SURGICAL INSTRUMENT WITH MAGNETIC CLAMPING FORCE

• US 20120101488A1
• Filed: 10/26/2010
• Published: 04/26/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 10/26/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cilag Gmbh International (Johnson & Johnson)
• Original Assignee: Ethicon Endo-Surgery, Inc. (Johnson & Johnson)
• Inventors: Aldridge, Jeffrey L., Witt, David A., Mootoo, Mary E., Huang, Zhifan F., Dietz, Timothy G., Banks, Raymond M.
• Granted Patent: US 8,628,529 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 606/33
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/29 Forceps for use in minimally invasive surgery
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 18/1445 at the distal end of a shaft, e.g. forceps or scissors at the end of a rigid rod
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00017 Electrical control of surgical instruments
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00876 magnetic
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/2932 Transmission of forces to jaw members
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00196 reciprocating lengthwise
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00607 Coagulation and cutting with the same instrument
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/0063 Sealing
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/1412 Blade

Abstract

A surgical instrument comprising an end effector, the end effector comprising first and second opposing jaw members, wherein at least one of the first and second jaw members are moveable such that the first and second jaw members are transitionable between open and closed positions. The first jaw member may comprise a permanent magnet. The second jaw member may also comprise a magnet (e.g., permanent or soft). The magnetic motive force between the magnets of the first and second jaw members may attract each other to thereby reduce the external force required to transition the first and second jaw members to the closed position. In addition, the magnets may be configured to repeal each other to thereby aid in opening the jaw members.

Claims

1. A surgical instrument comprising:

an end effector comprising;

a first jaw member comprising a first magnet, wherein the first magnet comprises a first permanent magnet; and

a second jaw member opposing the first jaw member, wherein the second jaw member comprises a second magnet, and wherein at least one of the first and second jaw members are moveable such that the first and second jaw members are transitionable between open and closed positions, and wherein a magnetic motive force between the first and second magnets reduces an external force required to transition the first and second jaw members to the closed position.

2. The surgical instrument of claim 1, wherein the first permanent magnet comprises a permanent magnetic material.

3. The surgical instrument of claim 2, wherein the permanent magnetic material is selected from the group consisting of iron, nickel, cobalt, neodymium, and samarium.

4. The surgical instrument of claim 1, wherein the second magnet comprises a soft magnet.

5. The surgical instrument of claim 2, wherein the second magnet comprises a soft magnet.

6. The surgical instrument of claim 5, wherein the soft magnet comprises a soft magnetic material selected from the group consisting of steel, nickel-iron alloy, and nickel-cobalt alloy.

7. The surgical instrument of claim 1, wherein the second magnet comprises a permanent magnet.

8. The surgical instrument of claim 1, wherein the first permanent magnet comprises a first switchable permanent magnet.

9. The surgical instrument of claim 8, wherein the first switchable permanent magnet comprises a first electromagnet.

10. The surgical instrument of claim 9, wherein the second magnet comprises a soft magnet.

11. The surgical instrument of claim 9, wherein the second magnet comprises a second permanent magnet.

12. The surgical instrument of claim 11, wherein the second permanent magnet comprises a permanent magnetic material.

13. The surgical instrument of claim 11, wherein the second permanent magnet comprises a second electromagnet.

14. The surgical instrument of claim 9, further comprising a control circuit for controlling the first electromagnet.

15. The surgical instrument of claim 14, further comprising a sensor, wherein the control circuit is responsive to the sensor.

16. The surgical instrument of claim 15, wherein the sensor comprises a pressure sensor for sensing a force being applied to tissue positioned between the first and second jaw members.

17. The surgical instrument of claim 15, wherein the sensor comprises a position sensor for sensing a distance between the first and second jaw members.

18. The surgical instrument of claim 8, wherein:

the first switchable permanent magnet comprises a first rotatable permanent magnet; and

the second magnet comprises a second permanent magnet.

19. The surgical instrument of claim 14, wherein the second permanent magnetic comprises a permanent magnetic material.

20. The surgical instrument of claim 1, wherein the surgical instrument is selected from the group consisting of a RF surgical instrument, a harmonic surgical instrument, an endo-cutter, and a grasper.