Activation features for ultrasonic surgical instrument

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9907565-B2
Application number	US-201414515129-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 15, 2014
Priority date	Oct 15, 2014
Publication date	Mar 6, 2018
Grant date	Mar 6, 2018

Abstract

An ultrasonic instrument comprises a handle assembly or other kind of body configured to receive an ultrasonic transducer and a shaft assembly having an acoustic waveguide and an ultrasonic blade. The ultrasonic blade is in acoustic communication with the acoustic waveguide such that the ultrasonic transducer is operable to drive the ultrasonic blade to vibrate ultrasonically via the acoustic waveguide. The ultrasonic instrument further comprises an actuation assembly disposed within the handle assembly. The actuation assembly includes a plurality of buttons disposed about the handle assembly in an angularly spaced array. Each button may be depressed independently of the rest to thereby actuate a switch assembly such that power is provided to the ultrasonic transducer, the acoustic waveguide, and the ultrasonic blade. The actuation assembly is operable to convert radial movement of the buttons into longitudinal, transverse, and/or pivotal movement that actuates the switch assembly.

First claim

We claim:

1. An ultrasonic instrument comprising:
(a) a body, wherein the body defines a longitudinal axis, wherein the body is configured to receive an ultrasonic transducer;
(b) an actuation assembly, wherein the actuation assembly comprises:
(i) a plurality of buttons, wherein the plurality of buttons are disposed angularly about the body, wherein each button of the plurality of buttons is configured to move toward and away from the longitudinal axis of the body, and wherein each of the plurality of buttons includes a button cam surface,
(ii) an actuation body having at least one actuation cam surface that is selectively movable from a first position to a second position, wherein each of the button cam surfaces is configured to engage the at least one actuation cam surface via movement of each the respective buttons toward the longitudinal axis thereby directing the actuation body from the first position to the second position, and
(iii) a switch, wherein the actuation body is configured to actuate the switch as the actuation body moves from the first position to the second position via at least one of the plurality of buttons;

(c) an acoustic waveguide, wherein the switch is operable to trigger activation of the acoustic waveguide; and
(d) an ultrasonic blade, wherein the ultrasonic blade is in acoustic communication with the acoustic waveguide.

2. The ultrasonic instrument of claim 1 , wherein each button of the plurality of buttons is pivotable toward and away from the longitudinal axis of the body.

3. The ultrasonic instrument of claim 1 , wherein each button of the plurality of buttons is translatable toward and away from the longitudinal axis of the body.

4. The ultrasonic instrument of claim 1 , wherein the actuation body comprises a sled, wherein each button of the plurality of buttons is operable to actuate the sled.

5. The ultrasonic instrument of claim 4 , wherein the sled is configured to translate longitudinally to thereby actuate the switch.

6. The ultrasonic instrument of claim 4 , wherein each button cam surface of the plurality of buttons comprises an angled camming surface, wherein the at least one actuation cam surface of the sled comprises a plurality of angled camming surfaces, wherein an angled camming surface of each button of the plurality of buttons is aligned with a corresponding angled camming surface of the sled.

7. The ultrasonic instrument of claim 4 , wherein each button of the plurality of buttons is configured to move toward and away from the longitudinal axis of the body to thereby cause longitudinal translation of the sled.

8. The ultrasonic instrument of claim 1 , further comprising a torquing mechanism configured to provide a restricted amount of torque to couple the acoustic waveguide with an ultrasonic transducer received by the body.

9. The ultrasonic instrument of claim 8 , wherein the torquing mechanism comprises:
(i) a first rack, wherein the first rack comprises a first plurality of teeth, and
(ii) a second rack, wherein the second rack comprises a second plurality of teeth,
wherein the first plurality of teeth and the second plurality of teeth are configured to engage one another to thereby communicate rotation of the first rack to the second rack,
wherein the first plurality of teeth and the second plurality of teeth are configured to disengage when a predetermined level of toque is experienced such that rotation of the first rack is not communicated to the second rack upon reaching the predetermined level of torque.

10. The ultrasonic instrument of claim 9 , wherein the first rack is biased toward the second rack.

11. The ultrasonic instrument of claim 1 , wherein the actuation assembly further comprises a band in communication with at least one button of the plurality of buttons.

12. The ultrasonic instrument of claim 11 , wherein the band is configured to translate transversely or flex to thereby actuate the switch in response to actuation of a button of the plurality of buttons.

13. The ultrasonic instrument of claim 11 , wherein the band is in contact with at least one button of the plurality of buttons, wherein each button of the plurality of buttons is configured to move toward and away from the longitudinal axis of the body to thereby cause transverse translation or flexing of the band.

14. The ultrasonic instrument of claim 1 , wherein the switch is secured to a first button of the plurality of buttons.

15. The ultrasonic instrument of claim 14 , wherein the first button is configured to move toward and away from the longitudinal axis of the body to thereby actuate the switch.

16. The ultrasonic instrument of claim 14 , wherein a second button of the plurality of buttons is configured to move toward and away from the longitudinal axis of the body to thereby actuate the switch.

17. An ultrasonic instrument comprising:
(a) a body, wherein the body defines a longitudinal axis, wherein the body is configured to receive an ultrasonic transducer;
(b) an actuation assembly, wherein the actuation assembly comprises:
(i) a plurality of buttons, wherein the plurality of buttons are disposed angularly about the body, wherein each button of the plurality of buttons is operable to move toward and away from the longitudinal axis of the body,
(ii) a switch, wherein the switch is secured to a first button of the plurality of buttons, and
(iii) a band in communication with one or more of the buttons, wherein the band is configured to translate transversely or flex to thereby actuate the switch, wherein the band is in contact with at least a second button of the plurality of buttons, wherein at least the second button of the plurality of buttons is configured to move toward and away from the longitudinal axis of the body to thereby cause transverse translation or flexing of the band;

(c) an acoustic waveguide, wherein the switch is operable to trigger activation of the acoustic waveguide; and
(d) an ultrasonic blade, wherein the ultrasonic blade is in acoustic communication with the acoustic waveguide.

18. The ultrasonic instrument of claim 17 , wherein the actuation assembly further comprises an elastomeric member, wherein the elastomeric member is configured to resiliently bias the plurality of buttons outwardly relative to the longitudinal axis of the body.

19. The ultrasonic instrument of claim 17 , wherein the first button of the plurality of buttons comprises at least one pin, wherein the at least one pin is configured to engage the band to thereby support and align the band.

20. An ultrasonic instrument comprising:
(a) a body, wherein the body defines a longitudinal axis, wherein the body is configured to receive an ultrasonic transducer;
(b) an actuation assembly, wherein the actuation assembly comprises:
(i) a plurality of buttons, wherein the plurality of buttons comprises a first button and a second button,
(ii) an actuation body, wherein the first button is configured to move toward the longitudinal axis of the body to thereby actuate the actuation body from a first position to a second position, wherein the second button is configured to move toward the longitudinal axis of the body to thereby actuate the actuation body from the first position to the second position, and
(iii) a switch, wherein the actuation body is configured to actuate the switch as the actuation body moves from the first position to the second position via at least one of the first and second buttons;

(c) an acoustic waveguide, wherein the switch is operable to trigger ac

Assignees

• Ethicon Endo Surgery Inc
• Eithicon LLC

Inventors

• Aldridge Jeffrey L
• Conlon Sean P
• Boyd Benjamin M
• Price Daniel W
• Lee James G

Classifications

• H01H2300/014

  Application surgical instrument · CPC title

• H01H2221/036

  Return force · CPC title

• H01H2221/016

  Lever; Rocker · CPC title

• A61B2017/00424

  ergonomic, e.g. fitting in fist · CPC title

• A61B2017/00367

  Details of actuation of instruments, e.g. relations between pushing buttons, or the like, and activation of the tool, working tip, or the like · CPC title