Blades with functional balance asymmetries for use with ultrasonic surgical instruments

• US 6,325,811 B1
• Filed: 10/05/1999
• Issued: 12/04/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 10/05/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Ethicon Endo-Surgery, Inc. (Johnson & Johnson)
• Original Assignee: Ethicon Endo-Surgery, Inc. (Johnson & Johnson)
• Inventors: Messerly, Jeffrey D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Recla, Henry J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Woo, Julian W.
• Application Number:
  US09/412,257
• Time in Patent Office: 791 Days
• Field of Search: 606/169, 606/170, 606/167, 606/168, 606/171, 606/172, 606/177, 606/178, D24/146, D24/144, D 8/47, D 8/70, D 8/101, 604/22
• US Class Current: 606/169
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/2816 Pivots
• 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 2017/2929 with a head rotatable about the longitudinal axis of the shaft
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/320075 single edge blade, e.g. for cutting
• 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

Disclosed is an ultrasonic surgical instrument that combines end-effector geometry to best affect the multiple functions of a shears-type configuration. The shape of the blade is characterized by a radiused cut offset by some distance to form a curved geometry. The cut creates a curved surface with multiple asymmetries causing multiple imbalances within the blade. Imbalance due to the curve of the instrument is corrected by a non-functional asymmetry proximal to the functional asymmetry. Imbalance due to the asymmetric cross-section of the blade is corrected by the appropriate selection of the volume and location of material removed from a functional asymmetry. The shape of the blade in one embodiment of the present invention is characterized by two radiused cuts offset by some distance to form a curved and potentially tapered geometry. These two cuts create curved surfaces including a concave surface and a convex surface. The length of the radiused cuts affects, in part, the acoustic balancing of the transverse motion induced by the curved shape.

Claims

1. A blade for an ultrasonic surgical instrument comprising:

a proximal end;

a distal end;

a broad edge defined by a first and second parallel surface; and

a narrow edge, wherein said narrow edge is defined by the intersection of a first surface and a second surface, wherein said first surface is concave and intersects the first parallel surface and the second surface is convex and intersects the second parallel surface.

2. The blade according to claim 1, wherein the first surface is defined by a radiused cut having a radius from about 0.5 inches to about 2.0 inches.

3. The blade according to claim 2, wherein the first surface is further defined by a second radiused cut having a radius from about 0.125 inches to about 0.5 inches.

4. The blade according to claim 1, wherein the first surface extends proximally into the blade from the distal end and defining a length of the first surface.

5. The blade according to claim 4, wherein the length is from about 8.0 mm to about 15 mm.

6. The blade according to claim 1, wherein a tangent of the first surface and a tangent of the second surface define an angle from about 90°

to about 150°

.

7. The blade according to claim 1, wherein the blade is curved.

8. A blade for an ultrasonic surgical instrument comprising:

a proximal end;

a distal end;

a broad edge disposed between a first and second surface; and

a narrow edge, wherein said narrow edge is defined by the intersection of a first curved, surface and a curved second surface, wherein said first curved surface is concave from said intersection to the point where it intersects the first surface and the second curved surface is convex from said intersection to the point where it intersects the second surface.

9. A blade according to claim 8, wherein the second curved surface is concave.

10. The blade according to claim 8, wherein the first curved surface is defined by a radiused cut having a radius from about 0.5 inches to about 2.0 inches.

11. The blade according to claim 10, wherein the first curved surface is further defined by a second radiused cut having a radius from about 0.125 inches to about 0.5 inches.

12. The blade according to claim 8, wherein the first curved surface extends proximally into the blade from the distal end and defining a length of the first curved surface.

13. The blade according to claim 12, wherein the length is from about 8.0 mm to about 15 mm.

14. The blade according to claim 8, wherein a tangent of the first curved surface and a tangent of the second curved surface define an angle from about 90°

to about 150°

.

15. The blade according to claim 8, wherein the blade is curved.