Surgical instruments with curved section

• US 10,441,310 B2
• Filed: 06/20/2016
• Issued: 10/15/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 06/29/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cilag Gmbh International (Johnson & Johnson)
• Original Assignee: Ethicon, LLC (Johnson & Johnson)
• Inventors: Olson, William A., Messerly, Jeffrey D., Price, Daniel W., Houser, Kevin L., Faller, Craig N., Dannaher, William D., Rhee, Sora, Muhlenkamp, Tylor C.
• Primary Examiner(s): Scherbel, Todd J
• Application Number:
  US15/187,544
• Publication Number:
  US 20160296250A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,212 Days
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/22004 using mechanical vibrations, e.g. ultrasonic shock waves A61B17/225 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/2202 the ultrasound transducer being inside patient's body at the distal end of the catheter
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/295 combined with cutting implements
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/320068 using mechanical vibrations, e.g. ultrasonic A61B17/22012 takes precedence; dental tooth drilling devices operated by vibration A61C3/03; removing intra-ocular material using mechanical vibrations A61F9/00745
• 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 2017/003 Steerable
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00327 with actuating members moving in opposite directions
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00331 with preformed bends
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00336 with a protective sleeve, e.g. retractable or slidable
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/22014 the ultrasound transducer being outside patient's body; with an ultrasound transmission member; with a wave guide; with a vibrated guide wire not applied in A61B17/22012
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/22015 with details of the transmission member
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/2927 the angular position of the head being adjustable with respect to the shaft
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/320071 with articulating means for working tip
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/320072 Working tips with special features, e.g. extending parts
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/320075 single edge blade, e.g. for cutting
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/320089 node location
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/320093 additional movable means performing cutting operation
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/320094 additional movable means performing clamping operation

Abstract

Various embodiments described herein are directed to ultrasonic blades. For example, an ultrasonic blade may comprise a proximally positioned straight section extending along a longitudinal axis and a distally positioned curved section coupled to the straight section and curved away from the longitudinal axis. The curved section may define a radius of curvature and subtend a first angle. A point of tangency between the curved section and the straight section may be positioned at either a node of the ultrasonic blade or an anti-node of the ultrasonic blade.

Claims

1. A surgical instrument comprising:

an ultrasonic blade, the ultrasonic blade comprising;

a proximally positioned straight section extending along a longitudinal axis; and

a distally positioned curved section coupled to the straight section and curved away from the longitudinal axis, wherein the curved section defines a radius of curvature, wherein the curved section subtends a first angle, and wherein a point of tangency between the curved section and the straight section is located at a predetermined position; and

wherein the radius of curvature of the curved section is described by;

2. The surgical instrument of claim 1, wherein the predetermined position is selected from the group consisting of a node of the ultrasonic blade and an anti-node of the ultrasonic blade and in between the node and the anti-node of the ultrasonic blade, and any combinations thereof.

3. The surgical instrument of claim 1, wherein the curved section of the ultrasonic blade comprises two quarter wavelengths at a resonant frequency of the ultrasonic blade.

4. The surgical instrument of claim 3, wherein a length of the curved section of the ultrasonic blade is greater than a distance between adjacent nodes on the straight section of the ultrasonic blade.

5. The surgical instrument of claim 1, wherein the curved section of the ultrasonic blade comprises one quarter wavelength at a resonant frequency of the ultrasonic blade.

6. The surgical instrument of claim 1, further comprising a shaft enclosing at least a portion of an end effector.

7. The surgical instrument of claim 1, further comprising:

a shaft extending along the longitudinal axis, wherein;

the ultrasonic blade is positioned within the shaft,

the ultrasonic blade is translatable along the longitudinal axis relative to the shaft from a first position in which the distally positioned curved section extends from a distal end of the shaft to a second position in which the distally positioned curved section is at least partially contained within the shaft.

8. The surgical instrument of claim 7, wherein the distally positioned curved section of the ultrasonic blade contacts an inner wall of the shaft when the distally positioned curved section is at least partially contained within the shaft.

9. The surgical instrument of claim 7, wherein the shaft is fixed and the ultrasonic blade is translatable along the longitudinal axis relative to the shaft.

10. The surgical instrument of claim 7, wherein the ultrasonic blade is fixed and the shaft is translatable along the longitudinal axis relative to the ultrasonic blade.

11. The surgical instrument of claim 7, wherein the distally positioned curved section comprises a first curved section and a second curved section, and wherein the first curved section defines a first radius of curvature described by the radius of curvature and the second curved section defines a second radius of curvature described by the radius of curvature.

12. The surgical instrument of claim 11, wherein the ultrasonic blade is resilient such that the second radius of curvature of the second curved section increases upon distal translation of the ultrasonic blade to the first position.

13. The surgical instrument of claim 11, wherein a first direction of the first curved section opposes a second direction of the second curved section.

14. An ultrasonic blade comprising:

a proximally positioned straight section extending along a longitudinal axis; and

a distally positioned curved section coupled to the straight section and curved away from the longitudinal axis, wherein the curved section defines a radius of curvature, wherein the curved section subtends a first angle, and wherein a point of tangency between the curved section and the straight section is located at a predetermined position; and

wherein the radius of curvature of the curved section is described by;

15. The ultrasonic blade of claim 14, wherein the predetermined position is selected from the group consisting of a node of the ultrasonic blade and an anti-node of the ultrasonic blade and in between the node and the anti-node of the ultrasonic blade, and any combinations thereof.

16. The ultrasonic blade of claim 14, wherein the curved section of the ultrasonic blade comprises two quarter wavelengths at a resonant frequency of the ultrasonic blade.

17. The ultrasonic blade of claim 16, wherein a length of the curved section of the ultrasonic blade is greater than a distance between adjacent nodes on the straight section of the ultrasonic blade.

18. The ultrasonic blade of claim 14, wherein the curved section of the ultrasonic blade comprises one quarter wavelength at a resonant frequency of the ultrasonic blade.

19. An asymmetric ultrasonic blade comprising:

a proximally positioned straight section extending along a longitudinal axis;

a distally positioned curved section coupled to the straight section and curved away from the longitudinal axis; and

a radius of curvature defined by the curved section, wherein the curved section subtends an angle and wherein the radius of curvature of the curved section is described by;

20. The asymmetric ultrasonic blade of claim 19, wherein the node and anti-node are positioned from each other at a distance, and wherein the distance is equivalent to a one quarter wavelength.

21. The asymmetric ultrasonic blade of claim 19, wherein the position of the node and anti-node is determined by the radius of curvature of the curved section.

22. The asymmetric ultrasonic blade of claim 21, wherein a distance between the node and anti-node is defined by the radius of curvature of the curved section and wherein an increase in the radius of curvature defines an increase in an active area of the asymmetric ultrasonic blade.

23. The asymmetric ultrasonic blade of claim 19, wherein the radius of curvature and the subtended angle define a ratio of transverse displacement to longitudinal displacement at a proximal end of the straight section to define a balance of the asymmetric ultrasonic blade.

24. A curved ultrasonic blade comprising:

a curved section comprising a proximal first curved section and a distal second curved section;

wherein;

the proximal first curved section is positionable within a shaft extending along a longitudinal axis;

the curved ultrasonic blade is translatable along the longitudinal axis from a first position in which the distal second curved section is contained within the shaft to a second position in which at least a portion of the distal second curved section extends from a distal end of the shaft;

the proximal first curved section defines a first radius of curvature;

the distal second curved section defines a second radius of curvature;

the first and second radius of curvature of the curved ultrasonic blade are described by;

25. The curved ultrasonic blade of claim 24, wherein the curved section is balanced to guide a vibration mode of the curved ultrasonic blade substantially along the longitudinal axis.

26. An ultrasonic blade comprising:

a proximally positioned straight section;

a distally positioned curved section; and

wherein;

the ultrasonic blade is translatable along a longitudinal axis relative to a shaft from a first position in which the curved section extends from a distal end of the shaft to a second position in which the curved section is at least partially contained within the shaft;

the shaft extends along the longitudinal axis;

the curved section defines a radius of curvature; and

the radius of curvature of the ultrasonic blade is described by;