US 9,241,731 B2Granted

Rotatable electrical connection for ultrasonic surgical instruments

AssigneeEthicon Endo-Surgery, Inc.

InventorsChad P. Boudreaux, Daniel W. Price, Jeffery T. Kirk, Jose Domingo Vasquez, Timothy G. Dietz, Richard C. Smith, Ryan M. Asher, Jeffrey L. Aldridge, Richard W. Timm, Craig T. Davis

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Abstract

A connector module for an ultrasonic surgical instrument includes a housing having a spindle and a coupling rotatably mounted on the spindle. A first conductor is mechanically coupled to the housing. A first link is rotatable relative to the first conductor between a first position and a second position and includes a first contact positioned to electrically contact the first conductor and a second contact electrically coupled to the first contact and positioned to electrically contact an ultrasonic hand piece.

Claims20

Dependent claims

An ultrasonic surgical instrument, the instrument comprising:

an end effector;
a waveguide extending proximally from the end effector along a longitudinal axis;
and
a connector module for receiving an ultrasonic hand piece, wherein the connector module comprises:
a housing defining a spindle extending along the longitudinal axis;
a coupling positioned on the spindle and rotatable relative to the housing;
a first conductor mechanically coupled to the housing and extending at least partially around the longitudinal axis;
and
a first link rotatable about the longitudinal axis relative to the first conductor between a first position and a second position, wherein the first link comprises:
a first contact positioned to electrically contact the first conductor when the first link is in the first position and the second position;
and
a second contact electrically coupled to the first contact and positioned to electrically contact the ultrasonic hand piece when the first link is in the first position and the second position.

9 more elements

A component for an ultrasonic surgical instrument, the component comprising:

a connector module for providing a rotatable electrical connection between a first conductor and a first link rotatable relative to the first conductor, the connector module structured to receive an ultrasonic hand piece, wherein the ultrasonic hand piece is configured to acoustically couple to a waveguide that extends along a longitudinal axis when received by the connector module, and wherein the connector module comprises:
a first conductor extending at least partially around the longitudinal axis and defining a conductive path;
and
a first link rotatable about the longitudinal axis relative to the first conductor between a first position and a second position, wherein the first link is configured to rotationally couple with the ultrasonic hand piece, and wherein the first link comprises:
a first contact positioned to electrically contact the first link along the conductive path when the first link is in the first position and the second position;
and
a second contact electrically coupled to the first contact, wherein the second contact is configured to electrically contact the ultrasonic hand piece when the first link is in the first position and the second position.

4 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 13/839,242Filed 15 Mar 2013 · us provisional application
Priority: 9 Apr 2012
Published: US 2013/0289591 A131 Oct 2013
Granted: 26 Jan 2016
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification15 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 18/1206
By passing a current through the tissue to be heated, e.g. high-frequency current: generators therefor
A61B 2017/00026
Sensing or detecting at the treatment site: conductivity or impedance, e.g. of tissue
A61B 2017/0003
Conductivity or impedance, e.g. of tissue: of parts of the instruments