Surgical instrument

Abstract

A surgical instrument that includes an instrument shaft having proximal and distal ends, a tool disposed from the distal end of the instrument shaft, a control handle disposed from the proximal end of the instrument shaft, a distal motion member for coupling the distal end of the instrument shaft to the tool, a proximal motion member for coupling the proximal end of the instrument shaft to the handle, actuation means extending between the distal and proximal motion members for coupling motion of the proximal motion member to the distal motion member for controlling the positioning of the tool, a rotation knob disposed adjacent the control handle and rotatable relative to the control handle for causing a corresponding rotation of the instrument shaft and tool and a locking mechanism for fixing the position of the tool at a selected position and having locked and unlocked states. The rotation knob has a first position in which the locking mechanism is controlled to be in its locked state and a second position in which the locking mechanism is released to its unlocked state so as to allow tool positioning.

1 . A surgical instrument comprising:
 an instrument shaft having proximal and distal ends;   a tool disposed from the distal end of the instrument shaft;   a control handle disposed from the proximal end of the instrument shaft;   a distal motion member for coupling the distal end of said instrument shaft to said tool;   a proximal motion member for coupling the proximal end of said instrument shaft to said handle;   actuation means extending between said distal and proximal motion members for coupling motion of said proximal motion member to said distal motion member for controlling the positioning of said tool;   a rotation knob disposed adjacent the control handle and rotatable relative to the control handle for causing a corresponding rotation of the instrument shaft and tool;   and a locking mechanism for fixing the position of the tool at a selected position and having locked and unlocked states;   said rotation knob having a first position in which the locking mechanism is controlled to be in its locked state and a second position in which the locking mechanism is released to its unlocked state so as to allow tool positioning.   
     
     
         2 . The surgical instrument of  claim 1  wherein at least said proximal motion member comprises a proximal bendable member and said rotation knob is adapted to rotate the tool about a distal tool roll axis. 
     
     
         3 . The surgical instrument of  claim 1  wherein said control handle comprises a pistol grip handle having an engagement horn to assist in holding the handle. 
     
     
         4 . The surgical instrument of  claim 3  wherein said rotation knob is disposed at the distal end of the handle and said horn is disposed proximally of the rotation knob and on the top of the pistol grip handle. 
     
     
         5 . The surgical instrument of  claim 3  including an actuation lever supported from said pistol grip handle at a pivot point at the proximal end of the handle. 
     
     
         6 . The surgical instrument of  claim 5  wherein said actuation lever has a free end with a finger loop for receiving a users finger to control the lever. 
     
     
         7 . The surgical instrument of  claim 5  further including a release button on the handle in juxtaposition to said lever and for releasing the lever from an actuated to released position. 
     
     
         8 . The surgical instrument of  claim 1  wherein the rotation knob is supported relative to the handle so as to rotate about a rotation knob axis, and wherein said rotation knob is moved axially from the first to second positions. 
     
     
         9 . The surgical instrument of  claim 8  wherein the rotation knob is moved toward said handle to activate the locking mechanism and is moved away from the handle to release the locking mechanism. 
     
     
         10 . The surgical instrument of  claim 1  including a tool actuation cable that extends from said tool to said handle, a slider for capturing the proximal end of said tool actuation cable and an actuation lever supported at said handle for controlling the translation of said slider. 
     
     
         11 . The surgical instrument of  claim 10  including a slideway for receiving said slider, a pair of springs disposed in said slider and a rotational barrel disposed between said springs and for holding the proximal end of said tool actuation cable. 
     
     
         12 . The surgical instrument of  claim 1  wherein said locking mechanism comprises a follower mechanism disposed proximally of said rotation knob, said proximal motion member comprising a proximal bendable member and a plurality of locking cables that intercouple between said follower mechanism and said proximal bendable member. 
     
     
         13 . The surgical instrument of  claim 12  wherein said locking mechanism further comprises an expandable sphere for supporting said locking cables and a plunger engaging with a center passage of said expandable sphere, said plunger supported from said rotation knob. 
     
     
         14 . A surgical instrument comprising:
 an instrument shaft having proximal and distal ends;   a tool disposed from the distal end of the instrument shaft;   a control handle disposed from the proximal end of the instrument shaft;   a distal motion member for coupling the distal end of said instrument shaft to said tool;   a proximal motion member for coupling the proximal end of said instrument shaft to said handle;   actuation means extending between said distal and proximal motion members for coupling motion of said proximal motion member to said distal motion member for controlling the positioning of said tool;   said control handle including a pistol grip handle;   and an actuation lever for controlling said tool and pivotally supported from said handle;   said actuation lever having a free end with a recess for receiving a finger of the user to control the actuation lever.   
     
     
         15 . The surgical instrument of  claim 14  including a ball supported in a socket at the free end of the actuation lever, said ball having a hole therein that defines said finger recess. 
     
     
         16 . The surgical instrument of  claim 15  wherein said ball is freely rotatable in said socket and said hole is a through hole. 
     
     
         17 . The surgical instrument of  claim 15  wherein said ball is freely rotatable in said socket and said hole is a blind hole. 
     
     
         18 . The surgical instrument of  claim 15  further including a release button on the handle in juxtaposition to said lever and for releasing the lever from an actuated to released position. 
     
     
         19 . The surgical instrument of  claim 15  including a rotation knob disposed adjacent the control handle and rotatable relative to the control handle for causing a corresponding rotation of the instrument shaft and tool, and a locking mechanism for fixing the position of the tool at a selected position and having locked and unlocked states, said rotation knob having a first position in which the locking mechanism is controlled to be in its locked state and a second position in which the locking mechanism is released to its unlocked state so as to allow tool positioning. 
     
     
         20 . The surgical instrument of  claim 19  wherein the rotation knob is supported relative to the handle so as to rotate about a rotation knob axis, and wherein said rotation knob is moved axially from the first to second positions. 
     
     
         21 . The surgical instrument of  claim 14  further including an engagement horn to assist in holding the handle and wherein said rotation knob is disposed at the distal end of the handle and said horn is disposed proximally of the rotation knob and on the top of the pistol grip handle. 
     
     
         22 . In a medical instrument having a proximal control handle and a distal tool that are intercoupled by an elongated instrument shaft that is meant to pass internally of an anatomic body, proximal and distal movable members that respectively intercouple said proximal control handle and said distal tool with said instrument shaft, cable actuation means disposed between said movable members, said control handle having proximal and distal ends, an actuation lever for controlling said distal tool, means for pivotally supporting said actuation lever from the proximal end of said handle at one side thereof, a horn and means for fixedly supporting said horn from the distal end of said handle at an opposite side thereof. 
     
     
         23 . The medical instrument of  claim 22  including a locking means that is manually operable by a user and that includes a follower the position of which is responsive to the position of said movable members. 
     
     
         24 . The medical instrument of  claim 22  including a rotation knob disposed adjacent the control handle and rotatable relative to the control handle for causing a corresponding rotation of the instrument shaft and tool, and a locking mechanism for fixing the position of the tool at a selected position and having locked and unlocked states, said rotation knob having a first position in which the locking mechanism is controlled to be in its locked state and a second position in which the locking mechanism is released to its unlocked state so as to allow tool positioning. 
     
     
         25 . The medical instrument of  claim 24  wherein the rotation knob is supported relative to the handle so as to rotate about a rotation knob axis, and wherein said rotation knob is moved axially from the first to second positions. 
     
     
         26 . The medical instrument of  claim 22  wherein said control handle includes a pistol grip handle and said actuation lever has a free end with a recess for receiving a finger of the user to control the actuation lever. 
     
     
         27 . The medical instrument of  claim 26  including a ball supported in a socket at the free end of the actuation lever, said ball having a hole therein that defines said finger recess. 
     
     
         28 . The medical instrument of  claim 22  including a rotation control member at the distal end of said handle, said horn disposed adjacent to said rotation control member, said actuation lever supported for movement toward and away from said handle. 
     
     
         29 . The medical instrument of  claim 28  further including a release button on the handle in juxtaposition to said lever and for releasing the lever from an actuated to released position. 
     
     
         30 . The medical instrument of  claim 29  including a slider in said handle for controlling a tool actuation cable, said lever including a pivot point attached to said handle and disposed between one end that defines a socket for a rotation gimbal for accommodating the user's finger and another end that engages said slider.