Universal foot switch contact port

• US 20060079871A1
• Filed: 05/16/2005
• Published: 04/13/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 10/13/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Covidien AG (Medtronic Plc)
• Original Assignee: Sherwood Services AG
• Inventors: Plaven, Thomas, Lohe, Robert
• Granted Patent: US 7,628,786 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 606/34
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 18/14 Probes or electrodes therefor
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00178 Electrical connectors
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 2201/12 for medicine and surgery
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 27/00 Coupling parts adapted for co-operation with two or more dissimilar counterparts for dissimilar contact members H01R13/35; supported only by co-operation with a counterpart H01R31/00; with a holder adapted for supporting apparatus to which its counterpart is attached H01R33/90

Abstract

A universal contact port for receiving contacts of various cross-sectional dimensions and cross-sectional profiles of an electrosurgical component is provided. The universal contact port includes a plurality of rollers each defining a corporal axis, the corporal axes being at least substantially parallel to one another; and a plurality of shafts eccentrically supporting a respective roller, each shaft defining a longitudinal axis, wherein each corporal axis is spaced a radial distance from a respective longitudinal axis and wherein the rollers are rotatable about the longitudinal axes. The rollers define an opening therebetween, wherein the opening is expandable and constrictable upon rotation of the rollers about the longitudinal axes, whereby the contact port can accommodate receipt of contacts, from electrosurgical components, of varying cross-sectional diameter therein.

Claims

1. A universal contact port for use in an electrosurgical generator, the contact port comprising:

a ring gear having a circular rim formed therein and defining a central rotational axis, the rim including a series of teeth formed therearound;

a plurality of spur gears operatively engaged with the rim of the ring gear, each spur gear defining a longitudinal axis which is at least substantially parallel with the central rotational axis; and

a plurality of rollers operatively associated with a respective spur gear, each roller defining a corporal axis, the corporal axis of each roller being parallel to and spaced from the longitudinal axis of the respective spur gear, the rollers defining an opening therebetween, wherein the opening is constricted by rotation of the ring gear in a first direction about the central rotational axis and expanded by rotation of the ring gear in a direction opposite to the first direction.

2. The universal contact port according to claim 1, further comprising a plurality of shafts for eccentrically supporting each roller, wherein each shaft includes a first end operatively associated with a respective spur gear and a second end operatively associated with the electrosurgical generator.

3. The universal contact port according to claim 2, wherein three rollers are provided.

4. The universal contact port according to claim 3, wherein the shafts of the three rollers are equally spaced from one another.

5. The universal contact port according to claim 4, wherein the opening is at a minimum when the rollers are in contact with one another.

6. The universal contact port according to claim 5, wherein the opening is at a maximum when the corporal axes of the rollers are positioned radially outward of the longitudinal axes of the shafts relative to the central axis of the ring gear.

7. The universal contact port according to claim 6, wherein the rollers are fabricated from electrically conductive material.

8. The universal contact port according to claim 7, wherein the shafts, the spur gears and the ring gears are fabricated from electrically conductive material.

9. The universal contact port according to claim 8, wherein the ring gear and the spur gears define a planetary gear system.

10. The universal contact port according to claim 9, wherein the opening is expandable to receive active contacts of varying diameters therein.

11. The universal contact port according to claim 10, further comprising at least one biasing member operatively associated with at least one of the ring gear, at least one of the spur gears and at least one of the rollers for urging the rollers into contact with one another.

12. The universal contact port according to claim 11, wherein the opening is sizable to receive contacts having cross-sectional diameters from about 2 mm to about 10 mm.

13. A universal contact port for receiving contacts of various cross-sectional dimensions and cross-sectional profiles of an electrosurgical component, the universal contact port comprising:

a plurality of rollers each defining a corporal axis, the corporal axes being at least substantially parallel to one another; and

a plurality of shafts eccentrically supporting a respective roller, each shaft defining a longitudinal axis, wherein each corporal axis is spaced a radial distance from a respective longitudinal axis and wherein the rollers are rotatable about the longitudinal axes;

the rollers defining an opening therebetween, wherein the opening is expandable and constrictable upon rotation of the rollers about the longitudinal axes, whereby the contact port can accommodate receipt of contacts, from electrosurgical components, of varying cross-sectional diameter therein.

14. The universal contact port according to claim 13, wherein the opening has a minimum cross-sectional dimension when the rollers are in contact with one another.

15. The universal contact port according to claim 14, wherein the opening has a maximum cross-sectional profile when the corporal axes of the rollers are radially aligned with respective longitudinal axes of the shafts.

16. The universal contact port according to claim 15, further comprising:

a spur gear operatively associated with an end of each of the shafts; and

a drive member operatively associated with all the spur gears for transmitting rotation to each of the spur gear simultaneously.

17. The universal contact port according to claim 16, wherein the drive member is a ring gear surrounding and inter-connecting each spur gear.

18. The universal contact port according to claim 17, wherein the contact port can accommodate receipt of contacts of varying cross-sectional profiles therein.

19. The universal contact port according to claim 18, further comprising at least one biasing member operatively associated with at least one of the ring gear, at least one of the spur gears and at least one of the rollers, wherein the biasing member urges the rollers into contact with one another.

20. The universal contact port according to claim 19, wherein the opening is sizable to receive contacts having cross-sectional diameters from about 2 mm to about 10 mm.

21. In an electrosurgical system including an electrosurgical generator, and an electrosurgical component including an active contact for operatively connecting the electrosurgical component to the electrosurgical generator, the improvement comprising:

a contact port operatively associated with the electrosurgical generator for receiving active contacts of varying cross-sectional diameters therein, the contact port comprising;

a plurality of rollers each defining a corporal axis, the corporal axes being at least substantially parallel to one another; and

a plurality of shafts eccentrically supporting a respective roller, each shaft defining a longitudinal axis, wherein each corporal axis is spaced a radial distance from a respective longitudinal axis and wherein the rollers are rotatable about the longitudinal axes;

the rollers defining an opening therebetween, wherein the opening is expandable and constrictable upon rotation of the rollers about their respective longitudinal axes.

22. The electrosurgical system according to claim 21, wherein the opening has a minimum cross-sectional dimension when the rollers are in contact with one another.

23. The electrosurgical system according to claim 22, wherein the opening has a maximum cross-sectional profile when the corporal axes of the rollers are radially aligned with respective longitudinal axes of the shafts.

24. The electrosurgical system according to claim 23, wherein the contact port further comprises:

a spur gear operatively associated with an end of each of the shafts; and

a drive member operatively associated with all the spur gears for transmitting rotation to each of the spur gear simultaneously.

25. The electrosurgical system according to claim 24, wherein the drive member is a ring gear surrounding and inter-connecting each spur gear.

26. The electrosurgical system according to claim 25, wherein the contact port further comprises at least one biasing member operatively associated with at least one of the ring gear, at least one of the spur gears and at least one of the rollers, wherein the biasing member urges the rollers into contact with one another.

27. The electrosurgical system according to claim 26, wherein the electrosurgical component is a foot switch.

28. The electrosurgical system according to claim 21, wherein the rollers of the contact port are biased to a position wherein the opening is in a constricted condition.

29. The electrosurgical system according to claim 28, wherein each roller includes an electrical contact pad operatively disposed on a surface thereof.

30. The electrosurgical system according to claim 29, wherein the contact port further includes an actuator rod operatively associated with the rollers, wherein movement of the actuator rod in a first direction moves the rollers in a direction so as to expand the opening therebetween, and movement of the actuator rod in a second direction moves the rollers in a direction so as to constrict the opening therebetween.

31. The electrosurgical system according to claim 30, wherein the actuator rod includes a distal end projecting from the electrosurgical generator, and a proximal end pivotably supporting a first end of a lever, the contact port further includes a pusher member pivotably connected to a second end of the lever, wherein the lever pivots about a point located between the first and second ends thereof.

32. The electrosurgical system according to claim 31, wherein movement of the actuator rod in a first direction results in movement of the pusher member in a direction opposite to the first direction.

33. The electrosurgical system according to claim 32, wherein a distal end of the pusher member operatively engages the rollers, wherein movement of the pusher member in a direction towards the rollers results in radial movement of the rollers and radial expansion of the opening therebetween.

34. The electrosurgical system according to claim 33, further comprising an electrical lead electrically connected to each roller.

35. The electrosurgical system according to claim 34, further comprising a housing configured and dimensioned to operatively retain the contact port therein.

36. A universal contact port for use in an electrosurgical generator, the contact port comprising:

a housing defining an aperture for registration with an aperture formed in the electrosurgical generator;

a plurality of rollers pivotally supported in the housing and pivotable about a pivot axis, each roller defining a corporal axis spaced a distance from the pivot axis, wherein the corporal axes of the rollers are parallel to one another, the rollers define an opening therebetween, wherein the opening is constricted by rotation of the rollers in a first direction about their respective pivot axes and expanded by rotation of the rollers in a second direction about their respective pivot axes;

an actuator rod slidably supported in the housing, the actuator rod including a distal end extending from a distal end of the housing and projecting from the electrosurgical generator, and a proximal end projecting from a proximal end of the housing;

a pusher member operatively associated with the housing, the pusher member including a distal in operative engagement with the rollers, wherein movement of the pusher member in a first direction causes the rollers to radially expand and the opening therebetween to radially expand, and wherein movement of the pusher member in a second direction causes the rollers to radially retract and the opening therebetween to radially constrict; and

a lever pivotally interconnecting the proximal end of the actuator rod to a proximal end of the pusher member, wherein the lever is pivotally connected to the housing, wherein movement of the actuator rod in a first direction results in movement of the pusher member in the first direction and movement of the actuator rod in a second direction results in movement of the pusher member in the second direction.

37. The universal contact port according to claim 36, wherein the actuator rod is biased in the second direction.

38. The universal contact port according to claim 37, wherein the rollers are biased to a radially constricted condition.

39. The universal contact port according to claim 38, wherein each roller includes an electrical contact pad disposed on a surface thereof.

40. The universal contact port according to claim 39, wherein the electrical contact pads are positioned on the rollers so as to engage a contact of an electrosurgical accessory when the contact of the electrosurgical accessory is inserted into the opening between the rollers and the rollers constricted onto the contact of the electrosurgical accessory.

41. The universal contact port according to claim 40, wherein each roller is configured for electrical connection with a respective electrical lead, wherein each contact pad is in electrical communication with a respective electrical lead.