Apparatus and Method of Controlling Cutting Blade Travel Through the Use of Etched Features

• US 20110060334A1
• Filed: 09/09/2009
• Published: 03/10/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 09/09/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Covidien LP (Medtronic Plc)
• Original Assignee: Tyco Healthcare Group LP (Medtronic Plc)
• Inventors: Aquino, Allan G., Brandt, Kim V.
• Granted Patent: US 8,568,412 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 606/48
• 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 2017/2945 Curved jaws
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00404 Blood vessels other than those in or around the heart
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00601 Cutting
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/0063 Sealing
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/1412 Blade
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/1432 curved
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/1455 having a moving blade for cutting tissue grasped by the jaws

Abstract

A forceps includes a housing including a shaft. The shaft includes an end effector assembly having a pair of curved jaw members. The jaw members include an electrically conductive surface and a curved blade channel having opposing sidewalls. A cutting blade is configured for translation within the blade channel. Proximal portions of a first sidewall include incident angles of less than five degrees that engage the cutting blade and direct the blade towards a specific point of contact on the opposing sidewall of the curved blade channel.

Claims

1. A forceps, comprising:

an end effector assembly having a pair of jaw members selectively positionable relative to one another about a pivot, at least one of the jaw members including an electrically conductive tissue engaging surface adapted to connect to an electrosurgical energy source and at least one of the jaw members including a curved blade channel having opposing sidewalls defined therein and extending therealong; and

a cutting blade configured for selective translation within the curved blade channel;

wherein proximal portions of a first sidewall are manufactured to include incident angles of less than five degrees that engage the cutting blade during translation thereof to direct the cutting blade towards a specific point of contact on the opposing sidewall of the curved blade channel.

2. The forceps according to claim 1, wherein the specific point of contact on the opposing sidewall includes an incident angle of less than five degrees to further the cutting blade along the curved blade channel.

3. The forceps according to claim 2, wherein one of the sidewalls is concave and the opposite sidewall is convex.

4. The forceps according to claim 1, wherein the cutting blade channel is formed by at least one of machining, photolithography and stamping.

5. The forceps according to claim 1, wherein the cutting blade is configured to engage and translate along the sidewalls in a substantially tangential manner.

6. The forceps according to claim 1, wherein the jaw members are curved.

7. The forceps according to claim 1, wherein the curved blade channel is manufactured by photolithography and the curved blade channel includes at least one etched feature that controls movement of the cutting blade along the curved blade channel.

8. The forceps according to claim 7, wherein the at least one etched feature is disposed on the first sidewall and directs the cutting blade toward the specific point of contact on the opposing sidewall of the curved blade channel.

9. The forceps according to claim 7, wherein the opposing sidewall includes an etched feature that facilitates translation of the cutting blade along the curved blade channel in a substantially tangential manner.

10. The forceps according to claim 1, wherein the cutting blade contacts the first sidewall of the cutting blade channel at an incident angle of less than five degrees and contacts the opposing sidewall of the cutting blade channel at an incident angle of less than five degrees.

11. The forceps according to claim 1, further comprising a cutting blade guide disposed at a proximal end of the end effector assembly configured to guide the cutting blade towards the proximal portions of the first sidewall.

12. A method of cutting tissue grasped between the jaws of a curved end effector of a forceps having a cutting blade, the curved end effector including a curved blade channel having opposing sidewalls defined therein and extending therealong, the method comprising the steps of:

moving the cutting blade through the curved end effector until the cutting blade contacts a first sidewall at an incident angle of less than five degrees, the first sidewall forcing the cutting blade to towards a specific point of contact on the opposing sidewall of the curved blade channel;

moving the cutting blade past the first sidewall, through the curved blade channel until the cutting blade contacts the specific point of contact on the opposing sidewall of the curved blade channel, the specific point of contact on the opposing sidewall of the curved blade channel forcing the cutting blade towards a second direction substantially parallel to the second wall; and

moving the cutting blade along the second wall.

13. A method of manufacturing a curved knife channel defined within an end effector of a forceps, the method comprising the steps of:

providing a resist covered substrate;

providing a photolithography mask having a pattern configured to provide a curved blade channel defined in an end effector of the forceps;

exposing the pattern of the photolithography mask to the resist covered substrate for developing the pattern on the resist covered substrate; and

removing the exposed resist pattern to expose the curved blade channel of the end effector having first and second sidewalls, wherein proximal portions of the first sidewall are manufactured to include incident angles of less than five degrees to direct a translating cutting blade of the end effector towards a specific point of contact on the second, opposing sidewall of the curved blade channel.