Surgical Tissue Sealer

• US 20130232753A1
• Filed: 03/06/2012
• Published: 09/12/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 03/06/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Covidien LP (Medtronic Plc)
• Original Assignee: Tyco Healthcare Group LP (Medtronic Plc)
• Inventors: CHOJIN, EDWARD M., COUTURE, GARY M., GARRISON, DAVID M., HART, KEIR, HEMPSTEAD, RUSSELL D., HORNER, GLENN A., KERR, DUANE E., UNGER, JEFFREY R., ACKLEY, JOANNA, ALLEN, JAMES D. IV, ARTALE, RYAN C., BRANDT, KIM V., BUTCHER, DENNIS W., CUNNINGHAM, JAMES S., JOSEPH, DANIEL A., KINGSLEY, DYLAN R., MUELLER, PETER M., OLSON, JESSICA E.C., O'NEILL, SEAN T., SANDERS, JASON T., SHARP, ROBERT M., TWOMEY, JOHN R.
• Granted Patent: US 8,752,264 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 29/407.05
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 18/1442 Probes having pivoting end effectors, e.g. forceps
• 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 2017/00526 Methods of manufacturing
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/0063 Sealing
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/034 abutting on parts of the device itself
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 31/008 Handling preformed parts, e.g. inserts B29C37/001 takes precedence; for injection moulding B29C45/14008; for blow moulding B29C49/2408; for thermoforming B29C51/165
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49771 Quantitative measuring or gauging
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/4984 Retaining clearance for motion between assembled parts
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49895 Associating parts by use of aligning means [e.g., use of a drift pin or a "fixture"]

Abstract

A method for manufacturing an end effector assembly is provided. The method includes grasping a gap-setting gauge between first and second jaw members moveable relative to one another about a pivot between a first, spaced-apart position and a second position proximate tissue and setting the first and second jaw members such that in the approximated position the jaw members cooperate to define a gap distance between the jaw members equivalent to the thickness of the gap-setting gauge such that when positioning tissue between the jaw members full approximation of the jaws is limited to the gap distance.

Claims

1. A method for manufacturing an end effector assembly, the method comprising:

grasping a gap-setting gauge between first and second jaw members moveable relative to one another about a pivot between a first, spaced-apart position and a second position proximate tissue; and

setting the first and second jaw members such that in the approximated position the jaw members cooperate to define a gap distance between the jaw members equivalent to the thickness of the gap-setting gauge such that when positioning tissue between the jaw members, full approximation of the jaws is limited to the gap distance.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein each of the first and second jaw members includes a jaw housing.

3. The method according to claim 2, wherein the setting step includes:

depositing a non-solid material into the jaw housings; and

solidifying the non-solid material to secure a first sealing surface and second sealing surface within the first and second jaw members, respectively.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein one of the first and second jaw members includes a cavity and the other of the first and second jaw members includes a stop member configured to be inserted into the cavity to set the gap distance.

5. The method according to claim 4, wherein the setting step includes:

depositing a non-solid material into the cavity; and

solidifying the non-solid material, wherein the non-solid material is deposited to a sufficient level such that once the non-solid material is solidified and the stop member is inserted into the cavity the gap distance is set to limit full approximation of the jaw members.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein the setting step includes:

inserting a stop member through at least one of the first and second jaw members; and

securing the stop member to the at least one of the first and second jaw members to set the gap distance.

7. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:

releasably attaching a stop member to the first jaw member, wherein the second jaw member includes a cavity configured for insertion of the stop member thereinto to set the gap distance.

8. The method according to claim 7, wherein each of the stop member and the cavity includes at least one surface feature each of which is configured to interlockingly engage with each other, thereby securing the stop member within the second jaw member.

9. The method according to claim 8, further comprising:

detaching the stop member from the first jaw member to set the gap distance.

10. A method for manufacturing an end effector assembly, the method comprising:

grasping a gap-setting gauge between first and second jaw members moveable relative to one another about a pivot between a first, spaced-apart position and an approximated position proximate tissue;

inserting an adjustable stop member into at least one of the first and second jaw members;

setting the first and second jaw members such that in the approximated position the jaw members cooperate to define a gap distance between the jaw members equivalent to the thickness of the gap-setting gauge; and

securing the adjustable stop member to the at least one of the first and second jaw members such that when positioning tissue between the jaw members full approximation of the jaws is limited to the gap distance.

11. The method according to claim 10, wherein the other of the at least one of the first and second jaw members includes a cavity configured for insertion of the stop member thereinto.

12. The method according to claim 11, wherein each of the stop member and the cavity includes at least one surface feature each of which is configured to interlockingly engage with each other.

13. The method according to claim 12, further comprising:

releasably attaching the stop member to the first jaw member;

inserting the stop member into the cavity, thereby securing the stop member within the second jaw member; and

detaching the stop member from the first jaw member to set the gap distance.