US 11,998,227 B2Granted

Ultrasonic surgical instrument with a distally grounded acoustic waveguide

AssigneeCilag GmbH International

InventorsBrian D. Black, Matthew T. Stone, Andrew T. Beckman, Charles J. Scheib

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Abstract

An ultrasonic surgical instrument includes an end effector, a shaft assembly, and a waveguide grounding feature. The end effector includes an ultrasonic blade and a clamp arm movable between an open position and a closed position. The shaft assembly includes a proximal shaft portion extending along a longitudinal axis, an acoustic waveguide extending proximally from the ultrasonic blade, a distal shaft portion extending along a distal axis, and an articulation section interposed between the proximal shaft portion and the distal shaft portion. The articulation section can deflect the distal shaft portion and the end effector relative to the longitudinal axis between a straight configuration and an articulated configuration. The waveguide grounding feature inhibits the ultrasonic blade from shifting relative to the clamp arm along the distal axis as the end effector is driven between the straight configuration and the articulated configuration.

Claims19

Dependent claims

An ultrasonic surgical instrument, comprising:

(a) an end effector, wherein the end effector comprises:
(i) an ultrasonic blade, and
(ii) a clamp arm configured to move relative to the ultrasonic blade between an open position and a closed position;
(b) a shaft assembly, comprising:
(i) a proximal shaft portion extending along a longitudinal axis,
(ii) an acoustic waveguide extending proximally from the ultrasonic blade to a proximal waveguide end, wherein the acoustic waveguide comprises a flexible portion,
(iii) a distal shaft portion extending along a distal axis, and
(iv) an articulation section interposed between the proximal shaft portion and the distal shaft portion, wherein the flexible portion of the acoustic waveguide extends along the articulation section, wherein the articulation section is configured to deflect the distal shaft portion and the end effector relative to the longitudinal axis between a straight configuration and an articulated configuration;
and
(c) a waveguide grounding feature associated with the distal shaft portion and positioned closer to the ultrasonic blade than the proximal waveguide end, wherein the waveguide grounding feature is configured to inhibit the ultrasonic blade from shifting relative to the clamp arm along the distal axis as the end effector is driven between the straight configuration and the articulated configuration,
wherein the acoustic waveguide comprises a distal flange housed within the distal shaft portion, and wherein the waveguide grounding feature is engaged with the distal flange.

8 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 17/076,959Filed 22 Oct 2020
Published: US 2022/0125464 A128 Apr 2022
Granted: 4 Jun 2024
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification14 codes

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 34/37
Surgical robots: leader-follower robots
A61B 34/71
Manipulators specially adapted for use in surgery: manipulators operated by drive cable mechanisms
A61B 2017/00314
Constructional details of the flexible means: separate linked members

Family

US 2022/0125464 A1Pre-grant publication · published 28 Apr 2022
US 11,998,227 B2This patent

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

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