Portable surgical instruments

Abstract

A portable surgical instrument (PSI) includes a shaft extending therefrom. An end effector operably supported at the distal end of the shaft includes a pair of jaw members. One or both of the jaw members is activatable to treat tissue. A selectively removable generator pivotally couples to the housing to energize the activatable jaw member. The generator defining one or more apertures at a distal end thereof and a pivot member disposed at a proximal end thereof. A locking mechanism configured to operably couple to the elongated shaft of the housing includes one or more locking fingers configured to releasably couple to the one or more apertures disposed at the distal end of the generator such that generator is selectively and removably engageable with the housing of the portable surgical instrument.

1 - 20 . (canceled) 
     
     
         21 . A locking mechanism configured for use with a surgical instrument, the locking mechanism comprising:
 a body portion including a channel defined therethrough, the body portion adapted to couple to a housing of the surgical instrument; and   at least one locking finger depending from the body portion, the at least one locking finger configured to releasably couple to at least one aperture disposed on a generator that is adapted to selectively and removably engage the housing of the surgical instrument.   
     
     
         22 . A locking mechanism according to  claim 21 , wherein the at least one locking finger is movable from a first position wherein the at least one locking finger is configured to lock the generator to the housing, to a second position wherein the at least one locking finger is configured allow the generator to be disengaged from the housing. 
     
     
         23 . A locking mechanism according to  claim 21 , wherein the at least one locking finger includes a claw portion configured to facilitate engagement between the at least one locking finger and the at least one aperture of the generator. 
     
     
         24 . A locking mechanism according to  claim 21 , further comprising a guide finger configured to engage a guide aperture of the generator. 
     
     
         25 . A locking mechanism according to  claim 24 , wherein the guide finger is fixed from movement with respect to the body portion, and wherein the at least one locking finger is movable with respect to the body portion. 
     
     
         26 . A locking mechanism according to  claim 21 , wherein the at least one locking finger is further defined by at least two locking fingers, each locking finger of the least two locking fingers being configured to releasably couple to an aperture of the generator. 
     
     
         27 . A locking mechanism according to  claim 26 , wherein the body portion includes two sidewalls, and wherein each locking finger of the at least two locking fingers is pivotally connected to one sidewall. 
     
     
         28 . A locking mechanism according to  claim 23 , wherein the at least one locking finger is further defined by at least two locking fingers and wherein each locking finger of the at least two locking fingers includes an engagement member disposed in a generally perpendicular orientation with respect to the respective claw portion. 
     
     
         29 . A locking mechanism according to  claim 21 , wherein the channel is configured to receive at least a portion of an elongated shaft of the surgical instrument therein. 
     
     
         30 . A locking mechanism configured to selectively couple a generator with a surgical instrument, the locking mechanism comprising:
 a body portion adapted to couple to the surgical instrument, the body portion including a channel defined therethrough, the channel configured to receive at least a portion of an elongated shaft of the surgical instrument therein; and   at least one locking finger supported on the body portion, the at least one locking finger configured to releasably couple to at least one aperture defined within the generator.   
     
     
         31 . A locking mechanism according to  claim 30 , wherein the at least one locking finger is movable from a first position wherein the at least one locking finger is configured to lock the generator to a housing of the surgical instrument, to a second position wherein the at least one locking finger is configured allow the generator to be disengaged from the housing. 
     
     
         32 . A locking mechanism according to  claim 30 , wherein the at least one locking finger includes a claw portion configured to facilitate engagement between the at least one locking finger and the at least one aperture of the generator. 
     
     
         33 . A locking mechanism according to  claim 30 , further comprising a guide finger configured to engage a guide aperture of the generator. 
     
     
         34 . A locking mechanism according to  claim 33 , wherein the guide finger is fixed from movement with respect to the body portion, and wherein the at least one locking finger is movable with respect to the body portion. 
     
     
         35 . A locking mechanism according to  claim 30 , wherein the at least one locking finger is further defined by at least two locking fingers, each locking finger of the least two locking fingers being configured to releasably couple a corresponding at least one aperture defined within the generator. 
     
     
         36 . A locking mechanism according to  claim 30 , wherein the at least one locking finger is further defined by at least two locking fingers and wherein the body portion includes two sidewalls, and wherein each locking finger of the at least two locking fingers is pivotally connected to one sidewall. 
     
     
         37 . A locking mechanism according to  claim 32 , wherein the at least one locking finger is further defined by at least two locking fingers and wherein each locking finger of the at least two locking fingers includes an engagement member disposed in a generally perpendicular orientation with respect to the respective claw portion.