Electrosurgical pencil including improved controls

• US 8,632,536 B2
• Filed: 06/23/2008
• Issued: 01/21/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 03/31/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Covidien LP (Medtronic Plc)
• Original Assignee: Covidien LP (Medtronic Plc)
• Inventors: Kerr, Duane, Fry, Monte, Horner, Glenn A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Lucchesi, Nicholas
• Assistant Examiner(s): Zhang, Jenna
• Application Number:
  US12/144,356
• Publication Number:
  US 20090248008A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,038 Days
• Field of Search: 604/22, 606/38, 606/42
• US Class Current: 606/42
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 18/1402 Probes for open surgery
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 18/1477 Needle-like probes
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00916 with means for switching or controlling the main function of the instrument or device
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00946 slidable

Abstract

The present disclosure relates to electrosurgical devices having a plurality of hand-accessible variable controls. An electrosurgical device configured for connection to a source of electrosurgical energy is provided and includes a housing; an electrical circuit supported within the housing, the electrical circuit being connectable to the source of electrosurgical energy; and a controller slidably supported on the housing, wherein the controller is configured to exert a force on the electrical circuit to affect a change in the electrical circuit and to exert a force on a surface of the housing to provide a tactile feedback to a user of the electrosurgical device as the controller is moved relative to the housing.

Claims

1. An electrosurgical pencil, comprising:

a housing configured to support an electrocautery electrode;

at least one voltage divider network supported on the housing, the at least one voltage divider network operable to electrically connect to a source of electrosurgical energy for controlling at least one of an intensity and a mode of electrosurgical energy being delivered to the electrocautery electrode; and

an intensity controller slidably supported on the housing, wherein the intensity controller is configured to exert a force on the at least one voltage divider network and provide a tactile feedback to a user of the electrosurgical pencil as the intensity controller is moved relative to the housing,

wherein the intensity controller includes a lever pivotally connected to a body portion thereof, the lever having a proximal end and a distal end, the proximal end having a proximal tip engaging the housing and the at least one voltage divider network, the proximal tip of the lever further engaging one end of a biasing member, the biasing member, in its entirety, orthogonally disposed with respect to the housing, and orthogonally disposed, in its entirety, directly beneath the proximal tip of the lever, such that the biasing member is coaxially displaced, in its entirety, with the proximal tip, when the proximal tip engages a tactile feature formed in the housing.

2. The electrosurgical pencil according to claim 1, wherein the biasing member is enclosed within a structure.

3. The electrosurgical pencil according to claim 1, wherein the biasing member is configured to maintain the proximal tip of the lever in contact with the tactile feature formed in the housing.

4. The electrosurgical pencil according to claim 1, wherein the biasing member is one of a coil spring, a tension spring and a compression spring.

5. The electrosurgical pencil according to claim 1, wherein the tactile feature includes one or more adjacent detents.

6. The electrosurgical pencil according to claim 5, wherein movement of the proximal tip of the lever into the one or more adjacent detents causes the distal end of the lever to strike the at least one voltage divider network.

7. An electrosurgical device configured for connection to a source of electrosurgical energy, the electrosurgical device comprising:

a housing;

an electrical circuit supported within the housing, the electrical circuit being connectable to the source of electrosurgical energy; and

a controller slidably supported on the housing, wherein the controller is configured to exert a force on the electrical circuit to affect a change in the electrical circuit and to exert a force on a surface of the housing to provide a tactile feedback to a user of the electrosurgical device as the controller is moved relative to the housing,

wherein the controller includes a lever pivotally connected to a body portion thereof, the lever having a proximal end and a distal end, the proximal end having a proximal tip engaging the housing and the electrical circuit, the proximal tip of the lever further engaging one end of a biasing member, the biasing member, in its entirety, orthogonally disposed with respect to the housing, and orthogonally disposed, in its entirety, directly beneath the proximal tip of the lever, such that the biasing member is coaxially displaced, in its entirety, with the proximal tip, when the proximal tip engages a tactile feature formed in the housing.

8. The electrosurgical device according to claim 7, wherein the electrical circuit comprises at least one voltage divider network capable of controlling at least one of an intensity and a mode of electrosurgical energy being delivered.

9. The electrosurgical device according to claim 7, wherein the biasing member is enclosed within a structure.

10. The electrosurgical device according to claim 7, wherein the biasing member is configured to maintain the proximal tip of the lever in contact with the tactile feature formed in the housing.

11. The electrosurgical device according to claim 7, wherein the member is one of a coil spring, a tension spring and a compression spring.

12. The electrosurgical device according to claim 7, wherein the tactile feature includes one or more adjacent detents.

13. The electrosurgical device according to claim 12, wherein movement of the proximal tip of the lever into the one or more adjacent detents causes the distal end of the lever to strike the at least one voltage divider network.