Claims
- 1. A control mechanism for a resectioning device, comprising:
a first actuator coupled to a flexible drive shaft for actuating a first mechanism when operated in a first direction and for actuating, when operated in a second direction, a second mechanism; and a first lockout mechanism coupled to the first actuator for preventing actuation of the first actuator in the second direction before a predetermined amount of actuation in the first direction has been completed.
- 2. The control mechanism according to claim 1, further comprising a second actuator for actuating a third mechanism, the second actuator being coupled to the first actuator by a second lockout mechanism permitting operation of only one of the first and second actuators at a given time.
- 3. The control mechanism according to claim 2, wherein the second lockout mechanism includes a locking member moveable between a first position engaging the first actuator and preventing actuation thereof and a second position engaging the second actuator and preventing actuation thereof, wherein, when in the first position, the locking member is disengaged from the second actuator and, when in the second position, the locking member is disengaged from the first actuator.
- 4. The control mechanism according to claim 3, wherein the first actuator includes a first abutting surface which, when the locking member is in the first position, engages the locking member and wherein the second actuator includes a second abutting surface which, when the locking member is in the second position, engages the locking member.
- 5. The control mechanism according to claim 1, further comprising a torque controlling mechanism coupled to the flexible drive shaft for controlling a release, after the predetermined amount of actuation of the first actuator in the first direction has been completed, of torsional energy stored in the flexible drive shaft.
- 6. The control mechanism according to claim 5, wherein the torque controlling mechanism includes a braking member which resists rotation of the flexible drive shaft in a direction opposite a direction of rotation imparted to the flexible drive shaft by actuation of the first actuator in the first direction.
- 7. The control mechanism according to claim 6, wherein the braking mechanism frictionally engages one of the flexible drive shaft and a member extending between the flexible drive shaft and the first actuator.
- 8. The control mechanism according to claim 5, wherein the torque controlling mechanism includes a gearing mechanism which resists rotation of the flexible drive shaft in a direction opposite a direction of rotation imparted to the flexible drive shaft by actuation of the first actuator in the first direction.
- 9. The control mechanism according to claim 8, wherein the gearing mechanism includes a gear that engages one of the flexible drive shaft and a member coupled thereto for rotation with the flexible drive shaft.
- 10. The control mechanism according to claim 1, wherein the first lockout mechanism includes a clutch mechanism that engages one of the flexible drive shaft and a member coupled thereto for rotation with the flexible drive shaft.
- 11. The control mechanism according to claim 1, wherein the first actuator and the first lockout mechanism are mounted in a control handle defining a central endoscope receiving channel extending therethrough.
- 12. The control mechanism according to claim 11, wherein a distal end of the control handle is coupled to a flexible sheath through which the flexible drive shaft extends to a resection device.
- 13. A control handle for a resectioning device, comprising:
a clamping assembly including a clamping ring mounted on a first exterior surface of the control handle; and a staple mechanism actuator including a staple firing ring mounted on a second exterior surface of the body, the staple firing ring being concentric with the clamping ring and wherein the staple firing ring and the clamping ring define a central endoscope receiving channel extending therethrough.
- 14. A control mechanism for a full thickness resection device, comprising:
a first actuator coupled to a flexible drive shaft; a staple actuating mechanism coupled to the flexible drive shaft to drive the drive shaft in a first operative mode; and a torque controlling device engaging the flexible drive shaft to control a dissipation of torsional energy stored in the flexible drive shaft during the first operative mode.
- 15. The control mechanism according to claim 14, wherein the controlling device includes a worm gear assembly coupled to the staple actuating mechanism and to the flexible drive shaft.
- 16. The control mechanism according to claim 14, wherein the controlling device includes a braking assembly engaging the flexible drive shaft to retard rotation thereof in the second direction.
- 17. The control mechanism according to claim 16, wherein the braking assembly operates during an initial phase of the rotation of the flexible drive shaft in the second direction after completion of the first operative mode.
- 18. The control mechanism according to claim 14, further comprising a rigid drive shaft coupled between the staple actuating mechanism and the flexible drive shaft and wherein the controlling device is mounted within a casing and includes a double clutch assembly having a casing, and first and second rotational assemblies moveably mounted within the casing, the first rotational assembly being selectively couplable to the second rotational assembly, to the casing, and to the rigid drive shaft, the second rotational assembly being coupled to the staple actuating mechanism and being selectively coupleable to the rigid drive shaft.
- 19. The control mechanism according to claim 14, wherein the controlling device is a torsion balancing assembly, the torsion balancing assembly including a mechanism for preloading the flexible drive shaft with a torque opposite in direction to that stored in the flexible drive shaft during the first operative mode.
- 20. The control mechanism according to claim 19, wherein the torsion balancing assembly includes:
a housing; a nut secured to the housing; a bolt screwed into the nut; a bellville washer resting between the bolt and the nut; a ratchet assembly engaging the rigid drive shaft and moveably mounted within the housing; and a spring biasing the ratchet assembly towards the bolt, a distal end of the spring being fixedly coupled to the rigid drive shaft.
- 21. A resectioning assembly for controlling operation of a full thickness resection device, comprising:
a flexible drive shaft; a resection actuating mechanism coupled to the flexible drive shaft, the resection actuating mechanism configured to rotate the flexible drive shaft in a first direction; and a controlling device engaging the flexible drive shaft to control, as the flexible drive shaft rotates in a second direction, a dissipation of torsional energy stored in the flexible drive shaft during rotation in the first direction.
- 22. The resectioning assembly according to claim 21, wherein rotation of the flexible drive shaft in the first direction actuates a tissue stapling mechanism of the full thickness resection device and rotation of the flexible drive shaft in the second direction actuates a tissue cutting mechanism of the full thickness resection device.
- 23. The resectioning assembly according to claim 22, wherein operation of the resection actuating mechanism in a first mode rotates the flexible drive shaft in the first direction and operation of the resection actuating mechanism in a second mode rotates the flexible drive shaft in the second direction.
- 24. The resectioning assembly according to claim 21, further comprising a rigid drive shaft coupling the resection actuating mechanism to the flexible drive shaft.
- 25. The resectioning assembly according to claim 24, wherein the resection actuating mechanism includes a staple-cut knob, and rotating the staple-cut knob in the first direction rotates the rigid drive shaft and the flexible drive shaft in the first direction.
- 26. The resectioning assembly according to claim 25, wherein the controlling device includes a brake shoe assembly having:
a clutch engaging and surrounding a portion of the rigid drive shaft; a disk engaging and surrounding the clutch, a brake pad; and a casing rigidly coupled to a body of the resectioning assembly, wherein the clutch and the disk are moveably mounted within the casing and the brake pad is mounted within the casing and configured to act on the disk during rotation of the flexible drive shaft in the second direction.
- 27. The resectioning assembly according to claim 26, wherein the clutch prevents rotation of the rigid drive shaft in the second direction.
- 28. The resectioning assembly according to claim 27, wherein the rigid drive shaft rotates inside the clutch in the first direction.
- 29. The resectioning assembly according to claim 28, wherein rotation of the staple-cut knob in the second direction rotates the rigid drive shaft in the second direction, and rotation of the rigid drive shaft in the second direction engages and rotates the clutch and the disk in the second direction.
- 30. The resectioning assembly according to claim 29, wherein the disk includes a pawl ring configured to contact the brake pad for during rotation in the second direction of the disk, the clutch, the rigid drive shaft and the flexible drive shaft.
- 31. The resectioning assembly according to claim 30, wherein the brake pad is mounted within the casing with at least one spring biasing the brake pad towards the pawl ring portion on the disk.
- 32. The resectioning assembly according to claim 31, wherein the pawl ring portion is oriented on the disk to contact the brake pad at a beginning of the rotation of the disk, the clutch, the rigid drive shaft and the flexible drive shaft in the second direction.
- 33. The resectioning assembly according to claim 32, wherein at least one of a length and a duration of the contact on the brake pad by the pawl ring portion is determined as a function of an amount of torsional energy stored in the flexible drive shaft during the rotation of the flexible drive shaft in the first direction.
- 34. The resectioning assembly according to claim 32, wherein the pawl ring portion has a dwell period of a sufficient length to dissipate an amount of torsional energy stored in the flexible drive shaft, the dissipation occurring at a beginning of the rotation in the second direction of the disk, the clutch, the rigid drive shaft and the flexible drive shaft.
- 35. The resectioning assembly according to claim 34, wherein, after the dwell period has expired, the disk, the clutch, the rigid drive and the flexible drive shaft rotate inside the casing in the second direction substantially free of resistance from the brake pad.
- 36. The resectioning assembly according to claim 34, wherein, the dwell period has expired, a tissue cutting mechanism coupled to a distal portion of the flexible drive shaft is activated by rotation of the staple-cut knob in the second direction.
- 37. The resectioning assembly according to claim 36, wherein the controlling device includes a double clutch assembly having a casing, and first and second rotational assemblies moveably mounted within the casing, the first rotational assembly being selectively coupleable to the second rotational assembly, to the casing, and to the rigid drive shaft, the second rotational assembly being coupled to the staple-cut knob and being selectively coupleable to the rigid drive shaft.
- 38. The resectioning assembly according to claim 37, wherein the first rotational assembly is decoupled from the casing and the second rotational assembly when the first operative procedure is complete.
- 39. The resectioning assembly according to claim 38, wherein the second rotational assembly includes means for coupling the staple-cut knob to the rigid drive shaft when the staple-cut knob is rotated in the second direction.
- 40. The resectioning assembly according to claim 37, wherein, when the first rotational assembly is decoupled from the casing and the second rotational assembly, torsional energy stored in the flexible drive shaft is dissipated by an unwinding of the flexible drive shaft and rotation in the second direction of the rigid drive shaft relative to the second rotational assembly.
- 41. The resectioning assembly according to claim 37, wherein the first rotational assembly includes:
a lockhousing secured to and rotating with the rigid drive shaft; a pawl ring; a first-clutch resting inside the pawl ring and surrounding and selectively engaging a first portion of the rigid drive shaft to prevent the rigid drive shaft from rotating inside the first clutch in the second direction; and a ball bearing disposed between an outer surface of the pawl ring and an inner surface of casing of the resectioning assembly selectively coupling the pawl ring and the first clutch to the casing.
- 42. The resectioning assembly according to claim 41, wherein, when the first rotational assembly is coupled to the second rotational assembly, to the casing and to the rigid drive shaft, rotation of the staple-cut knob in the first direction rotates the second rotational assembly in the first direction and rotates the lockhousing and the rigid drive shaft in the first direction inside the first clutch, wherein the first clutch and the pawl ring remain stationary relative to the rigid drive shaft.
- 43. The resectioning assembly according to claim 41, wherein the lockhousing includes a decoupling pin decoupling the first rotational assembly from the casing when rotation of the rigid drive shaft and the lockhousing brings the decoupling pin into contact with the ball bearing to move the ball bearing out of a coupling position.
- 44. The resectioning assembly according to claim 43, wherein the casing includes a decoupling cam decoupling the first rotational assembly from the second rotational assembly by moving the coupling pin out of a coupling position when rotation of the first rotational assembly in the first direction brings the coupling pin into contact with the decoupling cam.
Parent Case Info
[0001] This application is a continuation-in-part application of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/722,026, filed Nov. 27, 2000.
Continuation in Parts (1)
|
Number |
Date |
Country |
Parent |
09722026 |
Nov 2000 |
US |
Child |
09957901 |
Sep 2001 |
US |