Ethicon Endo-surgery, Inc.

Ethicon, Gmbh

Charles A Hansford

John I Izuchukwu

Jeremy David Jarrett

Richard R Schweet

John J Mertz

Kevin L Houser

Richard F Schwemberger

Eugene L Timperman

Robert L Koch, Jr

Kenneth S Wales

Leslie M Fugikawa

J David Hughett

Robert F Welch

Steven W Hamblin

Pamela K Jacobs

John A Kretchman

Navneet T Sharma

Jeff Kirk

David Wolf

Richard S Smith

An improved surgical stapler which allows for the multi-directional release of staples includes a stapler body and a driver contained therein. A magazine is connected to the stapler body and includes a plurality of staples. The magazine also includes an anvil having a staple forming surface at a distal end thereof for forming a staple thereon. The anvil is movable from a staple forming position to a staple release position. A feeder element which is spring biased against the staples is used for feeding each staple to the staple forming surface. A trigger is operatively connected to the driver and is movable from a pre-fire position to a firing position for advancing the driver against the anvil for forming the staple against the staple forming surface of the anvil. The trigger is operatively connected to the anvil for moving the anvil from the staple forming position to the staple release position for releasing the staple from the stapler.

Skin stapler with movable anvil

An improved surgical stapler includes a stapler body having a driver and a magazine connected to the stapler body. The magazine includes a staple track for carrying a plurality of staples and an anvil associated with the staple track. The anvil has a staple forming surface for forming each of the staples thereon. A trigger is operatively connected to the driver for advancing the driver against the anvil so as to form the staple against the staple forming surface of the anvil. A feeder for feeding each of the staples from the staple track to the anvil is movably mounted in the magazine. A pinion is operatively connected to the trigger and is movably engaged with the feeder. An indexing member is movably engaged with the pinion such that the indexing member and the pinion advance the feeder and the staples toward the anvil upon an actuation of the trigger.

Skin stapler with rack and pinion staple feed mechanism

An improved surgical stapler which allows for the multi-directional release of staples includes a stapler body and a driver contained therein. A magazine is connected to the stapler body and includes a staple track for carrying a plurality of staples wherein each of the staples has staple legs. An anvil is associated with the staple track for providing a staple forming surface for forming a staple thereon. A feeder element which is spring biased against the staples is used for feeding each staple from the staple track to the anvil. A trigger is operatively connected to the driver and is movable from a pre-fire position to a firing position for advancing the driver against the anvil for forming the staple against the anvil. A kick-off spring is positioned beneath and substantially parallel to the staple track and the anvil. The kick-off spring has a deflectable tip which is deflected away from the anvil and engages the staple legs of the staple by downwardly camming against the staple legs when the trigger is moved from its pre-fire position to its firing position. The kick-off spring ejects the staples off of and away from the anvil by disengaging the staple legs with the deflectable tip by upwardly camming against the staple legs upon returning of the trigger from the firing position to the pre-fire position.

Skin stapler with multi-directional release mechanism

A surgical instrument including a handle and a trigger is designed to be closed and latched by the operator, and includes a latch mechanism. The latch mechanism includes a latch on the grip, a latch knob including a latching notch on the trigger and a latch guide on the trigger to guide the latch hook into the latching notch.

Latch mechanism for surgical instruments

A trocar and trocar obturator assembly having an obturator and a locking mechanism responsive to proximal, axial movement of the trocar obturator is disclosed. The trocar obturator has an elongated obturator shaft having a proximal end and a distal end with a piercing tip mounted thereto. The proximal end of the trocar obturator shaft is slidably mounted in a handle such that the obturator shaft is moveable axially. A protective safety shield having a distal end and a proximal end with a flange member mounted to the proximal end is slidably mounted on the trocar obturator. The safety shield is moveable, axially, between an extended distal position and a retracted proximal position. The protective safety shield is disposed concentrically about the obturator. A lockout arm for locking the safety shield in a locked extended position is mounted in the trocar obturator handle. An actuating collar member is mounted to the proximal end of the obturator shaft in the obturator handle and is moveable with the obturator shaft. The obturator collar disengages the locking arm when moved proximally and engages the locking arm when trocar is armed. The trocar obturator assembly may be concentrically mounted in a trocar cannula having a passageway for receiving the trocar obturator and safety shield. The locking mechanism is actuated by proximal, axial motion of the obturator.

Trocar safety shield locking mechanism

Growing community of inventors

Hamilton, OH, United States of America

Charles A Hansford