Robert F Laird

US Patent:

8623044, Jan 7, 2014

Filed:

Apr 12, 2010

Appl. No.:

12/758284

Inventors:

Richard W. Timm - Cincinnati OH, US
Suzanne E. Thompson - West Chester OH, US
John V. Hunt - Cincinnati OH, US
Gavin M. Monson - Oxford OH, US
Omar J. Vakharia - Cincinnati OH, US
Robert J. Laird - Morrow OH, US

Assignee:

Ethicon Endo-Surgery, Inc. - Cincinnati OH

International Classification:

A61B 17/00
A61B 18/12

US Classification:

606205, 606 45, 606 51, 606207

Abstract:

Various embodiments are directed to a surgical instrument comprising a handle, a shaft coupled to the handle and extending along a longitudinal axis, an end effector, and a cable. The end effector may comprise a first jaw member, a second jaw member and a reciprocating member. The cable may extend distally from the handle through the shaft to a first pulley of the first jaw member. From the first pulley, the cable may extend proximally to the reciprocating member, such that proximally directed motion of the cable exerts a distally directed force on the reciprocating member.

US Patent:

20110238065, Sep 29, 2011

Filed:

Mar 26, 2010

Appl. No.:

12/732992

Inventors:

John V. Hunt - Cincinnati OH, US
Robert J. Laird - Morrow OH, US
Omar J. Vakharia - Cincinnati OH, US
Richard W. Timm - Cincinnati OH, US
Gavin M. Monson - Oxford OH, US
Suzanne E. Thompson - West Chester OH, US

Assignee:

Ethicon Endo-Surgery, Inc. - Cincinnati OH

International Classification:

A61B 18/14

US Classification:

606 45

Abstract:

A surgical instrument is provided that can comprise and end effector including two jaws and a cutting member configured to move between the jaws. In at least one embodiment, one or both of the jaws may be flexible, such that a jaw is configured to flex when gripping tissue. Further, at least one of the jaws may include a thin cross-sectional area such that the jaw flexes when gripping tissue. Additionally, in at least one embodiment, one or more compression elements may extend from the cutting member and may be configured to cause the jaws to close when the cutting member is advanced. The compression elements may comprise a roller and/or a low-friction material. Moreover, in at least one embodiment, one or both of the jaws may be precurved, away from the cutting member's longitudinal axis. Accordingly, in various embodiments, the overall force required to advance the cutting member and/or close the jaws may be reduced.

US Patent:

20110251612, Oct 13, 2011

Filed:

Apr 12, 2010

Appl. No.:

12/758253

Inventors:

Craig N. Faller - Milford OH, US
Matthew C. Miller - Cincinnati OH, US
Omar J. Vakharia - Cincinnati OH, US
Robert J. Laird - Morrow OH, US
Gavin M. Monson - Oxford OH, US
John V. Hunt - Cincinnati OH, US
Richard W. Timm - Cincinnati OH, US
David A. Witt - Maineville OH, US
Zhifan F. Huang - Mason OH, US
Timothy G. Dietz - Terrace Park OH, US
Jeffrey L. Aldridge - Lebanon OH, US
Mary E. Mootoo - Cincinnati OH, US
Raymond M. Banks - Cupertino CA, US

Assignee:

Ethicon Endo-Surgery, Inc. - Cincinnati OH

International Classification:

A61B 18/18

US Classification:

606 52

Abstract:

Various embodiments are directed to a surgical instrument comprising, a shaft, and an end effector. The shaft may be coupled to the handle and may extend distally along a longitudinal axis. The end effector may be positioned at a distal end of the shaft and may comprise first and second jaw members and a reciprocating member. The first and second jaw members may define first and second longitudinal slots. One or both of the jaw members may be pivotable relative to the other about a pivot point. The reciprocating member may be translatable distally and proximally parallel to the longitudinal axis and through the first and second longitudinal slots. A distal portion of the reciprocating member may define a blade. The instrument may comprise an overtube translatable distally to exert a force on a portions of the first and second jaw members tending to close the first and second jaw members.

US Patent:

20120010616, Jan 12, 2012

Filed:

Jul 8, 2010

Appl. No.:

12/832345

Inventors:

Zhifan F. Huang - Mason OH, US
David A. Witt - Maineville OH, US
Raymond M. Banks - Cupertino CA, US
Timothy G. Dietz - Terrace Park OH, US
Mary E. Mootoo - Cincinnati OH, US
Gregory W. Johnson - Milford OH, US
Jeffrey S. Swayze - Hamilton OH, US
Jason L. Harris - Mason OH, US
Foster B. Stulen - Mason OH, US
Prasanna Malaviya - Mason OH, US
Richard W. Timm - Cincinnati OH, US
John V. Hunt - Cincinnati OH, US
Suzanne E. Thompson - West Chester OH, US
Gavin M. Monson - Oxford OH, US
Robert J. Laird - Morrow OH, US
Omar J. Vakharia - Cincinnati OH, US
Christopher J. Schall - Cincinnati OH, US
Cory G. Kimball - Cincinnati OH, US
Al Mirel - Redwood City CA, US
John F. Cummings - Madeira OH, US
Andrew T. Beckman - Cincinnati OH, US

Assignee:

Ethicon Endo-Surgery, Inc. - Cincinnati OH

International Classification:

A61B 18/18

US Classification:

606 52

Abstract:

An electrosurgical instrument can comprise a handle, a shaft, and an end effector, wherein the end effector can be rotatably coupled to the shaft by an articulation joint. The instrument can further comprise a drive member and the articulation joint can comprise flexible support members which can be configured to support the drive member. The instrument can further comprise supply wires electrically coupled to electrodes in the end effector and a wire tensioning device configured to prevent the supply wires from accumulating slack within the articulation joint. The drive member can comprise a plurality of flexible layers wherein some of the layers can be comprised of an electrically insulative material and other layers can be comprised of an electrically conductive material which is in electrical communication with a cutting member in the end effector and/or electrodes positioned within the end effector.

US Patent:

20120016413, Jan 19, 2012

Filed:

Jul 14, 2010

Appl. No.:

12/836396

Inventors:

Richard W. Timm - Cincinnati OH, US
Suzanne E. Thompson - West Chester OH, US
John V. Hunt - Cincinnati OH, US
Gavin M. Monson - Oxford OH, US
Omar J. Vakharia - Cincinnati OH, US
Robert J. Laird - Morrow OH, US

Assignee:

Ethicon Endo-Surgery, Inc. - Cincinnati OH

International Classification:

A61B 17/08
A61B 17/10

US Classification:

606220

Abstract:

An end-effector assembly is configured to be attached to a surgical instrument. The end-effector assembly comprises a first jaw comprising an electrode, a second jaw comprising a rivet cavity, and a rivet. At least one of the first jaw and the second jaw is movable relative to the other jaw. At least a portion of the rivet is removably positioned within the rivet cavity. The rivet comprises a tissue-engaging portion, an elongate portion extending from the tissue-engaging portion, and a meltable portion. The end-effector assembly comprises a driver configured to move the rivet between a first position in which the rivet is stored at least partially within the rivet cavity and a second position in which the rivet is at least partially deployed from the rivet cavity. The meltable portion of the rivet is positioned against or adjacent to the electrode when the rivet is in the second position.

US Patent:

20120022524, Jan 26, 2012

Filed:

Jul 23, 2010

Appl. No.:

12/842476

Inventors:

Richard W. Timm - Cincinnati OH, US
Robert J. Laird - Morrow OH, US
Omar J. Vakharia - Cincinnati OH, US
Suzanne E. Thompson - West Chester OH, US
Gavin M. Monson - Oxford OH, US
John V. Hunt - Cincinnati OH, US

Assignee:

Ethicon Endo-Surgery, Inc. - Cincinnati OH

International Classification:

A61B 18/14

US Classification:

606 42, 606 45

Abstract:

A surgical instrument for supplying energy to tissue can comprise a jaw member comprising an electrode, wherein the electrode is configured to supply energy from a power source to captured tissue. The surgical instrument comprises a tissue-cutting element to transect the captured tissue. The rate of distal translation of the tissue-cutting element during the operational stroke may be regulated by a linear actuator, for example.

US Patent:

20120078139, Mar 29, 2012

Filed:

Oct 3, 2011

Appl. No.:

13/251766

Inventors:

Jeffrey L. Aldridge - Lebanon OH, US
Robert A. Kemerling - Mason OH, US
Mark E. Tebbe - Lebanon OH, US
Christopher A. Papa - Cincinnati OH, US
Daniel W. Price - Loveland OH, US
Eitan T. Wiener - Cincinnati OH, US
Jeffrey D. Messerly - Cincinnati OH, US
David C. Yates - West Chester OH, US
Mark A. Davison - Mason OH, US
Scott B. Killinger - Madeira OH, US
Gavin M. Monson - Oxford OH, US
Robert J. Laird - Morrow OH, US
Matthew C. Miller - Cincinnati OH, US

Assignee:

Ethicon Endo-Surgery, Inc. - Cincinnati OH

International Classification:

A61N 7/00
A61B 18/18

US Classification:

601 2, 606 33

Abstract:

A generator is disclosed to generate a drive signal to a surgical device. The generator includes an ultrasonic generator module to generate a first drive signal to drive an ultrasonic device, an electrosurgery/radio frequency (RF) generator module to generate a second drive signal to drive an electrosurgical device, and a foot switch coupled to each of the ultrasonic generator module and the electrosurgery/RF generator module. The foot switch is configured to operate in a first mode when the ultrasonic device is coupled to the ultrasonic generator module and the foot switch is configured to operate in a second mode when the electrosurgical device is coupled to the electrosurgery/RF generator module. The generator further includes a user interface to provide feedback in accordance with the operation of any one of the ultrasonic device and the electrosurgical device in accordance with a predetermined algorithm.

US Patent:

20120116379, May 10, 2012

Filed:

Jun 2, 2011

Appl. No.:

13/151481

Inventors:

David C. Yates - West Chester OH, US
Aron O. Zingman - Cambridge MA, US
Donna L. Korvick - Maineville OH, US
John W. Willis - Cincinnati OH, US
Ashvani K. Madan - Mason OH, US
Chad P. Boudreaux - Cincinnati OH, US
Kevin L. Houser - Springboro OH, US
Danius P. Silkaitis - Mason OH, US
William D. Dannaher - Cincinnati OH, US
Foster B. Stulen - Mason OH, US
Timothy G. Dietz - Terrace Park OH, US
Richard W. Timm - Cincinnati OH, US
Robert J. Laird - Morrow OH, US
Omar J. Vakharia - Cincinnati OH, US
Gavin M. Monson - Oxford OH, US
John V. Hunt - Cincinnati OH, US

International Classification:

A61B 18/18

US Classification:

606 33

Abstract:

An electrosurgical device comprises an end effector, a cutting member, and en electromechanical driver. The end effector comprises a pair of jaws that clamp tissue. The jaws include electrodes that deliver RF energy to clamped tissue. The cutting member cuts tissue clamped between the jaws. The electromechanical driver drives the cutting member. A control module commands the electromechanical driver, and regulates the delivery of RF energy to the electrodes, based on a combination of user input and feedback signals from the electrodes and from the electromechanical driver. The device may provide tactile feedback to the user through the user input feature, based on a load encountered by the cutting member. The device may alert the user when the exterior of end effector makes incidental contact with tissue, to avoid inadvertently burning the tissue. The device may include a removable battery pack to power the electromechanical driver and the electrodes.