pusher to advance a staple while preventing proximal movement of said stack pusher.
Claim 37
Dependent Claim
103 words
A surgical stapling apparatus comprising: a staple cartridge containing a plurality of staples aligned in a row; an anvil jaw disposed opposite said staple cartridge and pivotably mounted for movement between open and closed positions; staple pusher means for advancing a distalmost staple into contact with said anvil jaw; means for actuating said staple pusher means; and stack pusher means positioned at a proximal end of said row of staples for advancing the entire row of staples, said stack pusher means being actuated after said staple pusher means has advanced a predetermined distance but prior to full advancement of said staple pusher means.
Claim 38
Dependent Claim
25 words
Apparatus as claimed in claim 37, further comprising a handle linked to said actuating means, wherein pivotal movement of said handle advances said actuating means.
Claim 39
Dependent Claim
16 words
Apparatus as claimed in claim 38, wherein pivotal movement of said handle pivots said anvil jaw.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
No citation records indexed.
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