Electrosurgical instrument with joint seal

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11684409-B2
Application number	US-202016849481-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 15, 2020
Priority date	Apr 17, 2019
Publication date	Jun 27, 2023
Grant date	Jun 27, 2023

Abstract

An electrosurgical instrument ( 10 ) with two branches ( 11, 12 ) that are pivotably supported at each other by means of a pivot joint ( 13 ) is disclosed. The pivot joint ( 13 ) has a support pin ( 34 ) and a support cavity ( 37 ). The support pin ( 34 ) is particularly torque-proof connected with one of the branches ( 11 ) or ( 12 ) and rotatably supported in the support cavity ( 37 ) of the respective other branch ( 12 ) or ( 11 ). Between the branches ( 11, 12 ) a seal ( 45 ) is provided that sealingly abuts at the two branches ( 11, 12 ) and that surrounds the support pin ( 34 ) completely in the circumferential direction. Preferably, the support pin ( 34 ) is sealingly connected with the respective branch ( 11, 12 ) at its axial ends. In doing so, entering of contaminants in the area between the support pin ( 34 ) and the support cavity ( 37 ) from all sides or access possibilities is inhibited.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. An electrosurgical instrument ( 10 ), comprising:
a first branch ( 11 ) and a second branch ( 12 ) that are pivotably arranged about a pivot axis (S) at a pivot joint ( 13 ), wherein the pivot joint ( 13 ) comprises a support pin ( 34 ) and a support cavity ( 37 ) formed in at least one of the first and second branches in which the support pin is received, and
An elastically deformable seal ( 45 ) that completely surrounds the support pin ( 34 ) in a circumferential direction about the pivot axis (S) and sealingly abuts against a first abutment surface ( 46 ) of the first branch ( 11 ) and an opposing second abutment surface ( 47 ) of the second branch ( 12 ) so as to inhibit entry of contaminants into a space between the support pin ( 34 ) and the support cavity ( 37 ),

wherein the elastically deformable seal ( 45 ) is compressed between the first abutment surface and the opposing second abutment surface ( 46 , 47 ) of the first and second branches ( 11 , 12 ) such that the elastically deformable seal ( 45 ) is elastically deformed therebetween in an axial direction (A) parallel to the pivot axis (S).

2. The electrosurgical instrument according to claim 1 , further comprising at least one distance element ( 60 ) that extends in an axial direction (A) parallel to the pivot axis (S) and defines an axial distance (X) between the first abutment surface ( 46 ) and the second abutment surface ( 47 ).

3. The electrosurgical instrument according to claim 2 , wherein the at least one distance element ( 60 ) is rigidly connected with one of the branches ( 11 , 12 ).

4. The electrosurgical instrument according to claim 2 , wherein the at least one distance element comprises an end surface ( 61 ) at a free end that forms a friction bearing surface ( 62 ) and abuts the first branch ( 11 ) or the second branch ( 12 ).

5. The electrosurgical instrument according to claim 2 , wherein the at least one distance element comprises at least three distance elements ( 60 ) that are arranged at a distance with respect to each other in the circumferential direction about the pivot axis (S).

6. The electrosurgical instrument according to claim 2 , wherein the elastically deformable seal ( 45 ) comprises an axial thickness (D) in an undeformed initial condition that is larger than the axial distance (X).

7. The electrosurgical instrument according to claim 1 , further comprising a depression ( 73 ) in the first branch ( 11 ) and/or the second branch ( 12 ) for reception of the elastically deformable seal ( 45 ).

8. The electrosurgical instrument according to claim 1 , wherein the elastically deformable seal ( 45 ) has a rectangular cross-section.

9. The electrosurgical instrument according to claim 1 , further comprising a knife guide cavity ( 24 ) in the first branch ( 11 ) and/or the second branch ( 12 ), in which a knife ( 25 ) is movably supported in a movement direction (B) in a guided manner.

10. The electrosurgical instrument according to claim 9 , wherein the support pin ( 34 ) is arranged offset to the knife guide cavity ( 24 ).

11. The electrosurgical instrument according to claim 1 , further comprising a biasing element ( 72 ) that urges the first branch ( 11 ) and the second branch ( 12 ) toward each other in an axial direction (A) parallel to the pivot axis (S).

12. The electrosurgical instrument according to claim 1 , wherein the support pin ( 34 ) is connected in a torque-proof manner with the first branch ( 11 ) or the second branch ( 12 ) and is rotatably supported in a support cavity ( 37 ) of the respective other of the second branch ( 12 ) or the first branch ( 11 ).

13. The electrosurgical instrument according to claim 12 , further comprising an area between the support cavity ( 37 ) and the support pin ( 34 ) that is sealed by an additional seal element ( 74 ).

Assignees

• Erbe Elektromedizin

Inventors

• Weiler Rolf

Classifications

• A61B18/1442 Primary

  Probes having pivoting end effectors, e.g. forceps · CPC title

• A61B2017/2947

  Pivots · CPC title

• A61B2017/2948

  Sealing means, e.g. for sealing the interior from fluid entry · CPC title

• A61B2018/1455

  having a moving blade for cutting tissue grasped by the jaws · CPC title

• A61B18/1445 Primary

  at the distal end of a shaft, e.g. forceps or scissors at the end of a rigid rod · CPC title