US4938408A — Surgical stapler safety and sequencing mechanisms

Claim 1

Independent Claim 178 words

A surgical stapling instrument including a stapler head having a clamping mechanism and a stapling mechanism, a handle including means for actuating said stapling mechanism at a predetermined stapling gas pressure, and means interconnecting said handle and said stapler head comprising: a source of pressurized gas located in said handle; coupled to said gas source, first means for developing pressure regulated from said pressurized gas source; coupled to said first means and to said clamping mechanism, second means for variably controlling the pressure of gas supplied to said clamping mechanism, said second means including a manual control; coupled to said actuating means, third means for preventing actuation of said stapling mechanism prior to the development of said predetermined stapling gas pressure within said actuating means, said third means comprising a first lock which prevents said actuating means from actuating said stapling mechanism prior to the development of said predetermined stapling gas pressure and the manual disengagement of said first lock; and fourth means for inhibiting successive operation of said actuating means prior to manually resetting said fourth means.

Claim 2

Dependent Claim 178 words

A surgical stapling instrument including a stapler head having a clamping mechanism and a stapling mechanism, a handle including means for actuating said stapling mechanism at a predetermined stapling gas pressure, and means interconnecting said handle and said stapler head comprising: a source of pressurized gas located in said handle; coupled to said gas source, first means for developing pressure regulated from said pressurized gas source; coupled to said first means and to said clamping mechanism, second means for variably controlling the pressure of gas supplied to said clamping mechanism, said second means including a manual control; coupled to said actuating means, third means for preventing actuation of said stapling mechanism prior to the development of said predetermined stapling gas pressure within said actuating means, said third means comprising a first lock which prevents said actuating means from actuating said stapling mechanism prior to the development of said predetermined stapling gas pressure and the manual disengagement of said first lock; and fourth means for inhibiting successive operation of said actuating means prior to manually resetting said fourth means.

Claim 3

Dependent Claim 46 words

The surgical stapling mechanism of claim 1 wherein said first lock prevents said actuating means from firing prior to both the development of said predetermined stapling gas pressure and the setting of said manual control in said second means to develop said predetermined stapling gas pressure.

Claim 4

Dependent Claim 32 words

The surgical stapling instrument of claim 2, wherein said manual control may be set over a range of settings to develop gas pressures up to and including said predetermined stapling gas pressure.

Claim 5

Dependent Claim 34 words

The surgical stapling instrument of claim 3, wherein said manual control impedes access to said first lock prior to the setting of said manual control to develop gas at said predetermined stapling gas pressure.

Claim 6

Dependent Claim 31 words

The surgical stapling instrument of claim 4, wherein said manual control obscures said first lock prior to the setting of said control to develop gas at said predetermined stapling gas pressure.

Claim 7

Dependent Claim 51 words

The surgical stapling instrument of claim 5, wherein said manual control comprises a slide button and said first lock includes a safety slide which actuates a leaf spring to assume a first position which allows actuation of said actuating means and a second position which impedes actuation of said actuating means.

Claim 8

Dependent Claim 48 words

The surgical stapling instrument of claim 1, wherein said fourth means is located substantially within said handle prior to an initi actuation of said actuating means, and extends outward from said handle after said initial actuation to inhibit a successive actuation of said actuating means prior to resetti.

Claim 9

Dependent Claim 21 words

The surgical stapling instrument of claim 7, wherein said fourth means comprises a spring-loaded locking button for lockin said actuating means.

Claim 10

Dependent Claim 36 words

The surgical stapling instrument of claim 1 wherein said actuating means comprises a trigger located on said handle and wherein said fourth means comprises a second lock for locking said trigger after firing said stapling instrument.

Claim 11

Dependent Claim 26 words

The surgical stapling instrument of claim 9, wherein said first lock extends from said handle when preventing said said actuating means from actuating said stapling mechanism.

Claim 12

Dependent Claim 132 words

A surgical stapling instrument including a stapler head having a clamping mechanism and a stapling mechanism, a handle including means for actuating said stapling mechanism, and means interconnecting said handle and said stapler head comprising: first means, located in said handle for supplying pressurized gas; second means, coupled to said first means, and operable in a first mode for supplying gas to said clamping mechanism and in a second mode for supplying gas to said stapling mechanism, said second means comprising a spool valve; a manually actuated control, coupled to said second means, for controlling said second means in order to supply gas to said clamping mechanism; and a trigger, located in said handle and coupled to said second means for controlling said second means to supply gas to said stapling mechanism.

Claim 13

Dependent Claim 132 words

A surgical stapling instrument including a stapler head having a clamping mechanism and a stapling mechanism, a handle including means for actuating said stapling mechanism, and means interconnecting said handle and said stapler head comprising: first means, located in said handle for supplying pressurized gas; second means, coupled to said first means, and operable in a first mode for supplying gas to said clamping mechanism and in a second mode for supplying gas to said stapling mechanism, said second means comprising a spool valve; a manually actuated control, coupled to said second means, for controlling said second means in order to supply gas to said clamping mechanism; and a trigger, located in said handle and coupled to said second means for controlling said second means to supply gas to said stapling mechanism.

Claim 14

Dependent Claim 31 words

The surgical stapling instrument of claim 11, wherein said manually actuated control further includes means for inhibiting actuation of said trigger prior to the supplying of gas to said clamping mechanism.

Claim 15

Dependent Claim 42 words

The surgical stapling instrument of claim 11, further comprising a safety movable from a prevention position to an actuation position and interacting with said trigger to inhibit actuation of said trigger prior to the setting of said safety in said actuation position.

Claim 16

Dependent Claim 31 words

The surgical stapling instrument of claim 13, wherein said second means is connected to third means for restoring said second means to its initial condition subsequent to actuation of said trigger.

Claim 17

Dependent Claim 31 words

The surgical stapling instrument of claim 14, wherein said second means is further connected to fourth means for setting said safety in said prevention position subsequent to actuation of said trigger.

Claim 18

Dependent Claim 25 words

The surgical stapling instrument of claim 14, wherein said trigger is capable of setting said safety in said prevention position during actuation of said trigger.

Claim 19

Dependent Claim 43 words

The surgical stapling instrument of claim 11, wherein said spool valve may be positioned in a valve housing to couple gas from said first means to said clamping mechanism and may positioned to couple gas from said first means to said stapling mechanism.

Claim 20

Dependent Claim 110 words

A surgical stapling instrument incl stapler head having a clamping mechanism and a stapling mechanism, a handle including manually resettable actuating means for repeatedly actuating said stapling mechanism and readying said stapling mechanism for refiring, and means interconnecting said handle and said stapler head, comprising: means, coupled to said actuating means, for developing pressurized gas suitable for actuation of said clamping mechanism; means, coupled to said actuating means, for developing pressurized gas suitable for actuation of said stapling mechanism; and means for releasing pressurized gas from said stapling mechanism, including a check valve to maintain a residual gas pressure within said stapling mechanism prior to manually resetting said actuating means.

Claim 21

Dependent Claim 110 words

A surgical stapling instrument incl stapler head having a clamping mechanism and a stapling mechanism, a handle including manually resettable actuating means for repeatedly actuating said stapling mechanism and readying said stapling mechanism for refiring, and means interconnecting said handle and said stapler head, comprising: means, coupled to said actuating means, for developing pressurized gas suitable for actuation of said clamping mechanism; means, coupled to said actuating means, for developing pressurized gas suitable for actuation of said stapling mechanism; and means for releasing pressurized gas from said stapling mechanism, including a check valve to maintain a residual gas pressure within said stapling mechanism prior to manually resetting said actuating means.

Claim 22

Dependent Claim 14 words

The surgical stapling instrument of claim 18, wherein said actuating means comprises a trigger.

Claim 23

Dependent Claim 35 words

The surgical stapling instrument of claim 14, wherein said trigger is coupled to said check valve, and includes a pneumatic valve for controllably supplying pressurized gas to said stapling mechanism upon actuation of said trigger.

Annuity Stage	Window Opens	Payment Deadline	Surcharge Period Until	Estimated Fee	Status
3.5 Years (Year 4)	1993-07-02	1994-01-01	1994-07-03	$2000.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8)	1997-07-02	1998-01-01	1998-07-03	$3760.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12)	2001-07-02	2002-01-01	2002-07-03	$7700.00	Window Closed / Lapsed

Surgical stapler safety and sequencing mechanisms

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