System for manufacturing electrosurgical seal plates

• US 9,750,561 B2
• Filed: 02/22/2016
• Issued: 09/05/2017
• 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:
  US15/049,632
• Publication Number:
  US 20160166316A1
• Time in Patent Office: 561 Days
• 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. An end effector configured for use with an electrosurgical instrument, the end effector comprising:

a first jaw member having a first sealing surface including a plurality of flanges configured to secure the sealing surface to an overmolding material; and

a second jaw member operably coupled to the first jaw member such that at least one of the first jaw member or the second jaw member is movable relative to the other, the second jaw member having a second sealing surface and a spacer disposed within a pocket defined in the second sealing surface of the second jaw member, the spacer configured to maintain a desired gap distance between the first and second sealing surfaces when the first and second jaw members are in a closed position.

2. The end effector according to claim 1, wherein the pocket has a depth of 0.002 inches.

3. The end effector according to claim 1, wherein the pocket extends through a partial depth of the second sealing surface.

4. The end effector according to claim 1, wherein the spacer extends from the second sealing surface a distance that ranges from 0.005 inches to 0.01 inches.

5. The end effector according to claim 1, wherein the spacer includes a hemispherical configuration.

6. The end effector according to claim 1, wherein the spacer includes a cylindrical configuration.

7. The end effector according to claim 1, wherein the spacer includes a square configuration.

8. The end effector according to claim 1, wherein the spacer includes a triangular configuration.

9. The end effector according to claim 1, wherein a plurality of spacers is disposed within the pocket defined in the second jaw member.

10. The end effector according to claim 9, wherein the plurality of spacers is arranged in a grid-like configuration.

11. The end effector according to claim 10, wherein each of the plurality of spacers is spaced relative to each other.

12. The end effector according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the first sealing surface or the second sealing surface includes a knife slot.

13. The end effector according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of flanges extend from a side of the first sealing surface.