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 and a locking mechanism for fixing the position of the tool at a selected position and having locked and unlocked states.

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 coupled 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;   and a locking mechanism for fixing the position of the tool at a selected position and having locked and unlocked states;   said locking mechanism including a ball and socket arrangement disposed about said proximal motion member and a cinch member for locking said ball and socket arrangement.   
     
     
         2 . The surgical instrument of  claim 1  further including a rotation means disposed adjacent the control handle and rotatable relative to the control handle for causing a corresponding rotation of the instrument shaft and tool. 
     
     
         3 . The surgical instrument of  claim 2  wherein at least said proximal motion member comprises a proximal bendable member, said rotation means comprises a rotation knob that is adapted to rotate the tool about a distal tool roll axis and said rotation knob is disposed between said control handle and proximal bendable member. 
     
     
         4 . 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. 
     
     
         5 . The surgical instrument of  claim 4  wherein said rotation means comprises a rotation knob that 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. 
     
     
         6 . The surgical instrument of  claim 4  including an actuation lever supported from said pistol grip handle at a pivot point at the proximal end of the handle. 
     
     
         7 . The surgical instrument of  claim 6  wherein said actuation lever has a free end with a finger loop for receiving a users finger to control the lever. 
     
     
         8 . 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. 
     
     
         9 . The surgical instrument of  claim 8  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. 
     
     
         10 . The surgical instrument of  claim 1  wherein the ball and socket arrangement comprises a ball member having a partially spherical portion that mates with a concave socket in the handle. 
     
     
         11 . The surgical instrument of  claim 10  wherein said handle has a distal collar with the socket formed on the inner surface of the collar and said cinch member includes an annular cinch ring that is disposed about said distal collar. 
     
     
         12 . The surgical instrument of  claim 11  including a tongue and groove interconnection between said cinch ring and collar so as to permit rotation therebetween while preventing axial movement. 
     
     
         13 . The surgical instrument of  claim 12  including a pivot piece on said cinch ring having opposed locked and unlocked positions. 
     
     
         14 . The surgical instrument of  claim 11  wherein said distal collar has one or more slot to enable the socket to be compressed about the ball member as the cinch ring is locked. 
     
     
         15 . 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;   an actuation lever for controlling said tool and pivotally supported from said handle;   and an adjustment member mounted on said lever for adjusting the attitude of the actuation lever relative to a center plane of the handle.   
     
     
         16 . The surgical instrument of  claim 15  wherein said adjustment member includes an adjustment lever for changing the attitude between positive and negative values. 
     
     
         17 . The surgical instrument of  claim 16  wherein said adjustment member includes a beveled washer means. 
     
     
         18 . The surgical instrument of  claim 16  wherein said adjustment lever is supported from the same pivotal support as for the actuation lever. 
     
     
         19 . The surgical instrument of  claim 15  further including an engagement horn to assist in holding the handle and a rotation knob 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. 
     
     
         20 . 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. 
     
     
         21 - 31 . (canceled)