Process for manufacturing electro-surgical forceps which minimizes or prevents sticking of tissue

• US 6,298,550 B1
• Filed: 07/29/1999
• Issued: 10/09/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 06/26/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Kirwan Surgical Products, LLC
• Original Assignee: Kirwan Surgical Products, Inc. (Kirwan & Associates, Inc.)
• Inventors: Kirwan, Lawrence T. Jr.
• Primary Examiner(s): Arbes, Carl J.
• Application Number:
  US09/362,967
• Time in Patent Office: 803 Days
• Field of Search: 298/25, 606/45, 606/48, 606/57, 606/52
• US Class Current: 29/825
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 18/1402 Probes for open surgery
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 18/1442 Probes having pivoting end effectors, e.g. forceps
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00005 Cooling or heating of the probe or tissue immediately surrounding the probe
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49117 Conductor or circuit manufacturing

Abstract

An electro-surgical forceps are provided which minimize sticking to tissue of a patient. The forceps include a pair of electrically conducting blade members extending from an insulated cap portion. The blade members include an inner layer of copper or copper alloy having a thickness sufficient to dissipate heat generated at the tip to prevent sticking of tissue to the forceps during use. An outer covering of nickel or a nickel alloy covers the inner copper layer to prevent exposure of the copper. The outer covering comprises a first nickel layer metallurgically bonded to one side of the inner copper layer and a second nickel layer metallurgically bonded to an opposite side of the inner copper layer. The thickness of the nickel layers is sufficient to withstand the forming process, to minimize or prevent delamination from the inner copper layer, and to minimize or prevent exposure of the inner layer.

Claims

1. A process for manufacturing an electro-surgical forceps comprising:

bonding a first layer of nickel or a nickel alloy to an upper surface of a layer of copper or a copper alloy and a second layer of nickel or a nickel alloy to a lower surface of the layer of copper or copper alloy to form a tri-laminate sheet;

cutting the tri-laminate sheet into a strip having a width and length suitable for forming a forceps blade member;

stamping a taper at one end of the strip to form a tip of the blade member;

stamping a perimeter of the strip to form the general shape of the blade member;

deforming the first and second layers of the nickel or nickel alloy about the perimeter to fully encapsulate the layer of copper or copper alloy;

forming an end of the strip opposite the tip for connection to an electrode;

providing an insulating material over the strip from a location adjacent the tip to the opposite end;

providing a second blade member;

connecting the blade member and the second blade member to electrodes at a connection; and

fixing the connection between the blade member, the second blade member, and the electrodes within an insulating cap portion.

2. The process of claim 1, further comprising plating an electrically conductive material on the tip end prior to the step of providing the insulating material.

3. The process of claim 1, wherein the step of deforming the first and second layers of the nickel alloy about the perimeter to fully encapsulate the layer of copper or copper alloy comprises a coining process.