Surgical instruments and methods of cleaning surgical instruments

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2019282328-A1
Application number	US-201916432390-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Jun 5, 2019
Priority date	Aug 15, 2013
Publication date	Sep 19, 2019
Grant date	—

Abstract

In accordance with at least one exemplary embodiment, a surgical instrument comprises a shaft comprising a distal end, a proximal end, and a wall extending from the distal end to the proximal end, the wall surrounding an interior of the shaft. A transmission housing is located at the proximal end of the shaft and the shaft is rotatably coupled to the transmission housing. An actuator in the transmission housing is operably coupled to actuate rotation of the shaft. A port in the transmission housing is configured to be fluidically coupled to a fluid supply. A manifold in the transmission housing comprises an inlet and an outlet, the inlet being in fluid communication with the port, the outlet being in fluid communication with the interior of the shaft at the proximal end of the shaft. The fluid communication of the inlet with the port and the fluid communication of the outlet with the interior of the shaft are maintained through a range of rotational orientations of the shaft relative to the transmission housing.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A surgical instrument, comprising:
a shaft comprising a distal end, a proximal end, and a wall extending from the distal end to the proximal end, the wall surrounding an interior of the shaft; a transmission housing at the proximal end of the shaft, the shaft being rotatably coupled to the transmission housing; an actuator in the transmission housing, the actuator being operably coupled to actuate rotation of the shaft; a port in the transmission housing, the port being configured to be fluidically coupled to a fluid supply; and a manifold in the transmission housing, the manifold comprising an inlet and an outlet, the inlet being in fluid communication with the port, the outlet being in fluid communication with the interior of the shaft at the proximal end of the shaft, and the fluid communication of the inlet with the port and the fluid communication of the outlet with the interior of the shaft being maintained through a range of rotational orientations of the shaft relative to the transmission housing.

2 . The surgical instrument of claim 1 , further comprising:
an end effector at the distal end of the shaft; and a second actuator that extends through the manifold at a sealed aperture, the second actuator being operably coupled to move the end effector.

3 . The surgical instrument of claim 1 , wherein:
the manifold comprises a removable portion; and an interior of the manifold is accessible on the condition that the removable portion of the manifold is in a removed state.

4 . The surgical instrument of claim 1 , wherein:
the manifold comprises a removable portion; and the interior of the shaft is accessible on the condition that the removable portion of the manifold is in a removed state.

5 . The surgical instrument of claim 1 , wherein the port is configured to be fluidically coupled to the fluid supply via one or more of a tube, a hose, and a faucet.

6 . The surgical instrument of claim 1 , wherein a direction of fluid flow through the port into the manifold is parallel to a longitudinal axis of the shaft.

7 . The surgical instrument of claim 1 , wherein the port comprises a locking mechanism configured to maintain a connection between the port and the fluid supply under pressure.

8 . The surgical instrument of claim 7 , wherein the locking mechanism comprises a locking element biased toward a locking position.

9 . The surgical instrument of claim 8 , wherein the locking element comprises a plate configured to receive a connection to the fluid supply.

10 . The surgical instrument of claim 7 , wherein:
the port further comprises a release mechanism configured to release the locking mechanism; and in a released state of the locking mechanism, the port and the fluid supply are free to be decoupled from each other.

11 . The surgical instrument of claim 1 , wherein:
at least a portion of the shaft comprises a plurality of openings; and a fluid communication path is defined from the port, through the manifold, through the interior of the shaft, and through the plurality of openings to an exterior of the shaft.

12 . The surgical instrument of claim 11 , wherein:
at least one transverse cross-sectional plane through the portion of the shaft intersects multiple openings of the plurality of openings; and at least one longitudinal cross-sectional plane through the portion of the shaft intersects multiple openings of the plurality of openings.

13 . A surgical instrument, comprising:
a transmission housing; a shaft comprising a distal end, a proximal end, and a wall surrounding an interior of the shaft, the proximal end of the shaft being rotatably coupled to the transmission housing at a rotational coupling; a fluid port in the transmission housing; a fluid connection locking mechanism coupled to the fluid port; and a fluid manifold in the transmission housing,
the fluid manifold comprising an inlet and an outlet,
the inlet being in fluid communication with the fluid port,
the outlet being in fluid communication with the interior of the shaft at the proximal end of the shaft, and
the fluid communication of the manifold with the port and the interior of the shaft is independent of a rotational position of the shaft relative to the transmission housing.

14 . The surgical instrument of claim 13 , further comprising:
an end effector at the distal end of the shaft; and an actuator operably coupled to move the end effector, wherein the actuator extends through the manifold at a sealed aperture.

15 . The surgical instrument of claim 13 , wherein a direction of fluid flow through the port into the manifold is parallel to a longitudinal axis of the shaft.

16 . The surgical instrument of claim 13 , wherein the manifold is configured to direct a flow of a cleaning fluid through an approximately 180° turn between the port and the interior of the shaft.

17 . The surgical instrument of claim 13 , wherein the locking mechanism comprises a locking element biased toward a locking position.

18 . The surgical instrument of claim 17 , wherein the locking mechanism further comprises a release configured to move the locking element away from the locking position.

19 . The surgical instrument of claim 13 , wherein:
the manifold comprises a removable portion; and an interior of the manifold is accessible on the condition that the removable portion of the manifold is in a removed state.

20 . The surgical instrument of claim 13 , wherein:
the manifold comprises a removable portion; and the interior of the shaft is accessible on the condition that the removable portion of the manifold is in a removed state.

Assignees

• Intuitive Surgical Operations

Inventors

• Anderson S Christopher
• Klein Jordan M
• Park William J
• Ponganis Denise
• Saraliev Daniel P
• Trenholme Philip

Classifications

• A61B90/70 Primary

  Cleaning devices specially adapted for surgical instruments · CPC title

• A61B34/30

  Surgical robots · CPC title

• A61B90/361

  Image-producing devices, e.g. surgical cameras · CPC title

• A61B34/70

  Manipulators specially adapted for use in surgery · CPC title

• A61M2039/1016

  Unlocking means providing a secure or comfortable disconnection · CPC title