Method of manufacturing tissue sealing electrodes
AssigneeCovidien LP
InventorJAMES A. GILBERT
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An electrode assembly for use with an electrosurgical instrument includes a pair of opposing jaw members and an electrode positioned on each jaw member. One or both of the electrodes includes a tissue contacting surface that has an outer periphery and defines a side surface depending therefrom. The tissue contacting surface and the side surface include a conjoining edge formed at a first predetermined angle that defines a first linear transition zone dimensioned to reduce arcing between the opposing jaw members during activation of the electrosurgical instrument.
Claims14
1-18. (canceled)
An electrode for use in an electrosurgical instrument, the electrode comprising:
- a tissue-contacting surface;
- a pair of opposing lateral side surfaces;
- and
- an easement interconnecting the tissue-contacting surface and a first lateral side surface of the pair of opposing lateral side surfaces, the easement including:
- a first easement portion having a radius of curvature and extending laterally from the tissue-contacting surface toward the first lateral side surface;
- and
- a second easement portion extending between the first easement portion and the first lateral side surface.
A method for manufacturing an electrode for use in an electrosurgical instrument, the method comprising:
- forming an easement between a first lateral side surface of an electrode and a tissue-contacting surface of the electrode, the easement having a curved configuration;
- machining the easement to form a first easement portion having a radius of curvature, the first easement portion extending laterally from the tissue-contacting surface toward the first lateral side surface;
- and
- machining the easement to form a second easement portion having a radius of curvature that is different than the radius of curvature of the first easement portion.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.