Apparatus for tissue cutting and sealing
AssigneeAesculap AG
InventorsErik Walberg, Brandon Loudermilk
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An electrosurgical device for cutting and sealing tissue includes an upper jaw located at a distal end of the electrosurgical device that opposes a lower jaw. The lower jaw is pivotally connected to the upper jaw by a pivot connection. The pivot connection includes a passage that contains a portion of the upper jaw. The upper jaw is axially displaceable through the passage to pivot the upper jaw relative to the lower jaw between a relatively open condition and a relatively closed condition. The upper jaw and lower jaw are operable in the relatively closed condition to deliver RF energy to tissue.
Claims31
An electrosurgical device for cutting and sealing tissue, the electrosurgical device comprising:
- an upper jaw located at a distal end of the electrosurgical device;
- a lower jaw opposing the upper jaw;
- and
- a pivot connection that pivotally connects the upper jaw to the lower jaw,
- wherein the pivot connection comprises a first passage that contains a portion of the upper jaw, the upper jaw being axially displaceable through the first passage to pivot the upper jaw relative to the lower jaw between an open condition and a closed condition, the upper jaw and the lower jaw operable in the closed condition to deliver RF energy to tissue,
- wherein one of the upper jaw and the lower jaw defines a second passage,
- wherein the electrosurgical device comprises an actuation wire looped through the second passage of said one of the upper jaw and the lower jaw,
- wherein the actuation wire comprises a first actuation wire section and a second actuation wire section, the first actuation wire section crossing over the second actuation wire section so that the first actuation wire section and the second actuation wire section exert equal forces on said one of the upper jaw and the lower jaw through which the actuation wire is looped.
An electrosurgical device for cutting and sealing tissue, the electrosurgical device comprising:
- an upper jaw located at a distal end of the electrosurgical device;
- a lower jaw opposing the upper jaw;
- a pivot connection that pivotally connects the upper jaw to the lower jaw;
- a passage defined in one of the upper jaw and the lower jaw;
- and
- an actuation wire looped through the passage in said one of the upper jaw and the lower jaw,
- wherein the actuation wire comprises a first actuation wire section and a second actuation wire section, the first actuation wire section crossing over the second actuation wire section at a cross-over point so that the first actuation wire section and the second actuation wire section exert equal forces on said one of the upper jaw and the lower jaw through which the actuation wire is looped.
An electrosurgical device for cutting and sealing tissue, the electrosurgical device comprising:
- an upper jaw located at a distal end of the electrosurgical device;
- a lower jaw opposing the upper jaw;
- a pivot connection that pivotally connects the upper jaw to the lower jaw;
- an elongated shaft;
- and
- a wrist mechanism between the elongated shaft and the upper and lower jaws,
- wherein the upper and lower jaws are displaceable at the wrist mechanism to allow the upper and lower jaws to bend relative to the elongated shaft,
- wherein the wrist mechanism comprises a wrist section, the wrist section comprising a vertebra and a bushing, wherein the vertebra and the bushing define a non-circular pivot interface formed between the vertebra and the bushing;
- and
- wherein the wrist section comprises a self-straightening coupling between the vertebra and the bushing to urge the upper and lower jaws towards a centered position.
An electrosurgical device for cutting and sealing tissue, the electrosurgical device comprising:
- an upper jaw located at a distal end of the electrosurgical device;
- a lower jaw opposing the upper jaw;
- a pivot connection that pivotally connects the upper jaw to the lower jaw;
- and
- an articulation mechanism for controlling bending or turning motion of the upper jaw and the lower jaw,
- wherein the articulation mechanism comprises a housing and an indexing disk arranged rotatably displaceable in the housing, wherein the housing comprises a plurality of ratchet notches and the indexing disk comprises an indexing arm for engaging the ratchet notches to index a position of the upper jaw and the lower jaw,
- wherein the articulation mechanism further comprises an automatic locking mechanism, wherein the automatic locking mechanism comprises a passive interlock mechanism preventing external force on the upper jaw and the lower jaw from moving the upper jaw and the lower jaw out of an indexed position.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.