Surgical instrument with blade compliant along vertical cutting edge plane

US9241758B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignee

• Ethicon Endo-Surgery, Inc. · US

Inventors

• Paul T. Franer · Cincinnati, US
• Zhifan F. Huang · Mason, US
• Jerome R. Morgan · Cincinnati, US
• Frederick E. Shelton, IV · Hillsboro, US
• Bret W. Smith · South Lebanon, US
• Richard W. Timm · Cincinnati, US
• Gregory A. Trees · Loveland, US

Key dates

• Filing date: Jan 25, 2013
• Grant date: Jan 26, 2016
• Expiry date: Feb 9, 2033

Classification

• Technology area (CPC A): Human Necessities
• CPC primary: A61B2090/034
• WIPO field: Medical technology
• WIPO sector: Instruments

Abstract

An apparatus comprises a body, a shaft, an end effector, and a firing beam. The shaft extends distally from the body. The end effector is positioned at the distal end of the shaft. The end effector comprises a first jaw and a second jaw, with the first jaw being pivotable toward the second jaw. The firing beam is operable to translate relative to the end effector to thereby drive the first jaw toward the second jaw. The firing beam includes a deformable portion operable to deform in response to a stress imposed by the end effector on the firing beam as the jaws clamp on dense or thick tissue. The deformable portion is defined in part by a cutout. A compliance restriction feature restricts deformation in the firing beam. A resilient member biases the firing beam to a non-deformed configuration.