US 10,945,778 B2Granted

Combination ultrasonic and electrosurgical instrument having slip ring electrical contact assembly

AssigneeEthicon, Inc.

InventorsWilliam B. Weisenburgh, II, Catherine A. Corbett, Jason R. Lesko, Craig T. Davis

Life of this patent

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Abstract

A surgical instrument includes a body, a shaft assembly rotatable relative to the body, and an end effector at a distal end of the shaft assembly and having an RF electrode operable to seal tissue with RF energy. An electrical contact assembly is arranged proximally of the end effector and is configured to electrically couple the RF electrode with an RF energy source. The electrical contact assembly includes a first electrical contact secured to the body and a second electrical contact secured to the shaft assembly. The first contact is configured to electrically couple with the RF energy source. The second contact is electrically coupled with the RF electrode and the first contact, and is configured to rotate with the shaft assembly relative to the first contact. The first and second electrical contacts are configured to remain electrically coupled throughout rotation of the shaft assembly relative to the body.

Claims20

Dependent claims

A surgical instrument comprising:

(a) a body;
(b) a shaft assembly extending distally from the body along a longitudinal axis, wherein the shaft assembly is rotatable relative to the body about the longitudinal axis;
(c) an end effector arranged at a distal end of the shaft assembly, wherein the end effector includes at least one RF electrode operable to seal tissue with RF energy, wherein the end effector further comprises an ultrasonic blade operable to treat tissue with ultrasonic energy, and a clamp arm moveable relative to the ultrasonic blade to clamp tissue therebetween, wherein at least one of the clamp arm or the ultrasonic blade comprises the at least one RF electrode;
and
(d) an electrical contact assembly arranged proximally of the end effector, wherein the electrical contact assembly is configured to electrically couple the at least one RF electrode with an RF energy source, wherein the electrical contact assembly comprises:
(i) a first electrical contact secured to the body, wherein the first electrical contact is configured to electrically couple with the RF energy source, and
(ii) a second electrical contact secured to the shaft assembly, wherein the second electrical contact is electrically coupled with the at least one RF electrode and with the first electrical contact, wherein the second electrical contact is configured to rotate with the shaft assembly relative to the body and the first electrical contact,
wherein the first and second electrical contacts are configured to remain electrically coupled together throughout rotation of the shaft assembly relative to the body, wherein the first electrical contact comprises an outer contact and the second electrical contact comprises an inner contact, wherein the outer contact includes a contact arm, wherein the inner contact comprises an inner ring contact that encircles the shaft assembly, wherein the contact arm is configured to directly contact and maintain electrical engagement with the inner ring contact throughout rotation of the shaft assembly relative to the body.

5 more elements

A surgical instrument comprising:

(a) a body;
(b) a shaft assembly extending distally from the body along a longitudinal axis, wherein the shaft assembly is rotatable relative to the body about the longitudinal axis, wherein the shaft assembly comprises:
(i) a first tube, and
(ii) a second tube, wherein the first tube is translatable relative to the second tube and the body;
(c) an end effector arranged at a distal end of the shaft assembly, wherein the end effector comprises:
(i) an ultrasonic blade operable to treat tissue with ultrasonic energy,
(ii) a clamp arm moveable relative to the ultrasonic blade for clamping tissue therebetween, wherein the first tube is operable to actuate the clamp arm, and
(iii) an RF electrode operable to seal tissue with RF energy provided by an RF energy source;
and
(d) an electrical contact assembly arranged at a proximal end portion of the shaft assembly, wherein the electrical contact assembly is configured to permit rotation of the shaft assembly relative to the body and translation of the first tube relative to the second tube while maintaining continuous electrical communication between the RF electrode and the RF energy source via the first tube.

7 more elements

A surgical instrument comprising:

(a) a body;
(b) a shaft assembly extending distally from the body along a longitudinal axis, wherein the shaft assembly is rotatable relative to the body about the longitudinal axis;
(c) an end effector arranged at a distal end of the shaft assembly, wherein the end effector includes a clamp arm having an RF electrode operable to seal tissue with RF energy;
and
(d) an electrical contact assembly arranged at a proximal end portion of the shaft assembly, wherein the electrical contact assembly is configured to electrically couple the RF electrode with an RF energy source, wherein the electrical contact assembly comprises:
(i) an outer contact fixed relative to the body, wherein the outer contact is configured to electrically couple with the RF energy source, and
(ii) an annular inner contact secured to the shaft assembly, wherein the annular inner contact is electrically coupled with the RF electrode, wherein the annular inner contact is positioned in direct contact with the outer contact and is configured to rotate with the shaft assembly relative to the outer contact while remaining electrically coupled with the outer contact,
wherein the shaft assembly includes a first tube and a second tube, wherein the first tube is coupled with the clamp arm and is operable to translate relative to the body and the second tube along the longitudinal axis to actuate the clamp arm relative to the body, wherein the annular inner contact is electrically coupled with the RF electrode via the first tube.

5 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 15/967,746Filed 1 May 2018 · us provisional application
Priority: 22 May 2017
Published: US 2018/0333178 A122 Nov 2018
Granted: 16 Mar 2021
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification32 codes

A61B 18/00
Surgical instruments, devices or methods for transferring non-mechanical forms of energy to
A61B 17/320092
Using mechanical vibrations, e.g. ultrasonic: with additional movable means for clamping or cutting tissue, e.g. with a pivoting jaw
A61B 18/1206
By passing a current through the tissue to be heated, e.g. high-frequency current: generators therefor
A61B 18/1445
Probes having pivoting end effectors, e.g. forceps: at the distal end of a shaft, e.g. forceps or scissors at the end of a rigid rod

Family

Application62/509,351Us provisional application · filed 22 May 2017
US 2018/0333178 A1Pre-grant publication · published 22 Nov 2018
US 10,945,778 B2This patent

From the US filing history. Foreign family members aren’t listed.

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