Surgical instrument with clamp arm and pivot shaft hinge coupling
AssigneeCilag GmbH International
InventorsJonathan D. King, Geoffrey S. Strobl, Barry C. Worrell
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A surgical instrument includes a body, a shaft assembly, an ultrasonic blade, and a clamp arm assembly. The shaft assembly extends distally from the body and includes an outer sheath and a first pivot portion such that the outer sheath and the first pivot portion are integrally formed together with each other as a first unitary piece. The clamp arm assembly includes a clamp arm and a second pivot portion such that the clamp arm and the second pivot portion are integrally formed together with each other as a second unitary piece. The clamp arm assembly is pivotally coupled to the shaft assembly via the first and second pivot portions.
Claims20
A surgical instrument, comprising:
- (a) a body;
- (b) a shaft assembly extending distally from the body, wherein the shaft assembly includes an outer sheath and a first pivot portion, wherein the outer sheath and the first pivot portion are integrally formed together with each other as a first unitary piece wherein the outer sheath includes a first lumen, wherein the shaft assembly includes a metal insert tube disposed within the first lumen, wherein the metal insert tube includes a second lumen;
- (c) an ultrasonic blade positioned distal to the shaft assembly;
- (d) a clamp arm assembly including a clamp arm and a second pivot portion, wherein the clamp arm and the second pivot portion are integrally formed together with each other as a second unitary piece, wherein the clamp arm assembly is pivotally coupled to the shaft assembly via the first and second pivot portions;
- and
- (e) an acoustic waveguide at least partially received within the second lumen,
- wherein the second lumen is axially aligned with the first lumen.
A surgical instrument, comprising:
- (a) a body;
- (b) a shaft assembly extending distally from the body, wherein the shaft assembly includes an outer sheath, an inner tube, and a first pivot portion, wherein the inner tube extends through the outer sheath defining a lumen therethrough, wherein the outer sheath and the first pivot portion are integrally formed together with each other as a first unitary piece;
- (c) an ultrasonic blade positioned distal to the shaft assembly;
- and
- (d) a clamp arm assembly including a clamp arm and a second pivot portion, wherein the clamp arm and the second pivot portion are integrally formed together with each other as a second unitary piece, wherein the clamp arm assembly is pivotally coupled to the shaft assembly via the first and second pivot portions,
- wherein the outer sheath is formed of a first material, wherein the inner tube is formed of a second material, and wherein the first material is different than the second material,
- wherein the first pivot portion includes a first pivot member, wherein the second pivot portion includes a second pivot member,
- wherein the outer sheath includes a fin, wherein the first pivot member is disposed on the fin, and wherein the surgical instrument further comprises a metal insert plate disposed within the fin.
A method of assembling at least a portion of a surgical instrument, the surgical instrument including (a) a body;
- (b) a shaft assembly extending distally from the body, wherein the shaft assembly includes an outer sheath, an inner tube, and a first pivot portion, wherein the inner tube extends through the outer sheath defining a lumen therethrough, and wherein the outer sheath and the first pivot portion are integrally formed together with each other as a first unitary piece;
- (c) an ultrasonic blade positioned distal to the shaft assembly;
- and (d) a clamp arm assembly including a clamp arm and a second pivot portion, wherein the clamp arm and the second pivot portion are integrally formed together with each other as a second unitary piece, wherein the clamp arm assembly is pivotally coupled to the shaft assembly via the first and second pivot portions, wherein the first pivot portion includes a first pivot member, wherein the second pivot portion includes a second pivot member, wherein the outer sheath includes a fin, wherein the first pivot member is disposed on the fin, and wherein the surgical instrument further comprises a metal insert plate disposed within the fin, wherein the outer sheath is formed of a first material, wherein the inner tube is formed of a second material, and wherein the first material is different than the second material, the method comprising:
- (a) overmolding the outer sheath to the inner tube thereby assembling at least the portion of the surgical instrument.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.