Surgical stapler

Abstract

Provided in the present disclosure is a surgical stapler. According to the surgical stapler provided by the present disclosure, after a firing is completed, a cutter separately and proximally returns to a cutter initial position and is separated from a firing member. Since the firing member leaves a firing initial position and a second tooth portion thus no longer abuts against the firing member, a locking member is switched to a locking position under the action force applied by a force applying member. At this time, if the surgeon accidentally performs a firing operation, the cutter will be blocked by a first toothed portion and thus cannot move distally from the cutter initial position, that is, a secondary firing cannot be performed. Therefore, the surgical stapler can prevent a secondary firing and reduce safety risks. By means of the first toothed portion and the second toothed portion, the locking member can cooperate with the firing member and the cutter, thereby effectively avoiding the occurrence of a secondary firing. In addition, the locking member having such a configuration has a relatively simple structure and occupies a relatively small space.

Description

Surgical stapler TECHNICAL FIELD

[0001] The present disclosure relates to the field of surgical instruments, and in particular, to a surgical stapler. BACKGROUND

[0002] As an alternative to manual suturing, surgical staplers are widely used in various surgical procedures. A surgical stapler usually has an end effector, which typically includes a cartridge, an anvil, a firing member, and a knife. As the firing member moves distally along with the knife under the pushing of the knife, the staples in the cartridge are pushed out by the firing member and shaped under the guidance of the anvil, so that the tissue clamped between the anvil and the cartridge is cut by the knife and stapled by the shaped staples. This process is called firing. After a firing is completed, the knife moves proximally back. The knife can be driven to move distally again by the surgeon's mistake. This process is called secondary firing. Secondary firing has safety risks, for example, the knife pushed out again can injure the tissue. Therefore, secondary firing should be avoided.

[0003] SUMMARY

[0004] In view of the above, the present disclosure provides a surgical stapler, which is designed to avoid secondary firing.

[0005] The surgical stapler provided by the present disclosure includes a cartridge, a firing member, a knife, and a locking mechanism. The staples are contained in the cartridge. The firing member moves distally from a firing initial position to push the staples out of the cartridge. The knife moves distally from a knife initial position to push the firing member away from the firing initial position, and the knife moves proximally to separate from the firing member. The locking mechanism includes a locking member and a force applying member. The locking member includes a main body portion, a first tooth portion, and a second tooth portion. The main body portion is rotatably supported about an axis. The first tooth portion and the second tooth portion protrude radially outward from the main body portion and are spaced apart in a direction around the axis. The locking member rotates about the axis between a locked position and an unlocked position. The force applying member applies a force to the locking member from the unlocked position to the locked position. When the firing member is located at the firing initial position, the firing member at least partially abuts against the second tooth portion, so that the locking member remains in the unlocked position against the force applying member. When the locking member is located at the unlocked position, the first tooth portion avoids the knife to allow the knife to move distally from the knife initial position. When the firing member moves away from the firing initial position, the firing member separates from the second tooth portion, and the force applying member drives the locking member to switch to the locked position. When the locking member is located at the locked position, the first tooth portion blocks the knife to move distally from the knife initial position.

[0006] In some embodiments, the knife includes a knife body and a shoulder. The shoulder is located on one side of the knife body in the thickness direction and protrudes beyond the side surface of the knife body. The locking mechanism is located on the same side of the shoulder in the thickness direction of the knife body. When the locking member is in the unlocked position, the first tooth portion is away from the knife body to be located outside a first movement path of the shoulder moving in the distal direction. When the locking member is in the locked position, the first tooth portion is close to the knife body to be at least partially located in the first movement path and prevented from moving in the distal direction from the initial position of the knife by abutting against the shoulder.

[0007] In some embodiments, the first tooth portion is provided with a first tooth surface. The first tooth surface is located on the proximal side of the first tooth portion when the locking member is in the locked position. The distal side of the shoulder is provided with a shoulder abutting surface. The first tooth surface and the shoulder abutting surface are both flat surfaces. The first tooth surface and the shoulder abutting surface are in contact when the first tooth portion abuts against the shoulder.

[0008] In some embodiments, the first tooth surface and the shoulder abutting surface are both substantially perpendicular to the proximal-distal direction when the locking member is in the locked position.

[0009] In some embodiments, the staple cartridge includes a staple cartridge shell. The staple cartridge shell includes a support portion and a first anti-rotation portion located radially outward of the support portion. The main body portion is rotatably supported on the support portion. The locking member is rotatable in a first direction from the locked position to the unlocked position. When the locking member is in the unlocked position, the first tooth portion is at least partially in abutment with the first anti-rotation portion to prevent the locking member from rotating in the first direction from the unlocked position.

[0010] In some embodiments, the first tooth portion is provided with a first tooth surface, the shoulder is provided with a shoulder abutting surface, and the first anti-rotation portion is provided with a first anti-rotation abutting surface. The first tooth surface, the shoulder abutting surface, and the first anti-rotation abutting surface are all flat surfaces. The first tooth surface and the shoulder abutting surface are in contact when the shoulder abuts against the first tooth portion. The first tooth surface and the first anti-rotation abutting surface are in contact when the first tooth portion abuts against the first anti-rotation portion.

[0011] In some embodiments, the first tooth portion has a second tooth surface. The locking member is rotatable in a first direction from the locked position to the unlocked position, When the locking member is in the locked position, the second tooth surface is located on the distal side of the first tooth portion, and the distance from the second tooth surface to the knife body gradually decreases from the distal end of the second tooth surface to the proximal end of the second tooth surface, so that during the process of returning the knife from the distal side of the locking member to the initial position of the knife, the shoulder pushes the locking member to rotate in the first direction by contacting the second tooth surface, so that the first tooth portion rotates in the first direction, allowing the knife to return to the initial position of the knife.

[0012] In some embodiments, the distance from the tooth top of the first tooth portion to the axis is greater than the distance from the knife body to the axis. When the locking member is in the locked position, the tooth top of the first tooth portion is located on the proximal side of the axis.

[0013] In some embodiments, the first tooth has a third tooth surface. The third tooth surface is in contact with a part of the side surface of the knife body when the locking member is in the locked position. The third tooth surface and the part of the side surface are flat surfaces.

[0014] In some embodiments, the firing member contacts the at least part of the second tooth during the movement of the firing member to the initial position in the proximal direction to push the locking member to overcome the biasing member and rotate from the locked position to the unlocked position.

[0015] In some embodiments, the surgical stapler further comprises a cartridge shell. The cartridge shell comprises a support portion and a second rotation-stopping portion located radially outward of the support portion. The main body portion is rotatably supported on the support portion. The locking member is rotatable from the unlocked position to the locked position in the second direction. The second tooth portion is in abutment with the second rotation-stopping portion when the locking member is in the locked position to prevent the locking member from rotating in the second direction from the locked position.

[0016] In some embodiments, the second tooth portion is provided with a fourth tooth surface, and the second rotation-stopping portion is provided with a second rotation-stopping abutment surface. The fourth tooth surface and the second rotation-stopping abutment surface are flat surfaces. The fourth tooth surface is in contact with the second rotation-stopping abutment surface when the locking member is in the locked position.

[0017] In some embodiments, the second tooth portion has a fifth tooth surface. The fifth tooth surface is located proximally of the second tooth portion when the locking member is in the unlocked position. The distance from the fifth tooth surface to the knife body gradually decreases from the proximal end of the fifth tooth surface to the distal end of the fifth tooth surface.

[0018] In some embodiments, the second tooth portion is located distally of the first tooth portion in the proximal-distal direction. The direction from the second tooth portion to the first tooth portion around the axis is the same as the direction of rotation of the locking member from the locked position to the unlocked position.

[0019] In some embodiments, the first tooth portion and the second tooth portion protrude beyond the main body portion in the extension direction of the axis to form a fixing groove between the first tooth portion and the second tooth portion. The biasing member is a torsion spring, and the outer arm of the torsion spring extends into the fixing groove.

[0020] In some embodiments, the shoulder portion moves in the proximal direction along a second path as the knife moves from the distal side of the locking member to the initial position of the knife. The second tooth portion is at least partially located in the second path when the locking member is in the unlocked position. The locking member is rotatable from the unlocked position to the locked position in the second direction. The knife drives the locking member to rotate in the second direction to move the second tooth portion away from the knife body and out of the second path as the knife moves in the proximal direction to the initial position of the knife when the locking member is in the unlocked position and the knife is located distally of the locking member.

[0021] In some embodiments, the proximal side of the shoulder is provided with a slope surface, the distance from the slope surface to the blade body gradually decreases from the distal end of the slope surface to the proximal end of the slope surface. When the locking member is in the unlocked position and the knife is on the distal side of the locking member, as the knife moves to the initial position of the knife in the proximal direction, the slope surface contacts the second tooth portion. At the contact point of the slope surface and the second tooth portion, the force applied by the slope surface to the second tooth portion is located on the outer side of the contact point and the axis.

[0022] In some embodiments, the knife comprises two shoulders, which are respectively located on opposite sides in the thickness direction of the blade body and are symmetrically arranged relative to the blade body. The surgical stapler comprises two locking mechanisms corresponding to the two shoulders respectively, which are respectively located on opposite sides in the thickness direction of the blade body and are symmetrically arranged relative to the blade body. Each locking mechanism and the corresponding shoulder are located on the same side in the thickness direction of the blade body.

[0023] According to the surgical stapler provided by the embodiments of the present disclosure, when the surgical stapler is not fired, the firing member is in its initial firing position, and the firing member abuts against the second tooth portion to keep the locking member in the unlocked position. At this time, if the surgeon performs the firing operation, the first tooth portion will not block the knife, allowing the knife to move to the distal side of the locking member in the distal direction under the drive from the initial position of the knife to the distal side of the locking member, pushing the firing member away from its initial firing position in the distal direction. After the firing is completed, the knife returns to the initial position of the knife in the proximal direction by itself and separates from the firing member. Since the firing member leaves the initial firing position, the second tooth portion no longer abuts against the firing member, so that the locking member switches to the locked position under the action of the force applying member. At this time, if the surgeon accidentally performs the firing operation, the knife will not be able to move from the initial position of the knife to the distal side of the locking member in the distal direction because of the abutment with the first tooth portion, that is, the secondary firing cannot be performed. Therefore, the surgical stapler can prevent secondary firing and reduce the safety risk. Through the first tooth portion and the second tooth portion, the locking member cooperates with the firing member and the knife to effectively avoid the occurrence of secondary firing. The locking member structure with this configuration is relatively simple and occupies less space.

[0024] BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

[0025] It should be understood that the following drawings only show certain embodiments of the present disclosure and should not be considered as limiting the scope.

[0026] It should be understood that the same or similar reference signs are used to represent the same or similar elements in the drawings.

[0027] It should be understood that the drawings are only schematic and the sizes and proportions of the elements in the drawings are not necessarily to scale.

[0028] FIGS. 1A and 1B are structural schematic diagrams of a surgical stapler according to an embodiment of the present disclosure, in which FIG. 1A shows that the end effector of the surgical stapler is open, and FIG. 1B shows that the end effector is closed.

[0029] FIG. 2 is an exploded schematic view of an end effector of the surgical stapler in FIG. 1A.

[0030] FIG. 3 is a structural schematic view of a firing member and a knife in FIG. 2.

[0031] FIG. 4 is a structural schematic view of a locking mechanism in FIG. 2.

[0032] FIG. 5 is a structural schematic view of a portion of a cartridge shell in FIG. 2.

[0033] FIG. 6 is a structural schematic view of a portion of a cartridge shell in FIG. 2.

[0034] FIGS. 7 and 8 are structural schematic views of a portion of the end effector in FIG. 2, wherein the knife is in a knife initial position and the lock is in an unlocked position.

[0035] FIG. 9 is a structural schematic view of a portion of the end effector in FIG. 2, wherein the knife is on a distal side of the lock and the lock is in a locked position.

[0036] FIG. 10 is a structural schematic view of a portion of the end effector in FIG. 2, wherein the knife is in the knife initial position and the lock is in the locked position.

[0037] FIG. 11 is a structural schematic view of a portion of the end effector in FIG. 2, wherein a shoulder of the knife abuts a first tooth portion of the lock.

[0038] FIGS. 12 and 13 are structural schematic views of a portion of the end effector in FIG. 2, wherein a ramp of the shoulder of the knife contacts a second tooth portion of the lock.

[0039] FIG. 14 is a partial enlarged view of portion A in FIG. 12.

[0040] FIG. 15 is a partial enlarged view of portion B in FIG. 13. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0041] Numerous specific details are set forth in the following description in order to provide an understanding of the structure, functionality, and use of the embodiments described and shown in the specification. It will be understood that the embodiments described and shown herein are non-limiting examples, and that the particular structural and functional details disclosed herein can be representative and exemplary. Embodiments can be modified and altered without departing from the scope of the claims.

[0042] Embodiments of the present disclosure provide a surgical stapler 100. Referring to FIGS. 1A and 1B, the surgical stapler 100 can include an end effector 10 and a platform portion 20. The end effector 10 and the platform portion 20 can be connected by an elongated body 30. The end effector 10 can be connected to a distal end of the elongated body 30, and the platform portion 20 can be connected to a proximal end of the elongated body 30.

[0043] In this document, "distal" and "proximal" can be relative to a surgeon. When the surgeon holds the surgical stapler 100, an end of the stapler 100 away from the surgeon can be referred to as the distal end, and an end close to the surgeon can be referred to as the proximal end. A direction from the proximal end of the stapler 100 to the distal end of the stapler 100 can be referred to as the distal direction, and a direction from the distal end of the stapler 100 to the proximal end of the stapler 100 can be referred to as the proximal direction. For ease of understanding, in the drawings herein, the distal direction can be indicated by an arrow X+, and the proximal direction can be indicated by an arrow X-. The distal direction and the proximal direction can be collectively referred to as the distal-proximal direction.

[0044] With continued reference to FIGS. 1A and 1B, the end effector 10 can include a cartridge 11 and an anvil 12, which are rotatably connected together to form a structure similar to a clamp. By relative rotation, the cartridge 11 and the anvil 12 can be switched from a state of being separated from each other to a state of being close to each other. In FIG. 1A, the cartridge 11 and the anvil 12 are in a state of being separated from each other, and the end effector 10 is open. In FIG. 1B, the cartridge 11 and the anvil 12 are in a state of being close to each other, and the end effector 10 is closed.

[0045] With reference to FIG. 2, the end effector 10 can further include a knife 13 and a firing member 14. The knife 13 can be driven to move relative to the cartridge 11 in the distal-proximal direction. As the knife 13 moves from a knife initial position to a distal side of a lock 16 in the distal direction, the knife 13 pushes the firing member 14 so that the firing member 14 moves away from a firing initial position in the distal direction. As the firing member 14 moves away from the firing initial position in the distal direction, the staples 40 are pushed out of the cartridge 11 by the firing member 14 and are shaped under the guidance of the anvil 12, so that the clamped tissue between the cartridge 11 and the anvil 12 is cut by the knife 13 and is stapled by the shaped staples 40.

[0046] As the knife 13 moves from the distal side of the lock 16 to the proximal direction, the knife 13 is separated from the firing member 14. By way of example only, the knife 13 and the firing member 14 can not be connected together, and the knife 13 can be able to push the firing member 14 in the distal direction by abutting against the firing member 14, such that the knife 13 is separated from the firing member 14 when the knife 13 moves from the distal side of the lock 16 to the proximal direction. By way of example only, referring to FIG. 3, the firing member 14 can be located at the distal side of the knife 13, the knife 13 can have a first end surface 131 facing the firing member 14, and the firing member 14 can have a second end surface 141 facing the first end surface 131. During the movement of the knife 13 from the initial position of the knife to the distal side of the lock 16, the first end surface 131 abuts against the second end surface 141 to push the firing member 14 to move in the distal direction. During the movement of the knife 13 from the distal side of the lock 16 to the proximal direction, the first end surface 131 is separated from the second end surface 141, such that the knife 13 moves in the proximal direction by itself.

[0047] To prevent secondary firing, referring to FIG. 2, the end effector 10 can further include a lock mechanism 15. The lock mechanism 15 can include a lock 16 and a force applying member 17. Referring to FIG. 4, the lock 16 can include a main body portion 161, a first tooth portion 163, and a second tooth portion 164. The main body portion 161 can be rotatably supported about an axis S. The first tooth portion 163 and the second tooth portion 164 can protrude from the main body portion 161 to the radial outer side, and the first tooth portion 163 and the second tooth portion 164 can be arranged at intervals about the axis S. The lock 16 can be rotatable about the axis S between a locked position and an unlocked position. The force applying member 17 can apply a force to the lock 16 from the unlocked position to the locked position.

[0048] By way of example only, referring to FIGS. 8 to 11, the second tooth portion 164 can be located at the distal side of the first tooth portion 163 along the distal-proximal direction. By way of example only, the direction in which the first tooth portion 163 points to the locus formed by the second tooth portion 164 about the axis S can be the same as the direction in which the lock 16 is rotated from the unlocked position to the locked position.

[0049] Referring to FIG. 8, when the firing member 14 is at the firing initial position, the firing member 14 at least partially abuts against the second tooth portion 164, such that the locking member 16 is held at the unlocked position against the force of the force applying member 17. Referring to FIG. 8, when the locking member 16 is at the unlocked position, the first tooth portion 163 avoids the knife 13 to allow the knife 13 to move from the knife initial position to the distal side of the locking member 16 in the distal direction. Referring to FIGS. 10 and 11, when the firing member 14 is away from the firing initial position, the firing member 14 is separated from the second tooth portion 164, such that the force applying member 17 drives the locking member 16 to switch to the locked position. Referring to FIGS. 10 and 11, when the locking member 16 is at the locked position, the first tooth portion 163 blocks the movement of the knife 13 from the knife initial position to the distal side of the locking member 16 in the distal direction.

[0050] When the surgical stapler 100 is not fired, the firing member 14 is at its firing initial position, and the firing member 14 abuts against the second tooth portion 164 to hold the locking member 16 at the unlocked position. At this time, if the surgeon performs the firing operation, the first tooth portion 163 will not block the knife 13, allowing the knife 13 to move from the knife initial position to the distal side of the locking member 16 in the distal direction under the drive, pushing the firing member 14 away from its firing initial position in the distal direction. After the firing is completed, the knife 13 returns to the knife initial position in the proximal direction by itself, away from the firing member 14. Since the firing member 14 is away from the firing initial position, the second tooth portion 164 is no longer abutted against the firing member 14, so the locking member 16 is switched to the locked position under the force of the force applying member 17. At this time, if the surgeon accidentally performs the firing operation, the knife 13 will not be able to move from the knife initial position to the distal side of the locking member 16 in the distal direction due to the abutment with the first tooth portion, that is, the secondary firing cannot be performed. Therefore, the surgical stapler 100 can prevent secondary firing and reduce the safety risk. Through the first tooth portion 163 and the second tooth portion 164, the locking member 16 cooperates with the firing member 13 and the knife 14 to effectively avoid the occurrence of secondary firing. The locking member 16 with such a structure has a simple structure and occupies a small space.

[0051] Referring to FIG. 2, the cartridge 11 can include a cartridge body 111 and a cartridge shell 112, the staples 40 can be received in the cartridge body 111, and the cartridge body 111 can be supported by and partially wrapped by the cartridge shell 112. Referring to FIGS. 5 and 6, the cartridge shell 112 can be provided with a seat portion 113, and the locking mechanism 15 can be mounted to the seat portion 113. The seat portion 113 can be located at the proximal end of the cartridge shell 112. Referring to FIGS. 3 and 7, the knife 13 can include a knife body 132 and a shoulder portion 133. The shoulder portion 133 can be located on one side of the thickness direction of the knife body 132 and protrude beyond the side surface of the knife body 132. The locking member 16 can cooperate with the shoulder portion 133 to achieve locking and unlocking of the knife 13. The thickness direction of the knife body 132 can be perpendicular to the proximal-distal direction, which can be indicated by arrows Y+ and Y- in the drawings.

[0052] Referring to Figure 7, the cutting tool 13 may include two shoulders 133, the end effector 10 may include two locking mechanisms 15, and the cartridge housing 112 may have two seats 113. The two shoulders 133 may be located on opposite sides of the cutting tool body 132 in the thickness direction and are symmetrically arranged relative to the cutting tool body 132. Correspondingly, the two locking mechanisms 15 may be located on opposite sides of the cutting tool body 132 in the thickness direction and are symmetrically arranged relative to the cutting tool body 132. Correspondingly, the two seats 113 may be located on opposite sides of the cutting tool body 132 in the thickness direction and are symmetrically arranged relative to the cutting tool body 132. The shoulder 133 located on the same side of the cutting tool body 132 in the thickness direction cooperates with the locking mechanism 15, especially the locking member 16. On the one hand, the cooperation between the two locking members 16 and the two shoulders 133 makes the locking of the cutting tool 13 more reliable. On the other hand, when the cutting tool 13 contacts the two locking members 16, the forces exerted on the cutting tool 13 by the two locking members 16 in the thickness direction cancel each other out, ensuring that the cutting tool 13 is under force balance in the thickness direction.

[0053] The following description will focus on the shoulder 133, locking mechanism 15, and seat 113 located on one side of the blade body 132 in the thickness direction. It is understood that these descriptions also apply to the shoulder 133, locking mechanism 15, and lock seat 113 located on the other side of the blade body 132 in the thickness direction.

[0054] Referring to Figures 4 and 5, the seat portion 113 may include a support portion 114, which can support the main body portion 161, allowing the main body portion 161 to rotate about axis S, switching between a locked position and an unlocked position by rotation. In some examples, referring to Figures 4 and 5, the main body portion 161 may be provided with a shaft hole 162, and the support portion 114 may be a support shaft 114 defining axis S, extending into the shaft hole 162 to rotatably support the main body portion 161. It is understood that in other examples, the main body portion 161 may be a shaft defining axis S, while the support portion 114 may be provided with a shaft hole.

[0055] As the cutting tool 13 moves from its initial position to the distal end of the locking member 16, the shoulder 133 moves distally along a first path. Referring to Figure 8, when the locking member 16 is in the unlocked position, the first tooth 163 is away from the cutting tool body 132, so that a first gap G1 is formed between the first tooth 163 and the cutting tool body 132, allowing the shoulder 133 to pass through. That is, when the locking member 16 is in the unlocked position, the first tooth 163 is far enough from the cutting tool body 132 that it is outside the first path of the shoulder 133 moving distally, and therefore does not obstruct the distal movement of the shoulder 133 during the movement of the cutting tool 13 from its initial position to the distal end of the locking member 16.

[0056] Referring to Figures 10 and 11, when the locking member 16 is in the locked position, the first tooth 163 approaches the cutter body 132, which closes or reduces the first gap G1. The first tooth 163 is located on the first path of the shoulder 133 moving in the distal direction, so that when the cutter 13 moves from the initial position to the distal direction, the first tooth 163 abuts against the shoulder 133 to prevent the cutter 13 from moving from the initial position to the distal side of the locking member 16 in the distal direction, thereby avoiding secondary firing and reducing safety risks.

[0057] The locking member 16 switches between an unlocked position and a locked position by rotation. Rotation of the locking member 16 changes the distance between the first tooth 163 and the blade body 132, allowing the first tooth 163 to selectively block or not block the shoulder 133, thereby unlocking and locking the blade 13. The locking member 16 with this structure is relatively simple and occupies less space.

[0058] Referring again to Figures 10 and 11, the first tooth 163 may have a first tooth surface 1631, and the distal end of the shoulder 133 may have a shoulder abutment surface 134. Both the first tooth surface 1631 and the shoulder abutment surface 134 may be flat surfaces. When the locking member 16 is in the locked position and the cutting tool 13 is in the initial cutting position, as shown in Figure 10, the first tooth surface 1631 may be located on the proximal end of the first tooth 163, directly opposite the shoulder abutment surface 134. When the shoulder 133 abuts against the first tooth 163, as shown in Figure 11, the first tooth surface 1631 and the shoulder abutment surface 134 may fit together. That is, the shoulder 133 and the first tooth 163 can abut against each other through the first tooth surface 1631 and the shoulder abutment surface 134.

[0059] Both the first tooth surface 1631 and the shoulder abutment surface 134 are flat surfaces, and they fit together when abutting. Therefore, the contact between the shoulder 133 and the first tooth 163 during abutment is the contact between two flat surfaces. The contact between flat surfaces can withstand greater clamping force, reducing the risk of crushing at the contact area between the shoulder 133 and the first tooth 163, thereby improving the reliability and service life of the surgical stapler 100.

[0060] Further referring to Figures 10 and 11, when the locking member 16 is in the locked position, the first tooth surface 1631 and the shoulder abutment surface 134 can both be substantially perpendicular to the near and far directions. In this disclosure, substantially perpendicular means not absolutely perpendicular; appropriate errors, such as ±5 degrees, should be allowed. According to this configuration, when the shoulder 133 and the first tooth 163 abut, the pressure on the first tooth surface 1631 and the shoulder abutment surface 134 has a larger component in the near and far directions and a smaller component in other directions. On the one hand, this helps reduce the risk of accidental disengagement of the shoulder 133 and the first tooth 163, ensuring reliable abutment. On the other hand, this allows the tool 13 to remain stable in the thickness direction, without deformation or displacement under the influence of the component force in the thickness direction.

[0061] Referring to Figure 5, the seat portion 113 may further include a first anti-rotation portion 115, which may be located radially outward of the support portion 114. Referring to Figure 8, when the locking member 16 is in the unlocked position, the first tooth portion 163 may at least partially abut against the first anti-rotation portion 115 to prevent the locking member 16 from rotating from the unlocked position along a first direction R1. Here, the first direction R1 is the direction in which the locking member 16 rotates from the locked position to the unlocked position. With this configuration, the first tooth portion 163 can both abut against the shoulder portion 133 to lock the tool 13 and abut against the first anti-rotation portion 115 to help hold the locking member 16 in the unlocked position. The same first tooth portion 163 plays different roles in the unlocked and locked positions, which helps to reduce the structural complexity of the locking member 16.

[0062] Referring to Figure 5, the first anti-rotation portion 115 may have a first anti-rotation abutment surface 116, which may be a flat surface. As shown in Figure 8, when the first tooth 163 abuts against the first anti-rotation portion 115, that is, when the locking member 16 is in the unlocked position, the first tooth surface 1631 fits against the first anti-rotation abutment surface 116. In other words, the first tooth 163 and the first anti-rotation portion 115 can abut against each other through the first tooth surface 1631 and the first anti-rotation abutment surface 116.

[0063] Both the first tooth surface 1631 and the first anti-rotation abutment surface 116 are flat surfaces, and they fit together when abutting. Therefore, the contact between the first tooth 163 and the first anti-rotation part 115 is the contact between two flat surfaces. The contact between flat surfaces can withstand greater clamping force, reducing the risk of crushing at the contact area between the first tooth 163 and the first anti-rotation part 115, thereby improving the reliability and service life of the surgical stapler 100. In addition, the first tooth 163 abuts against both the shoulder 133 and the first anti-rotation part 115 via the first tooth surface 1631. The same first tooth surface 1631 plays different roles in the unlocked and locked positions, which helps to reduce the structural complexity of the first tooth 163.

[0064] Referring to Figures 8 and 9, as the cutting tool 13 moves towards the distal end, the shoulder 133 moves from the proximal side of the locking member 16 to its distal side, and the locking member 16 rotates from the unlocked position to the locked position under the action of the force-applying member 17. At this time, the first tooth 163 will at least partially enter the second path of the shoulder 133 moving towards the proximal end. To ensure that the cutting tool 13 can return to the initial position, the first tooth 163 may also have a second tooth surface 1632. As shown in Figure 9, when the locking member 16 is in the locked position, the second tooth surface 1632 may be located on the distal side of the first tooth 163, and the distance from the second tooth surface 1632 to the cutting tool body 132 may gradually decrease from the distal end to the proximal end of the second tooth surface 1632. Thus, referring to Figures 9 and 10, during the process of the tool 13 returning from the distal side of the locking member 16 to the initial position of the tool, the shoulder 133 can push the locking member 16 to overcome the force application member 17 and rotate in the first direction by contacting the second tooth surface 1632, so that the first tooth 163 moves away from the tool body 132, allowing the tool 13 to return to the distal side of the locking member 16 with less resistance.

[0065] Referring to Figure 11, the distance from the tooth tip 1633 of the first tooth 163 to the axis S can be greater than the distance from the blade body 132 to the axis S. Continuing to refer to Figure 11, when the locking member 16 is in the locked position, the tooth tip 1633 of the first tooth 163 can be located near the axis S. According to this configuration, as shown in Figure 11, when the shoulder 133 abuts against the first tooth 163, the tooth tip 1633 tends to move distally under the force from the shoulder 133. Since the distance from the tooth tip 1633 to the axis S can be greater than the distance from the blade body 132 to the axis S, the tooth tip 1633 will abut against the blade body 132. The abutment between the blade body 132 and the tooth tip 1633 will create a force that prevents the locking member 16 from continuing to rotate in the second direction R2, thereby holding the locking member 16 in the locked position and preventing secondary firing. Here, the second direction R2 is the direction in which the locking member 16 rotates from the unlocked position to the locked position.

[0066] Further, continuing with reference to 11, the tooth tip 1633 of the first tooth 163 may have a third tooth surface 1634. As shown in Figure 11, when the locking member 16 is in the locked position, the third tooth surface 1634 may abut against a portion of the side surface of the blade body 132. Here, both the third tooth surface 1634 and the portion of the side surface of the blade body 132 that abuts against it can be flat surfaces. Both the third tooth surface 1634 and the portion of the surface of the blade body 132 that abuts against it are flat surfaces, and they are pressed together when they come into contact. Therefore, when they come into contact, the contact between the first tooth 163 and the blade body 132 is a contact between two flat surfaces. The contact between the flat surfaces can withstand greater clamping force, reducing the risk of the contact area between the first tooth 163 and the blade body 132 being crushed, thereby improving the reliability and service life of the surgical stapler 100.

[0067] Referring only to Figure 4, by way of example, the first tooth 163 and the second tooth 164 protrude beyond the main body 161 along the extension direction of axis S to form a retaining groove 165 between them. The force-applying element 17 can be a torsion spring 17, one of its outer arms 171 extending into the tool retaining groove 165. This construction utilizes the retaining groove 165 formed by the gap between the first tooth 163 and the second tooth 164, eliminating the need for additional structures to secure the outer arm 171, thus reducing the structural complexity of the locking element 16. The extension direction, the near-far direction, and the thickness direction of the tool 13 of axis S can be perpendicular to each other. For ease of understanding, the extension direction of axis S is indicated by arrows Z+ and Z- in the accompanying drawings.

[0068] Referring to Figure 2, after firing, the staple 40 in the staple cartridge body 111 is ejected. If the surgical stapler 100 needs to be used again, the staple cartridge body 111 should be replaced. During the replacement operation, the staple cartridge body 111 and the firing element 14 are replaced as a whole. In the new whole, the firing element 14 is still located in the fixed position of the staple cartridge body 111, i.e., the initial firing position. It can be understood that the initial firing position of the firing element 14 is the position of the firing element 14 relative to the staple cartridge body 111, and also the position of the firing element 14 relative to the staple cartridge housing 112 when the whole is installed to the staple cartridge housing 112. According to the embodiment of this disclosure, during the process of the firing element 14 moving proximally to the initial firing position, the firing element 14 at least partially contacts the second tooth 164 to push the locking element 16 against the force application element 17 and rotate from the locked position to the unlocked position. In this way, a simple replacement operation can simultaneously switch the locking element 16 to the unlocked position, preparing for the re-firing of the surgical stapler 100, without requiring an additional unlocking operation. Therefore, this method helps reduce operational complexity.

[0069] Referring to Figure 5, the seat portion 113 may further include a second anti-rotation portion 117, which may be located radially outward of the support portion 114. Referring to Figure 11, when the locking member 16 is in the locked position, the second tooth portion 164 abuts against the second anti-rotation portion 117 to prevent the locking member 16 from rotating further in the second direction R2 from the locked position. With this configuration, the second tooth portion 164 can both hold the locking member 16 in the unlocked state by abutting against the firing member 14, and can switch the locking member 16 to the unlocked state under the push of the firing member 14 returning to the initial firing position, and can also hold the locking member 16 in the locked position by abutting against the second anti-rotation portion 117. The same second tooth portion 164 can perform multiple different functions, which helps to reduce the structural complexity of the locking member 16.

[0070] Referring again to Figure 11, in a particular example, the distance from the tooth tip 1633 of the first tooth 163 to the axis S can be greater than the distance from the cutter body 132 to the axis S. When the locking member 16 is in the locked position, the tooth tip 1633 of the first tooth 163 is located near the axis S, while the second tooth 164 abuts against the second anti-rotation part 117. In this way, the abutment of the second tooth 164 against the second anti-rotation part 117 and the abutment of the tooth tip 1633 against the cutter body 132 will jointly bear the force of the locking member 16 rotating in the second direction R2, thereby reducing the risk of damage and increasing service life.

[0071] Referring to Figures 5 and 11, the second anti-rotation portion 117 may have a second anti-rotation abutment surface 118, and the second toothed portion 164 may have a fourth toothed surface 1641. Both the second anti-rotation abutment surface 117 and the fourth toothed surface 1641 may be flat surfaces. As shown in Figure 11, when the locking member 16 is in the locked position, the fourth toothed surface 1641 can abut against the second anti-rotation abutment surface 118. That is, the second anti-rotation portion 117 and the second toothed portion 164 can abut against each other through the second anti-rotation abutment surface 118 and the fourth toothed surface 1641.

[0072] Both the second anti-rotation abutment surface 118 and the fourth tooth surface 1641 are flat surfaces, and they fit together during contact. Therefore, the contact between the second anti-rotation part 117 and the second tooth 164 during contact is the contact between two flat surfaces. The contact between flat surfaces can withstand greater clamping force, reducing the risk of the contact area between the second anti-rotation part 117 and the second tooth 164 being crushed during contact, thereby improving the reliability and service life of the surgical stapler 100.

[0073] Referring to Figure 8, the second tooth 164 may also have a fifth tooth surface 1642. As shown in Figure 8, when the locking member 16 is in the unlocked position, the fifth tooth surface 1642 may be located on the proximal side of the second tooth 164, and the distance from the fifth tooth surface 1642 to the blade body 132 gradually decreases from the proximal end to the distal end of the fifth tooth surface 1642. Under normal circumstances, as the blade 13 moves distally, the blade 13 pushes the firing member 14 away from the initial firing position. During this process, the locking member 16 moves in the second direction under the action of the force-applying member 17, the first tooth 163 approaches the blade body 132, the second tooth 164 moves away from the blade body 132, and the shoulder 133 passes through the gap between the first tooth 163 and the blade body 132 and the gap between the second tooth 164 and the blade body 132. In actual surgical procedures, due to the accumulation and compression of tissue remnants, the rotation of the locking member 16 may unexpectedly become stuck. In this case, as the tool 13 moves from the initial tool position to the distal side of the locking member 16, the shoulder 133 can push the locking member 16 to rotate in the second direction by contacting the fifth tooth surface 1642, so that the tool 13 can move from the initial tool position to the distal side of the locking member 16 with less resistance.

[0074] Normally, as shown in Figure 9, the tool 13 passes the locking member 16 in the distal direction, and the locking member 16 rotates to the locked position under the action of the force-applying member 17. In the locked position, the second tooth 164 is far from the tool body 132, forming a second gap G2 that allows the shoulder 133 to pass through. The locking member 16 is stuck, so that when the tool 13 is on the distal side of the locking member 16, the locking member 16 is in the unlocked position. Figure 12 illustrates this situation. As shown in Figure 12, in this case, the second tooth 164 is at least partially located in the second path of the shoulder 133 moving in the proximal direction. In this case, if the tool 13 returns to the initial tool position from the distal side of the locking member 16, the second tooth 164 will block the shoulder 133, thereby preventing the tool 13 from returning to the initial tool position.

[0075] To address this situation, according to an embodiment of this disclosure, referring to Figures 12 to 15, when the locking member 16 is in the unlocked position, as the cutting tool 13 moves from the distal end of the locking member 16 to the initial position, the cutting tool 13 drives the locking member 16 to rotate in the second direction, causing the second tooth 164 to leave the shoulder 133 and move along the second path from the proximal end. Thus, when the cutting tool 13 returns from the distal end of the locking member 16 to the initial position, even if the locking member 16 is stuck in the unlocked position, the cutting tool 13 can still push the locking member 16 to rotate in the second direction, ensuring that the second tooth 164 does not obstruct the shoulder 133, and guaranteeing that the cutting tool 13 can smoothly return to the initial position.

[0076] As an example, continuing to refer to Figures 12 to 15, the proximal side of the shoulder 133 may be provided with a slope 135, the distance from the slope 135 to the cutter body 132 gradually decreasing from the distal end of the slope 135 to the proximal end. In one example, the slope 135 can be a plane. In another example, the slope 135 can be a curved surface. When the cutter 13 is located on the distal side of the locking member 16 and the locking member 16 is in the unlocked position, as the cutter 13 moves from the distal side of the locking member 16 to the initial position of the cutter, the slope 135 contacts the second tooth 164. At the contact point P between the slope 135 and the second tooth 164, the force F exerted by the slope 135 on the second tooth 164 is located outside the line connecting the contact point P and the axis S. That is, the angle α between the force F and the cutter body 132 is greater than the angle β between the line connecting the contact point P and the axis S and the cutter body 132. According to this configuration, as shown in Figures 12 to 15, the force F has a component Fn pointing towards the axis S and a component Ft perpendicular to the component Fn. The direction of the component Ft is consistent with the tangential direction when the contact point P rotates in the second direction, so as to drive the second tooth 164 to rotate in the second direction and move away from the second path of the shoulder 133 towards the proximal end.

[0077] Referring back to Figures 1A and 1B, platform 20 may include a grip 21 and a trigger 22. The surgeon can grasp the grip 21 to pick up the surgical stapler 100. The surgeon can activate the surgical stapler 100 by pulling the trigger 22. As the surgeon pulls the trigger 22, power is transmitted from platform 20 to end effector 10, which in turn moves the blade 13 from its initial position toward the distal end of locking member 16. In one example, the surgical stapler 100 may be a manual stapler, meaning the power to move the blade 13 distally may come directly from the surgeon's hand. In another example, the surgical stapler 100 may be an electric stapler, where the power to move the blade 13 distally may come from an electric motor mounted in platform 20.

[0078] The above provides illustrative examples of surgical staplers according to embodiments of the present disclosure. It is understood that the above description only represents a portion, not all, of the embodiments of the present disclosure. For example, in some embodiments, a shoulder may be provided only on one side of the blade, corresponding to only one locking mechanism and one seat. As another example, in some embodiments, when the blade is located at the distal end of the locking member 16 and the locking member is in the unlocked position, as the blade moves proximally, the blade can drive a rack to move, and the rack can further drive a gear engaged with the locking member's anti-rotation mechanism, thereby driving the locking member to move in the first direction. As yet another example, in some embodiments, the force-applying element may be implemented as a tension spring, a compression spring, or a magnetic element.

[0079] It should be noted that the elements described in the above specific embodiments can be combined in any suitable manner without contradiction. To avoid unnecessary repetition, this disclosure will not describe the various possible combinations separately.

[0080] It should be understood that multiple components and / or parts can be provided by a single integrated component or part. Alternatively, a single integrated component or part can be divided into multiple separate components and / or parts. The use of the public designation "a" or "an" to describe a component or part does not imply the exclusion of other components or parts.

[0081] It should be understood that although terms such as “first” or “second” may be used in this disclosure to describe various elements (such as a first tooth surface and a second tooth surface), these elements are not defined by these terms, which are only used to distinguish one element from another.

[0082] The basic principles of this disclosure have been described above with reference to specific embodiments. However, it should be noted that the advantages, benefits, and effects mentioned in this disclosure are merely examples and not limitations, and should not be considered as essential features of each embodiment of this disclosure. Furthermore, the specific details disclosed above are for illustrative and facilitative purposes only, and are not limitations. These details do not limit the scope of this disclosure to the necessity of employing the aforementioned specific details for implementation.

[0083] The above are merely specific embodiments of this disclosure, but the scope of protection of this disclosure is not limited thereto. Any variations or substitutions that can be easily conceived by those skilled in the art within the scope of the technology disclosed in this disclosure should be included within the scope of protection of this disclosure. Therefore, the scope of protection of this disclosure should be determined by the scope of the claims.

Claims

1. A surgical stapler, characterized by, Comprising: a cartridge in which staples are stored; a firing member configured to push the staples out of the cartridge when the firing member is moved in a distal direction from a firing start position; a knife configured to push the firing member away from the firing start position when the knife is moved in the distal direction from a knife start position, and configured to disengage from the firing member when the knife is moved in a proximal direction; and a lockout mechanism including a lockout and an urging member, the lockout including a main portion rotatably supported about an axis passing through the main portion, a first tooth portion and a second tooth portion projecting from the main portion to a radially outer side thereof and spaced apart in a direction about the axis, the lockout being rotatable about the axis between a lockout position and an unlock position, the urging member configured to apply a force to the lockout to rotate the lockout from the unlock position to the lockout position; when the firing member is in the firing start position, the firing member at least partially abuts the second tooth portion such that the lockout remains in the unlock position against the urging member, when the lockout is in the unlock position, the first tooth portion is clear of the knife to allow the knife to be moved in the distal direction from the knife start position, when the firing member is moved away from the firing start position, the firing member disengages from the second tooth portion, and the urging member drives the lockout to rotate to the lockout position, when the lockout is in the lockout position, the first tooth portion blocks the knife to restrict the knife to be moved in the distal direction from the knife start position.

2. The surgical stapler according to claim 1, wherein, the knife includes a knife body and a shoulder portion projecting beyond a side surface of the knife body on one side in a thickness direction of the knife body, the lockout mechanism is located on the same side of the knife body as the shoulder portion in the thickness direction of the knife body; when the lockout is in the unlock position, the first tooth portion is distanced from the knife body to be located outside a first movement path of the shoulder portion moving in the distal direction; when the lockout is in the lockout position, the first tooth portion is proximate to the knife body to be at least partially located in the first movement path, and the first tooth portion is configured to abut against the shoulder portion to prevent the knife from being moved in the distal direction from the knife start position.

3. The surgical stapler according to claim 2, wherein, the first tooth portion is provided with a first tooth surface, the first tooth surface is located on a proximal side of the first tooth portion when the lockout is in the lockout position, a distal side of the shoulder portion is provided with a shoulder abutment surface, the first tooth surface and the shoulder abutment surface are both flat surfaces; when the first tooth portion abuts against the shoulder portion, the first tooth surface is in contact with the shoulder abutment surface.

4. The surgical stapler according to claim 3, wherein, the first tooth surface and the shoulder abutment surface are both substantially perpendicular to a proximal-distal direction when the lockout is in the lockout position.

5. The surgical stapler according to claim 2, wherein, the cartridge includes a cartridge housing including a support portion and a first rotation-stopping portion located radially outward of the support portion, the main portion is rotatably supported on the support portion, and the lockout is rotatable in a first direction from the lockout position to the unlock position; When the locking member is located at the unlocking position, the first tooth portion is at least partially abutted against the first rotation-stopping portion to prevent the locking member from rotating in the first direction from the unlocking position.

6. The surgical stapler according to claim 5, wherein, The first tooth portion is provided with a first tooth surface, the shoulder portion is provided with a shoulder abutment surface, and the first rotation-stopping portion is provided with a first rotation-stopping abutment surface, and the first tooth surface, the shoulder abutment surface, and the first rotation-stopping abutment surface are all flat surfaces. When the shoulder portion is abutted against the first tooth portion, the first tooth surface is fitted with the shoulder abutment surface, and when the first tooth portion is abutted against the first rotation-stopping portion, the first tooth surface is fitted with the first rotation-stopping abutment surface.

7. The surgical stapler according to claim 2, wherein, The first tooth portion is provided with a second tooth surface, and the locking member is rotated in the first direction from the locking position to the unlocking position. When the locking member is located at the locking position, the second tooth surface is located at the distal side of the first tooth portion, and the distance from the second tooth surface to the blade body gradually decreases from the distal end of the second tooth surface to the proximal end of the second tooth surface, so that, in the process of the blade returning to the initial position of the blade from the distal side of the locking member, the shoulder portion can be in contact with the second tooth surface to push the locking member to rotate in the first direction, so that the first tooth portion rotates in the first direction, allowing the blade to return to the initial position of the blade.

8. The surgical stapler according to claim 2, wherein, The distance from the tooth top of the first tooth portion to the axis is greater than the distance from the blade body to the axis. When the locking member is located at the locking position, the tooth top of the first tooth portion is located at the proximal side of the axis to keep the locking member at the locking position.

9. The surgical stapler according to claim 8, wherein, The tooth top of the first tooth portion is provided with a third tooth surface, and the third tooth surface is fitted with a part of the side surface of the blade body when the locking member is located at the locking position, and the third tooth surface and the part of the side surface are both flat surfaces.

10. The surgical stapler according to claim 1, wherein, In the process of the firing member moving to the initial position of the firing in the proximal direction, the firing member can be in contact with at least part of the second tooth portion to push the locking member to rotate from the locking position to the unlocking position against the force applying member.

11. The surgical stapler according to claim 1, wherein, Further comprising a staple cartridge shell, the staple cartridge shell comprising a support portion and a second rotation-stopping portion located at the radial outer side of the support portion, and the main body portion is rotatably supported on the support portion, and the locking member is rotated in a second direction from the unlocking position to the locking position. When the locking member is located at the locking position, the second tooth portion is abutted against the second rotation-stopping portion to prevent the locking member from rotating in the second direction from the locking position.

12. The surgical stapler according to claim 11, wherein, The second tooth portion is provided with a fourth tooth surface, and the second rotation-stopping portion is provided with a second rotation-stopping abutment surface, and the fourth tooth surface and the second rotation-stopping abutment surface are both flat surfaces, and when the locking member is located at the locking position, the fourth tooth surface is fitted with the second rotation-stopping abutment surface.

13. The surgical stapler according to claim 1, wherein, The second tooth portion is provided with a fifth tooth surface, and when the locking member is located at the unlocking position, the fifth tooth surface is located at the proximal side of the second tooth portion, and the distance from the fifth tooth surface to the blade body gradually decreases from the proximal end of the fifth tooth surface to the distal end of the fifth tooth surface.

14. The surgical stapler according to claim 1, wherein, The second tooth portion is located on the distal side of the first tooth portion in the proximal-distal direction, and the direction from the second tooth portion to the first tooth portion around the axis is the same as the rotation direction of the lock from the locked position to the unlocked position.

15. The surgical stapler according to claim 1, wherein, The first tooth portion and the second tooth portion protrude beyond the main body portion in the extension direction of the axis to form a fixing groove between the first tooth portion and the second tooth portion; the force applying member is a torsion spring, and the outer arm of the torsion spring extends into the fixing groove.

16. The surgical stapler according to any of claims 2 to 15, wherein, With the movement of the knife from the distal side of the lock to the initial position of the knife, the shoulder portion moves along a second path in the proximal direction; when the lock is in the unlocked position, the second tooth portion is at least partially located in the second path; The lock is rotated from the unlocked position to the locked position in a second direction; When the lock is in the unlocked position and the knife is located on the distal side of the lock, with the movement of the knife to the initial position of the knife in the proximal direction, the knife drives the lock to rotate in the second direction, so that the second tooth portion moves away from the knife body and out of the second path.

17. The surgical stapler according to claim 16, wherein, The proximal side of the shoulder portion is provided with a slope surface, and the distance from the slope surface to the knife body gradually decreases from the distal end of the slope surface to the proximal end of the slope surface; When the lock is in the unlocked position and the knife is located on the distal side of the lock, with the movement of the knife to the initial position of the knife in the proximal direction, the slope surface contacts the second tooth portion; At the contact point of the slope surface and the second tooth portion, the force applied by the slope surface to the second tooth portion is located on the outer side of the line connecting the contact point and the axis.

18. The surgical stapler according to any one of claims 2 to 15, wherein, The knife comprises two shoulder portions, which are respectively located on opposite sides in the thickness direction of the knife body and are symmetrically arranged relative to the knife body; the surgical stapler comprises two lock mechanisms corresponding to the two shoulder portions respectively, which are respectively located on opposite sides in the thickness direction of the knife body and are symmetrically arranged relative to the knife body; each lock mechanism and the corresponding shoulder portion are located on the same side in the thickness direction of the knife body.

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