Disengagement mechanism for electrosurgical forceps

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11759249-B2
Application number	US-201716085745-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 14, 2017
Priority date	Mar 31, 2016
Publication date	Sep 19, 2023
Grant date	Sep 19, 2023

Abstract

An electrosurgical forceps comprising: (a.) a pair of working arms comprising; (i.) a first working arm and a second working arm, each of the first working arm and the second working arm having an inner surface; (ii.) one or more electrodes located on the inner surface of the first working arm, the second working arm, or both; and (b.) a selectively engageable activation system comprising; (i.) a control unit; (ii.) an activation switch; and (iii.) a disengagement mechanism; wherein the first working arm and the second working arm are laterally movable relative to each other so that the activation switch is actuated when the disengagement mechanism is in an engaged position by closing the first working arm and the second working arm together, sending a signal to the control unit, which in turn sends a therapy signal to the one or more electrodes; wherein when the disengagement mechanism is in a disengagement position and the working arms are closed, the therapy signal is prevented from being sent from the control unit to the one or more electrodes.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. An electrosurgical forceps comprising:
a. a pair of working arms comprising;
i. a first working arm and a second working arm, each of the first working arm and the second working arm having an inner surface;
ii. one or more electrodes located on the inner surface of the first working arm, the second working arm, or both; and

b. a selectively engageable activation system comprising;
i. a control unit;
ii. an activation switch; and
iii. a disengagement mechanism located between the first and second working arms and positioned proximal to the one or more electrodes, the disengagement mechanism movable between an engagement position and a disengagement position;

wherein the first working arm and the second working arm are laterally movable relative to each other between an open position and a closed position when the disengagement mechanism is in both the engagement position and the disengagement position;
wherein when the disengagement mechanism is in the engagement position and the first and second working arms are moved from the open position to the closed position, the activation switch is depressed by the disengagement mechanism and sends a signal to the control unit, which in turn sends a therapy signal to the one or more electrodes; and
wherein when the disengagement mechanism is in the disengagement position and the first and second working arms are moved from the open position to the closed position, the activation switch is not depressed by the disengagement mechanism and the therapy signal is prevented from being sent from the control unit to the one or more electrodes.

2. The electrosurgical forceps of claim 1 , wherein the disengagement mechanism includes a shuttle which moves between the engagement position and the disengagement position.

3. The electrosurgical forceps of claim 2 , wherein the disengagement mechanism includes a socket that receives the activation switch when the shuttle is in the disengagement position so that the activation switch is not actuated when the first working arm and second working arm are moved to the closed position, and the socket, in the engagement position, is misaligned with the activation switch so that the activation switch is actuated when the first working arm and the second working arm are moved to the closed position.

4. The electrosurgical forceps of claim 2 , wherein the disengagement mechanism includes an anvil surface that is aligned with the activation switch in the engagement position so that the activation switch is actuated by the anvil surface when the first working arm and the second working arm are moved to the closed position, and the anvil surface, in the disengagement position, is misaligned with the activation switch so the activation switch is not actuated when the first working arm and the second working arm are moved to the closed position.

5. The electrosurgical forceps of claim 2 , wherein the disengagement mechanism includes a socket and an anvil surface, so when the shuttle is in the disengagement position the activation switch is aligned with the socket, allowing the activation switch to fit into the socket such that the switch is free from actuation when the first working arm and the second working arm are moved to the closed position, and when the shuttle is in the engagement position, the activation switch is aligned with the anvil surface, so that the activation switch is actuated by the anvil surface when the first working arm and second working arm are moved to the closed position.

6. The electrosurgical forceps of claim 2 , wherein the disengagement mechanism includes a leaf spring in contact with the activation switch, so when the shuttle is in the engagement position the leaf spring deflects, actuating the activation switch when the first working arm and second working arm are moved to the closed position, and when the shuttle is in the disengagement position, the leaf spring is free from actuating the activation switch, when the first working arm and second working arm are moved to the closed position.

7. The electro surgical forceps of claim 2 , wherein the disengagement mechanism includes an activation switch guard such that:
when the shuttle is in the disengagement position, the activation switch guard aligns with the activation switch and obstructs the activation switch from being depressed when the first working arm and second working arm are moved to the closed position; and
when the shuttle is in the engagement position, the activation switch guard is misaligned with the activation switch, allowing the activation switch to be actuated when the first working arm and second working arm are moved to the closed position.

8. The electrosurgical forceps of claim 4 , wherein the activation switch is carried on the shuttle.

9. The electrosurgical forceps of claim 2 , wherein the shuttle rotates between the engagement position and the disengagement position.

10. The electrosurgical forceps of claim 2 , wherein the shuttle translates between the engagement position and the disengagement position.

11. The electrosurgical forceps of claim 2 , wherein the shuttle in the disengagement position exposes one or more exterior activation buttons and the shuttle in the engagement position covers the exterior activation buttons.

12. The electrosurgical forceps of claim 11 , wherein the exterior activation buttons, when depressed, send one or more therapy currents through the first working arm, second working arm, or both.

13. The electrosurgical forceps of claim 1 , further comprising a blade.

14. The electrosurgical forceps of claim 13 , wherein the blade is connected to a shuttle, and the blade in the engagement position is not exposed, and in the disengagement position the blade is extended beyond the first working arm and second working arm.

15. The electrosurgical forceps of claim 10 , wherein the blade has an electrode.

16. The electrosurgical forceps of claim 14 , wherein the shuttle in the disengagement position exposes one or more exterior activation buttons, that, when depressed, send one or more therapy currents through the first working arm, the second working arm, the blade, or combination thereof and the shuttle in the engagement position covers the one or more exterior activation buttons.

17. The electrosurgical forceps of claim 16 , wherein when the one or more exterior activation buttons are depressed, one or more therapy currents are sent between the blade and an electrode that is remote from the blade.

18. An electrosurgical forceps comprising:
a. a pair of working arms comprising;
i. a first working arm and a second working arm, each of the first working arm and the second working arm having an inner surface;
ii. one or more electrodes located on the inner surface of the first working arm, the second working arm, or both; and

b. a selectively engageable activation system comprising;
i. a control unit;
ii. an activation switch carried on the first working arm; and
iii. a disengagement mechanism located between the first and second working arms and positioned proximal to the one or more electrodes, the disengagement mechanism movable between an engagement position and a disengagement position;

wherein the first working arm and the second working arm are laterally movable relative to each other between an open position and a closed position when the disengagement mechanism is in both the engagement position and the disengagement position;
wherein when the disengagement mechanism is in the engagement position and the first and

Assignees

• Gyrus Acmi Inc

Inventors

• Batchelor Kester J
• Blus Theodore C
• Curtis Richard J
• Windgassen Ryan J

Classifications

• A61B18/1442 Primary

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

• A61B18/1233

  with circuits for assuring patient safety · CPC title

• A61B2018/0091

  Handpieces of the surgical instrument or device · CPC title

• A61B2018/00922

  by switching or controlling the treatment energy directly within the hand-piece · CPC title

• A61B2018/00946

  slidable · CPC title