Single shot electrical isolation of electrosurgical instrument end effectors
AssigneeCilag GmbH International
InventorsNiko MURRELL, Joseph NATH, Joshua RAKER, James ROGERS, Kevin MONTGOMERY
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An end effector for a surgical tool includes a jaw including a shank and a contact plate forming part of the shank, an electrical conductor including an insulation sheath and a supply conductor coupled to the contact plate to supply electrical energy to the jaw, and a jaw holder comprising a molded component overmolded onto portions of the shank, the contact plate, and the electrical conductor in a single shot. The molded component encapsulates and electrically insulates the contact plate and an exposed portion of the supply conductor.
Claims20
An end effector for a surgical tool, comprising:
- a jaw including a shank and a contact plate forming part of the shank;
- an electrical conductor including an insulation sheath and a supply conductor coupled to the contact plate to supply electrical energy to the jaw;
- and
- a jaw holder comprising a molded component overmolded onto portions of the shank, the contact plate, and the electrical conductor in a single shot,
- wherein the molded component encapsulates and electrically insulates the contact plate and an exposed portion of the supply conductor.
A method of manufacturing an end effector for a surgical tool, comprising:
- welding a supply conductor of an electrical conductor to a contact plate of a jaw, the jaw including a shank extending from the contact plate and the electrical conductor including an insulation sheath surrounding a portion of the supply conductor;
- overmolding a molded component onto portions of the shank, the contact plate, and an exposed portion of the supply conductor in a single shot and thereby forming a jaw holder;
- and
- encapsulating and electrically insulating the contact plate and the exposed portion of the supply conductor with the molded component.
An end effector for a surgical tool, comprising:
- a jaw including a shank and a contact plate forming part of the shank, the jaw further defining an internal bore;
- a jaw holder comprising a molded component overmolded onto portions of the shank and the contact plate in a single shot and defining a cable passageway aligned with and in communication with the internal bore;
- and
- an electrical conductor including an insulation sheath and a supply conductor, the electrical conductor being receivable within the cable passageway and an exposed portion of the supply conductor being receivable within the internal bore.
A method of manufacturing an end effector for a surgical tool, comprising:
- overmolding a molded component onto portions of a shank and a contact plate of a jaw in a single shot and thereby forming a jaw holder, the jaw further defining an internal bore;
- defining a cable passageway in the molded component in the single shot, the cable passageway being aligned with and in communication with the internal bore;
- advancing an electrical conductor including an insulation sheath and a supply conductor into the cable passageway;
- receiving an exposed portion of the supply conductor within the internal bore;
- and
- coupling the exposed portion of the supply conductor to the jaw at the internal bore to thereby supply electrical energy to the jaw.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.