Method of manufacturing electrosurgical seal plates

• US 9,265,552 B2
• Filed: 12/02/2014
• Issued: 02/23/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 09/28/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Covidien LP (Medtronic Plc)
• Original Assignee: Covidien LP (Medtronic Plc)
• Inventors: Brandt, Kim V., Aquino, Allan G.
• Primary Examiner(s): ARBES, CARL J
• Application Number:
  US14/557,767
• Publication Number:
  US 20150083688A1
• Time in Patent Office: 448 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 18/00 Surgical instruments, devices or methods for transferring non-mechanical forms of energy to or from the body eye surgery A61F9/007; ear surgery A61F11/00
• 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: B32B 2038/0076 Curing, vulcanising, cross-linking
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2311/12 Copper
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2535/00 Medical equipment, e.g. bandage, prostheses, catheter medical patches B32B2556/00
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 37/12 characterised by using adhesives
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 38/0036 Heat treatment for heating or cooling of layers during lamination B32B37/06, B32B37/08
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 38/10 Removing layers, or parts of layers, mechanically or chemically
• CPC Class Codes: C23F 1/02 Local etching
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49002 Electrical device making
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49117 Conductor or circuit manufacturing
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49204 Contact or terminal manufacturing
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49208 by assembling plural parts
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/5313 Means to assemble electrical device

Abstract

A system for the manufacture of an end effector assembly which is configured for use with an electrosurgical instrument configured for performing an electrosurgical procedure is provided. The system includes a photolithography module that is configured to etch one or more pockets on a seal surface of the seal plate. A vacuum module is configured to raise, transfer and lower a spacer from a location remote from the pocket(s) on the seal plate to the pocket on the seal plate(s). An adhesive dispensing module is configured to dispense an adhesive into the pocket on the seal plate. An optical module is configured to monitor a volume of the adhesive dispensed within the pocket and monitor placement of the spacer within the pocket.

Claims

1. A method for manufacturing an electrosurgical seal plate, the method comprising:

forming a seal plate from a sheet of material;

etching at least one pocket on the formed seal plate;

etching at least one flange on the formed seal plate that extends at least along one side of the seal plate;

positioning the formed seal plate on a jaw member;

securely retaining the seal plate to the jaw member via the at least one etched retention feature; and

overmolding the positioned and formed seal plate to the jaw member.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein forming a seal plate includes forming a plurality of seal plates from a sheet of metal.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein etching at least one retention feature includes etching at least one retention feature partially through the seal plate.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein etching at least one retention feature includes etching at least one retention feature entirely through the seal plate.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein etching at least one retention feature includes etching at least one slot at least partially through the seal plate.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein etching at least one retention feature includes etching at least one cavity at least partially through the seal plate.

7. The method according to claim 1, wherein etching at least one retention feature includes etching at least one curved channel at least partially through the seal plate.

8. The method according to claim 1, further comprising creating a series of partial etch dams along a side of the seal plate.

9. The method according to claim 1, further comprising controlling a height of a material during the overmolding step.

10. The method according to claim 1, further comprising inhibiting a flow of a material when a height of the material exceeds a predetermined height during the overmolding step.

11. The method according to claim 1, further comprising creating a knife slot on the formed seal plate.

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

laminating a material to the seal plate; and

selectively etching at least a portion of the laminated material to create one or more points of electrical contact on the seal plate.

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

laminating copper to the seal plate; and

selectively etching at least a portion of the laminated copper to create at least one heat sink at a specific location on the seal plate.

14. The method according to claim 1, further comprising bonding a spacer to a surface of the seal plate.

15. The method according to claim 1, further comprising encasing a spacer within the etched pocket and bonding the encased spacer to the seal plate.

16. The method according to claim 15, further comprising:

applying an adhesive to the spacer prior to encasing the spacer within the etched pocket; and

curing the adhesive after the spacer is encased within the etched pocket.