Electrosurgical generators and sensors

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10987154-B2
Application number	US-201916402049-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 2, 2019
Priority date	Dec 2, 2014
Publication date	Apr 27, 2021
Grant date	Apr 27, 2021

Abstract

An electrosurgical generator includes a radio frequency output stage configured to output at least one radio frequency waveform and a sensor for sensing current. The sensor includes a current sensor coil having: an outer coil, an inner coil coupled to and disposed within the outer coil, and at least one shielding member disposed over the outer coil. Each of the at least one shielding member and the outer coil define an opening therethrough. The generator also includes at least one active lead coupled to the radio frequency output stage and passing through the current sensor coil. The current sensor coil is configured to output a signal indicative of a current within the at least one active lead.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A sensor for sensing current, the sensor comprising:
a current sensor coil defining an opening therethrough and having a top surface and a bottom surface; and
an active lead passing through the opening of the current sensor coil, the active lead including:
a top portion extending parallel with and over the top surface of the current sensor coil at a first non-zero acute angle relative to an axis that extends through a first end of the current sensor coil and a center of the opening of the current sensor coil; and
a bottom portion extending parallel with and over the bottom surface of the current sensor coil at a second non-zero acute angle relative to the axis, the first non-zero acute angle and the second non-zero acute angle being symmetrical relative to each other about the axis.

2. The sensor according to claim 1 , wherein the current sensor coil includes:
an outer coil;
a pair of first and second terminals coupled to the outer coil at the first end of the current sensor coil; and
an inner coil coupled to and disposed within the outer coil.

3. The sensor according to claim 2 , wherein the current sensor coil is configured to output a differential signal indicative of a current within the at least one active lead.

4. The sensor according to claim 2 , wherein the current sensor coil is disposed within a printed circuit board.

5. The sensor according to claim 4 , wherein the current sensor coil further includes a shielding member disposed over the outer coil.

6. The sensor according to claim 5 , wherein the printed circuit board includes:
a plurality of outer conductive traces each coupled to the active lead, the plurality of outer conductive traces being interconnected by at least one via through the printed circuit board.

7. The sensor according to claim 6 , wherein the printed circuit board includes:
a top dielectric layer;
a first dielectric intermediate layer;
a bottom dielectric layer; and
a second dielectric intermediate layer.

8. The sensor according to claim 7 , wherein the outer coil includes:
a plurality of top conductive traces disposed between the top dielectric layer and the first dielectric intermediate layer of the printed circuit board;
a plurality of bottom conductive traces disposed between the bottom dielectric layer and the second dielectric intermediate layer of the printed circuit board, wherein the plurality of outer conductive traces are disposed over an outer surface of the bottom dielectric layer and the top dielectric layer; and
a plurality of inner and outer vias interconnecting the pluralities of top conductive traces and the pluralities of bottom conductive traces.

9. The sensor according to claim 8 , wherein the shielding member is disposed over an outer dielectric layer disposed over the outer surface of at least one of the top dielectric layer or the bottom dielectric layer.

10. The sensor according to claim 7 , wherein the inner coil includes:
a conductive trace disposed within the outer coil and between the first and second dielectric intermediate layers of the printed circuit board.

11. The sensor according to claim 3 , wherein each of the outer coil and the inner coil includes first and second portions, the first and second portions being separated at a second end of the current sensor coil, which is opposite the first end.

12. The sensor according to claim 11 , further comprising:
a conditioning circuit configured to at least one of integrate, amplify, or filter the differential signal to output a processed signal indicative of the current of the differential signal.

13. The sensor according to claim 12 , wherein the conditioning circuit is coupled to the first terminal and the second terminal, which are coupled to the first portion and the second portion of the outer coil, respectively, at the first end of the current sensor coil, and the first portion and the second portion of the inner coil are coupled to a third terminal at the first end of the current sensor coil.

14. The sensor according to claim 13 , wherein the first portion of the outer coil and the first portion of the inner coil are coupled to each other at the second end and the second portion of the outer coil and the second portion of the inner coil are coupled to each other at the second end.

15. An electrosurgical generator, comprising:
a radio frequency output stage configured to output at least one radio frequency waveform;
a sensor including:
a current sensor coil defining an opening therethrough and having a top surface and a bottom surface; and
an active lead passing through the opening of the current sensor coil, the active lead including:
a top portion extending parallel with and over the top surface of the current sensor coil at a first non-zero acute angle relative to an axis that extends through a first end of the current sensor coil and a center of the opening of the current sensor coil; and
a bottom portion extending parallel with and over the bottom surface of the current sensor coil at a second non-zero acute angle relative to the axis, the first non-zero acute angle and the second non-zero acute angle being symmetrical relative to each other about the axis.

16. The electrosurgical generator according to claim 15 , further comprising a return lead coupled to the radio frequency output stage and passing through the current sensor coil, wherein the current sensor coil is configured to output a second signal indicative of a current within the return lead.

17. The electrosurgical generator according to claim 15 , wherein the current sensor coil includes:
an outer coil;
a pair of first and second terminals coupled to the outer coil at the first end of the current sensor coil; and
an inner coil coupled to and disposed within the outer coil.

18. The electrosurgical generator according to claim 17 , wherein the current sensor coil is configured to output a differential signal indicative of a current within the active lead.

19. The electrosurgical generator according to claim 18 , wherein the current sensor coil is disposed within a printed circuit board.

20. The electrosurgical generator according to claim 19 , wherein the current sensor coil further includes a shielding member disposed over the outer coil and the printed circuit board includes a plurality of outer conductive traces each coupled to the active lead, the plurality of outer conductive traces being interconnected by at least one via through the printed circuit board.

Assignees

• Covidien Lp

Inventors

• Buck Dean C
• Brannan Edward L
• Johnston Mark A

Classifications

• A61B2018/00833

  Differential current · CPC title

• A61N1/056

  Transvascular endocardial electrode systems · CPC title

• H01F38/30

  Constructions · CPC title

• A61B2018/00892

  Voltage · CPC title

• A61B18/1482

  having a long rigid shaft for accessing the inner body transcutaneously in minimal invasive surgery, e.g. laparoscopy · CPC title