Coating for Applicators in Electrosurgery

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2018187027-A1
Application number	US-201615510018-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Jun 30, 2016
Priority date	Jul 2, 2015
Publication date	Jul 5, 2018
Grant date	—

Abstract

A method of applying at least one coating of at least one electrically insulating polymer to an applicator for currents, especially HF currents in surgery, the coating is produced by electrophoretic deposition from a suspension of the polymer in at least one organic solvent, wherein the applicators thus coated are especially clamps, pairs of tweezers or pairs of scissors which are used in the bipolar application technique of HF surgery. Polymers used are especially thermoplastic polymers, such as thermoplastic fluoropolymers, and more particularly polychlorotrifluoroethylene (PCTFE) or ethylene chlorotrifluoroethylene (ECTFE).

First claim

1 - 23 . (canceled)

24 . A method of applying at least one coating of at least one electrically insulating polymer to an applicator for currents, especially HF currents in surgery, especially to a clamp, to a pair of tweezers or to a pair of scissors, characterized in that the coating is produced at least partly, preferably entirely, by electrophoretic deposition from a suspension of the polymer in at least one organic solvent.

25 . The method of claim 24 , characterized in that the polymer is a transparent polymer.

26 . The method of claim 24 , characterized in that the polymer is a colored polymer, wherein the polymer is colored by the addition of color pigments.

27 . The method of claim 24 , characterized in that the polymer is a polyamide or a polyaryl ether ketone.

28 . The method of claim 24 , characterized in that the polymer is a fluoropolymer.

29 . The method of claim 28 , characterized in that the fluoropolymer is polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) or more particularly polychlorotrifluoro-ethylene (PCTFE) or ethylene chlorotrifluoro-ethylene (ECTFE).

30 . The method of claim 24 , characterized in that the polymer coating obtained has an electrical breakdown resistance in the range of at least 500 V/mm to at least 2500 V/mm.

31 . The method of claim 30 , characterized in that the polymer coating obtained has a thickness between 5 μm and 500 μm.

32 . The method of claim 30 , characterized in that the polymer coating has a thickness between 5 μm and 100 μm.

33 . The method of claim 30 , characterized in that the electrical breakdown resistance is between 3 kV/mm and 150 kV/mm.

34 . The method of claim 24 , characterized in that the polymer coating is produced at a voltage between 0.2 kV and 4 kV.

35 . The method of claim 24 , characterized in that the electrophoretic deposition is effected over a period between 5 s and 10 min.

36 . The method of claim 35 , characterized in that the polymer coating obtained by electrophoretic deposition is subjected to an aftertreatment by melting.

37 . The method of claim 36 , characterized in that the aftertreatment is effected at a temperature of at maximum 20% above the melting temperature of the polymer.

38 . The method of claim 37 , characterized in that the aftertreatment is effected over a period of less than 1 hour.

39 . A method of applying at least one coating of at least one electrically insulating polymer to an applicator for currents, the method characterized by the steps of:
(a) degreasing the uncoated applicator; (b) rinsing the applicator with a solvent and drying the applicator which has especially been degreased; (c) applying a primer layer, preferably by electrophoretic deposition; (d) applying a coloring layer, preferably by electrophoretic deposition; (e) applying at least one electrically insulating polymer to the optionally precoated applicator by electrophoretic deposition; (f) repeating the preceding steps (c)-(e) of electrophoretic application of the polymer coating at least once; (g) treating the polymer coating obtained with at least one solvent; and (h) thermally treating the applicator coated with the polymer for drying and optionally for aftertreatment of the polymer coating obtained by melting.

40 . A suspension for the electrophoretic deposition of at least one coating on an applicator for currents, especially HF currents in surgery, especially to a clamp, to a pair of tweezers or to a pair of scissors, characterized in that the suspension comprises at least one electrically insulating polymer in at least one organic solvent.

41 . The suspension of claim 40 , characterized in that the concentration of the polymer in the suspension is between 10 g/L and 150 g/L.

42 . The suspension of claim 40 , characterized in that the viscosity of the suspension is between 0.1 mPa⋅s and 10 mPa⋅s.

43 . The suspension of claim 40 , characterized in that the polymer is a polyamide, a polyaryl ether ketone, or a fluoropolymer.

44 . An applicator for currents, especially HF currents in surgery, especially a clamp, pair of tweezers or pair of scissors, having at least one coating of at least one electrically insulating polymer, characterized in that the polymer has been produced by electrophoretic deposition from a suspension of the polymer in at least one organic solvent.

45 . The applicator of claim 44 , characterized in that the polymer is a polyamide, a polyaryl ether ketone, or a fluoropolymer.

46 . The applicator of claim 44 , characterized in that the polymer coating has an electrical breakdown resistance between 3 kV/mm and 150 kV/mm.

Assignees

• Aesculap Ag

Inventors

• Rothweiler Christoph
• Reinecke Holger
• Weisshaupt Dieter

Classifications

• A61B18/1442

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

• C09D127/12

  containing fluorine atoms · CPC title

• C25D13/20

  Pretreatment · CPC title

• C25D15/00

  Electrolytic or electrophoretic production of coatings containing embedded materials, e.g. particles, whiskers, wires · CPC title

• C09D5/4461 Primary

  Polyamides; Polyimides · CPC title