Ultrasonic surgical instrument with removable clamp arm
First Claim
1. An ultrasonic surgical instrument comprising:
- A) a transducer, wherein said transducer is adapted to convert electrical energy into mechanical motion;
B) an ultrasonic surgical instrument comprising;
i) a handle assembly, wherein said handle assembly is adapted to receive said transducer;
ii) a waveguide extending distally from said handle assembly, wherein said waveguide is adapted to be acoustically coupled to said transducer, and wherein said waveguide is adapted to transmit ultrasonic energy therethrough;
iii) an end-effector located at a distal end of said waveguide;
iv) a support tube extending from said handle assembly and surrounding at least a portion of said waveguide, said support tube terminating proximal to at least a portion of said end-effector;
v) a clamp arm mounted to the distal end of said support tube, wherein said clamp arm is detachably mounted to said support tube; and
vi) an actuation element comprising a clamp arm release, said clamp arm release comprising an actuation limiting element, wherein said actuation element operatively couples said handle assembly to said clamp arm, said actuation element including slots adapted to receive a proximal portion of said clamp arm, wherein said actuation limiting element limits movement of said actuation element.
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Accused Products
Abstract
The present invention describes ultrasonic surgical instruments that include a mechanism for clamping tissue against an ultrasonic blade, including an arrangement for detachably mounting a clamp arm to the instrument. The ultrasonic surgical instrument comprises a waveguide adapted to be acoustically coupled to an ultrasonic transducer, and to transmit ultrasonic energy to an end-effector located at the distal end of the waveguide. A support tube extends from a handle assembly and surrounds at least a portion of the waveguide, terminating proximal to the end-effector. A clamp arm is detachably mounted to the distal end of the support tube. An actuation element is operatively coupled to the clamp arm. The ultrasonic surgical instrument may also include a clamp arm release. The actuation element comprises a first range of motion and a second range of motion, whereby moving the clamp arm release from a second position to a first position increases allowable motion of the actuation element from the second range of motion to the first range of motion, thereby facilitating release of the clamp arm from the support tube. The ultrasonic surgical instrument may include the capability for the clamp arm, actuation element, support tube and waveguide to rotate within the handle assembly.
462 Citations
21 Claims
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1. An ultrasonic surgical instrument comprising:
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A) a transducer, wherein said transducer is adapted to convert electrical energy into mechanical motion;
B) an ultrasonic surgical instrument comprising;
i) a handle assembly, wherein said handle assembly is adapted to receive said transducer;
ii) a waveguide extending distally from said handle assembly, wherein said waveguide is adapted to be acoustically coupled to said transducer, and wherein said waveguide is adapted to transmit ultrasonic energy therethrough;
iii) an end-effector located at a distal end of said waveguide;
iv) a support tube extending from said handle assembly and surrounding at least a portion of said waveguide, said support tube terminating proximal to at least a portion of said end-effector;
v) a clamp arm mounted to the distal end of said support tube, wherein said clamp arm is detachably mounted to said support tube; and
vi) an actuation element comprising a clamp arm release, said clamp arm release comprising an actuation limiting element, wherein said actuation element operatively couples said handle assembly to said clamp arm, said actuation element including slots adapted to receive a proximal portion of said clamp arm, wherein said actuation limiting element limits movement of said actuation element. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. An ultrasonic surgical instrument comprising:
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A) a handle assembly;
B) a waveguide partially in said handle assembly and extending distally from said handle assembly, wherein said waveguide is adapted to transmit ultrasonic energy therethrough;
C) an end-effector located at the distal end of said waveguide;
D) a support tube extending from said handle assembly and surrounding at least a portion of said waveguide, said support tube terminating proximal to said end-effector;
E) a clamp arm mounted to the distal end of said support tube, wherein said clamp arm is detachably mounted to said support tube; and
F) an actuation element comprising a clamp arm release, said clamp arm release comprising an actuation limiting element, wherein said actuation element is operatively coupled to said clamp arm, wherein said actuation limiting element limits movement of said actuation element. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13)
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14. An ultrasonic surgical instrument comprising:
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A) a handle assembly;
B) a waveguide partially in said handle assembly and extending distally from said handle assembly, wherein said waveguide is adapted to transmit ultrasonic energy therethrough;
C) an end-effector located at the distal end of said waveguide;
D) a support tube extending from said handle assembly and surrounding at least a portion of said waveguide, said support tube terminating proximal to said end-effector, wherein said support tube is separable into at least two portions;
E) a clamp arm mounted to a distal portion of said separable support tube; and
F) an actuation element comprising a clamp arm release, said clamp arm release comprising an actuation limiting element, wherein said actuation element is separable into at least two portions and wherein said actuation element is operatively coupled to said clamp arm, wherein said actuation limiting element limits movement of said actuation element. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18)
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19. An ultrasonic surgical instrument comprising:
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i) a handle assembly;
ii) a waveguide partially in said handle assembly and extending distally from said handle assembly, wherein said waveguide is adapted to transmit ultrasonic energy therethrough;
iii) an end-effector located at the distal end of said waveguide;
iv) a support tube extending from said handle assembly and surrounding at least a portion of said waveguide, said support tube terminating proximal to said end-effector;
v) a clamp arm mounted to the distal end of said support tube, wherein said clamp arm is detachably mounted to said support tube;
vi) an actuation element, wherein said actuation element is operatively coupled to said clamp arm; and
vii) a clamp arm release means for releasing said clamp arm from said support tube, wherein said clamp arm release means limits movement of said actuation element.
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20. An ultrasonic surgical instrument comprising:
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A) a transducer, wherein said transducer is adapted to convert electrical energy into mechanical motion;
B) an ultrasonic surgical instrument comprising;
i) a handle assembly, wherein said handle assembly is adapted to receive said transducer;
ii) a waveguide extending distally from said handle assembly, wherein said waveguide is adapted to be acoustically coupled to said transducer, and wherein said waveguide is adapted to transmit ultrasonic energy therethrough;
iii) an end-effector located at a distal end of said waveguide;
iv) a support tube extending from said handle assembly and surrounding at least a portion of said waveguide, said support tube terminating proximal to at least a portion of said end-effector;
v) a clamp arm mounted to the distal end of said support tube, wherein said clamp arm is detachably mounted to said support tube; and
vi) an actuation element comprising a clamp arm release, wherein said actuation element operatively couples said handle assembly to said clamp arm, wherein said actuation element comprises a first range of motion and a second range of motion, whereby moving said clamp arm release from a second position to a first position increases allowable motion of said actuation element from said second range of motion to said first range of motion, thereby facilitating release of said clamp arm from said support tube.
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21. An ultrasonic surgical instrument comprising:
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A) a handle assembly;
B) a waveguide partially in said handle assembly and extending distally from said handle assembly, wherein said waveguide is adapted to transmit ultrasonic energy therethrough;
C) an end-effector located at the distal end of said waveguide;
D) a support tube extending from said handle assembly and surrounding at least a portion of said waveguide, said support tube terminating proximal to said end-effector;
E) a clamp arm mounted to the distal end of said support tube, wherein said clamp arm is detachably mounted to said support tube; and
F) an actuation element comprising a clamp arm release, wherein said actuation element is operatively coupled to said clamp arm, wherein said actuation element comprises a first range of motion and a second range of motion, whereby moving said clamp arm release from a second position to a first position alters allowable motion of said actuation element from said second range of motion to said first range of motion, thereby facilitating release of said clamp arm from said support tube.
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Specification