Surgical instrument with electrical contact under membrane

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10631860-B2
Application number	US-201815934166-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 23, 2018
Priority date	Mar 23, 2018
Publication date	Apr 28, 2020
Grant date	Apr 28, 2020

Abstract

A surgical instrument includes a body, a shaft assembly, an end effector, and an electrical contact assembly. The includes a power source, while the shaft assembly extends distally from the body. The end effector includes a channel assembly and a cartridge assembly configured to selectively couple with the channel assembly. The cartridge assembly includes an electrically activated component. The electrical contact assembly is capable of electrically coupling the power source with the electrically activated component of the cartridge assembly. The electrical contact assembly includes a first electrical contact, a second electrical contact, and an insulating membrane. The first electrical contact is associated with the channel assembly while the second electrical contact is associated with the cartridge assembly. The insulating membrane is associated with either the first electrical contact or the second electrical contact. The insulating membrane is configured to transition between a closed position and an opened position. Either the first electrical contact or the second electrical contact is configured to transition the insulation membrane to the opened position when the cartridge assembly is coupled to the channel assembly.

First claim

We claim:

1. A surgical instrument comprising:
(a) a body comprising a power source;
(b) a shaft assembly extending distally from the body;
(c) an end effector, wherein the end effector comprises:
(i) a channel assembly, and
(ii) a cartridge assembly configured to selectively couple with the channel assembly, wherein the cartridge assembly comprises an electrically activated component; and

(d) an electrical contact assembly configured electrically couple the power source with the electrically activated component of the cartridge assembly, wherein the electrical contact assembly comprises:
(i) a first electrical contact associated with the channel assembly,
(ii) a second electrical contact associated with the cartridge assembly, and
(iii) an insulating membrane associated with either the first electrical contact or the second electrical contact, wherein the insulating membrane is configured to transition between a closed position and an opened position, wherein either the first electrical contact or the second electrical contact is configured to transition the insulating membrane to the opened position when the cartridge assembly is coupled to the channel assembly.

2. The surgical instrument of claim 1 , wherein either the first or the second electrical contact is configured to puncture the insulating membrane when transitioning the insulating membrane to the opened state.

3. The surgical instrument of claim 1 , wherein the insulating member defines an occluded opening configured to transition between the closed position and the opened position.

4. The surgical instrument of claim 1 , wherein the electrical contact assembly further comprises a flexible pad associated with the first electrical contact.

5. The surgical instrument of claim 1 , wherein the electrical contact assembly further comprises a flexible pad associated with the second electrical contact.

6. The surgical instrument of claim 1 , wherein the channel assembly defines a recess.

7. The surgical instrument of claim 1 , wherein the first electrical contact assembly is housed within the recess.

8. The surgical instrument of 1 , wherein the cartridge assembly further comprises a laterally extending lug, wherein the second electrical contact assembly is attached to the laterally extending lug.

9. The surgical instrument 1 , wherein the cartridge assembly defines a T-slot, wherein the insulative membrane is housed within the T-slot.

10. The surgical instrument of claim 1 , wherein the shaft assembly is detachable from the body.

11. The surgical instrument of claim 10 , wherein the shaft assembly further comprises a proximal electrical connector, wherein the body comprises a distal electrical connector, wherein the proximal electrical connector is configured to electrically couple with the distal electrical connector when the shaft assembly is attached to the body.

12. The surgical instrument of claim 1 , wherein the electrically activated component comprises a sensor.

13. The surgical instrument of claim 1 , wherein the electrically activated component is configured to deliver Radio Frequency energy.

14. The surgical instrument of claim 1 , wherein the shaft assembly further comprises an electrical connecting member in electrical communication with the first electrical contact.

15. The surgical instrument of claim 14 , wherein the shaft assembly further comprises a shaft circuit board coupled with the electrical connecting member.

16. A surgical instrument comprising:
(a) a body comprising a power source;
(b) a shaft assembly;
(c) an end effector at a distal end of the shaft assembly, wherein the end effector comprises:
(i) a channel assembly, and
(ii) a cartridge assembly configured to selectively couple with the channel assembly, wherein the cartridge assembly comprises an electrically activated component; and

(d) an electrical contact assembly configured electrically couple the power source with the electrically activated component of the cartridge assembly, wherein the electrical contact assembly comprises:
(i) a first electrical contact associated with the channel assembly, wherein the first electrical contact is configured to actuate from a first position to a second position in response to the cartridge assembly selectively coupling with the channel assembly,
(ii) a second electrical contact associated with the cartridge assembly, wherein the first electrical contact is configured to couple with the second electrical contact in the second position, and
(iii) an insulating membrane associated with either the first electrical contact, wherein the first electrical contact is located within the insulating membrane in the first position.

17. The surgical instrument of claim 16 , wherein the first electrical contact is pivotably coupled with the channel assembly.

18. The surgical instrument of claim 16 , wherein the first electrical contact is biased to the first position.

19. The surgical instrument of claim 18 , further comprising a spring member configured to bias the first electrical contact into the first position.

20. A surgical instrument comprising:
(a) a body comprising a power source;
(b) a shaft assembly extending distally from the body;
(c) an end effector, wherein the end effector comprises:
(i) a channel assembly defining a recess, and
(ii) a cartridge assembly configured to selectively couple with the channel assembly, wherein the cartridge assembly comprises an electrically activated component, and

(d) an electrical contact assembly configured electrically couple the power source with the electrically activated component of the cartridge assembly, wherein the electrical contact assembly comprises:
(i) a first electrical contact associated with the channel assembly, wherein the first electrical contact is configured to actuate from a first position to a second position in response to the cartridge assembly selectively coupling with the channel assembly, wherein the first electrical contact is housed within the recess of the channel assembly in the first position, and
(ii) a second electrical contact associated with the cartridge assembly, wherein the first electrical contact is configured to couple with the second electrical contact in the second position.

Assignees

• Ethicon Llc

Inventors

• Bakos Gregory J
• Shelton Iv Frederick E
• Scott Gregory G
• Geresy Stephen D
• Nguetio Tchoumkeu Yvan D
• Krumm Amy M
• Waters Grace E
• Vulhop Prudence A
• Kwee Nichole Y
• Brady John E
• Jenkins Scott A
• Schoettmer Laura A
• Kolpitcke Andrew
• Morgan Joshua P
• Worthington Sarah A
• Aronhalt Taylor W
• Cuti Alexander R

Classifications

• H01R3/08

  for making connection to a liquid {(slip rings with liquid contacts H01R39/30, H01R39/646)} · CPC title

• A61B2017/00398

  using powered actuators, e.g. stepper motors, solenoids · CPC title

• H01R2201/12

  for medicine and surgery · CPC title

• A61B17/07207 Primary

  the staples being applied sequentially · CPC title

• A61B2017/00017

  Electrical control of surgical instruments · CPC title