Ultrasonic treating tool

• US 6,165,191 A
• Filed: 05/25/1999
• Issued: 12/26/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 05/28/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Olympus Optical Corporation Limited (Olympus Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Olympus Optical Corporation Limited (Olympus Corporation)
• Inventors: Kimura, Kenichi, Shibata, Norikiyo
• Primary Examiner(s): Buiz, Michael
• Assistant Examiner(s): LEWIS, WILLIAM W
• Application Number:
  US09/318,053
• Time in Patent Office: 581 Days
• Field of Search: 606/37-40, 606/1, 606/169, 606/170, 606/171, 606/180, 606/174, 606/205-210, 601/2
• US Class Current: 606/169
• 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 2017/2825 Inserts of different material in jaws
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/320088 with acoustic insulation, e.g. elements for damping vibrations between horn and surrounding sheath
• 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

An ultrasonic treating tool comprises a gripping section incorporating an ultrasonic vibration element for generating an ultrasonic vibration, a vibration transmitting section for transmitting a vibration from the ultrasonic vibration element to a distal end, a clamping member opened and closed relative to the probe, and a handle provided at the gripping section to open and close the clamping member, in which a force applying point of the handle is displaced more on a proximal end side than at a swing center of the handle and the acting direction of a force application point is toward and away from the gripping section.

Claims

1. An ultrasonic treating tool for surgically treating a living tissue with an ultrasonic vibration, comprising:

an ultrasonic vibration element for generating an ultrasonic vibration;

a vibration transmitting long member having a forward end section, a basic end section connected to the ultrasonic vibration element and a center axis along a length thereof from the forward end to the basic end section and transferring the ultrasonic vibration which is generated at the ultrasonic vibration element to the forward end section of the vibration transmitting long member;

an operation section for holding the ultrasonic vibration element;

a gripping section provided at the operation section and, in order to hold the operation section, having a palm-grippable configuration having a gripping center axis substantially parallel to the center axis of the vibration transmitting long member;

a probe provided at the forward end section of the vibration transmitting long member and vibrated upon receipt of the ultrasonic vibration transmitted by the vibration transmitting long member;

a clamping member moved toward and away from the probe; and

an operation handle having a swing center at the operation section and swingable about the swing center to swing the clamping member, the operation handle having a thumb engaging section engaged when the gripping section is palm-gripped in which a force applying point when an operation is made with the thumb of an operator engaged on the thumb engaging section is displaced more on the gripping side than at the swing center of the handle and the direction in which the force is applied is toward a substantially center of the operation section.

2. An ultrasonic treating tool according to claim 1, wherein the vibration transmitting long member, ultrasonic vibration element, probe and clamping member are rotatable as one unit.

3. An ultrasonic treating tool according to claim 1, further comprising a thumb engaging ring provided at the thumb engaging section and operable to allow the handle to be swung in mutually opposite directions, the thumb engaging ring preventing the thumb of the user from readily slipping therefrom.

4. An ultrasonic treating tool according to claim 1, further comprising a palm gripping ring provided on the gripping section to prevent the palm of the user from readily slipping therefrom.

5. An ultrasonic treating tool according to claim 1, further comprising a slip-preventing rib section provided in a thumb engaging surface range at least including the force applying point.

6. An ultrasonic treating tool according to claim 1, wherein the operation handle is formed by a seesaw type lever member with the swing center located at an intermediate section thereof and has the thumb engaging section provided on one end of the lever member and a forefinger engaging section at the palm-gripped section on the other end of the lever member.

7. An ultrasonic treating tool according to claim 6, wherein the thumb engaging section is located at one side relative to a plane including the gripping center axis of the gripping section and a forefinger engaging section at the other side relative to the plane.

8. An ultrasonic treating tool according to claim 1, further comprising an elastic body for normally urging the handle in a direction away from the gripping section where the force applying point is situated at the thumb engaging section.

9. An ultrasonic treating tool according to claim 1, wherein the gripping section is so configured as to cover a portion of the operation section, the portion of the operation section being situated in a palm-grippable position.

10. An ultrasonic treating tool according to claim 1, wherein the ultrasonic vibration element is so situated as to be incorporated at an area between the gripping section and the handle.

11. An ultrasonic treating tool according to claim 10, wherein a cover section containing the ultrasonic vibration element is surrounded with the gripping section and the handle.