Endoscopic instrument with compliant thermal interface
AssigneeIntuitive Surgical Operations, Inc.
InventorRumen Deyanov
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A surgical instrument includes a heat generating component, a heat sink, and elongate shaft, an elongate thermal conduit, and a movable contact structure. The elongate shaft extends from the heat generating component to the heat sink. The elongate thermal conduit is coupled to the heat generating component and extends within the elongate shaft between the heat generating component and the heat sink. The movable contact structure is positioned within the heat sink and is thermally coupled between the elongate thermal conduit and the heat sink. The elongate thermal conduit extends into the movable contact structure and the movable contact structure is movable relative to the heat sink.
Claims20
A surgical instrument comprising:
- a heat generating component;
- a heat sink;
- an elongate shaft extending from the heat generating component to the heat sink;
- an elongate thermal conduit coupled to the heat generating component and extending within the elongate shaft between the heat generating component and the heat sink;
- and
- a movable contact structure positioned within the heat sink and thermally coupled between the elongate thermal conduit and the heat sink, wherein the elongate thermal conduit extends into the movable contact structure and the movable contact structure is movable relative to the heat sink.
An endoscopic instrument comprising:
- a heat generating component;
- a heat sink;
- an elongate shaft extending from the heat generating component to the heat sink;
- a thermal conduit coupled to the heat generating component and disposed at least partially within the elongate shaft, the thermal conduit having a coefficient of thermal expansion different than that of the elongate shaft;
- a movable contact structure positioned within the heat sink and thermally coupled between the thermal conduit and the heat sink, wherein the movable contact structure is configured to accommodate relative motion between at least one of the heat generating component and the thermal conduit or the thermal conduit and the heat sink;
- and
- at least one spring to bias at least one of the thermal conduit or the movable contact structure to maintain thermal coupling between the movable contact structure and the thermal conduit.
An endoscopic instrument comprising:
- a heat generating component;
- a heat sink;
- a steerable elongate shaft extending between the heat generating component and the heat sink;
- a thermal conduit coupled to the heat generating component and disposed at least partially within the elongate shaft, the thermal conduit having a coefficient of thermal expansion different than that of the elongate shaft;
- a movable contact structure positioned within the heat sink and thermally coupled between the thermal conduit and the heat sink, wherein the movable contact structure is configured to accommodate relative motion between at least one of the heat generating component and the thermal conduit or the thermal conduit and the heat sink;
- and
- at least one spring to bias at least one of the thermal conduit or the movable contact structure to maintain thermal coupling between the movable contact structure and the thermal conduit.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.