Laparoscopic bipolar electrosurgical instrument
First Claim
1. A first and second jaw member assembly for use with a bipolar endoscopic instrument, comprising:
- a first jaw member and a second jaw member;
a yoke which electrically insulates the a first jaw member and the a second jaw member during activation, the yoke including;
first and second pins which cooperate with an actuator to rotate a respective jaw member from a first position to a second position upon linear reciprocation of the yoke; and
first and second shoulder portions which are conformed to correspondingly abut a respective jaw member in the second position to offload forces on the first and second pins when said yoke is linearly reciprocated.
5 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A laparoscopic bipolar electrosurgical instrument can apply a large closure force between its jaws without damaging the small yoke assembly. The instrument comprises: a first jaw having a first flange with a first slot, and a second jaw having a second flange with a second slot, wherein the first and second jaws are located at a distal end of the instrument and comprise an electrically conductive material for conducting bipolar electrosurgical current therebetween; a yoke attached to a pushrod and positioned to electrically insulate the first flange from the second flange, the yoke having a first side facing the first flange and a second side facing the second flange, the yoke further comprising a first shoulder and a second shoulder, a first pin located on the first side and movably engaged with the first slot; a second pin located on the second side and movably engaged with the second slot; the first slot and the second slot shaped such that an angle, subtended by the first and second jaws, decreases with distal motion of the pushrod, and first and second cul-de-sacs positioned respectively in the first and second slots to relieve shear stresses on the first and second pins approximately when the first and second shoulders respectively engage the first and second flanges to provide a closure force between the first and second jaws.
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Citations
8 Claims
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1. A first and second jaw member assembly for use with a bipolar endoscopic instrument, comprising:
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a first jaw member and a second jaw member; a yoke which electrically insulates the a first jaw member and the a second jaw member during activation, the yoke including; first and second pins which cooperate with an actuator to rotate a respective jaw member from a first position to a second position upon linear reciprocation of the yoke; and first and second shoulder portions which are conformed to correspondingly abut a respective jaw member in the second position to offload forces on the first and second pins when said yoke is linearly reciprocated. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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Specification