Attachments of components of ultrasonic blades or waveguides

• US 6,561,983 B2
• Filed: 01/31/2001
• Issued: 05/13/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 01/31/2001
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Ethicon Endo-Surgery, Inc. (Johnson & Johnson)
• Original Assignee: Ethicon Endo-Surgery, Inc. (Johnson & Johnson)
• Inventors: Cronin, Michael D., Reichel, Lee E., Tuttle, Jonathan E., Beaupre, Jean M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Manuel, George
• Assistant Examiner(s): Jung, William C
• Application Number:
  US09/774,908
• Publication Number:
  US 20020103438A1
• Time in Patent Office: 832 Days
• Field of Search: 600/437-472, 403/278, 403/279, 403/282, 403/305, 294/46, 294/50, 294/51, 294/551
• US Class Current: 600/461
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00477 Coupling A61B2017/0046 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/320069 for ablating tissue
• CPC Class Codes: B06B 3/00 Methods or apparatus specially adapted for transmitting mechanical vibrations of infrasonic, sonic, or ultrasonic frequency
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49863 with prestressing of part
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/4987 Elastic joining of parts
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49872 Confining elastic part in socket
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 403/4933 by separate, deformable element
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 403/4941 Deformation occurs simultaneously with action of separate, diverse function, joint component
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 403/4966 Deformation occurs simultaneously with assembly

Abstract

A connection union and method for securing together first and second components of an ultrasonic waveguide or blade. The first and second components of the ultrasonic waveguide or blade are formed as complementary components which engage each other with a complementary fitting. Then a compressed fit over the connection union is formed by an electromagnetic metal forming operation which compressively deforms a female coupling member over the connection union. The female coupling member can comprise a separate sleeve which is compressed over the connection union by the electromagnetic metal forming operation. Alternatively, the female coupling member can comprise a terminal end of one of the first and second components which includes a longitudinally extending recess which forms an outer circumferentially extending sleeve which is compressed over the connection union by the electromagnetic metal forming operation. In several embodiments, the first and second components are butted together, and each butted end of the first and second components includes at least one circumferentially extending ridge, around which the female coupling member is deformed during the electromagnetic metal forming operation to form an undercut in the female coupling member. In disclosed embodiments, the first component comprises the shaft of an ultrasonic waveguide or blade and the second component comprises a distal tip end of the ultrasonic waveguide such as an end-effector.

Claims

1. A connection union for an ultrasound therapy system comprising:

a first component and a second component of the ultrasound therapy system are complementary components, which engage each other with a complementary fitting,

a compression fitting over the connection union is formed by a deformed female coupling member which is deformed around the complementary fitting of the first and second components by an electromagnetic metal forming operation which compressively deforms the female coupling member over the complementary fitting of the first and second components of the connection union.

2. The connection union of claim 1, wherein the female coupling member comprises a separate sleeve which is compressed over the connection union by the electromagnetic metal forming operation.

3. The connection union of claim 1, wherein the female coupling member comprises a terminal end of one of the first and second components which includes a longitudinally extending recess which forms an outer circumferentially extending sleeve which is compressed over the connection union by the electromagnetic metal forming operation.

4. The connection union of claim 1, wherein the ends of the first and second components are butted together, and each butted end of the first and second components includes at least one circumferentially extending ridge, around which the female coupling member is deformed during the electromagnetic metal forming operation to form an undercut in the female coupling member.

5. The connection union of claim 4, wherein one of the first and second components comprises a projecting male terminal end, and the other of the first and second components comprises a complementary female terminal end which forms the complementary fitting with the male terminal end.

6. The connection union of claim 1, wherein one of the first and second components comprises a projecting male terminal end, and the other of the first and second components comprises a complementary female terminal end which forms the complementary fitting with the male terminal end.

7. The connection union of claim 6, wherein the complementary fitting is formed by male and female components forming a conical shaped fitting.

8. The connection union of claim 6, wherein the complementary fitting is formed by male and female components forming a frusto-conical shaped fitting.

9. The connection union of claim 6, wherein the complementary fitting is formed by male and female components forming a cylindrical shaped fitting.

10. The connection union of claim 1, wherein the complementary fitting is formed by two identical and complementary sandwich half components which face each other along a plane extending along the longitudinal axis of the connection union.

11. The connection union of claim 10, wherein each of the first and second components includes one half of at least one circumferentially extending ridge, around which the female coupling member is deformed during the electromagnetic metal forming operation to form an undercut in the female coupling member.

12. The connection union of claim 1, wherein the first component comprises an ultrasonic waveguide or blade and the second component comprises a distal tip end of the ultrasonic waveguide.

13. A connection method for an ultrasound therapy system comprising:

forming a first component and a second component of the ultrasound therapy system as complementary components which engage each other with a complementary fitting in a connection union,

forming a compression fitting over the connection union by an electromagnetic metal forming operation which compressively deforms a female coupling member over the complementary first and second complementary components of the connection union.

14. The connection method of claim 13, including forming the female coupling member as a separate sleeve which is compressed over the connection union by the electromagnetic metal forming operation.

15. The connection method of claim 13, including forming the female coupling member at a terminal end of one of the first and second components by forming a longitudinally extending recess therein, which forms an outer circumferentially extending sleeve which is compressed over the connection union by the electromagnetic metal forming operation.

16. The connection method of claim 13, including butting the ends of the first and second components together, and forming each butted end of the first and second components with at least one circumferentially extending ridge, around which the female coupling member is deformed during the electromagnetic metal forming operation to form an undercut in the female coupling member.

17. The connection method of claim 16, including forming one of the first and second components with a projecting male terminal end, and forming the other of the first and second components with a complementary female terminal end which forms the complementary fitting with the male terminal end.

18. The connection method of claim 13, including forming one of the first and second components with a projecting male terminal end, and forming the other of the first and second components with a complementary female terminal end which forms the complementary fitting with the male terminal end.

19. The connection method of claim 18, including forming the complementary fitting by male and female components which form a conical shaped fitting.

20. The connection method of claim 18, including forming the complementary fitting by male and female components which form a frusto-conical shaped fitting.

21. The connection method of claim 18, including forming the complementary fitting by male and female components which form a cylindrical shaped fitting.

22. The connection method of claim 13, including forming the complementary fitting by two identical and complementary sandwich half components which face each other along a plane extending along the longitudinal axis of the connection union.

23. The connection method of claim 22, including forming each of the first and second components with one half of at least one circumferentially extending ridge, around which the female coupling member is deformed during the electromagnetic metal forming operation to form an undercut in the female coupling member.