Electrode connections for rotary driven surgical tools

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9101385-B2
Application number	US-201213536417-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 28, 2012
Priority date	Jun 28, 2012
Publication date	Aug 11, 2015
Grant date	Aug 11, 2015

Abstract

A surgical tool can comprise an end effector, a shaft assembly, a rotatable drive shaft, a first electrical contact and a second electrical contact. The end effector comprises first and second jaw members that are pivotable relative to one another from an open position to a closed position and an electrode positioned on the first jaw member. The shaft assembly extends proximally from the end effector, is at least partially hollow, and defines an inner wall. The rotatable drive shaft extends proximally within the shaft assembly. The first electrical contact is coupled to the inner wall of the shaft assembly and positioned around at least a portion of the drive shaft. The second electrical contact is coupled to and rotatable with the drive shaft. The second electrical contact is positioned to be electrically connected to the first electrical contact as the drive shaft rotates.

First claim

We claim:

1. A surgical tool, the tool comprising:
an end effector, the end effector comprising:
first and second jaw members, wherein the first and second jaw members are pivotable relative to one another from an open position to a closed position; and
an electrode positioned on the first jaw member;

a shaft assembly extending proximally from the end effector, wherein the shaft assembly is at least partially hollow and defines an inner wall;
a rotatable drive shaft extending proximally within the shaft assembly;
a first electrical contact coupled to the inner wall of the shaft assembly and positioned around at least a portion of the drive shaft; and
a second electrical contact coupled to and rotatable with the drive shaft, wherein the second electrical contact is positioned to be electrically connected to the first electrical contact as the drive shaft rotates, wherein the second electrical contact is a brush member.

2. The tool of claim 1 , wherein the first electrical contact is a figure of revolution.

3. The tool of claim 1 , wherein the first electrical contact is substantially cylindrical.

4. The tool of claim 1 , further comprising an electrically insulated wire positioned around the drive shaft, wherein the wire is electrically coupled to the second electrical contact.

5. The tool of claim 4 , wherein the wire is electrically isolated from the drive shaft.

6. The tool of claim 4 , wherein the wire is coiled around the drive shaft.

7. The tool of claim 1 , further comprising an electrically insulated sleeve positioned around the drive shaft, wherein the sleeve is electrically coupled to the second electrical contact.

8. The tool of claim 1 , wherein the drive shaft is translatable between a distal position and a proximal position.

9. The tool of claim 1 , further comprising an insulated electric lead extending from the electrode to the first electrical contact.

10. The tool of claim 9 , further comprising:
a first insulated electric lead extending proximally from the electrode to a first connector; and
a second insulated electric lead extending distally from the first electrical contact to the first connector.

11. The tool of claim 1 , wherein the second electrical contact comprises:
a conductor ring positioned around the drive shaft and defining a groove therein; and
a wire ring positioned within the groove and in electrical communication with the conductor ring.

12. The tool of claim 11 , wherein the wire ring is discontinuous, defining a slot therein.

13. The tool of claim 1 , wherein the first electrical contact is electrically isolated from the shaft assembly.

14. The tool of claim 1 , wherein the second electrical contact is electrically isolated from the drive shaft.

15. The tool of claim 1 , wherein the drive shaft and second electrical contact are translatable from a distal position to a proximal position.

16. The tool of claim 15 , wherein the first electrical contact is positioned within the shaft assembly such that the second electrical contact is electrically connected to the first electrical contact when the drive shaft and the second electrical contact are in the distal position and such that the second electrical contact is not electrically connected to the first electrical contact when the drive shaft and the second electrical contact are in the proximal position.

17. The tool of claim 15 , wherein the first electrical contact is positioned within the shaft assembly such that the second electrical contact is electrically connected to the first electrical contact when the drive shaft and the second electrical contact are in the distal position and when the drive shaft and the second electrical contact are in the proximal position.

18. The tool of claim 15 :
wherein the end effector comprises:
a translatable knife;
a threaded drive screw rotatably coupled to the translatable knife; and
a threaded rotary drive nut rotatably coupled to a proximal portion of at least one of the first and second jaw members; and

wherein the drive shaft comprises a distally positioned rotary drive head, wherein the second electrical contact is coupled to the rotary drive head, wherein the rotary drive head defines a hex coupling portion distal from the second electrical contact and a hex coupling portion proximal from the second electrical contact.

19. The tool of claim 18 , wherein when the drive shaft is in the proximal position, the distal hex coupling portion is received into a hex shaft coupling portion of the shaft assembly such that rotation of the drive shaft causes rotation of the end effector and at least a portion of the shaft assembly, and wherein when the drive shaft is in the distal position, the proximal hex coupling portion receives the threaded rotary drive nut such that rotation of the drive shaft causes corresponding rotation of the threaded rotary drive nut and the threaded drive screw to drive the translatable knife proximally and distally.

20. A surgical tool, the tool comprising:
an end effector, the end effector comprising:
first and second jaw members, wherein the first and second jaw members are pivotable relative to one another from an open position to a closed position; and
an electrode positioned on the first jaw member;

a shaft assembly extending proximally from the end effector, wherein the shaft assembly is at least partially hollow and defines an inner wall;
a rotatable drive shaft extending proximally within the shaft assembly;
a first electrical contact coupled to the inner wall of the shaft assembly and positioned around at least a portion of the drive shaft;
a second electrical contact coupled to and rotatable with the drive shaft, wherein the second electrical contact is positioned to be electrically connected to the first electrical contact as the drive shaft rotates; and
an electrically insulated sleeve positioned around the drive shaft, wherein the sleeve is electrically coupled to the second electrical contact.

21. A surgical tool, the tool comprising:
an end effector, the end effector comprising:
first and second jaw members, wherein the first and second jaw members are pivotable relative to one another from an open position to a closed position; and
an electrode positioned on the first jaw member;

a shaft assembly extending proximally from the end effector, wherein the shaft assembly is at least partially hollow and defines an inner wall;
a rotatable drive shaft extending proximally within the shaft assembly;
a first electrical contact coupled to the inner wall of the shaft assembly and positioned around at least a portion of the drive shaft; and
a second electrical contact coupled to and rotatable with the drive shaft, wherein the second electrical contact is positioned to be electrically connected to the first electrical contact as the drive shaft rotates, wherein the second electrical contact comprises:
a conductor ring positioned around the drive shaft and defining a groove therein; and
a wire ring positioned within the groove and in electrical communication with the conductor ring.

22. The tool of claim 21 , wherein the wire ring is discontinuous, defining a slot therein.

23. A surgical tool, the tool comprising:
an end effector, the end effector comprising:
first and second jaw members, wherein the first and second jaw members are pivotable relative to one another from an open position to a closed position; and
an electrode positioned on the first jaw memb

Assignees

• Shelton Iv Frederick E
• Morgan Jerome R
• Baxter Iii Chester O
• Ethicon Endo Surgery Inc

Inventors

• Shelton Iv Frederick E
• Morgan Jerome R
• Baxter Iii Chester O

Classifications

• A61B34/37

  Leader-follower robots (A61B34/35 takes precedence) · CPC title

• A61B2018/1455

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

• A61B2017/2903

  transferring rotary motion · CPC title

• A61B34/30

  Surgical robots · CPC title

• A61B17/29 Primary

  Forceps for use in minimally invasive surgery · CPC title