阅读说明：本技术 用于手术装置的电动手柄组件 (Motorized handle assembly for surgical device ) 是由 戴维·A·尼古拉斯 于 2021-05-06 设计创作，主要内容包括：一种具有电动直列式手柄组件的手术装置允许单手操作所述手术装置,所述手术装置包含用于致动和铰接所述手术装置的末端执行器的致动器。所述手柄组件包含电池,所述电池接收在电池盖的可移动隔室中,以允许在使用后移除和回收所述电池。所述手柄组件还包含手动释放机构,所述手动释放机构允许在紧急情况下手动缩回所述手柄组件的击发杆组件。(A surgical device having a powered in-line handle assembly allows for one-handed operation of the surgical device, which includes an actuator for actuating and articulating an end effector of the surgical device. The handle assembly includes a battery that is received in a movable compartment of a battery cover to allow removal and recycling of the battery after use. The handle assembly also includes a manual release mechanism that allows for manual retraction of a firing rod assembly of the handle assembly in an emergency.)

1. A handle assembly for a surgical device, comprising:

a fixation body comprising a proximal portion and a distal portion and defining a cavity, the distal portion and the proximal portion of the fixation body each defining an opening, the fixation body having an external gripping surface;

a distal body portion extending distally from the fixation body through the opening in the distal portion of the fixation body, the distal body portion defining a longitudinal axis about which the gripping surface of the fixation body is positioned;

a firing bar assembly including a firing bar extending within the distal body portion, and a drive bar supported within the cavity of the stationary body and having a distal portion coupled to the firing bar, and a proximal portion;

a motor including a drive shaft supported within the cavity of the stationary body, the motor coupled to the drive rod and operable to move the drive rod between a retracted position and an advanced position, wherein movement of the drive rod between its retracted and advanced positions moves the firing bar between retracted and advanced positions;

a release member attached to the proximal portion of the drive rod and extending through the proximal portion of the fixation body; and

a battery cover supported on the proximal portion of the stationary body and movable between an open position and a closed position, the release member extending into the battery cover when the battery cover is in the closed position and the release member being accessible when the battery cover is in its open position.

2. The handle assembly of claim 1, wherein the firing bar assembly includes a connector that is securely coupled to the drive bar and rotatably coupled to the firing bar.

3. The handle assembly of claim 2, further comprising a threaded firing nut coupled to the motor, wherein the drive rod is threaded and engaged with the threaded firing nut, and rotation of the threaded firing nut in response to actuation of the motor causes longitudinal movement of the drive rod between its retracted and advanced positions.

4. The handle assembly of claim 3, wherein the motor is coupled to the threaded firing nut by a spur gear and a firing nut gear, the spur gear being fixed to the drive shaft of the motor, and the firing nut gear being fixed to the threaded firing nut.

5. The handle assembly of claim 2, wherein the release member is fixedly secured to the proximal portion of the drive rod.

6. The handle assembly of claim 5, wherein the release member includes a proximal portion supporting a transverse shaft positioned at a proximal end of the fixed body.

7. The handle assembly of claim 1, further comprising a hinge assembly comprising a hinge knob rotatable about the distal portion of the stationary body about the longitudinal axis.

8. The handle assembly of claim 7, wherein the articulation assembly includes an articulation nut fixedly secured to the articulation knob, and an articulation screw, the articulation nut including internal threads, and the articulation screw including external threads engaged with the internal threads of the articulation nut, wherein rotation of the articulation knob causes rotation of the articulation nut to effect longitudinal movement of the articulation screw.

9. The handle assembly of claim 8, wherein the articulation assembly includes an articulation link coupled to the articulation screw and supported within the distal body portion of the handle assembly for longitudinal movement between an advanced position and a retracted position.

10. The handle assembly of claim 9, wherein the articulation nut includes a longitudinal rib and the articulation knob defines an interior slot that receives the longitudinal rib to secure the articulation knob to the articulation nut.

11. The handle assembly of claim 1, wherein the stationary body supports at least one actuation button for controlling operation of the motor.

12. The handle assembly of claim 11, further comprising a printed circuit board supported within the stationary body, the printed circuit board including a processor electrically connected to the motor and the at least one actuation button.

13. The handle assembly of claim 12, wherein the printed circuit board includes a rotary encoder that measures the speed and direction of the drive shaft of the motor.

14. The handle assembly of claim 13, further comprising a USB port coupled to the printed circuit board.

15. The handle assembly of claim 11, wherein the distal body portion has a distal portion adapted to releasably engage an end effector.

16. The handle assembly of claim 1, wherein the battery cover is pivotably supported on the proximal portion of the stationary body between the open position and the closed position.

17. The handle assembly of claim 16, further comprising a battery housing releasably coupled to the battery cover, the battery housing defining a cavity configured to receive a battery.

18. The handle assembly of claim 17, wherein the release member supports a cross member and the battery housing defines a guide slot that receives the cross member when the battery cover is moved from the open position toward the closed position.

19. A surgical stapling apparatus, comprising:

a handle assembly for a surgical device, comprising:

a fixation body comprising a proximal portion and a distal portion and defining a cavity, the distal portion and the proximal portion of the fixation body each defining an opening, the fixation body having an external gripping surface;

a distal body portion extending distally from the fixation body through the opening, the distal body portion defining a longitudinal axis about which the gripping surface of the fixation body is positioned;

a firing bar assembly including a firing bar extending within the distal body portion, and a drive bar supported within the cavity of the stationary body and having a distal portion coupled to the firing bar, and a proximal portion;

a motor including a drive shaft supported within the cavity of the stationary body, the motor coupled to the drive rod and operable to move the drive rod between a retracted position and an advanced position, wherein movement of the drive rod between its retracted and advanced positions moves the firing bar between retracted and advanced positions;

a release member attached to the proximal portion of the drive rod and extending through the proximal portion of the fixation body; and

a battery cover supported on the proximal portion of the stationary body and movable between an open position and a closed position, the release member extending into the battery cover when the battery cover is in the closed position and the release member being accessible when the battery cover is in its open position; and

an end effector supported on the distal body portion of the handle assembly, the end effector including an anvil assembly and a cartridge assembly movable relative to each other between an open position and a clamped position.

20. The surgical stapling device of claim 19, wherein the end effector forms part of a reload assembly releasably coupled to the distal body portion of the handle assembly.

Technical Field

This technology relates generally to handle assemblies, and more particularly to an inline handle assembly for a powered surgical stapling device.

Background

Surgical devices are commonly used during surgical procedures to perform a variety of different surgical procedures, including suturing, grasping, cutting and sealing tissue, to name a few. Typically, the surgical device includes a handle assembly that is grasped by a clinician, such as a surgeon, to actuate the surgical device. Certain types of surgical devices perform multiple tasks and have different capabilities to allow the device to more easily access tissue within a body cavity. For example, powered surgical stapling devices include an actuation button for accessing jaws of a tool assembly of the stapling device, for applying staples to tissue, and for cutting tissue. These suturing devices may also include a knob to facilitate articulation and/or rotation of the tool assembly relative to the handle assembly.

During the procedure, the clinician may have to operate the stapling apparatus while performing a second task, such as stabilizing tissue. In such procedures, if the suturing device includes a handle assembly, it would be advantageous for the clinician to operate the handle assembly with one hand to free the clinician's other hand for performing other operations.

Disclosure of Invention

In aspects, the present disclosure is generally directed to a surgical device including a motorized in-line handle assembly including an actuator for actuating and articulating an end effector of the surgical device to allow one-handed operation of the surgical device. The actuators are closely positioned to each other on the handle assembly to facilitate grasping hand use by the clinician. The handle assembly includes a battery that is received in a movable compartment of a battery cover to allow removal and recycling of the battery after use. The handle assembly also includes a manual release mechanism that allows for manual retraction of a firing rod assembly of the handle assembly in an emergency.

One aspect of the present disclosure is directed to a handle assembly for a surgical device that includes a fixed body, a distal body portion, a firing rod assembly, a motor, a release member, and a battery cover. The stationary body includes a proximal portion and a distal portion and defines a cavity. The distal portion and the proximal portion of the fixation body each define an opening. The stationary body has an outer gripping surface. The distal body portion extends distally from the fixation body through the opening in the distal portion of the fixation body. The distal body portion defines a longitudinal axis, and the gripping surface of the fixation body is positioned about the longitudinal axis. The firing bar assembly includes a firing bar extending within the distal body portion, and a drive bar. The drive rod is supported within the cavity of the fixed body and has a distal portion coupled to the firing bar, and a proximal portion. The motor includes a drive shaft supported within the cavity of the stationary body. The motor is coupled to the drive rod and operable to move the drive rod between a retracted position and an advanced position. Movement of the drive rod between its retracted and advanced positions moves the firing bar between retracted and advanced positions. The release member is attached to the proximal portion of the drive rod and extends through the proximal portion of the fixing body. The battery cover is supported on the proximal portion of the stationary body and is movable between an open position and a closed position. The release member extends into the battery cover when the battery cover is in the closed position and is accessible when the battery cover is in its open position.

In aspects of the present disclosure, the release member supports a cross member and the battery case defines a guide slot that receives the cross member to guide the battery cover as the battery cover moves from the open position toward the closed position.

Another aspect of the present disclosure is directed to a surgical stapling apparatus that includes a handle assembly and an end effector. The handle assembly includes a fixed body, a distal body portion, a firing rod assembly, a motor, a release member, and a battery cover. The stationary body includes a proximal portion and a distal portion and defines a cavity. The distal portion and the proximal portion of the fixation body each define an opening. The stationary body has an outer gripping surface. The distal body portion extends distally from the fixation body through the opening in the distal portion of the fixation body. The distal body portion defines a longitudinal axis, and the gripping surface of the fixation body is positioned about the longitudinal axis. The firing bar assembly includes a firing bar extending within the distal body portion, and a drive bar. The drive rod is supported within the cavity of the fixed body and has a distal portion coupled to the firing bar, and a proximal portion. The motor includes a drive shaft supported within the cavity of the stationary body. The motor is coupled to the drive rod and operable to move the drive rod between a retracted position and an advanced position. Movement of the drive rod between its retracted and advanced positions moves the firing bar between retracted and advanced positions. The release member is attached to the proximal portion of the drive rod and extends through the proximal portion of the fixing body. The battery cover is supported on the proximal portion of the stationary body and is movable between an open position and a closed position. The release member extends into the battery cover when the battery cover is in the closed position and is accessible when the battery cover is in its open position. The end effector is supported on the distal body portion of the handle assembly and includes an anvil assembly and a cartridge assembly. The anvil assembly and the cartridge assembly are movable relative to each other between an open position and a clamped position.

In aspects of the present disclosure, the firing bar assembly includes a connector that is securely coupled to the drive bar and rotatably coupled to the firing bar.

In some aspects of the present disclosure, a threaded firing nut is coupled to the motor, and the drive rod is threaded and engaged with the threaded firing nut such that rotation of the threaded firing nut in response to actuation of the motor causes longitudinal movement of the drive rod between its retracted and advanced positions.

In certain aspects of the present disclosure, the motor is coupled to the threaded firing nut by a spur gear and a firing nut gear. The spur gear is secured to the drive shaft of the motor and the firing nut gear is secured to the threaded firing nut.

In aspects of the present disclosure, the release member is fixedly secured to the proximal portion of the drive rod.

In some aspects of the present disclosure, the release member includes a proximal portion supporting a transverse shaft positioned at a proximal end of the fixation body.

In certain aspects of the present disclosure, an articulation assembly includes an articulation knob rotatable about the distal portion of the fixation body and about the longitudinal axis.

In aspects of the present disclosure, the hinge assembly includes a hinge nut fixedly secured to the hinge knob, and a hinge screw.

In some aspects of the present disclosure, the articulation nut includes internal threads and the articulation screw includes external threads that engage the internal threads of the articulation nut such that rotation of the articulation knob causes rotation of the articulation nut to effect longitudinal movement of the articulation screw.

In certain aspects of the present disclosure, the articulation assembly includes an articulation link coupled to the articulation screw and supported within the distal body portion of the handle assembly for longitudinal movement between an advanced position and a retracted position.

In aspects of the present disclosure, the hinge nut includes a longitudinal rib, and the hinge knob defines an internal slot that receives the longitudinal rib to secure the hinge knob to the hinge nut.

In some aspects of the disclosure, the stationary body supports at least one actuation button for controlling operation of the motor.

In certain aspects of the present disclosure, a printed circuit board is supported within the stationary body and contains a processor electrically connected to the motor and the at least one actuation button.

In aspects of the present disclosure, the printed circuit board includes a rotary encoder that measures the speed and direction of the drive shaft of the motor.

In some aspects of the present disclosure, a USB port is coupled to the printed circuit board.

In certain aspects of the present disclosure, the distal body portion has a distal portion adapted to releasably engage an end effector.

In aspects of the present disclosure, the battery cover is pivotably supported on the proximal portion of the stationary body between the open position and the closed position.

In some aspects of the present disclosure, a battery case is releasably coupled to the battery cover and defines a cavity configured to receive a battery.

In aspects of the present disclosure, the end effector forms part of a reload assembly releasably coupled to the distal body portion of the handle assembly.

Other features of the present disclosure will be understood from the following description.

Drawings

Various aspects of a handle assembly according to the present disclosure are described below with reference to the drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a side perspective view from the distal tip of the disclosed power handle assembly;

FIG. 2 is a side perspective view from the proximal end of the powered handle assembly shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is an exploded view of the power handle assembly shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a side perspective view of the power handle assembly shown in FIG. 2 with the half bodies removed;

FIG. 5 is a side perspective view of the powered handle assembly shown in FIG. 2 with the half-bodies removed, the outer tube removed, and the rotation knob removed;

FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view taken along section line 6-6 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 7 is an enlarged view of the indicated detail area shown in FIG. 6;

FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view taken along section line 8-8 of FIG. 6;

FIG. 9 is an enlarged view of the indicated detail area shown in FIG. 8;

FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view taken along section line 10-10 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 11 is a cross-sectional view taken along section line 11-11 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 12 is a cross-sectional view taken along section line 12-12 of FIG. 6;

FIG. 13 is a side perspective view of the proximal portion of the handle assembly shown in FIG. 1 with the half body and battery cover removed;

FIG. 14 is a side perspective view of the proximal portion of the handle assembly shown in FIG. 1 with the battery cover in an open position;

FIG. 15 is a cross-sectional view taken along section line 15-15 of FIG. 14; and is

FIG. 16 is a cross-sectional view taken through the battery cover and battery of the power handle assembly shown in FIG. 1.

Detailed Description

The disclosed surgical devices will now be described in detail with reference to the drawings, in which like reference numerals designate identical or corresponding elements in each of the several views. However, it is to be understood that aspects of the present disclosure are merely examples of the present disclosure and may be embodied in various forms. Well-known functions or constructions are not described in detail to avoid obscuring the disclosure in unnecessary detail. Therefore, specific structural and functional details disclosed herein are not to be interpreted as limiting, but merely as a basis for the claims and as a representative basis for teaching one skilled in the art to variously employ the present disclosure in virtually any appropriately detailed structure. Further, directional terms such as anterior, posterior, superior, inferior, top, bottom, distal, proximal, and the like are used to aid in understanding the description and are not intended to limit the present disclosure.

In this description, the term "proximal" is generally used to refer to the portion of the device that is closer to the clinician, while the term "distal" is generally used to refer to the portion of the device that is farther from the clinician. Furthermore, the term "clinician" is commonly used to refer to medical personnel, including doctors, nurses, and support staff.

The present disclosure relates to a surgical device including a motorized in-line handle assembly including an actuator for actuating and articulating an end effector of the surgical device to allow one-handed operation of the surgical device. The actuators are closely positioned to each other on the handle assembly to facilitate grasping hand use by the clinician. The in-line handle assembly is received in the palm of the clinician's hand and allows the clinician to rotate the end effector of the surgical device by simply rotating the clinician's wrist, thereby avoiding the need for additional rotational mechanisms. The battery is received in a movable compartment of the battery cover to allow removal and recycling of the battery after use. The handle assembly includes a manual release mechanism that allows a firing rod assembly of the handle assembly to be manually retracted in an emergency.

Fig. 1 and 2 illustrate aspects of the disclosed powered handle assembly for a surgical stapling device 2, generally shown as handle assembly 10. It is contemplated that handle assembly 10 may be used with a variety of different types of surgical devices other than suturing devices. The handle assembly 10 includes a fixed body 12 and a distal body portion 14 extending from a distal portion 12a of the fixed body 12 and defining a longitudinal axis "X". Stationary body 12 includes a proximal portion 12b that supports a battery cover 16 that is movable between a closed position (fig. 1) and an open position (fig. 14) to facilitate placement of one or more batteries into power handle assembly 10. The distal portion 12a of the stationary body 12 supports an articulation knob 18 that is manually operable, for example, by action of a clinician's fingers, to control articulation of the end effector 300 of a reload assembly "RA" supported on the distal body portion 14 of the handle assembly 10. The reload assembly "RA" containing the end effector 300 is shown in phantom in fig. 1. In aspects of the present disclosure, the reload assembly "RA" is coupled to the distal portion 12a of the stationary body 12 of the handle assembly 10, and the end effector 300 may pivot about an axis transverse to the longitudinal axis "X" in response to actuation of the articulation knob 18. The stationary body 12 of the handle assembly 10 also includes a plurality of actuation buttons to operate various functions of the end effector 300, such as clamping, stapling, and cutting. In some aspects of the present disclosure, the stationary body 12 supports a first actuation button 20 that controls the opening of the end effector 300 and a second actuation button 22 that controls the clamping and firing of the end effector 300, wherein firing comprises stapling and/or severing tissue. In some aspects of the present disclosure, a safety button 24 is supported on each side of the fixed body 12 of the handle assembly 10. In aspects of the present disclosure, the safety button 24 must be depressed or actuated before the actuation button 22 can be operated to fire the end effector 300.

In aspects of the present disclosure, end effector 300 includes an anvil assembly 302 and a cartridge assembly 304. Anvil assembly 302 and cartridge assembly 304 are coupled together for movement between an open position and a clamped position to clamp tissue between anvil assembly 302 and cartridge assembly 304, respectively. Cartridge assembly 304 supports a plurality of staples (not shown) that are supported in pockets on opposite sides of a knife slot (not shown). The end effector includes a drive member (not shown) that is movable relative to anvil assembly 302 and cartridge assembly 304 to move the anvil assembly and cartridge assembly to a clamped position to eject staples from cartridge assembly 304 and/or cut tissue. For a more detailed description of an exemplary end effector comprising an anvil assembly and a cartridge assembly, see U.S. patent No. 10,123,799 ("the' 799 patent").

It is contemplated that end effector 300 may be permanently attached to distal body portion 14 of handle assembly 10 and need not form part of a releasable reload assembly.

The fixation body 12 extends along an axis that is substantially aligned with the longitudinal axis "X" of the distal body portion 14 of the handle assembly 10. In aspects of the present disclosure, the stationary body 12 of the handle assembly 10 includes a gripping surface 26 positioned about the longitudinal axis "X" and ergonomically configured to be gripped by a clinician. In this regard, the fixation body 12 may be slightly curved along the longitudinal axis "X" and/or include a recess to receive one or more fingers of a clinician. The actuation buttons 20 and 22, the safety button 24, and the articulation knob 18 are all closely supported to one another on the stationary body 12 to facilitate one-handed operation of the handle assembly 10 by a clinician. The stationary body 12 includes side walls that define a USB port 29, which will be described in further detail below.

In some aspects of the present disclosure, the articulation knob 18 is rotatably supported about the distal portion 12a of the stationary body 12 and includes a scalloped body 28 that includes a proximally extending finger 30. Proximally extending fingers 30 extend proximally toward actuation buttons 20 and 22 and toward safety button 24 to facilitate one-handed operation of handle assembly 12. In some aspects of the present disclosure, the articulation knob 18 supports a reload release button 32, which will be described in further detail below. In certain aspects of the present disclosure, the distance between the proximal-most buttons 20, 22, and 24 and the proximal end of the finger 30 of the articulation knob 18 is about 1 inch to about 3 inches, and may be about 2 inches. In other aspects of the present disclosure, the distance between the proximal-most buttons 20, 22, and 24 and the proximal end of finger 30 is less than 3 inches.

Fig. 3-12 show the internal components of the handle assembly 10. The fixed body 12 of the handle assembly 10 is formed of molded halves 40 and 42 that are secured together using, for example, screws 43 (fig. 5) or by welding or the like to define a cavity 46 within the fixed handle 12. Each of the halves 40 and 42 of the stationary body 12 defines an opening or portion of the opening 44 that receives the actuation buttons 20 and 22 and the safety button 24 of the handle assembly 10. The distal portion 12a defines an opening 48 that receives the distal body portion 14 of the handle assembly 10.

The distal body portion 14 of the handle assembly 10 includes an outer tube 50 that extends through the opening 48 in the distal portion 12a of the fixed body 12 and communicates with the cavity 46. Outer tube 50 is welded to collar 52 and the collar is located in slot 54 (fig. 9) between halves 40 and 42 of fixing body 12 to secure outer tube 50 within fixing body 12. The distal tip of the outer tube 50 receives a member 51 defining an internal passage (not shown) that guides a reload assembly "RA" (fig. 1) into bayonet-style engagement with the distal body portion 14 of the handle assembly 10.

The distal body portion 14 of the handle assembly 10 includes a housing 56 securely retained within the outer tube 50. In aspects of the present disclosure, the housing 56 includes a proximal housing 56a (fig. 3) and a distal housing 56b that define a through-hole 58 (fig. 7). Distal housing 56b contains an extension 60 (fig. 3) received within the distal end of proximal housing 56 a. In aspects of the present disclosure, proximal housing 56a includes an annular slot 62 (fig. 3) that receives a rib 64 (fig. 9) formed on the inner wall of halves 40 and 42 of fixation body 12 to secure housing 56 within outer tube 50. Housing 56, including proximal housing 56a and distal housing 56b, defines a channel within distal body portion 14 that guides movement of the internal components of handle assembly 10, as described in further detail below.

The handle assembly supports a motor 70 that is received within the cavity 46 of the stationary body 12. The motor 70 is secured to the proximal side of a mounting plate 72 that is secured within the cavity 46 of the stationary body 12 by screws or the like. The motor 70 is received within a rubber motor vibration damper 73 that is supported within the cavity 46 of the stationary body 12. In aspects of the present disclosure, the vibration damper 73 defines a central channel 73a (fig. 5) that receives the rib 75 (fig. 6). Mounting plate 72 includes a first aperture 74 (fig. 3) and a second aperture 76. A drive shaft 78 of the motor 70 extends through the first aperture 74 of the mounting plate 72 and is secured to a spur gear 80. Spur gear 80 defines a D-shaped bore 82 (fig. 11), and drive shaft 78 is D-shaped such that rotation of drive shaft 78 causes corresponding rotation of spur gear 80. The distal tip of spur gear 80 and drive shaft 78 are supported within stationary body 12 by bearings 84.

A firing rod assembly 86 (FIG. 3) is supported within the stationary body 12 of the handle assembly 10. The firing rod assembly 86 includes a firing rod 88, a connector 90, and a threaded drive rod 92. The firing bar 88 includes a notch 88a (FIG. 3). The connector 90 defines a transverse bore 94a (FIG. 3) and is fixedly coupled to the proximal end of the firing bar 88 by a pin 94 received within the transverse bore 94 a. The distal tip of the drive rod 92 is rotatably coupled to the connector 90 such that axial movement of the drive rod 92 causes axial movement of the connector 90 and axial movement of the firing rod 88.

The distal end of the drive rod 92 is received in a threaded firing nut 96 (fig. 7), and the threaded firing nut 96 is secured within a firing nut gear 98 such that rotation of the firing nut gear 98 causes rotation of the firing nut 96. The firing nut gear 98 and the firing nut 96 are axially fixed within the fixed body 12 of the handle assembly 10. In aspects of the present disclosure, the firing nut 96 has an outer octagonal configuration (fig. 11), and the inner surface of the firing nut gear 98 has an inner octagonal configuration that engages the outer octagonal configuration of the firing nut 96 to securely fix the firing nut gear 98 to the firing nut 96. In aspects of the present disclosure, the distal tip of the firing nut 96 defines a hub 100 (fig. 3) supported on a bearing 102.

As described above, the firing nut 96 is threaded and engages the threaded drive rod 92 of the firing rod assembly 86. When motor 70 is actuated to rotate drive shaft 78, which is fixed to spur gear 80, rotates spur gear 80. The spur gear 80 is engaged with the firing nut gear 96 such that rotation of the spur gear 80 causes rotation of the firing nut gear 98. When the firing nut gear 98 is rotated, the firing nut 96 rotates with the firing nut gear 98. With the firing nut 96 axially fixed within the stationary body 12 of the handle assembly 10, rotation of the firing nut 96 relative to the threaded drive rod 92 causes longitudinal movement of the firing rod 96, which in turn causes corresponding axial movement of the firing rod 88 through the distal body portion 14 of the handle assembly 10. The distal tip of the firing bar 88 is configured to engage a drive member (not shown) of a reload assembly "RA" (fig. 1). The' 799 patent discloses a handle assembly including a firing bar releasably coupled to a drive member of a reload assembly and a reload assembly releasably coupled to the handle assembly.

The handle assembly 10 includes a manual retraction mechanism 110 (FIG. 3) that facilitates use through the proximal portion 12b (FIG. 14) of the stationary body 12 when the battery cover 16 is opened to facilitate manual retraction of the firing bar 88 when the power handle assembly 10 becomes inoperable. The manual retraction mechanism 110 includes a release housing 112 and a release member or tube 114 that are received around the threaded drive rod 92. The release housing 112 is formed of two halves 112a and 112b that define a longitudinal through bore 116. Release housing 112 is received within release tube 114 to prevent separation of halves 112a and 112b (FIG. 3) of release housing 112. The drive rod 92 is securely coupled to the release housing 112 by a key 118 (fig. 6). The release housing 112 is coupled to the release tube 114 by a transverse pin or shaft 120. A transverse pin 120 extends through an opening 122 at the proximal end of the release tube 114 and through an opening 124 at the proximal end of the release housing 112 to securely couple the release tube 114 to the release housing 112. When the release tube 114 is rotated by turning the transverse pin 120, the release housing 112 and the drive rod 92 rotate within the stationary body 12 of the handle assembly 10. As the drive rod 92 rotates relative to the threaded firing nut 96, the drive rod 92 and firing bar 88 move longitudinally within the handle assembly 10. The drive bar will move proximally or distally depending on the direction of rotation of the firing nut 96.

The articulation knob 18 forms part of an articulation assembly that includes an articulation nut 130, an articulation screw 132, and an articulation link 134. The hinge nut 130 defines a threaded longitudinal through bore 136 (fig. 3) and includes a longitudinal rib 138 (fig. 10). The longitudinal rib 138 is received within a slot 140 (fig. 10) defined within an inner surface of the articulation knob 18. A proximal housing 56a (fig. 3) of housing 56 surrounding distal body portion 14 (fig. 1) of handle assembly 10 receives a hinge nut 130. The hinge screw 132 includes an externally threaded surface 142 and defines an internal longitudinal through bore 146 (fig. 3). The hinge screw 132 is received within a threaded through bore 136 of the hinge nut 130.

The articulation link 134 is secured to an inner surface of the articulation screw 132 by a pin 148 (fig. 3) that is secured to and extends radially outward from the articulation link 134. Articulation link 134 is slidably positioned within a longitudinal groove 150 defined within the outer surface of housing 56 of distal body portion 14 of handle assembly 10. Longitudinal groove 150 (fig. 3) constrains articulation link 134 to move longitudinally within outer tube 50 of distal body portion 14 of handle assembly 10. In aspects of the present disclosure, articulation link 134 may be formed from a proximal link portion 152 and a distal link portion 154. Alternatively, the articulation link 134 may be formed of unitary construction. Articulation link 134 includes a distal hook 156 (fig. 5) configured to releasably engage an articulation link (not shown) in a reload assembly "RA" (fig. 1) when the reload assembly "RA" is coupled to distal body portion 14 of handle assembly 10.

The articulation knob 18 is coupled to the articulation nut 130 by a pin 160 (fig. 3). The hinge nut 130 includes a proximal flange 164 (fig. 9) that is received within an annular groove 166 defined within the stationary body 12 of the handle assembly 10 and facilitates rotation of the hinge nut 130 relative to the stationary body 12 of the handle assembly 110. Receipt of the proximal flange 164 of the hinge nut 130 within the annular groove 166 of the fixing body 112 prevents longitudinal movement of the hinge nut 130 relative to the fixing body 12.

When the clinician rotates the articulation knob 18 about the longitudinal axis "X" (fig. 1), the articulation nut 130, which is pinned to the articulation knob 18, also rotates about the longitudinal axis "X". As the hinge nut 130 is rotated relative to the stationary body 112, the threads defining the through bore 136 of the hinge nut 130 engage the threads on the threaded surface 142 of the hinge screw 132 and cause the hinge screw 132 to move longitudinally within the stationary body 112 of the handle assembly 110. As the articulation screw 132 moves longitudinally within the fixed body 112 of the handle assembly 12, the articulation link 134 moves longitudinally within the outer tube 50 of the distal body portion 14 (fig. 1) of the handle assembly 10. As described above, the distal portion of articulation link 134 includes hook 156 that engages an articulation link (not shown) in the reload assembly "RA" (fig. 1) such that longitudinal movement of articulation link 134 causes articulation of the end effector 300 of the reload assembly "RA" about an axis transverse to the longitudinal direction "X" (fig. 1) of the distal body portion 114 of the handle assembly 110. The' 799 patent discloses a reload assembly comprising an articulation link configured to releasably couple to an articulation link of an adapter assembly in a manner similar to that described herein.

The handle assembly 10 also includes a locking mechanism 170 (fig. 3) that fixes the axial and radial orientation of the firing bar 88 when the reload assembly "RA" is coupled to the handle assembly 10. Locking assembly 170 would not be included in surgical stapling device 2 in which end effector 300 is securely coupled to the distal body portion of handle assembly 10. In aspects of the present disclosure, the locking mechanism 170 includes a release button 32, a connector 172, a release link 174, a locking member 176, and a reload detection link 177 (fig. 3). The release button 32 is slidably supported on the articulation knob 18 between two adjacent fingers 30 of the articulation knob 30 and is engaged with the connector 172. The connector 172 is coupled to the release link 174 by a post 178 (fig. 3). The release link 174 is slidably supported in a channel 180 defined in the housing 56 (fig. 3) of the distal body portion 14 of the handle assembly 12. The locking member 176 is supported in a recess 182 (fig. 7) in the housing 56 and extends through the slot 174 in the release link 174. The locking member 176 is pivotable between a position spaced from the notch 88a in the firing bar 88 to a position received within the notch 88a of the firing bar 88. Reload detection link 177 includes a distal end that extends to the distal end of the distal body portion 14 of the handle assembly 10 and a finger 177a that engages the release link 174.

As stated above, the reload assembly "RA" is coupled to the distal body portion 14 of the handle assembly 10 by inserting a proximal end of the reload assembly "RA" into a distal end of the distal body portion 14 and then rotating the reload assembly "RA" relative to the distal body portion 14 to form a bayonet coupling. When reload assembly "RA" is inserted into distal body portion 14, reload assembly "RA" engages the distal tip of reload detection link 177 to move reload detection link 177 proximally. Reload detection link 177 engages release link 174 and moves release link 174 proximally within distal body portion 14. As the release link 174 moves proximally, the release link 174 engages and cams the locking member 176 to a locked position in which it is received within the notch 88a in the firing bar 88 under the force of a biasing member (not shown).

When reload assembly "RA" is rotated relative to distal body portion 14 of handle assembly 10 to couple reload assembly "RA" to distal body portion 14, a biasing member, not shown, moves release link 174 distally to a position that locks reload assembly "RA" on distal body portion 14 of handle assembly 10, i.e., a position that prevents rotation of reload assembly "RA" relative to distal body portion 14 of handle assembly 10. To release the reload assembly "RA" from the distal body portion 14 of the handle assembly 10 after firing the reload assembly "RA", the release button must be moved proximally to move the release link to a position that allows the reload rotation to decouple the reload assembly "RA" from the distal body portion 14. For a more detailed description of the operation of the locking mechanism 170, see the' 799 patent.

The handle assembly 10 supports a Printed Circuit Board (PCB)190 (fig. 5) that is received within the cavity 46 of the stationary body 12 and electrically coupled to the motor 70, the actuation buttons 20 and 22, and the safety button 24. PCB190 houses the motor controller, switches coupled to actuation and safety buttons 20, 22, and 24 (fig. 3), and a processor that controls operation of handle assembly 10 to control actuation of end effector 300 (fig. 1). In some aspects of the present disclosure, USB socket 192 is connected to PCB190 and may be used to communicate with the processor to access, for example, the payload specification. USB socket 192 is accessible through port 29 (fig. 2) in stationary body 12. The PCB190 may also be coupled to the phototransistor 194 through a rotary encoder for measuring the number of motor turns. In aspects of the present disclosure, the rotary encoder is a quadrature encoder that measures the speed and direction of the drive shaft of the motor 70.

The controller may include any suitable electrical components for operating the disclosed surgical stapling apparatus or components thereof. The controller may comprise any type of computing device, computing circuitry, or any type of processor or processing circuitry capable of executing a series of instructions stored in memory. The controller may include multiple processors and/or multi-core Central Processing Units (CPUs) and may include any type of processor, such as a microprocessor, digital signal processor, microcontroller, Programmable Logic Device (PLD), Field Programmable Gate Array (FPGA), or the like. The controller may also include a memory for storing data and/or instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to perform one or more methods and/or algorithms.

Fig. 13-16 show proximal portion 12b of fixation body 12 and battery cover 16. The battery cover 16 supports a battery enclosure 200 that defines a cavity 202 for receiving a battery 204 (fig. 16). The battery case 200 includes a guide portion 206 (fig. 13) that defines a pair of guide slots 208 that receive the transverse pin 120 supported on the proximal end of the release tube 114 to guide the battery cover 16 as it pivots from its open position toward its closed position. The battery case 200 is fixed within the battery cover 16 using, for example, a screw 210 that fixes the battery 204 within the battery cover 16. The battery case 200 includes a side wall 212 (fig. 16) that defines a recess 212a that receives a rounded protrusion 214 formed on the proximal portion 12b of the stationary body 12 of the handle assembly 10 to pivotally secure the battery cover 16 to the proximal portion 12b of the stationary body 12.

The proximal portion 12b of the fixation body 12 defines a recess 220 (fig. 15) located diametrically opposite the circular protrusion 214. The battery cover 16 includes a flexible tab 224 that includes a tapered stop 226 that is snappingly received in the groove 220 when the battery cover 16 is moved to the closed position to lock the battery cover 16 in the closed position. The flexible tab 224 can be pressed inward to remove the tapered stop 226 from within the groove 220 to move the battery cover 16 to its open position. The proximal portion 12b of the fixation body 12 defines an opening 225 (fig. 14).

Fig. 14 shows the battery cover 16 in the open position. In this position, the transverse pin 120 on the release tube 114 is located proximal to the fixation body 12 and may be convenient for the clinician to use. As described above, if the power handle assembly 10 is deactivated, the battery door 16 may be pivoted to the open position to allow the clinician to manually rotate the release tube 114 by grasping the transverse pin 120 and rotating the release tube 114 to rotate the drive rod 92 relative to the firing nut gear 96 to retract or advance the firing rod assembly 86.

The disclosed handle assembly 10 and stapling device 2 place the actuator and articulation knob for actuating and articulating the end effector of the surgical device in close proximity to one another to allow one-handed operation of the surgical device. The in-line handle assembly 10 is received in the palm of the clinician's hand and allows the clinician to rotate the end effector 300 (fig. 1) of the surgical device by simply rotating the clinician's wrist, thereby avoiding the need for additional rotational mechanisms. The battery 204 is received in a movable compartment of the battery cover 16 to allow removal and recycling of the battery after use. A manual release tube 214 and pin 120 allow for manual retraction of the firing rod assembly 86 in an emergency.

Those skilled in the art will appreciate that the devices and methods specifically described herein and illustrated in the accompanying drawings are non-limiting exemplary aspects of the present disclosure. It is contemplated that elements and features illustrated or described in connection with one exemplary embodiment may be combined with elements and features of another without departing from the scope of this disclosure. Likewise, one skilled in the art will appreciate further features and advantages of the disclosure based on the above-described aspects of the disclosure. Accordingly, the disclosure is not to be limited by what has been particularly shown and described, except as indicated by the appended claims.