SURGICAL INSTRUMENT WITH CLUTCHING SLIP RING ASSEMBLY TO POWER ULTRASONIC TRANSDUCER

• US 20130090675A1
• Filed: 10/10/2011
• Published: 04/11/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 10/10/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cilag Gmbh International (Johnson & Johnson)
• Original Assignee: Ethicon, LLC (Johnson & Johnson)
• Inventors: Mumaw, Daniel J., Witt, David A.
• Granted Patent: US 9,629,652 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 606/169
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/00234 for minimally invasive surgery A61B17/0218, A61B17/0469, A61B17/12013, A61B17/1285, A61B17/29, A61B17/320016 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/320092 with additional movable means for clamping or cutting tissue, e.g. with a pivoting jaw
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00477 Coupling A61B2017/0046 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/291 the position of the handle being adjustable with respect to the shaft
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/320093 additional movable means performing cutting operation
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/320094 additional movable means performing clamping operation
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/320095 with sealing or cauterizing means

Abstract

A surgical system includes a power supply, a connector, and a surgical instrument having a body assembly, a transmission assembly, a transducer, and a connection assembly. The connection assembly is configured to selectively electrically couple electrodes on the transducer with wires of the connector. The connection assembly may be operable in response to actuation of a trigger. Various connection assemblies include an extensible member that extends to contact an electrode, a rotatable member that rotates a contact into contact with an electrode, a solenoid that extends contacts coupled to each end of the solenoid into the electrodes, or a solenoid that translates a frame having contacts towards the electrodes. Alternatively, the surgical instrument may include a connection assembly having a slip ring and a weighted cable end. Still further, the connection assembly may include contacts on a coupleable member that may be decoupled from contacts on the transducer.

Claims

1. A surgical system comprising:

(a) a power supply;

(b) a connector coupled to the power supply, wherein the connector comprises a first wire and a second wire; and

(c) a surgical instrument coupled to the connector, the surgical instrument comprising;

i. a body assembly including a trigger,

ii. a transmission assembly extending distally from the body assembly, the transmission assembly comprising a waveguide and a blade at a distal end of the waveguide,

iii. a transducer disposed in the body assembly and coupleable to the waveguide, the transducer comprising;

(1) a first electrode,

(2) a second electrode, and

(3) a transducer element in communication with the first and second electrodes,

wherein the first electrode, the second electrode, and the transducer element are rotatable relative to the body assembly, and

iv. a connection assembly operable to selectively electrically couple the first wire to the first electrode and the second wire to the second electrode.

2. The surgical system of claim 1 wherein the trigger is operable to actuate the connection assembly.

3. The surgical system of claim 1 wherein the connection assembly comprises a solenoid and an extensible member, wherein the solenoid is operable to extend the extensible member to contact the first electrode or the second electrode, and wherein the extensible member is electrically coupled to the first wire or the second wire.

4. The surgical system of claim 3 wherein the connection assembly comprises a first extensible member and a second extensible member, wherein the solenoid is operable to extend the first extensible member to contact the first electrode and to extend the second extensible member to contact the second electrode, and wherein the first extensible member is electrically coupled to the first wire and the second extensible member is electrically coupled to the second wire.

5. The surgical system of claim 3 wherein the connection assembly further comprises a redirection member comprising a passageway having an entrance at a first angle relative to the redirection member and an exit at a second angle relative to the redirection member, wherein the first angle and the second angle are different angles.

6. The surgical system of claim 5 wherein second angle is 90 degrees relative to the first angle.

7. The surgical system of claim 5 wherein the first extensible member and the second extensible member comprise resilient members.

8. The surgical system of claim 1 wherein the connection assembly comprises a solenoid and a rotatable member, wherein the rotatable member comprises a first contact, wherein the solenoid is operable to rotate the rotatable member to engage the first contact with the first electrode or the second electrode, and wherein the first contact is electrically coupled to the first wire or the second wire.

9. The surgical system of claim 8 wherein the first contact is located at a first end of the rotatable member, wherein the rotatable member further comprises a second contact located at a second end of the rotatable member, wherein the solenoid is operable rotate the rotatable member to engage the first contact with the first electrode and the second contact with the second electrode, and wherein the first contact is electrically coupled to the first wire and the second contact is electrically coupled to the second wire.

10. The surgical system of claim 1 wherein the connection assembly comprises a solenoid, a frame, and a contact, wherein the frame comprises an end plate, wherein the contact is coupled to a first end of the solenoid, wherein the solenoid is operable to extend the contact into engagement with the first electrode or the second electrode such that the first electrode or the second electrode is located between the contact and the end plate, and wherein the contact is electrically coupled to the first wire or the second wire.

11. The surgical system of claim 10 wherein the connection assembly comprises a first contact and a second contact, wherein the frame comprises a first end plate and a second end plate, wherein the first contact is coupled to a first end of the solenoid, wherein the second contact is coupled to a second end of the solenoid, wherein the solenoid is operable to extend the first contact into engagement with the first electrode and to extend the second contact into engagement with the second electrode, and wherein the first contact is electrically coupled to the first wire and the second contact is electrically coupled to the second wire.

12. The surgical system of claim 1 wherein the connection assembly comprises solenoid and a frame, wherein the frame comprises a first contact and a second contact, wherein a first end of the solenoid is coupled to the frame, wherein the solenoid is operable to translate the frame such that the first contact or the second contact is electrically coupled with the first electrode or the second electrode, and wherein the first contact is electrically coupled to the first wire and the second contact is electrically coupled to the second wire.

13. The surgical system of claim 12 wherein the solenoid is operable to translate the frame such that the first contact is electrically coupled to the first electrode and the second contact is electrically coupled to the second electrode.

14. The surgical system of claim 1 wherein the power supply and the connector are within the body assembly.

15. The surgical system of claim 1 wherein the power supply comprises a generator, wherein the generator is separate from the surgical instrument.

16. A surgical instrument comprising:

(a) a body assembly including a trigger,

(b) a transmission assembly extending distally from the body assembly, the transmission assembly comprising a waveguide and a blade at a distal end of the waveguide,

(c) a transducer, wherein the transducer is selectively insertable into the body assembly and wherein the transducer is selectively coupleable to the waveguide, the transducer comprising;

i. a first electrode,

ii. a second electrode, and

iii. a transducer element in communication with the first and second electrodes,

(d) a cable end coupled to a proximal end of the transducer, wherein the cable end and the transducer are rotatable relative to each other; and

(e) a connection assembly disposed between the cable end and the transducer, wherein the connection assembly is operable to electrically couple the cable end to the transducer, wherein the connection assembly comprises a slip ring electrical connection.

17. The surgical instrument of claim 16 wherein the cable end comprises a weighted portion.

18. The surgical instrument of claim 17 wherein the cable end comprises an upper portion and a lower portion, and wherein the weighted portion is located in the lower portion of the cable end.

19. A connection assembly for electrically coupling a transducer to a cable, the connection assembly comprising:

(a) an ultrasonic transducer coupled to a cable, the ultrasonic transducer having one or more electrical contacts;

(b) a coupleable member comprising one or more complementary electrical contacts to the one or more electrical contacts of the transducer; and

(c) an actuation member operable to selectively actuate the coupleable member between a first position, in which the one or more complementary electrical contacts of the coupleable member are in contact with the one or more electrical contacts of the transducer, and a second position, in which the one or more complementary electrical contacts of the coupleable member are not in contact with the one or more electrical contacts of the transducer, wherein the one or more complementary electrical contacts electrically couple to the one or more electrical contacts when the coupleable member is in the first position;

wherein the cable is physically coupled to the ultrasonic transducer when the coupleable member is in the first position and the second position.

20. The connection assembly of claim 19 further comprising a bearing member in communication with the coupleable member and coupled to the actuation member, wherein the coupleable member is rotatable relative to the ultrasonic transducer.