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A surgical cutting and fastening instrument is disclosed. According to various embodiments, the instrument includes an end effector, a main drive shaft assembly, and a handle. The end effector comprising a cutting instrument for cutting an object positioned therein. The handle comprises a motor for

A surgical cutting and fastening instrument is disclosed. According to various embodiments, the instrument includes an end effector, a main drive shaft assembly, and a handle. The end effector comprising a cutting instrument for cutting an object positioned therein. The handle comprises a motor for actuating the shaft via a gear drive train, a firing trigger, and a run motor sensor for sensing retracting of the firing trigger. When retraction of the firing trigger is sensed by the run motor sensor, the motor is signaled to forward rotate to cause cutting of the object positioned in the end effector by the cutting instrument. The instrument may also include a reverse motor sensor for sensing a condition indicative of an end of a cutting stroke by the cutting instrument and a stop motor sensor for sensing a condition indicative of retraction of the cutting instrument.

대표청구항 ▼

What is claimed is: 1. A surgical cutting and fastening instrument comprising: an end effector comprising a cutting instrument for cutting an object positioned in the end effector; a rotatable main drive shaft assembly connected to the end effector; and a handle connected to the main drive shaft as

What is claimed is: 1. A surgical cutting and fastening instrument comprising: an end effector comprising a cutting instrument for cutting an object positioned in the end effector; a rotatable main drive shaft assembly connected to the end effector; and a handle connected to the main drive shaft assembly, wherein the handle comprises: a pistol grip portion; a motor for actuating the main drive shaft assembly via a gear drive train; an elongate firing trigger having an upper portion pivotably connected to the handle such that a free lower portion of the elongate firing trigger is pivotably retractable toward and relative to the pistol grip portion, wherein retraction of the firing trigger from a fully open position toward the pistol grip portion actuates the motor; a closure trigger, separate from the firing trigger, that is pivotably retractable toward and relative to the pistol grip portion, wherein retraction of the closure trigger toward the pistol grip portion causes the end effector to clamp the object positioned in the end effector; a battery connected to the motor for powering the motor; a spring connected to the firing trigger and biasing the firing trigger in the fully open position; a proportional run motor sensor for sensing retracting of the firing trigger from the fully open position toward the pistol grip portion, wherein, when retraction of the firing trigger is sensed by the run motor sensor, the motor is signaled to forward rotate to cause cutting of the object positioned in the end effector by the cutting instrument, and wherein a rate of rotation of the motor is proportionally related an amount of retraction of the firing trigger by a user of the instrument from the fully open position toward the pistol grip portion, wherein the run motor sensor comprises: a face portion that faces the upper portion of the firing trigger; a first electrode adjacent to the face portion; a second electrode; and a compressible dielectric between the first and second electrodes; and at least one sensor for sensing a condition indicative of the position of the cutting instrument in the end effector. 2. The surgical cutting and fastening instrument of claim 1, wherein the at least one sensor includes a reverse motor sensor for sensing a condition indicative of an end of a cutting stroke by the cutting instrument. 3. The surgical cutting and fastening instrument of claim 1, wherein the at least one sensor includes a stop motor sensor for sensing a condition indicative of retraction of the cutting instrument. 4. The surgical cutting and fastening instrument of claim 1, wherein the at least one sensor includes: a reverse motor sensor for sensing a condition indicative of an end of a cutting stroke by the cutting instrument; and a stop motor sensor for sensing a condition indicative of retraction of the cutting instrument. 5. The surgical cutting and fastening instrument of claim 4, wherein: when the reverse motor sensor senses the condition indicative of the end of the cutting stroke, the motor is signaled to reverse rotate to retract the cutting instrument; and when the stop motor sensor senses the condition indicative of retraction of the cutting instrument, the motor is signaled to stop rotating. 6. The surgical cutting and fastening instrument of claim 5, wherein: the gear drive train comprises a helical gear drum and a ring threaded on the helical gear drum; the handle further comprises an arm connecting the firing trigger to the ring of the gear drive train; the reverse motor sensor is positioned at a distal end of the helical gear drum such that the ring contacts the reverse motor sensor when the ring is at the distal end of the helical gear drum; and the stop motor sensor is positioned at a proximate end of the helical gear drum such that the ring contacts the stop motor sensor when the ring is at the proximate end of the helical gear drum. 7. The surgical cutting and fastening instrument of claim 5, wherein: the gear drive train comprises a helical gear drum and a ring threaded on the helical gear drum, wherein the ring comprises a sensor portion connected thereto that moves with ring as the ring threadedly transverses the helical gear drum, wherein the sensor portion defines an opening; the firing trigger comprises an arm having an end that extends into the opening defined by the sensor portion connected to the ring; the reverse motor sensor is positioned at a distal end of the opening defined by the sensor portion connected to the ring such that the arm contacts the reverse motor sensor when the arm is at the distal end of the opening defined by the sensor portion connected to the ring; and the stop motor sensor is positioned at a proximate end of the opening defined by sensor portion connected to the ring such that the arm contacts the stop motor sensor when the arm is at the proximate end of the opening defined by the sensor portion connected to the ring. 8. The surgical cutting and fastening instrument of claim 4, wherein the upper portion of the firing trigger is geared into the gear drive train. 9. The surgical cutting and fastening instrument of claim 8, wherein: the gear drive train comprises: a first set of gears connecting the motor to the main drive shaft assembly; a first bevel gear connected to a first gear of the first set of gears; and a second set of gears having a first gear geared to the first bevel gear; the upper gear portion of the firing trigger is geared to a second gear of the second set of gears; the reverse motor sensor is positioned in the handle such that the upper portion of the firing trigger contacts the reverse motor sensor when the firing trigger is fully retracted toward the pistol grip portion of the handle; and the stop motor sensor is positioned in the handle such that the upper portion of the firing trigger contacts the stop motor sensor when the firing trigger is in the fully open position. 10. The surgical cutting and fastening instrument of claim 4, wherein the firing trigger is configured to trip the reverse motor sensor when the cutting instrument reaches the end of the cutting stroke and to trip the stop motor sensor when the cutting instrument is retracted. 11. The surgical cutting and fastening instrument of claim 1, wherein the end effector includes a staple cartridge. 12. The surgical cutting and fastening instrument of claim 1, wherein the end effector includes a helical drive screw, such that forward rotation of the helical drive screw causes the cutting instrument to undertake the cutting stroke, and reverse rotation of the helical drive screw causes the cutting instrument to retract. 13. The surgical cutting and fastening instrument of claim 12, wherein the at least one sensor includes: a reverse motor sensor for sensing a condition indicative of an end of a cutting stroke by the cutting instrument; and a stop motor sensor for sensing a condition indicative of retraction of the cutting instrument. 14. The surgical cutting and fastening instrument of claim 1, wherein the main drive shaft assembly includes articulation means for articulating the end effector. 15. The surgical cutting and fastening instrument of claim 1, further comprising a mechanical closure system for closing the end effector when the closure trigger is retracted. 16. The surgical cutting and fastening instrument of claim 15, wherein the end effector comprises: an elongate channel for carrying the cutting instrument; and a clamping member pivotably connected to the elongate channel. 17. A surgical cutting and fastening instrument comprising: an end effector comprising a cutting instrument for cutting an object positioned in the end effector; a rotatable main drive shaft assembly connected to the end effector; and a handle connected to the main drive shaft assembly, wherein the handle comprises: a pistol grip portion; a motor for actuating the main drive shaft assembly via a gear drive train; an elongate firing trigger having an upper portion pivotably connected to the handle such that a free lower portion of the elongate firing trigger is pivotably retractable toward and relative to the pistol grip portion, wherein retraction of the firing trigger from a fully open position toward the pistol grip portion actuates the motor; a closure trigger, separate from the firing trigger, that is pivotably retractable toward and relative to the pistol grip portion, wherein retraction of the closure trigger toward the pistol grip portion causes the end effector to clamp the object positioned in the end effector; a battery connected to the motor for powering the motor; a spring connected to the firing trigger and biasing the firing trigger in the fully open position; a proportional run motor sensor for sensing retracting of the firing trigger from the fully open position toward the pistol grip portion, wherein, when retraction of the firing trigger is sensed by the run motor sensor, the motor is signaled to forward rotate to cause cutting of the object positioned in the end effector by the cutting instrument, and wherein a rate of rotation of the motor is proportionally related an amount of retraction of the firing trigger by a user of the instrument from the fully open position toward the pistol grip portion; and a reverse motor sensor for sensing a condition indicative of an end of a cutting stroke by the cutting instrument, when the reverse motor sensor senses the condition indicative of the end of the cutting stroke, the motor is signaled to reverse rotate to retract the cutting instrument; and a stop motor sensor for sensing a condition indicative of retraction of the cutting instrument, when the stop motor sensor senses the condition indicative of retraction of the cutting instrument, the motor is signaled to stop rotating, wherein: the gear drive train comprises a helical gear drum and a ring threaded on the helical gear drum; the handle further comprises an arm connecting the firing trigger to the ring of the gear drive train; the reverse motor sensor is positioned at a distal end of the helical gear drum such that the ring contacts the reverse motor sensor when the ring is at the distal end of the helical gear drum; and the stop motor sensor is positioned at a proximate end of the helical gear drum such that the ring contacts the stop motor sensor when the ring is at the proximate end of the helical gear drum. 18. A surgical cutting and fastening instrument comprising: an end effector comprising a cutting instrument for cutting an object positioned in the end effector; a rotatable main drive shaft assembly connected to the end effector; and a handle connected to the main drive shaft assembly, wherein the handle comprises: a pistol grip portion; a motor for actuating the main drive shaft assembly via a gear drive train; an elongate firing trigger having an upper portion pivotably connected to the handle such that a free lower portion of the elongate firing trigger is pivotably retractable toward and relative to the pistol grip portion, wherein retraction of the firing trigger from a fully open position toward the pistol grip portion actuates the motor; a closure trigger, separate from the firing trigger, that is pivotably retractable toward and relative to the pistol grip portion, wherein retraction of the closure trigger toward the pistol grip portion causes the end effector to clamp the object positioned in the end effector; a battery connected to the motor for powering the motor; a spring connected to the firing trigger and biasing the firing trigger in the fully open position; a proportional run motor sensor for sensing retracting of the firing trigger from the fully open position toward the pistol grip portion, wherein, when retraction of the firing trigger is sensed by the run motor sensor, the motor is signaled to forward rotate to cause cutting of the object positioned in the end effector by the cutting instrument, and wherein a rate of rotation of the motor is proportionally related an amount of retraction of the firing trigger by a user of the instrument from the fully open position toward the pistol grip portion; a reverse motor sensor for sensing a condition indicative of an end of a cutting stroke by the cutting instrument, when the reverse motor sensor senses the condition indicative of the end of the cutting stroke, the motor is signaled to reverse rotate to retract the cutting instrument; and a stop motor sensor for sensing a condition indicative of retraction of the cutting instrument, when the stop motor sensor senses the condition indicative of retraction of the cutting instrument, the motor is signaled to stop rotating, wherein: the gear drive train comprises a helical gear drum and a ring threaded on the helical gear drum, wherein the ring comprises a sensor portion connected thereto that moves with ring as the ring threadedly transverses the helical gear drum, wherein the sensor portion defines an opening; the firing trigger comprises an arm having an end that extends into the opening defined by the sensor portion connected to the ring; the reverse motor sensor is positioned at a distal end of the opening defined by the sensor portion connected to the ring such that the arm contacts the reverse motor sensor when the arm is at the distal end of the opening defined by the sensor portion connected to the ring; and the stop motor sensor is positioned at a proximate end of the opening defined by sensor portion connected to the ring such that the arm contacts the stop motor sensor when the arm is at the proximate end of the opening defined by the sensor portion connected to the ring.