Ultrasonic surgical instrument blades
First Claim
1. An ultrasonic surgical blade, comprising:
- a distal end;
a proximal end, wherein a longitudinal axis extends between said proximal end and said distal end; and
a cross-section situated intermediate said distal end and said proximal end, wherein said cross-section is defined by a plane which is perpendicular to the longitudinal axis, wherein said cross-section is further defined by a centerline which lies in the plane, and wherein said cross-section comprises;
a cross-section center of gravity;
a center portion comprising a center portion center of gravity, wherein said centerline extends through said center portion center of gravity and said cross-section center of gravity; and
a first cutting portion extending from said center portion, wherein said first cutting portion comprises a first cutting portion center of gravity which is positioned along said centerline, and wherein said first cutting portion is asymmetric relative to said centerline.
4 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An ultrasonic surgical instrument including an ultrasonically actuated blade or end effector having a treatment portion. The blade can define a central axis and at least one axis which is transverse to the central axis, wherein the transverse axis can lie within a plane which is perpendicular, or normal, to the longitudinal axis and can define a cross-section of the treatment portion. Such a cross-section can include a central portion and a step extending from the central portion, wherein the central portion can comprise a width, and wherein the step can comprise a cutting edge. In at least one embodiment, the cutting edge can be defined by first and second surfaces which define an angle therebetween. In various embodiments, the position of the cutting edge and/or the angle between the cutting edge surfaces can be selected in order to balance the blade with respect to the transverse axis.
-
Citations
19 Claims
-
1. An ultrasonic surgical blade, comprising:
-
a distal end; a proximal end, wherein a longitudinal axis extends between said proximal end and said distal end; and a cross-section situated intermediate said distal end and said proximal end, wherein said cross-section is defined by a plane which is perpendicular to the longitudinal axis, wherein said cross-section is further defined by a centerline which lies in the plane, and wherein said cross-section comprises; a cross-section center of gravity; a center portion comprising a center portion center of gravity, wherein said centerline extends through said center portion center of gravity and said cross-section center of gravity; and a first cutting portion extending from said center portion, wherein said first cutting portion comprises a first cutting portion center of gravity which is positioned along said centerline, and wherein said first cutting portion is asymmetric relative to said centerline. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5)
-
-
6. An ultrasonic surgical blade, comprising:
-
a distal end; a proximal end, wherein a longitudinal axis extends between said proximal end and said distal end; and a cross-section situated intermediate said distal end and said proximal end, wherein said cross-section is defined by a plane which is perpendicular to the longitudinal axis, wherein the plane is at least partially defined by a transverse axis which is perpendicular to the longitudinal axis, and wherein said cross-section comprises; a body portion, wherein said body portion is symmetric relative to said transverse axis, wherein said body portion comprises a first mass (MB1) positioned on a first side of said transverse axis and a second mass (MB2) positioned on a second side of said transverse axis, and wherein the first mass (MB1) is substantially equal to the second mass (MB2); and a step portion comprising a first mass (MS1) positioned on said first side and a second mass (MS2) positioned on said second side, wherein MB1+MS1 is substantially equal to MB2+MS2, and wherein said step portion is asymmetrical relative to said transverse axis. - View Dependent Claims (7, 8)
-
-
9. An ultrasonic surgical blade, comprising:
-
a body portion comprising a center of gravity and a centerline extending through said center of gravity, wherein said body portion is symmetric relative to said centerline; and a step portion extending from said body portion, wherein said step portion comprises a first surface, a second surface, and a cutting edge situated intermediate said first and second surfaces, wherein said first surface faces away from said centerline, wherein said second surface extends at an angle through said centerline between a first plane including said cutting edge and a second plane which is parallel to said first plane, wherein said first surface is not parallel to said second surface, and wherein said surgical blade is mass-balanced relative to said centerline. - View Dependent Claims (10)
-
-
11. An ultrasonic surgical blade, comprising:
-
a center of gravity and a centerline extending through said center of gravity; a body comprising a body center of gravity, wherein said centerline extends through said body center of gravity; and a step extending from said body, wherein said step is asymmetric to said centerline. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13)
-
-
14. An ultrasonic surgical blade, comprising:
-
a body; a centerline, wherein said blade and said body of said blade are substantially mass-balanced relative to said centerline; and a cutting portion extending from said body, wherein said cutting portion is asymmetric relative to said centerline. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17)
-
-
18. An ultrasonic surgical blade, comprising:
-
a body extending along a longitudinal axis; a cross-section defined by a plane perpendicular to the longitudinal axis; a centerline in the plane, wherein said blade is substantially mass-balanced relative to said centerline; and a cutting portion, wherein said cutting portion is asymmetric relative to said centerline. - View Dependent Claims (19)
-
Specification