Drive structure for surgical suture instruments and surgical suture instruments

Abstract

This application provides a drive structure for a surgical suturing instrument and a surgical suturing instrument. The drive structure is disposed in the handle housing of the handle portion of the surgical suturing instrument. The drive structure includes: a trigger rotatably disposed on the handle housing; a rack slidably disposed on the handle housing; a drive pawl movably connected to the trigger; and a mode switching mechanism, including a latch movably connected to the rack, an operable switching slider, and a limiting part fixedly connected to the switching slider. The switching slider drives the limiting part to move between a first position and a second position, so that the drive pawl can switch between a first drive mode and a second drive mode. When the limiting part switches from the first position to the second position, the limiting part switches from a state where it is locked within a preset stroke to a state where it is released from restriction, thereby switching the drive pawl from the first drive mode to the second drive mode.

Description

[0001] Cross-referencing

[0002] This application claims priority to PCT application No. PCT / CN2022 / 144341, filed on December 30, 2022, entitled "Drive structure for surgical suturing instrument and surgical suturing instrument", the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. Technical Field

[0003] This specification relates to the field of medical device technology, and in particular to a drive structure for a surgical suturing instrument and a surgical suturing instrument. Background Technology

[0004] Compared to traditional open surgery, minimally invasive surgery causes less damage and trauma to tissues, results in less bleeding, and allows for faster postoperative recovery. Therefore, replacing traditional open surgery with minimally invasive surgery has become a relentless pursuit for doctors. During surgery, suturing is often necessary to restore the continuity of tissues and organs. Medically, suturing instruments, such as staplers, can be used to replace traditional manual suturing. These instruments allow for simultaneous cutting and suturing of the lesion area. Suturing instruments can generally perform tissue compression or firing suturing. For surgical suturing instruments, how to easily switch between modes (such as switching between tissue compression and firing suturing modes) is a technical problem that urgently needs to be solved in this field. Summary of the Invention

[0005] This specification provides one or more embodiments of a drive structure for a surgical suturing instrument. The drive structure is disposed in a handle housing of the handle portion of the surgical suturing instrument. The drive structure includes: a trigger rotatably disposed on the handle housing; a rack slidably disposed on the handle housing; a drive pawl movably connected to the trigger; and a mode switching mechanism including a latch movably connected to the rack, an operable switching slider, and a limiting part fixedly connected to the switching slider. The switching slider drives the limiting part to move between a first position and a second position, so that the drive pawl can switch between a first drive mode and a second drive mode. When the limiting part switches from the first position to the second position, the limiting part switches from a state where it is restricted within a preset stroke by the latch to a state where it is unrestricted, thereby switching the drive pawl from the first drive mode to the second drive mode.

[0006] In some embodiments, the rack has a plurality of teeth; the latch is pivotally connected to the rack via a pivot; the rack has a stop portion that abuts against the latch to limit the angle at which the latch rotates toward the proximal end of the rack.

[0007] In some embodiments, the rack includes a limiting groove, and the latch is pivotally disposed at the proximal end of the limiting groove. When the limiting portion is located in the limiting groove, the distal sidewall of the limiting groove restricts the forward movement of the limiting portion, and the distal sidewall of the latch restricts the rearward movement of the limiting portion.

[0008] In some embodiments, the rack is provided with a clearance groove along the rack's extension direction. The clearance groove is located on the side of the rack near the drive pawl and on the side near the end of the limiting groove, and communicates with the limiting groove. The clearance groove can accommodate the limiting part.

[0009] In some embodiments, the latch includes a resilient reset member, and the latch is connected to the rack via the resilient reset member.

[0010] In some embodiments, the resilient reset member includes a tension spring, one end of which is connected to the rack and the other end of which is connected to the latch.

[0011] In some embodiments, the rack is provided with rack steps and a plurality of teeth; the drive pawl engages with the rack steps or the teeth to push the rack forward.

[0012] In some embodiments, the drive pawl includes a main body and a pawl end, the main body and the pawl end are fixedly connected, the main body is pivotally connected to the trigger, the main body has an opening for the limiting portion to pass through, and the pawl end is used to push against the rack.

[0013] In some embodiments, the mode switching mechanism further includes an operation button, which is pressable on the trigger. The switching slider is connected to the operation button. The operation button moves between an initial position and a pressed position. When the operation button is pressed and moves from the initial position to the pressed position, the operation button drives the switching slider to move the limiting part from the first position to the second position.

[0014] In some embodiments, the trigger is provided with a receiving groove, the switching slider is disposed in the receiving groove, and an elastic element is provided between the switching slider and the bottom of the receiving groove.

[0015] This specification provides a surgical suturing instrument according to one or more embodiments, including a handle portion, an end effector, and a drive structure. The drive structure is disposed within the handle housing of the handle portion, and the operation of the handle portion adjusts the working mode of the end effector through the drive structure. The drive structure includes the drive structure described above. Attached Figure Description

[0016] This specification will be further described by way of exemplary embodiments, which will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. These embodiments are not limiting; in these embodiments, the same reference numerals denote the same structures, wherein:

[0017] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the drive structure for a surgical suturing instrument according to some embodiments of this specification;

[0018] Figure 2 This is a partial structural schematic diagram of a drive structure for a surgical suturing instrument according to some embodiments of this specification;

[0019] Figure 3A This is a partial structural schematic diagram of a drive structure for a surgical suturing instrument according to some embodiments of this specification;

[0020] Figure 3B This is based on some embodiments shown in this specification. Figure 3A Enlarged view of point A in the middle;

[0021] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of another structure of the latch shown in some embodiments of this specification;

[0022] Figure 5 This is an exploded view of the drive claw shown in some embodiments of this specification;

[0023] Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of the operation buttons shown according to some embodiments of this specification;

[0024] Figure 7A This is a schematic diagram illustrating the operation of the operation buttons according to some embodiments of this specification;

[0025] Figure 7B This is a schematic diagram illustrating the operation of the operation buttons according to some embodiments of this specification;

[0026] Figure 7C This is a schematic diagram illustrating the operation of the operation buttons according to some embodiments of this specification;

[0027] Figure 8A This is a schematic diagram of the button hole structure according to some embodiments of this specification;

[0028] Figure 8B This is a schematic diagram of the button hole structure according to some embodiments of this specification;

[0029] Figure 9 This is a schematic diagram of an initial configuration according to some embodiments of this specification;

[0030] Figure 10This is a schematic diagram of a first mode according to some embodiments of this specification;

[0031] Figure 11 This is a schematic diagram of a first mode according to some embodiments of this specification;

[0032] Figure 12 This is a schematic diagram of a first mode according to some embodiments of this specification;

[0033] Figure 13 This is a schematic diagram illustrating mode switching according to some embodiments of this specification;

[0034] Figure 14 This is a schematic diagram of a second mode according to some embodiments of this specification;

[0035] Figure 15 This is a schematic diagram of a second mode according to some embodiments of this specification;

[0036] Figure 16 This is a schematic diagram illustrating a reset to the initial mode according to some embodiments of this specification;

[0037] Figure 17 This is a schematic diagram illustrating a reset to the initial mode according to some embodiments of this specification;

[0038] Figure 18 This is a schematic diagram illustrating a reset to the initial mode according to some embodiments of this specification. Detailed Implementation

[0039] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions of the embodiments in this specification, the accompanying drawings used in the description of the embodiments will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are merely some examples or embodiments of this specification. For those skilled in the art, these drawings can be applied to other similar scenarios without creative effort. Unless obvious from the context or otherwise specified, the same reference numerals in the drawings represent the same structures or operations.

[0040] It should be understood that the terms “system,” “device,” “unit,” and / or “module” used herein are one way to distinguish different components, elements, parts, sections, or assemblies at different levels. However, if other terms can achieve the same purpose, they may be replaced by other expressions.

[0041] As indicated in this specification and claims, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise, the words "a," "an," "an," and / or "the" do not specifically refer to the singular and may also include the plural. Generally speaking, the terms "comprising" and "including" only indicate the inclusion of expressly identified steps and elements, which do not constitute an exclusive list, and the method or apparatus may also include other steps or elements.

[0042] A stapler / anastomosis device is a medical instrument used to replace traditional manual suturing. Its main working principle is to use staples to cut or anastomose tissue, allowing for simultaneous cutting and suturing of the diseased area. Compared to manual suturing, the staples are arranged neatly and evenly, allowing for controllable suture tightness and avoiding the problems of overly sparse or dense suturing or overly tight or loose ligation, thus ensuring good tissue healing. The main components of a stapler may include a staple drill, staple cartridge, staple bank, staple driver, handle, and positioning needle. Various cutting tools, such as circular knives and push knives, can be used to remove excess tissue. Compared to manual suturing, mechanical suturing and anastomosis are simpler and faster, significantly shortening surgical time; they are accurate, strong, and reliable, maintaining good blood supply, ensuring better tissue healing, effectively preventing leakage, and significantly reducing the incidence of anastomotic leakage; mechanical suturing makes suturing and anastomosis in areas with narrow surgical fields and deep locations that are difficult to perform manually easier; it transforms open suturing or anastomosis performed manually into closed suturing and anastomosis, reducing the chance of contaminating the surgical field during digestive tract reconstruction and bronchial stump closure; it allows for cross-repeated suturing to avoid blood supply and tissue necrosis; and it makes laparoscopic surgery (such as thoracoscopic and laparoscopic surgery) possible, with the application of various laparoscopic suture devices making thoracoscopic and laparoscopic surgery more successful.

[0043] Traditional surgical techniques include cutting, separating, ligating, hemostasis, and suturing, ultimately achieving the resection and reconstruction of diseased organs. Mechanical suturing can replace traditional surgical techniques, achieving the resection and reconstruction of diseased organs through operations such as transection, suturing, and anastomosis. Transection involves using a stapler to suture the organ at a certain distance from the lesion, including solid organs, cavity organs, and blood vessels, before transection and resection of the diseased organ, or using a linear cutting stapler to complete suturing and transection in one operation. Examples include thyroid lobectomy, lobectomy, wedge resection of the lung, colon transection, and gastric transection. Suturing involves aligning the tissues to be sutured and stapled with a linear stapler, such as making a longitudinal incision and transverse suture at the pylorus to complete pyloroplasty. Anastomosis uses a circular stapler to conveniently perform end-to-end and end-to-side anastomosis of cavity organs such as the esophagus, stomach, small intestine, and colon. A cutting stapler is also used for side-to-side anastomosis of the gastrointestinal tract. Examples include end-to-end rectocolonic anastomosis, end-to-side esophagogastric anastomosis, and side-to-side gastrojejunostomy. For different procedures such as transection, suturing, and anastomosis, the suture device can have different operating modes. For instance, the suture device can have a squeezing mode, where the end of the suture device can perform a squeezing operation; for example, the jaws at the end of the suture device can be closed to clamp and further squeeze the tissue between the jaws. The suture device can also have a firing mode, which includes two steps: push-pin shaping and push-blade cutting, completing the suturing while performing the cutting.

[0044] To meet clinical needs, some embodiments of this specification provide a surgical suturing instrument, which includes a handle with a movable trigger, a drive structure, and an end effector. The drive structure may be disposed inside the handle, and the end effector is connected to the drive structure via a connecting member. The end effector includes tool components with clamping, cutting, and suturing functions, such as jaws, a cutter, and a stapler, for performing various working modes such as tissue compression, cutting, and suturing. The drive structure can be used to select and switch the working modes of the surgical suturing instrument, and drive the end effector to perform corresponding operations in different working modes. For example, it can be used to switch between a compression mode and a firing mode, and to control the surgical suturing instrument to perform the corresponding operation in the selected mode.

[0045] This specification also provides a drive structure for a surgical suture instrument. This drive structure allows for switching between a first and second drive mode of the drive claw via an operation button, thereby switching the working mode of the surgical suture instrument. The operation button requires only a pressing action to easily switch modes, making operation convenient and smooth for the operator without affecting their grip on the surgical suture instrument or other operations.

[0046] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the drive structure 100 for a surgical suturing instrument according to some embodiments of this specification. Figure 2 This is a partial structural schematic diagram of a drive structure 100 for a surgical suturing instrument, as shown in some embodiments of this specification.

[0047] In some embodiments, such as Figure 1 and Figure 2 As shown, a drive structure 100 for a surgical suture instrument can be disposed in the handle housing 190 of the handle portion of the surgical suture instrument. The drive structure 100 may include a trigger 110, a rack 140, a drive pawl 130, and a state switching mechanism. The trigger 110 is rotatably disposed on the handle housing 190 and can rotate relative to the outer handle housing 190 of the surgical suture instrument. The rack 140 is slidably disposed on the handle housing 190 and can perform linear motion. The drive pawl 130 is movably connected to the trigger 110, and the state switching mechanism can be disposed on the trigger 110. In some embodiments, the drive pawl 130 is used to engage with the teeth of the rack 140 to transmit power. In some embodiments, the drive pawl 130 can be movably connected to the trigger 110. The operator can transmit power to the drive pawl 130 by pulling the trigger 110, and the drive pawl 130 then transmits power to the rack 140, thereby driving the rack 140 to move. In some embodiments, rack 140 refers to a structure with teeth distributed on a rack-shaped body. Rack 140 is capable of linear motion. In some embodiments, rack 140 can be configured to perform forward motion in a direction of travel. Figure 1 The direction of arrow a is shown. In some embodiments, the state switching mechanism may include a latch 120 movably connected to the rack 140, an operable switching slider 136, and a limiting portion 1364 fixedly connected to the switching slider 136. In some embodiments, the limiting portion 1364 can movably drive the drive pawl 130; for example, the drive pawl 130 may be provided with an opening for the limiting portion 1364 to pass through, and the limiting portion 1364 may be positioned from bottom to top (e.g., ...). Figure 1(The direction opposite to b) passes through the drive claw 130, and the opening size on the drive claw 130 is larger than the size of the limiting portion 1364. In some embodiments, the switching slider 136 can drive the limiting portion 1364 to move between a first position and a second position, so that the drive claw 130 can switch between a first driving mode and a second driving mode. In some embodiments, when the limiting portion 1364 switches from the first position to the second position, the limiting portion 1364 switches from a state where it is restricted within a preset stroke by the latch 120 to a state where it is unrestricted, thereby switching the drive claw 130 from the first driving mode to the second driving mode. In some embodiments, in the first driving mode, the limiting portion 1364 is restricted within a preset stroke by the latch 120. In some embodiments, the stroke range of the preset stroke is related to the range within which the limiting portion 1364 is restricted by the latch 120. For example, the limiting portion 1364 is restricted by the latch 120 in the limiting groove 121 of the rack 140, and the distance that the limiting portion 1364 can move within the limiting groove 121 is positively correlated with the preset stroke. In some embodiments, the limiting part 1364 is confined in the limiting groove 121. The trigger 110 can drive the limiting part 1364 to move within a certain range within the limiting groove 121, thereby enabling the drive pawl 130 to drive the rack 140 forward or backward within a certain stroke. In some embodiments, in the first driving mode, the surgical suture instrument performs a first mode (e.g., a squeezing mode). In some embodiments, in the second driving mode, the limiting part 1364 leaves the limiting groove 121, and the surgical suture instrument can perform a second mode (e.g., a firing mode). The components of the drive structure 100 will be further described in detail below. It should be noted that the following embodiments are only illustrative of the implementation of the drive structure 100 and its components.

[0048] Trigger 110 is a component for an operator to operate. By pressing trigger 110, the operator transmits the applied force to other components connected to trigger 110. In some embodiments, operation of trigger 110 can also drive rack 140 in different modes to perform related operations, such as pressing or sewing. For example, in a second mode, trigger 110 can advance rack 140 and tool assemblies (such as cutters, staplers, etc.) connected to rack 140 to perform cutting and sewing. In some embodiments, trigger 110 is rotatable so that the operator can operate it. In some embodiments, trigger 110 can be movably connected to other components; for example, trigger 110 can be pivotally connected to drive pawl 130 to transmit power. In some embodiments, trigger 110 can be movably connected to handle housing 190, which can be used to mount and support the functional components of drive structure 100, and trigger 110 can rotate relative to handle housing 190. In some embodiments, the rotation range of the trigger 110 may be limited by a certain angle. For example, the rotation range of the trigger 110 may be 30°-80°, and this rotation angle range can be set accordingly as needed.

[0049] The latch 120 can be used to define the relative positions of two or more objects. In some embodiments, the latch 120 can be movably connected to the rack 140, and the latch 120 can cooperate with the rack 140 to restrict the movement of the limiting portion 1364. For example, the latch 120 can cooperate with the limiting groove 121 of the rack 140 to limit the limiting portion 1364 within the limiting groove 121; the limiting portion 1364 can disengage from the limiting groove 121, thereby releasing the limitation of the limiting groove 121 on the movement of the limiting portion 1364. For details on the connection between the latch 120 and the rack 140, please refer to FIG3 and its related description.

[0050] Figure 3A This is a partial structural schematic diagram of a drive structure 100 for a surgical suturing instrument, as shown in some embodiments of this specification. Figure 3B This is based on some embodiments shown in this specification. Figure 3A Enlarged diagram of point A in the middle. Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of another structure of the latch 120 shown according to some embodiments of this specification.

[0051] In some embodiments, the latch 120 can be of various shapes, such as triangular, cuboid, cylindrical, etc. In some embodiments, such as... Figure 3AAs shown, the latch 120 can be disposed on the rack 140, which can have multiple teeth. The latch 120 can be disposed at the distal end of the multiple teeth on the rack 140. The distal end can be relative to the proximal end. For surgical suturing instruments, the end closer to the operator can be considered the proximal end, and the end farther from the operator can be considered the distal end (the direction corresponding to the distal end can be referred to in [reference]). Figure 1 In some embodiments, rack 140 (see [reference]) Figure 1 A limiting groove 121 is provided in the middle (b direction). A latch 120 is pivotally disposed at the proximal end of the limiting groove 121 in the rack 140. When the limiting part 1364 is located in the limiting groove 121, the distal sidewall of the limiting groove 121 restricts the forward movement of the limiting part 1364, and the distal sidewall of the latch 120 restricts the backward movement of the limiting part 1364. The distal sidewall of the limiting groove 121 is opposite to the distal sidewall of the latch 120. The forward movement corresponds to the movement in the direction of travel of the rack 140 (see...). Figure 1 (in the direction of a). In some embodiments, the latch 120 may be disposed in the limiting groove 121 by means of a snap-fit ​​connection (movably), a pivotal connection or any other feasible connection, such that the latch 120 should be able to be fully or partially placed in the limiting groove 121, or in a state of protruding downward relative to the rack 140.

[0052] In some embodiments, the latch 120 may be pivotally connected to the rack 140, such as Figure 3B As shown, the latch 120 and rack 140 are pivotally connected via a pivot 123, allowing the latch 120 to rotate from being fully or partially inserted into the limiting groove 121 to protruding downward relative to the rack 140, or from protruding downward relative to the rack 140 to being fully inserted into the limiting groove 121. In some embodiments, the limiting portion 1364 can drive the latch 120 to rotate, causing the latch 120 to rotate within the limiting groove 121 from a position downward relative to the rack 140 until the limiting portion 1364 disengages from the latch 120, at which point the latch 120 returns to a position downward relative to the rack 140. In some embodiments, when the latch 120 is downward relative to the rack 140, if the limiting portion 1364 is located in the limiting groove 121, the movement of the limiting portion 1364 will be restricted.

[0053] In some embodiments, such as Figure 2 As shown, the rack 140 may have a stop portion 142, which may be located within the limiting groove 121 and may be disposed at the rear end of the limiting groove 121. In some embodiments, the stop portion 142 may abut against the latch 120 to restrict the latch 120 from rotating towards the proximal end of the rack 140 (e.g., ...). Figure 2 An angle (counterclockwise). For example, latch 120 can rotate counterclockwise about pivot 123 to... Figure 2 The position is blocked by the stop part 142, preventing further rotation. In some embodiments, by setting the stop part 142, the rotation angle of the latch 120 can be controlled, thereby limiting the limit part 1364 through the latch 120, so as to control the driving mode of the drive pawl 130.

[0054] In some embodiments, the limiting portion 1364 can drive the latch 120 to rotate from its initial position away from the stop portion 142 (see [reference]). Figure 2 (clockwise direction) and after the limiting part 1364 passes the limit position, the latch 120 returns to the initial position, and the latch 120 abuts against the stop part 142 in the initial position, thereby restricting the backward movement of the limiting part 1364, and thus restricting the movement of the drive pawl 130. At this time, the drive pawl 130 is in the first drive mode. In some embodiments, the initial position can be a position downward relative to the rack 140. In the initial position, the latch 120 can only rotate around the axis 123 in a single direction away from the stop part 142; the limit position can be the critical position where the limiting part 1364 and the latch 120 are about to separate and no longer continue to contact. In some embodiments, the limiting part 1364 can be selectively operated by the operator to contact the latch 120, driving the latch 120 to move in a single direction from the initial position until the limiting part 1364 is restricted in movement by the limiting groove 121 and the latch 120, thereby realizing mode switching.

[0055] In some embodiments, the latch 120 may include a resilient reset member, through which the latch 120 is connected to the rack 140. In some embodiments, the resilient reset member may apply a force to the latch 120, causing the latch 120 to abut against the stop 142. When the latch 120 moves away from the stop 142 under force, the latch 120 can easily spring back to its initial position when the applied force is less than the elastic force of the resilient reset member or when the applied force disappears. In some embodiments, the latch 120 may not include a resilient reset member, and the latch 120 may be configured to return to its initial position by gravity.

[0056] In some embodiments, such as Figure 3BAs shown, the elastic reset member includes a tension spring 122, one end of which is connected to the rack 140, and the other end of which is connected to the latch 120. In some embodiments, one end of the tension spring 122 is connected to the rack 140 on the front side of the latch 120, and the other end of the tension spring 122 is connected to the side of the latch 120 near the pivot 123. The elastic force applied to the latch 120 by the tension spring 122 allows the latch 120 to abut tightly against the stop 142 in its initial position, and after the latch 120 rotates away from the stop 142 about the pivot 123, it can be easily pulled back to the initial position. The tension spring 122 and the rack 140 extend in the same direction (i.e., Figure 1 (in the middle a direction), easy to install and saves space.

[0057] In some embodiments, the resilient reset member may have other feasible configurations, such as... Figure 4 As shown, the resilient reset element may include a spring element 1221. The latch 120 can be connected to the rack 140 via the spring element 1221, with the upper end of the spring element 1221 connected to the rack 140 and the lower end connected to the latch 120. Under the elastic action of the spring element 1221, the latch 120 can easily move up and down. By applying upward force to compress the spring element 1221 through the limiting portion 1364, the latch 120 can rotate from protruding downward relative to the rack 140 to being fully or partially placed into the limiting groove 121. The limiting portion 1364 continues to move in the direction of the rack 140 until it separates from the latch 120 and is no longer in contact. Under the elastic force, the latch 120 can return to its original position, that is, protruding downward relative to the rack 140, thereby restricting the limiting portion 1364 within the limiting groove 121. In some embodiments, the resilient reset element may include a torsion spring. For example only, the torsion spring can be located at the pivot 123.

[0058] Figure 5 This is an exploded schematic diagram of the drive claw 130 shown in some embodiments of this specification.

[0059] In some embodiments, such as Figure 5As shown, the drive pawl 130 may include a main body 131 and a pawl end 132. The material of the pawl end 132 may be the same as or different from the material of the main body 131. In some embodiments, the material of the pawl end 132 and the main body 131 may be the same, for example, made of stainless steel. In some embodiments, the main body 131 may be fixedly connected to the pawl end 132, the main body 131 may be pivotally connected to the trigger 110, and the pawl end 132 may be used to engage with the rack 140. In some embodiments, the pawl end 132 may engage in the gap between two teeth of the rack 140, thereby applying a force to the rack 140 to push the rack 140 forward, etc. In some embodiments, the pawl end 132 may be inclined to match the gap between the two teeth of the rack 140, so as to better engage in the gap between the two teeth of the rack 140 and avoid slippage. In some embodiments, the pawl end 132 may be configured in any shape that can engage with the gap of the rack 140 and is not easy to slip out.

[0060] In some embodiments, the drive pawl 130 may be movably connected to the trigger 110, for example, the drive pawl 130 may be pivotally connected to the trigger 110.

[0061] In some embodiments, the drive pawl 130 may be disposed on the side of the trigger 110 near the rack 140. The trigger 110 and the drive pawl 130 may be pivotally connected via a connecting shaft 133. A torsion spring 135 passes through the connecting shaft 133. When the trigger 110 is pulled, the trigger 110 may rotate about the center of the torsion spring 135 (i.e., the connecting shaft 133). The torsion spring 135 has a rotational force that returns the trigger 110 to its initial position. Therefore, the relative position of the trigger 110 and the drive pawl 130 can be elastically limited by the torsion spring 135. It should be noted that the torsion spring 135 is not a necessary structure. Even without the torsion spring 135, the trigger 110 may return to its initial position in other ways, such as by manual return.

[0062] In some embodiments, the main body 131 has an opening for the limiting part 1364 to pass through. Since the limiting part 1364 passes through the main body 131, when the movement of the limiting part 1364 is restricted, the movement of the main body 131 is also restricted, that is, the movement of the driving claw 130 is restricted. In some embodiments, the degree of restriction on the movement of the driving claw 130 can be adjusted by setting the size of the opening. For example, when the size of the opening is larger than the size of the limiting part 1364, the movement of the driving claw 130 remains unrestricted within a certain range after the movement of the limiting part 1364 is restricted, until the driving claw 130 moves to the point where its main body 131 contacts the limiting part 1364, at which point the movement of the driving claw 130 begins to be restricted. As another example, when the size of the opening is close to the size of the limiting part 1364, the movement of the driving claw 130 is also restricted when the movement of the limiting part 1364 is restricted.

[0063] In some embodiments, the drive pawl 130 has a first drive mode and a second drive mode. As an example only, in the first drive mode, the limiting portion 1364 can engage in the limiting groove 121, and its forward movement is restricted by the limiting groove 121, while its backward movement is restricted by the latch 120 in its initial position. This allows the drive pawl 130 to drive the rack 140 to move forward or backward within a certain range. In the second drive mode, when the limiting portion 1364 is outside the limiting groove 121, i.e., the limiting portion 1364 disengages from the limiting groove 121, the drive pawl 130 is no longer restricted by the limiting groove 121 to its forward or backward movement. In some embodiments, the first drive mode of the drive pawl 130 corresponds to the end effector of a surgical suture instrument performing a first mode (e.g., a squeezing mode), and the second drive mode of the drive pawl 130 corresponds to the end effector of a surgical suture instrument performing a second mode (e.g., a firing mode). In some embodiments, the first and second driving modes of the drive claw 130 can be switched manually or automatically. For example, the surgical suturing instrument may include an operation button 210 that can be manually operated by the operator. By manually adjusting the state of the drive claw 130, the end effector of the surgical suturing instrument can be switched to the first or second mode. Further details regarding mode switching can be found in the related description below.

[0064] In some embodiments, the rack 140 is provided with rack steps and a plurality of teeth, and the drive pawl 130 pushes the rack 140 forward by engaging with the rack steps or teeth.

[0065] In some embodiments, the rack 140 may have multiple teeth, and the engagement of the drive pawl 130 with the teeth can push the rack 140 forward. In some embodiments, when the end effector executes the second mode, the end portion 132 of the drive pawl 130 abuts against the teeth of the rack 140, and the trigger 110 drives the drive pawl 130, thereby pushing the rack 140 forward. In some embodiments, the multiple teeth of the rack 140 may be straight teeth or helical teeth, etc. In some embodiments, when the teeth of the rack 140 are helical teeth, the side of each helical tooth corresponding to the forward direction of the rack 140 is an inclined surface, and the side of each helical tooth in the backward direction of the rack 140 is perpendicular to the backward direction of the rack 140. The inclined surface of the drive claw 130 with the inclined claw end 132 can match the inclined surface of the helical tooth, so that the drive claw 130 can easily move in the backward direction of the rack 140 on the surface of the helical tooth. When the drive claw 130 moves in the forward direction of the rack 140, the front end of the drive claw 130 can abut against the side of the helical tooth perpendicular to the backward direction of the rack 140, thereby ensuring that the abutment is less likely to loosen and that the force can be applied to the rack 140 better.

[0066] In some embodiments, the rack 140 may be provided with a rack step, which may be a downward-facing protrusion on the rack 140. The drive pawl 130 may cooperate with the rack step, that is, the drive pawl 130 pushes the rack 140 forward by pushing the protruding rack step. In some embodiments, during the execution of the first mode by the end effector, when the limiting part 1364 of the switching slider 136 is located in the limiting groove 121, the drive pawl 130 is driven forward by the trigger 110. The claw end 132 of the drive pawl 130 contacts the rack step of the rack 140. The claw end 132 of the drive pawl 130 pushes the rack 140 forward by pushing the rack step, thereby realizing the end effector of the surgical suture instrument performing the jaw closure operation. In some embodiments, the rack step may be provided at the distal end of the rack 140, and the latch 120 may be provided between the teeth of the rack 140 and the rack step, making full use of the empty space on the rack 140 where no teeth are distributed, making the device structure compact. In some embodiments, the rack step is provided with a groove structure, and the anti-reverse slider 162 can be engaged in the groove structure so that the anti-reverse slider 162 can restrict the movement of the rack 140.

[0067] In some embodiments, a clamping device may be abutted above the rack 140 to apply downward force to the rack 140. For example, the clamping device may abut against the rack 140 through an elastic element, so that the clamping device can generate frictional force on the rack 140 to produce a damping effect on the rack 140 and further prevent slippage. In some embodiments, the clamping device may be disposed on the handle housing 190.

[0068] In some embodiments, such as Figure 2 As shown, a clearance groove 141 is provided on the rack 140 along the extending direction of the rack 140. The clearance groove 141 is located on the side of the rack 140 near the drive pawl 130 and on the side near the end of the limiting groove 121, and communicates with the limiting groove 121. The clearance groove 141 can accommodate the limiting part 1364. In some embodiments, when the drive pawl 130 drives the rack 140 forward, the limiting part 1364 moves along with the drive pawl 130. Since the limiting part 1364 passes through the drive pawl 130, it may come into contact with the teeth of the rack 140. If the end of the limiting part 1364 comes into contact with the teeth of the rack 140, it will affect the movement of the rack, causing the rack 140 to be restricted or even unable to move. Therefore, corresponding to the position of the limiting part 1364, a clearance groove 141 is provided at the lower part of the rack 140. When the drive pawl 130 drives the rack 140 forward (the limiting part 1364 is not in the limiting groove 121), the limiting part 1364 can be accommodated in the clearance groove 141, so as not to obstruct or restrict the movement of the rack.

[0069] In some embodiments, the drive structure 100 may further include a tension spring 300 (see...) Figure 1 The tension spring 300 can be connected to the trigger 110 to apply a force to the trigger 110 in the opposite direction to the forward direction of the rack 140, so that when the trigger 110 is not subjected to external force, the end of the trigger 110 connected to the tension spring 300 has a tendency to move in the backward direction of the rack 140.

[0070] In some embodiments, such as Figure 1 As shown, the drive structure 100 may further include a forward slider 161 and a reverse slider 162. The reverse slider 162 can be used to restrict the movement of the rack 140. The forward slider 161 can release the restriction of the rack 140's movement by moving forward. The forward slider 161 can move in the forward direction. The reverse slider 162 can move in the up-down direction. In some embodiments, one end of the trigger 110 can be movably connected to the forward slider 161, and the reverse slider 162 can be used to restrict the movement of the rack 140. For example, the reverse slider 162 can be movably disposed on the path of the rack 140 in the forward direction. In some embodiments, the trigger 110 can drive the reverse slider 162 downward by driving the forward slider 161 in the forward direction of the rack 140 (see...). Figure 1 The movement (in the direction of arrow b) is used to release the restriction on the movement of the rack 140 by the anti-reverse slider 162.

[0071] In some embodiments, the anti-reverse slider 162 can move up and down, and the forward slider 161 can move in the forward direction of the rack 140. The forward slider 161 is provided with a downward protruding protrusion that can contact the anti-reverse slider 162. In some embodiments, as the forward slider 161 moves in the forward direction of the rack 140, the anti-reverse slider 162 can move downward under the pressure of the protrusion.

[0072] In some embodiments, the forward slider 161 can be inserted into the anti-reverse slider 162, which can guide the forward slider 161 to ensure its forward direction. In some embodiments, the bottom of the anti-reverse slider 162 can be connected to the handle housing 190 via a spring, so that after the anti-reverse slider 162 loses the downward force and there is no obstruction above, it can move upward to return to its initial position.

[0073] In some embodiments, when the end effector executes the first mode, at the initial position, the stop slider 162 is in a lifted state, thereby restricting the movement of the rack 140; the trigger 110 is pulled, and the trigger 110 drives the drive pawl 130 to move forward until the drive pawl 130 engages with the latch 120, which is located in the limiting groove 121 of the drive pawl 130; the trigger 110 is pulled again, and the trigger 110 drives the forward slider 161 to move in the forward direction of the rack 140, thereby driving the stop slider 162 to move downward, thereby releasing the restriction on the movement of the rack 140; at this time, the trigger 110 is pulled again, and the drive pawl 130 is driven forward by the trigger 110, and the end 132 of the pawl of the drive pawl 130 contacts the rack step of the rack 140, thereby being able to push the rack 140 forward.

[0074] In some embodiments, the drive structure 100 may further include a link 150 (see...) Figure 1 A connecting rod 150 can be disposed between the forward slider 161 and the trigger 110. One end of the connecting rod 150 is rotatably connected to the forward slider 161, and the other end of the connecting rod 150 is rotatably connected to the trigger 110, so as to transmit the power of the operator pulling the trigger 110 to the forward slider 161. In some embodiments, when the operator pulls the trigger 110, the connecting rod 150 can push the forward slider 161 to move in the forward direction of the rack 140.

[0075] Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of the operation button 210 shown according to some embodiments of this specification.

[0076] In some embodiments, such as Figure 6 As shown, the state switching mechanism may further include an operation button 210, which is pressable on the trigger. The operation button 210 can be pressed by the operator to achieve functions such as mode switching of the surgical suture instrument. In some embodiments, the operation button 210 moves between an initial position and a pressed position. When the operation button 210 is pressed and moves from the initial position to the pressed position, the operation button 210 drives the switching slider 161 to switch from the first position to the second position, thereby enabling the drive claw 130 to switch from the first drive mode to the second drive mode. In some embodiments, the first drive mode may correspond to the end effector of the surgical suture instrument performing a first mode, which can be a squeezing mode, i.e., the tool component of the end effector, such as the jaws, performs a closing operation to squeeze the tissue; the second drive mode may correspond to the end effector of the surgical suture instrument performing a second mode, which can be a firing mode, i.e., the tool component of the end effector, such as the cutter and stapler, performs forward movement to cut and suture the tissue simultaneously. For more information on how the operation button 210 enables mode switching of the surgical suture instrument, please refer to [link to relevant documentation]. Figures 9-18The details and related descriptions will not be repeated here.

[0077] In some embodiments, the switching of the drive claw 130 between a first drive mode and a second drive mode can be achieved by an operating member. For example, the operating member can be connected to the switching slider 136 and can be operablely moved by an operator, thereby causing the switching slider 136 to move between a first position and a second position, thus enabling the drive claw 130 to switch between the first drive mode and the second drive mode. For example, the operating member can be connected to the switching slider 136 via a transmission device (such as a gear and rack), and when an operator applies a force to the operating member (e.g., if the operating member is a knob, the operator applies a rotational force to the operating member), the transmission device converts this force into a force that moves the switching slider 136, thereby causing the switching slider 136 to move between the first position and the second position, thus enabling the drive claw 130 to switch between the first drive mode and the second drive mode.

[0078] Figure 7A This is a schematic diagram illustrating the operation of the operation button 210 according to some embodiments of this specification. Figure 7B This is a schematic diagram illustrating the operation of the operation button 210 according to some embodiments of this specification. Figure 7C This is a schematic diagram illustrating the operation of the operation button 210 according to some embodiments of this specification.

[0079] In some embodiments, such as Figure 5 As shown, the trigger 110 has a receiving groove, and the switching slider 136 can be disposed in the receiving groove. The receiving groove can guide the movement of the switching slider 136. In some embodiments, an elastic element 134 is provided between the switching slider 136 and the bottom of the receiving groove. The elastic element 134 can be, but is not limited to, a spring, an elastic rubber component, or other elastic element. Under the elastic action of the elastic element 134, the switching slider 136 can move relative to the trigger 110. For example, the switching slider 136 can move upward toward the rack 140 or downward away from the rack 140. By providing the elastic element 134, the switching slider 136 can be tightly fitted with the operation button 210, enhancing the transmission effect, and under the elastic action of the elastic element 134, the operation button 210 can easily return to its initial position.

[0080] In some embodiments, the switching slider 136 can be connected to the operation button 210. The operation button 210 can drive the drive claw 130 via the switching slider 136, changing the relative position of the limiting part 1364 and the latch 120, thereby changing the operating mode of the drive structure 100, i.e., correspondingly switching the working mode of the suture instrument. In some embodiments, when the operation button 210 is pressed and moves from the initial position to the pressed position, the operation button 210 drives the switching slider 136 from a position close to the rack 140 to a position away from the rack 140, which can drive the drive claw 130 downwards, causing the limiting part 1364 located in the limiting groove 121 to disengage from the limiting groove 121, thus switching the drive claw 130 from the first driving mode to the second driving mode, and switching the surgical suture instrument from the first mode to the second mode. It should be noted that the movement of the switching slider 136 from the position close to the rack 140 to the position away from the rack 140 can be from top to bottom. By setting the switching slider 136, the direction of motion can be changed, converting the force applied by the operator towards the interior of the drive structure 100 into a downward force, thereby achieving state switching. More details about mode switching can be found in the related description below.

[0081] Other transmission structures may also exist between the switching slider 136 and the operation button 210. In some embodiments, the drive structure may include a transmission component that drives the switching slider 136 and the operation button 210. By way of example only, the transmission component may include a first rack, a second rack, and a gear, both of which may mesh with the gear. The first rack may extend along a first direction, and the second rack may extend along the direction of movement of the switching slider 136 (e.g., a direction perpendicular to both the rack and the first direction). When the operation button 210 is pressed in the first direction, the first rack can drive the gear to rotate, and the gear can drive the second rack to move along the extension direction of the second rack. The second rack can move from a position close to the rack 140 to a position away from the rack 140, thereby achieving mode switching. The gear may also be replaced by a gear set (i.e., two or more gears) to achieve a change in the transmission ratio.

[0082] In some embodiments, such as Figure 7A , Figure 7B and Figure 7C As shown, the operation button 210 may include a first inclined surface 211, the inclined surface of the first inclined surface 211 facing a first direction (e.g., Figure 7A , Figure 7B and Figure 7C(As indicated by arrow c), the switching slider 136 includes a second inclined surface 1361 that engages with the first inclined surface 211, and the second inclined surface 1361 can move along the first inclined surface 211. In some embodiments, components such as the drive claw 130 and the rack 140 can be located on one side of the first inclined surface 211 (e.g., Figure 6 , Figure 7A The second inclined plane 1361 can be located on the other side of the first inclined plane 211 (e.g., the lower side of the first inclined plane 211). Figure 7A and Figure 7B As shown in the figure, in some embodiments, the first inclined surface 211 can be other shapes, such as having an arc surface, and the second inclined surface 1361 can be a matching arc surface. The specific shapes of the first inclined surface 211 and the second inclined surface 1361 are not limited, as long as the second inclined surface 1361 can move along the first inclined surface 211 when the operation button 210 is pressed, and can drive the switching slider 136 to move closer to the rack 140 and away from the rack 140.

[0083] In some embodiments, when the operation button 210 is pressed in a first direction and moves from the initial position to the pressed position, the second inclined surface 1361 can move along the first inclined surface 211 (e.g., Figure 7A and Figure 7B As shown, the second inclined plane 1361 moves downward to drive the switching slider 136 from a position close to the rack 140 to a position away from the rack 140, thereby driving the limiting part 1364 to disengage from the limiting groove 121, thereby realizing mode switching.

[0084] In some embodiments, by adjusting the angle between the first inclined plane 211 and the first direction, the travel distances of the lateral and longitudinal movements can be adjusted, thereby optimizing the internal space of the device. For example, when the angle is 45°, the travel distances of the lateral and longitudinal movements are 1:1. To make the internal structure of the device more compact, the angle can be reduced, allowing a smaller travel distance for pressing the operation button 210 to correspond to a longer longitudinal movement of the switching slider 136. In some embodiments, by adjusting the angle between the first inclined plane 211 and the first direction of the operation button 210, the smoothness of pressing the operation button 210 can be adjusted, improving the user experience. In some embodiments, the angle between the first inclined plane 211 and the first direction of the operation button 210 can be set as needed to make the operation more comfortable for the operator and improve the user experience.

[0085] In some embodiments, such as Figure 7A , Figure 7B and Figure 7CAs shown, the operation button 210 may include a third inclined surface 213; the switching slider 136 may include a fourth inclined surface 1362 that cooperates with the third inclined surface 213. In some embodiments, when the operation button 210 is pressed in a second direction and moves from an initial position to a pressed position, the fourth inclined surface 1362 may move along the third inclined surface 213 to drive the switching slider 136 from a position close to the rack 140 to a position away from the rack 140. The first and second directions are opposite.

[0086] In some embodiments, the angle between the first inclined plane 211 and the first direction can be equal to the angle between the third inclined plane 213 and the second direction. In this case, the operation button 210 can be based on the plane where the connection between the first inclined plane 211 and the third inclined plane is located (e.g., Figure 7A Plane d) shown is symmetrical. Due to the symmetrical structure of the operation button 210, the operator can press the operation button 210 in either the first direction or the second direction to produce the same operation result. This allows operators with different operating habits to easily perform the operation. In some embodiments, the angle between the first inclined plane 211 and the first direction and the angle between the third inclined plane 213 and the second direction may not be equal. Therefore, to obtain the same operation effect, pressing the operation button 210 in the first direction and pressing it in the second direction may require different travel distances.

[0087] In some embodiments, the operation button 210 may include a locking groove, and the switching slider 136 may include a locking structure that engages with the locking groove. For example, the locking structure may include a protrusion. When the protrusion engages in the locking groove, the switching slider 136 and the operation button 210 no longer move relative to each other, thus achieving locking. In other embodiments, the locking structure may also include a hook. When the hook engages in the locking groove, the switching slider 136 and the operation button 210 no longer move relative to each other, thus achieving locking. In some embodiments, since the operation button 210 may be a symmetrical structure, it may include a symmetrically arranged first locking groove 212 and a second locking groove 214. Based on the opposite pressing direction of the operator, the locking structure may engage with either the first locking groove 212 or the second locking groove 214 to achieve locking. The first locking groove 212 may be located on the side of the first inclined surface 211 away from the third inclined surface 213, and the second locking groove 214 may be located on the side of the third inclined surface 213 away from the first inclined surface 211. In some embodiments, when the operation button 210 is pressed and moves to engage with the locking structure and the locking slot, the relative movement of the operation button 210 and the switching slider 136 is restricted.

[0088] In some embodiments, such as Figure 6As shown, the operation button 210 may have a rod-like structure for easy pressing by the operator. In some embodiments, the operation button 210 may include a mating portion 230, a first inclined surface 211, and a third inclined surface 213 (see...). Figure 7C The first inclined surface 211 and the third inclined surface 213 can be provided on the mating part 230, and a cavity can be formed between them. The second inclined surface 1361 and the fourth inclined surface 1362 on the switching slider 136 can be disposed in this cavity, and the second inclined surface 1361 and the fourth inclined surface 1362 of the switching slider 136 can contact the first inclined surface 211 and the third inclined surface 213 respectively. In some embodiments, the first locking groove 212 and the second locking groove 214 can both be provided on the mating part 230 (e.g., Figure 7C (On the lower surface of the mating part 230 in the middle). In some embodiments, a transmission boss 1363 may be provided on the switching slider 136, and the second inclined surface 1361 and the fourth inclined surface 1362 may both be provided on the transmission boss 1363.

[0089] The following combination Figure 7A , Figure 7B and Figure 7C The relative movement of the operation button 210 and the switching slider 136 will be further described. It should be noted that the following description is for illustrative purposes only and is not intended to limit the embodiments of this specification.

[0090] like Figure 7A As shown, the operation button 210 is in the initial position. At this time, the second inclined surface 1361 of the switching slider 136 is completely in contact with the first inclined surface 211, and the second inclined surface 1361 is located on top of the first inclined surface 211. Figure 7B As shown, the operator moves in the first direction ( Figure 7B If the operator presses operation button 210 (c), the second inclined plane 1361 moves along the first inclined plane 211, causing the switching slider 136 to move downwards, thus moving the switching slider 136 from a position close to the rack 140 to a position away from the rack 140. Figure 7C As shown, as the operator presses the button, the second inclined plane 1361 moves to the bottom of the first inclined plane 211 and can no longer move along the inclined plane. Then, as the operation button 210 continues to move in the first direction, the locking structure of the switching slider 136 moves into the first locking groove 212 of the operation button. At this time, the relative movement of the operation button 210 and the switching slider 136 is locked, and the operation button 210 is in the pressed position, so that the drive claw 130 maintains the second switching mode.

[0091] Figure 8A This is a schematic diagram of the button hole 220 according to some embodiments of this specification. Figure 8B This is a schematic diagram of the button hole 220 according to some embodiments of this specification.

[0092] In some embodiments, such as Figure 8A and Figure 8B As shown, the drive structure 100 also includes a button hole 220, and an operation button 210 is slidably disposed within the button hole 220. The button hole 220 includes a stop portion 221 that cooperates with the operation button 210. The stop portion 221 is used to apply a force to the operation button 210 in the opposite direction to the pressing direction. Under the action of the tension spring 300, the trigger 110 is reset. When the trigger 110 is reset, the operation button 210 slides within the button hole 220, and simultaneously, the operation button 210 moves in the opposite direction to the pressing direction under the action of the stop portion 221. In some embodiments, the stop portion 221 may be disposed at the lower part of the button hole 220. In some embodiments, corresponding to the pressed position of the operation button 210, the stop portion 221 may not completely cover the lower part of the button hole 220; corresponding to the initial position of the operation button 210, the stop portion 221 may completely cover the lower part of the button hole 220; there may be a smooth connection between the partially covered stop portion 221 and the fully covered stop portion 221. When the tension spring 300 is pulled, the stop part 221 can gradually restore the operation button 210 from the pressed position to the initial position.

[0093] In some embodiments, such as Figure 1 As shown, the drive structure 100 may further include a pull-back structure for pulling back the rack 140 and the tool assembly of the end effector connected to the rack 140 to an initial position, which may correspond to the position of the various components of the surgical suture instrument when the end effector is performing an initial mode. In some embodiments, the pull-back structure may include a pull-back button 180 and a stop plate 170. The pull-back button 180 is used to pull the rack 140 in the opposite direction to its forward direction. The stop plate 170 may be used to cover the teeth of the rack 140 from the side, thereby pressing down the drive pawl 130 under the action of the stop plate 170, causing the rack 140 to disengage from the drive pawl 130. At this time, the rack 140 can be equivalent to a smooth strip that can be easily pulled back. In some embodiments, the pull-back button 180 may be exposed outside the handle housing 190 to facilitate pull-back by the operator.

[0094] In some embodiments, the side of the rack 140 (e.g. Figure 1A protrusion 171 is provided on the side facing the viewer. A groove can be provided on the stop plate 170 to cooperate with the protrusion 171. The protrusion 171 can be inserted into the groove, thereby setting the stop plate 170 on the side of the rack 140. The pull-back button 180 can be connected to the stop plate 170. In some embodiments, when no external force is applied to the stop plate 170, the stop plate 170 will not cover the teeth of the rack 140, and the rack 140 can still perform its transmission function. In some embodiments, when the stop plate 170 is moved in the backward direction of the rack 140 by the pull-back button 180, the stop plate 170 can move downward based on the guiding effect of the groove, thereby pressing down the drive claw 130 and the anti-reverse slider 162, so that the rack 140 is equivalent to a smooth strip and cannot cooperate with the drive claw 130 and the anti-reverse slider 162 by engaging, so that the rack 140 can be pulled back to the initial position of the rack 140.

[0095] In some embodiments, when the rack 140 is pulled back to its initial position, the tool components of the end effector connected to the rack 140, such as the cutter and stapling device, can also be pulled back to their initial positions. In some embodiments, the pull-back button 180 can be functionally connected to the end effector, so that when pulled back, the tool components of the end effector, such as the cutter and stapling device, will not perform cutting or suturing operations; furthermore, after being pulled back to the initial position, the tool components of the end effector, such as the jaws, can open to release tissue. At the same time, the trigger 110 is reset by the tension spring 300, and the trigger 110 is at its furthest end. When used again, by engaging the trigger 110, the drive pawl 130 is moved forward, causing the working components of the end effector to perform corresponding operations, such as closing the jaws, cutting and suturing by the cutter and stapling device, etc. More details about the end effector being driven to perform operations by the drive structure 100 can be found in the related description below.

[0096] This specification provides a surgical suturing instrument in several embodiments, which may include a handle, an end effector, and a drive structure 100 as described in any of the above embodiments. In some embodiments, the drive structure 100 is disposed within a handle housing 190 of the handle portion. The drive structure 100 includes an operable trigger 110 and an operable operation button 210, etc., for operation by hand. The trigger may be rotatably disposed on the handle housing 190. The handle housing 190 may have a through hole for the operation button 210 to pass through, and a button hole 220 may be formed on the handle housing 190. The end effector may include a tool assembly with clamping, cutting, and suturing functions, such as jaws, a cutter, and a stapler. The drive structure 100 may be disposed inside the handle portion. The drive structure 100 includes a movable rack 140, etc. The end effector may be connected to the drive structure 100. For example, the cutter and stapler of the end effector may be connected to the rack 140. In some embodiments, the end effector has multiple operating modes. Different operating modes can be controlled and executed by the drive structure 100 based on the operation of the handle. The operation of the handle can also be used to adjust the operating mode of the end effector through the drive structure 100. For more information on adjusting the operating mode of the end effector through the drive structure, please refer to the relevant description below.

[0097] In some embodiments, the end effector has multiple executable operating modes, and the operator can select the appropriate mode according to clinical needs. In some embodiments, the surgical suture instrument may have an initial mode, a first mode, and a second mode. The initial mode may correspond to the initial state of the surgical suture instrument, which corresponds to the original state in which the surgical suture instrument has not performed any work. The first mode may correspond to the squeezing mode of the surgical suture instrument, in which the jaws of the end effector gradually close when the trigger 110 is pulled, clamping and further squeezing the tissue between the jaws. In this mode, tissue squeezing can be achieved by pulling the trigger 110, and the drive structure 100 does not need to drive other tool components (such as cutters) to perform operations such as cutting. The second mode may correspond to the firing mode of the surgical suture instrument, which may include push staple forming and push blade cutting. In this mode, the drive structure 100 needs to drive related components such as the rack 140 to move forward, so that the tool components of the end effector connected to the rack 140, such as cutters and staplers, can perform operations such as cutting and suturing simultaneously. The following describes the working mode of the surgical suturing instrument through some embodiments. It should be noted that the following are only examples and are not intended to limit this specification. The surgical suturing instrument and its drive structure 100 in the embodiments of this specification can be used in any other feasible way.

[0098] Figure 9 This is a schematic diagram of an initial mode according to some embodiments of this specification. Figure 10This is a schematic diagram of a first mode according to some embodiments of this specification. Figure 11 This is a schematic diagram of a first mode according to some embodiments of this specification. Figure 12 This is a schematic diagram of a first mode according to some embodiments of this specification. Figure 13 This is a schematic diagram illustrating mode switching according to some embodiments of this specification. Figure 14 This is a schematic diagram of a second mode according to some embodiments of this specification. Figure 15 This is a schematic diagram of a second mode according to some embodiments of this specification. Figure 16 This is a schematic diagram illustrating a reset to the initial mode according to some embodiments of this specification. Figure 17 This is a schematic diagram illustrating a reset to the initial mode according to some embodiments of this specification. Figure 18 This is a schematic diagram illustrating a reset to the initial mode according to some embodiments of this specification.

[0099] like Figure 9 As shown, in some embodiments, when the end effector executes the initial mode, the position of the rack 140 of the drive structure 100 is locked. For example, the stop slider 162 is pushed up by the elastic action of the spring member, abutting the rack 140 in the forward path of the rack 140, thus restricting the rack 140 from moving forward; the drive pawl 130 is located behind the latch 120, and the drive pawl 130 abuts the rack 140; the switching slider 136 is not in contact with the rack 140; the trigger 110 can be forced in the backward direction of the rack 140 by the action of the tension spring 300, and the outer handle housing 190 can be correspondingly provided with a protrusion, so that the trigger 110 can be pulled by the tension spring 300 to abut the protrusion, at which time the trigger 110 is in the maximum angle position.

[0100] In some embodiments, when the end effector performs the first mode, the movement of the rack 140 of the drive structure 100 is restricted. For example, in the initial position, the stop slider 162 is actuated, restricting the forward movement of the rack 140, at which point the trigger 110 is at its furthest end, and the drive pawl 130 is behind the latch 120, as shown. Figure 10 As shown. When trigger 110 is pulled, it drives the drive pawl 130 forward, causing the limiting part 1364 of the switching slider 136 to push the latch 120 to rotate. When trigger 110 is engaged in the set position, the limiting part 1364 drives the latch 120 to rotate beyond the limit position, and the latch 120 returns to its initial position. The latch 120 then springs to the rear of the drive pawl 130, at which point the limiting part 1364 of the switching slider 136 is located in the limiting groove 121. Continuing to pull trigger 110, the anti-reverse slider 162 is pressed down by the protrusion of the forward slider 161, beginning to release the restriction on the rack 140. At this time, the drive pawl 130 has not yet contacted the rack 140 and has not yet begun to push the rack 140. Figure 11As shown. The drive claw 130 is moved forward by the trigger 110. The claw end 132 of the drive claw 130 contacts the rack step of the rack 140. At this time, the anti-reverse slider 162 has been fully pressed down, completely releasing the restriction on the rack 140. If the trigger 110 is pulled to the nearest end, the rack 140 will move forward under the push of the claw end 132 of the drive claw 130, thereby realizing the jaw closing operation of the end actuator of the surgical suture instrument to complete the squeezing action on the tissue, such as... Figure 12 As shown. In some embodiments, the trigger 110 rotates distally, and the limiting part 1364 abuts against the latch 120, thereby pushing the rack 140 to move backward, thus realizing the jaw opening operation of the end effector of the surgical suture instrument. Since the limiting part 1364 of the switching slider 136 remains within the limiting groove 121 throughout the process and does not disengage, the movement of the rack 140 is controlled by the movement of the trigger 110. Based on the movement of the drive claw 130 and the limiting part 1364 driven by the trigger 110, the rack 140 can move forward and backward within a certain range, thereby realizing the closing and opening of the end effector.

[0101] In some embodiments, the operator can switch the surgical suture instrument mode via button 210, that is, switch from a first mode to a second mode. For example, such as... Figure 13 As shown, the operator can release the trigger 110, which automatically returns to its initial position under the action of the tension spring 300. Finally, the trigger 110 and the drive pawl 130 are limited by the latch 120. The operator can press the operation button 210, and under the action of the inclined plane, the switching slider 136 moves by driving the limiting part 1364, causing the limiting part 1364 to disengage from the limiting groove 121. When the limiting part 1364 is completely disengaged from the limiting groove 121, the drive pawl 130, together with the trigger 110, will move in the backward direction of the rack 140 to the rear of the latch 120 under the action of the tension spring 300. Under the action of the tension spring 300 and the stop part 221 of the button hole 220, the operation button 210 returns to its initial position.

[0102] In some embodiments, when the end effector performs the second mode, the rack 140 of the drive structure 100 can move forward. For example, when the end portion 132 of the drive pawl 130 abuts against the teeth of the rack 140, the end effector performs the second mode; the operator pulls the trigger 110, which pushes the rack 140 forward via the drive pawl 130, thus advancing the rack 140. Figure 14As shown. In this mode (and in other cases besides the squeezing mode), the limiting part 1364 can be located within the clearance groove 141 of the rack 140, thus not affecting the movement of the rack 140. In some embodiments, the tool assembly of a surgical suturing instrument connected to the rack 140, such as a cutter and stapler, can perform tissue cutting and suturing based on the forward movement of the rack 140; when the operator releases the trigger 110, the drive pawl 130, together with the trigger 110, can retract under the action of the tension spring 300, and the anti-retraction slider 162 is springed up under the action of the spring member, pressing against the teeth of the rack 140, thereby limiting the retraction of the rack 140, as shown. Figure 15 As shown. After the rack 140 has completed its entire stroke (corresponding to the user completing the sewing), the drive pawl 130 and the anti-reverse slider 162 can abut against the teeth of the rack 140, thereby limiting the retraction of the rack 140, as shown. Figure 16 As shown; the operator manually moves the pull-back button 180 in the backward direction of the rack 140. The stop plate 170 responds to the pull-back button by moving downwards, guided by the inclined groove, and abuts against the drive pawl 130 and the anti-reverse slider 162, thereby disengaging the drive pawl 130 and the anti-reverse slider 162 from the rack 140. Therefore, the rack 140 can be pulled back, as... Figure 17 As shown, this corresponds to the ability to open the jaws of the end effector.

[0103] In some embodiments, while the rack 140 is pulled back, the trigger 110 resets under the action of the tension spring 300. When the trigger 110 resets, the operation button 210 slides within the button hole 220. Simultaneously, the operation button 210 moves in the opposite direction to the pressed direction under the action of the stop portion 221, thereby resetting the operation button 210. At this time, the end effector executes the initial mode. The position of the rack 140 is locked by the anti-reverse slider 162, the drive pawl 130 is located behind the latch 120, the drive pawl 130 abuts against the rack 140, the switching slider 136 does not contact the rack 140, and the trigger 110 is pulled by the tension spring 300 to abut against the protrusion of the handle housing 190. Pulling the trigger 110, the end effector begins to execute the first mode. For more details on executing the first mode, please refer to the relevant description above.

[0104] In some instances, if the area of ​​tissue compression is unsatisfactory and the operator has not pressed the mode switch button (operation button 210), the trigger 110 can be operated in the opposite direction to the pressing action, causing the drive pawl 130 to move backward toward the rack 140. This causes the latch 120 to respond to the movement of the drive pawl 130, driving the rack 140 to move backward. Figure 18 As shown. In some embodiments, the retracting movement of the rack 140 can cause the end effector to open, thereby releasing the tissue.

[0105] The basic concepts have been described above. Obviously, for those skilled in the art, the detailed disclosure above is merely illustrative and does not constitute a limitation of this specification. Although not explicitly stated herein, those skilled in the art may make various modifications, improvements, and corrections to this specification. Such modifications, improvements, and corrections are suggested in this specification and therefore remain within the spirit and scope of the exemplary embodiments described herein.

[0106] Furthermore, this specification uses specific terms to describe embodiments thereof. For example, "an embodiment," "one embodiment," and / or "some embodiments" refer to a particular feature, structure, or characteristic associated with at least one embodiment of this specification. Therefore, it should be emphasized and noted that references to "an embodiment," "one embodiment," or "an alternative embodiment" in different locations throughout this specification do not necessarily refer to the same embodiment. Moreover, certain features, structures, or characteristics in one or more embodiments of this specification can be appropriately combined.

[0107] Furthermore, unless expressly stated in the claims, the order of processing elements and sequences, the use of numbers and letters, or other names described in this specification are not intended to limit the order of the processes and methods described herein. Although some inventive embodiments that are currently considered useful have been discussed by way of various examples in the foregoing disclosure, it should be understood that such details are for illustrative purposes only, and the appended claims are not limited to the disclosed embodiments. Rather, the claims are intended to cover all modifications and equivalent combinations that conform to the substance and scope of the embodiments described herein.

[0108] Similarly, it should be noted that, in order to simplify the description disclosed herein and thus aid in the understanding of one or more embodiments of the invention, the foregoing description of embodiments in this specification may sometimes combine multiple features into a single embodiment, drawing, or description thereof. However, this method of disclosure does not imply that the subject matter of this specification requires more features than those mentioned in the claims. In fact, the embodiments contain fewer features than all the features of a single embodiment disclosed above.

[0109] In some embodiments, numbers describing the quantity of components and attributes are used. It should be understood that such numbers used in the description of embodiments are modified in some examples with the terms "approximately," "approximately," or "generally." Unless otherwise stated, "approximately," "approximately," or "generally" indicates that the numbers are allowed to vary by ±20%. Accordingly, in some embodiments, the numerical parameters used in the specification and claims are approximate values, which may be changed depending on the characteristics required by individual embodiments. In some embodiments, numerical parameters should take into account specified significant digits and employ a general method of digit reservation. Although the numerical ranges and parameters used to confirm their breadth of range in some embodiments of this specification are approximate values, in specific embodiments, such values ​​are set as precisely as feasible.

[0110] For each patent, patent application, patent application publication, and other material, such as articles, books, specifications, publications, and documents, referenced in this specification, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. This excludes historical application documents that are inconsistent with or conflict with the content of this specification, as well as documents that limit the broadest scope of the claims in this specification (currently or subsequently appended to this specification). It should be noted that in the event of any inconsistency or conflict between the descriptions, definitions, and / or terminology used in the supplementary materials to this specification and the content of this specification, the descriptions, definitions, and / or terminology used in this specification shall prevail.

[0111] Finally, it should be understood that the embodiments described in this specification are merely illustrative of the principles of the embodiments described herein. Other variations may also fall within the scope of this specification. Therefore, alternative configurations of the embodiments described herein are intended to be illustrative rather than limiting, and should be considered consistent with the teachings of this specification. Accordingly, the embodiments described herein are not limited to those explicitly introduced and described herein.

Claims

1. A drive structure for a surgical stapling instrument, the drive structure (100) being disposed in a handle housing (190) of a handle portion of the surgical stapling instrument, characterized in that, The drive structure (100) includes: A trigger (110) is rotatably mounted on the handle housing (190). A rack (140) is slidably mounted on the handle housing (190). A drive pawl (130) is movably connected to the trigger (110). The mode switching mechanism includes a latch (120) pivotally connected to the rack (140), an operable switching slider (136), and a limiting part (1364) fixedly connected to the switching slider (136). The switching slider (136) drives the limiting part (1364) to move between a first position and a second position, so that the driving claw (130) can switch between a first driving mode and a second driving mode. When the limiting part (1364) switches from the first position to the second position, it switches from a state in which it is restricted within a preset stroke by the latch (120) to a state in which it is released from restriction, thereby allowing the driving claw (130) to switch from the first driving mode to the second driving mode. The rack (140) has a stop (142) that abuts against the latch (120) to limit the angle of rotation of the latch (120) toward the proximal end of the rack (140); The rack (140) includes a limiting groove (121), and the latch (120) is pivotally disposed at the proximal end of the limiting groove (121).

2. The driving structure according to claim 1, characterized in that, The rack (140) is provided with a clearance groove (141) along the rack extension direction. The clearance groove (141) is located on the side of the rack (140) near the drive claw (130) and on the side near the end of the limiting groove (121), and communicates with the limiting groove (121). The clearance groove (141) can accommodate the limiting part (1364).

3. The driving structure according to claim 1, characterized in that, The latch (120) includes a resilient reset member, and the latch (120) is connected to the rack (140) via the resilient reset member.

4. The driving structure according to claim 3, characterized in that, The elastic reset member includes a tension spring (122), one end of which is connected to the rack (140), and the other end of which is connected to the latch (120).

5. The driving structure according to claim 1, characterized in that, The rack (140) is provided with rack steps and multiple teeth; the drive pawl (130) engages with the rack steps or the teeth to push the rack (140) forward.

6. The driving structure according to claim 1, characterized in that, The drive pawl (130) includes a main body (131) and a pawl end (132). The main body (131) is fixedly connected to the pawl end (132). The main body (131) is pivotally connected to the trigger (110). The main body (131) has an opening for the limiting part (1364) to pass through. The pawl end (132) is used to push against the rack (140).

7. The driving structure according to claim 1, characterized in that, The mode switching mechanism also includes an operation button (210), which is pressable on the trigger (110). The switching slider (136) is connected to the operation button (210). The operation button (210) moves between an initial position and a pressed position. When the operation button (210) is pressed and moves from the initial position to the pressed position, the operation button (210) drives the switching slider (136) to move the limiting part (1364) from the first position to the second position.

8. The driving structure according to claim 7, characterized in that, The trigger (110) is provided with a receiving groove, the switching slider (136) is provided in the receiving groove, and an elastic element (134) is provided between the switching slider (136) and the bottom of the receiving groove.

9. A surgical suturing instrument, characterized in that, The device includes a handle, an end effector, and a drive structure (100). The drive structure (100) is disposed within the handle housing (190) of the handle. The operation of the handle adjusts the working mode of the end effector through the drive structure (100). The drive structure (100) includes the drive structure (100) according to any one of claims 1-8.

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