Modular docking system for electrosurgical equipment
A docking system for electrosurgical equipment where a first docking interface is a recess in the housing of a smoke evacuator and a second docking interface is a raised portion of an electrosurgical unit. The first and second docking interfaces have corresponding ground, power, and communication contacts, so that the two devices can be physically and electrically interconnected by mating the first docking interface with the second docking interface. The first docking interface is on the top of the smoke evacuator and the second docking interface is on the bottom of the electrosurgical unit so that the devices may be stacked and interconnected using a minimum amount of space without the need for cabling.
1 . A docking system for electrosurgical equipment, comprising:
a first electrosurgical device having a first housing and a first docking interface comprising a recess that is formed by a first surface of the first housing to include a first taper and a first radius defining the perimeter of the first docking interface and extends transversely across a forward portion of the first housing, wherein the recess includes a first set of electrical contacts extending linearly and transversely thereacross;
a second electrosurgical device having a second housing and a second docking interface comprising a raised portion that is formed by a second surface of the second housing to include a second taper and a second radius defining the perimeter of the second docking interface and extends transversely across a forward portion of the second housing, wherein the raised portion includes a second set of electrical contacts extending linearly and transversely thereacross;
wherein the recess is configured to have a corresponding geometry to the raised portion to receive the raised portion therein in an interfering relationship with the recess and the raised portion in contact with the first taper and the first radius matching the second taper and the second radius, and so that the first set of electrical contacts are coupled to and in electrical communication with the second set of electrical contacts when the first docking interface and second docking interface are positioned together;
wherein the first electrosurgical device comprises one of an electrosurgical generator and a smoke evacuator and the second electrosurgical device comprises the other of the electrosurgical generator and the smoke evacuator and
wherein the first set of electrical contacts and the second set of electrical contacts provide for interconnected power, grounding and communications between the first electrosurgical device and the second electrosurgical device such that one of the first electrosurgical device and the second electrosurgical device can power the other of the first electrosurgical device and the second electrosurgical device and the first electrosurgical device through the first docking interface and the second docking interface, one of the first electrosurgical device and the second electrosurgical device can ground the other of the first electrosurgical device and the second electrosurgical device and the first electrosurgical device through the first docking interface and the second docking interface, and the second electrosurgical device can communicate with each other through the first docking interface and the second docking interface.
2 . The docking system of claim 1 , wherein the first electrosurgical device comprises the smoke evacuator.
3 . The docking system of claim 2 , wherein the first set of electrical contacts are positioned on an upper surface the smoke evacuator.
4 . The docking system of claim 3 , wherein the second electrosurgical device comprises the electrosurgical generator.
5 . The docking system of claim 4 , wherein the second set of electrical contacts are positioned on a lower surface of the electrosurgical generator.
6 . The docking system of claim 5 , wherein the first set of electrical contacts and the second set of electrical contacts each comprise a pair of ground contacts, a pair of power contacts, and a series of communication contacts.
7 . The docking system of claim 6 , wherein the smoke evacuator receives power from the electrosurgical generator via the first docking interface and the second docking interface.
8 . The docking system of claim 7 , wherein the smoke evacuator is in communication with the electrosurgical generator via the first docking interface and the second docking interface.
9 . The docking system of claim 8 , wherein the first docking interface extends transversely across an upper surface of the housing of the smoke evacuator.
10 . The docking system of claim 9 , wherein the second docking interface extends transversely across a lower surface of the housing of the electrosurgical generator.
11 . The docking system of claim 10 , wherein the upper surface of the housing of the smoke evacuator includes a third docking interface comprising a recess.
12 . The docking system of claim 11 , wherein the lower surface of the housing of the electrosurgical generator includes a fourth docking interface comprising a raised portion that can be received by the recess of the third docking interface.
13 . The docking system of claim 12 , wherein the first docking interface extends across a front portion of the smoke evacuator, the third docking interface extends across a rear portion of the smoke evacuator, the second docking interface extends across a front portion of the electrosurgical generator, and the fourth docking interface extends across a rear portion of the electrosurgical generator.