Slip ring assembly for surgical instrument

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11998202-B2
Application number	US-202217884800-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 10, 2022
Priority date	Mar 23, 2018
Publication date	Jun 4, 2024
Grant date	Jun 4, 2024

Abstract

A surgical instrument includes a body assembly, a shaft assembly extending distally from the body assembly along a shaft axis, and an end effector at a distal end of the shaft assembly. The shaft assembly includes an outer tube configured to rotate relative to the body assembly about the shaft axis. The surgical instrument further includes a slip ring assembly configured to enable electrical communication between the shaft assembly and the body assembly while permitting relative rotation therebetween. The slip ring assembly includes a first electrical contact supported by the outer tube, and a second electrical contact electrically coupled with the first electrical contact and positioned radially outward of the outer tube. The first electrical contact is configured to rotate with the outer tube about the shaft axis relative to the second electrical contact while the first and second electrical contacts remain electrically coupled.

First claim

We claim:

1. A surgical instrument, comprising:
(a) a body assembly;
(b) a shaft assembly extending distally from the body assembly along a shaft axis, wherein the shaft assembly includes an outer tube configured to rotate relative to the body assembly about the shaft axis;
(c) an end effector at a distal end of the shaft assembly, wherein the end effector is operable to treat tissue; and
(d) an electrical connector configured to enable electrical communication between the shaft assembly and the body assembly while permitting relative rotation therebetween, wherein the electrical connector comprises:
(i) a first electrical contact,
(ii) a second electrical contact, and
(iii) an electrically insulating element,
wherein each of the first and second electrical contacts is positioned radially outward of the outer tube with the first electrical contact longitudinally spaced apart from the second electrical contact and the electrically insulating element positioned therebetween, wherein the electrically insulating element is configured to electrically insulate the first and second electrical contacts from each other.

2. The surgical instrument of claim 1 , wherein the electrical connector further comprises a radial protrusion that supports the electrically insulating element.

3. The surgical instrument of claim 1 , wherein the electrical connector further comprises a third electrical contact configured to be in electrical communication with the first electrical contact, wherein the third electrical contact is positioned along the shaft assembly.

4. The surgical instrument of claim 3 , wherein the first electrical contact is proximal to the second electrical contact, wherein the third electrical contact is configured to translate past the second electrical contact during assembly of the surgical instrument, wherein the electrical connector includes a radial protrusion that supports the electrically insulating element and is configured to contact the third electrical contact during assembly of the surgical instrument.

5. The surgical instrument of claim 4 , wherein the radial protrusion includes a chamfer configured to facilitate sliding of the third electrical contact over the radial protrusion.

6. The surgical instrument of claim 4 , wherein the third electrical contact includes a chamfer configured to facilitate sliding of the third electrical contact over the radial protrusion.

7. The surgical instrument of claim 4 , wherein at least a portion of the third electrical contact is configured to move radially translate relative to the shaft axis when in contact with the radial protrusion.

8. The surgical instrument of claim 7 , wherein a portion of the third electrical contact is a spring configured to radially deflect when in contact with the radial protrusion.

9. The surgical instrument of claim 1 , wherein the electrical connector is a portion of a slip ring assembly disposed at a proximal end of the shaft assembly.

10. The surgical instrument of claim 9 , wherein a proximal end of the shaft assembly further comprises a nozzle, wherein the slip ring assembly is housed within the nozzle.

11. The surgical instrument of claim 1 , wherein the first and second electrical contacts are ring contacts positioned coaxially with the outer tube.

12. The surgical instrument of claim 1 , wherein the electrically insulating element includes an O-ring.

13. A surgical instrument, comprising:
(a) a body assembly including a first electrical assembly having a first pair of electrical contacts;
(b) a shaft assembly extending distally from the body assembly along a shaft axis and including a second electrical assembly having a second pair of electrical contacts, wherein the shaft assembly is rotatable relative to the body assembly about the shaft axis while the second electrical assembly remains in electrical communication with the first electrical assembly; and
(c) an end effector at a distal end of the shaft assembly, wherein the end effector is operable to treat tissue;
wherein at least one of the first electrical assembly or the second electrical assembly includes an electrically insulating element positioned between the electrical contacts of the respective first pair or second pair of electrical contacts,
wherein the electrically insulating element is configured to electrically insulate the electrical contacts of the respective first pair or second pair of electrical contacts from each other.

14. The surgical instrument of claim 13 , wherein the first electrical assembly includes the electrically insulating element.

15. The surgical instrument of claim 13 , wherein a first electrical contact of the first electrical assembly is proximal to a second electrical contact of the first electrical assembly, wherein a first electrical contact of the second electrical assembly is configured to translate past the second electrical contact of the first electrical assembly during assembly of the surgical instrument, wherein the electrically insulating element includes a radial protrusion configured to contact the first electrical contact of the second electrical assembly during assembly of the surgical instrument.

16. The surgical instrument of claim 15 , wherein the radial protrusion includes a chamfer configured to facilitate sliding of the first electrical contact of the second electrical assembly over the radial protrusion.

17. The surgical instrument of claim 15 , wherein the first electrical contact of the second electrical assembly includes a chamfer configured to facilitate sliding of the first electrical contact of the second electrical assembly over the radial protrusion.

18. The surgical instrument of claim 13 , wherein the first electrical contact of the second electrical assembly includes a spring configured to radially project a contact portion of the first electrical contact of the second electrical assembly towards the first electrical contact of the first electrical assembly.

19. A surgical instrument, comprising:
(a) a body assembly;
(b) a shaft assembly extending distally from the body assembly along a shaft axis, wherein the shaft assembly is configured to rotate relative to the body assembly about the shaft axis;
(c) an end effector at a distal end of the shaft assembly, wherein the end effector is operable to treat tissue; and
(d) an electrical connector configured to enable electrical communication between the shaft assembly and the body assembly while permitting relative rotation therebetween, wherein the electrical connector comprises:
(i) a first electrical contact,
(ii) a second electrical contact, and
(iii) an electrically insulating element positioned between the first and second electrical contacts, wherein the electrically insulating element is configured to electrically insulate the first and second electrical contacts from each other.

20. The surgical instrument of claim 19 , wherein the electrically insulating element is configured to electrically insulate the first and second electrical contacts from each other when an electrically conductive fluid is present between the first and second electrical contacts.

Assignees

• Cilag Gmbh Int

Inventors

• Shelton Iv Frederick E
• Harris Jason L
• Yates David C
• Baxter Iii Chester O
• Bakos Gregory J

Classifications

• A61B17/07207 Primary

  the staples being applied sequentially · CPC title

• A61B17/320092

  with additional movable means for clamping or cutting tissue, e.g. with a pivoting jaw · CPC title

• A61B2017/00398

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

• A61B17/068

  Surgical staplers {, e.g. containing multiple staples or clamps}({staplers containing only one staple A61B17/10; magazines or containers for staples A61B17/105;} for performing anastomosis A61B17/115; {staplers in general B25C5/00}) · CPC title

• A61B17/072

  for applying a row of staples in a single action, e.g. the staples being applied simultaneously · CPC title