Methods of manufacturing jaw members of an end-effector assembly for a surgical instrument

• US 10,231,777 B2
• Filed: 07/08/2015
• Issued: 03/19/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 08/26/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Covidien LP (Medtronic Plc)
• Original Assignee: Covidien LP (Medtronic Plc)
• Inventors: Brandt, Kim V., Fry, Monte S.
• Primary Examiner(s): Orlando, Michael N
• Assistant Examiner(s): Schaller, Cynthia L
• Application Number:
  US14/793,978
• Publication Number:
  US 20160058497A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,350 Days
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 18/1445 at the distal end of a shaft, e.g. forceps or scissors at the end of a rigid rod
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00526 Methods of manufacturing
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/2926 Details of heads or jaws
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/0063 Sealing
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/1455 having a moving blade for cutting tissue grasped by the jaws
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 2045/1695 injecting ceramic powder layers and plastic material layers
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 45/0025 Preventing defects on the moulded article, e.g. weld lines, shrinkage marks preventing defects on the preformed parts or layers B29C45/14836
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 45/16 Making multilayered or multicoloured articles B29C45/0062 takes precedence; feeding colouring materials into the injection unit B29C45/1816
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 70/683 Pretreatment of the preformed part, e.g. insert
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 70/882 partly or totally electrically conductive, e.g. for EMI shielding conductive floors or floor coverings H05F3/025; EMI shielding in general H05K9/00
• CPC Class Codes: B29L 2031/7546 Surgical equipment

Abstract

A method of manufacturing a jaw member of an end-effector assembly includes forming one or more stress-relief cavities within a sealing plate. Each one of the one or more stress-relief cavities defines a pad portion of an electrically-conductive surface of the sealing plate. The method also includes forming a stop member on each pad portion of the electrically-conductive surface of the sealing plate, performing an overmolding operation wherein the one or more stress-relief cavities is configured to prevent force applied to a bottom surface of the sealing plate during the overmolding operation from stressing each pad portion to avoid compromising adhesion between the stop member and the electrically-conductive surface of the sealing plate.

Claims

1. A method of manufacturing a jaw member of an end-effector assembly, comprising:

forming at least one stress-relief cavity in an electrically-conductive surface of a sealing plate, each one of the at least one stress-relief cavities defining a pad portion having a pad surface coincident with the remainder of the electrically-conductive surface of the sealing plate; and

depositing a material on the pad surface of each pad portion to form a stop member thereon, each pad portion surrounded by one of the at least one stress-relief cavities, each one of the at least one stress-relief cavities functioning as a wetting ring to limit the spread of the material, wherein each one of the at least one stress-relief cavities is configured to prevent force applied to a bottom surface of the sealing plate during an overmolding operation from stressing each pad portion to avoid compromising adhesion between the stop member and the pad surface of the electrically-conductive surface of the sealing plate.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein depositing a material on each pad portion includes depositing a heat-resistant ceramic on each pad portion.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein forming the at least one stress-relief cavity within the sealing plate includes forming at least one stress-relief cavity including a first portion configured to function as a wetting ring.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein forming the at least one stress-relief cavity within the sealing plate further includes forming at least one stress-relief cavity including a second portion configured to provide a stress-relief point that is offset from the pad portion.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein forming the at least one stress-relief cavity within the sealing plate includes forming at least one stress-relief cavity that is defined by a first wall, a second wall, and a third wall.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein forming the at least one stress-relief cavity that is defined by the first wall, the second wall, and the third wall includes the first wall defining the pad portion.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein forming the at least one stress-relief cavity that is defined by the first wall, the second wall, and the third wall includes providing a stress-relief point at a bottom of the second wall that is offset from the first wall by the third wall.