Intuitive Surgical Operations, Inc.

Beckman Coulter, Inc.

Molecular Devices Corporation

Charles Godin

Matthew Aaron Wixey

Atal C Patel

Paul Millman

Herschel E Wright

Kristopher J Yee

Emily Cooper

Heath Corbet

Derek G Petch

A surgical stapling instrument is configured to dissect tissue, apply a linear staple line along one side of the tissue dissection and apply a suture, such as a purse string suture, to the other side of the tissue dissection. The instrument comprises an elongate shaft, first and second jaws configured to open and close and a cutting element. The instrument includes a first row of staples in each of the first and second jaws having a suture extending therethrough and a second row of staples in the second jaw. A drive member is configured to translate distally through the end effector to dissect tissue with the cutting element, drive the second row of staples into the tissue on one side of the dissection and to apply the first row of staples and suture in combination to form a purse string suture on the other side of the tissue dissection.

Surgical instrument with linear and purse string suture staples

Surgical clamping and cutting instruments are disclosed. In one aspect, a surgical instrument comprises an elongate shaft with an end effector having first and second jaws, a release member movably coupled to the end effector and a drive member configured to translate relative to the end effector. The instrument further includes a locking member movable from a first position permitting distal translation of the drive member, to a second position preventing distal translation of the drive member. The locking member moves into the second position after the drive member has been driven distally. This inhibits or prevents hazardous actuation of a knife or drive beam when, for example, there is a spent or previously fired cartridge in place.

Surgical instrument with lockout mechanism

Drive assemblies for surgical clamping and cutting instruments, as well as surgical clamping and cutting instruments using these drive assemblies, are disclosed. The drive assemblies may include a drive member, a locking member mounted to the drive member, and a spring. The drive member may be configured to releasably engage at least one of a knife or a shuttle of a surgical clamping and cutting instrument for translating the knife and/or shuttle in a distal direction through a firing stroke. The locking member may be movable from a first position permitting distal translation of the drive member through the firing stroke, and a second position inhibiting distal translation of the drive member through the firing stroke. The spring may be configured to bias the locking member toward the second position.

A pipette nozzle that achieves a consistently high quality seal between the nozzle and the interior surface of a replaceable pipette tip is provided. In one aspect, the end portion of the nozzle is tapered. The tapered nozzle aids pipette tip engagement in an automated system by relaxing the tolerance on the co-location of the pipette tip and the syringe nozzle. Additionally, the tapered end portion promotes tip sealing. In another aspect of the invention, a small ridge is located on the tapered portion of the nozzle. The ridge forms a seal with the interior surface of the pipette tip. The ridge, in combination with the tapered portions of the nozzle located on either side of the ridge, create three separate interface regions.

Pipette tip holder

A rotor drive shaft assembly for use in a centrifugation system. The rotor drive shaft has a bearing material configured as a sleeve and mounted on the inside wall of a spindle hub with a clearance existing between the sleeve and a housing that surrounds the lower base of the shaft. When the rotor and hub experience radial displacement at a critical speed, the sleeve makes contact with the housing in order to limit further radial displacement. Alternatively, the sleeve can be mounted on the outside of the housing with the clearance existing between the sleeve and the spindle hub, with the sleeve making contact with the spindle hub at the critical speed in order to limit further radial displacement. In another embodiment, a support tube is provided which surrounds the lower portion of the shaft with a clearance existing between the shaft and the support tube. When the shaft experiences radial displacement at the critical speed, the shaft makes contact with the support tube which limits further radial displacement.

Growing community of inventors

Palo Alto, CA, United States of America

Charles Godin