IP Library Granted Patent US 7,648,499
Granted Patent B2
US 7,648,499 · App. 11/385,511 · Granted Jan 19, 2010

System and method for generating radio frequency energy

Assignee: Covidien AG
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 7,648,499
App. No.
11/385,511
Granted
Jan 19, 2010
Kind
B2
Abstract

An electrosurgical generator is disclosed. The electrosurgical generator includes a power supply for generating a DC voltage. The electrosurgical generator also includes a first parallel inductor-capacitor circuit being driven by a first signal at a first predetermined frequency and a second parallel inductor-capacitor inductor-capacitor circuit driven by a second signal at the first predetermined frequency phase shifted 180°. The electrosurgical generator further includes a series inductor-capacitor resonant circuit operably connected in series with a primary winding of a transformer. The first and second parallel inductor-capacitor circuits are operably connected to the transformer, such that the first inductor-capacitor circuit generates a positive half sine wave and the second inductor-capacitor circuit generates a 180° phase-shifted positive half sine wave to generate a full sine wave in a secondary winding of the transformer.

Claims (33)

1. An electrosurgical generator comprising:

a power supply operable to generate a DC voltage;

a first parallel inductor-capacitor circuit configured to be driven by a first signal at a first predetermined frequency;

a second parallel inductor-capacitor circuit configured to be driven by a second signal at the first predetermined frequency phase-shifted 180°;

a series inductor-capacitor resonant circuit operably connected in series with a primary winding of a transformer, the first and second parallel inductor-capacitor circuits operably connected to the transformer, the first parallel inductor-capacitor circuit being configured to generate a positive half sine wave from the DC voltage and the second parallel inductor-capacitor circuit being configured to generate a 180° phase-shifted positive half sine wave from the DC voltage to generate a full sine wave in a secondary winding of the transformer;

and

a temperature circuit configured to determine temperature at a surgical site and adjust the DC voltage generated by the power supply.

2. An electro surgical generator as in claim 1 , wherein the first parallel inductor-capacitor resonant circuit is tuned to a first self-resonant frequency that is substantially equivalent to the first predetermined frequency.

3. An electrosurgical generator as in claim 2 , wherein the first parallel inductor-capacitor resonant circuit includes a first inductor having a first inductance value and a first capacitor having a first capacitance value, wherein the first inductance value and the first capacitance correspond to the first self-resonant frequency.

4. An electrosurgical generator as in claim 1 , wherein the second parallel inductor-capacitor resonant circuit is tuned to a second self-resonant frequency that is substantially equivalent to the first predetermined frequency.

5. An electrosurgical generator as in claim 4 , wherein the second parallel inductor-capacitor resonant circuit includes a second inductor having a second inductance value and a second capacitor having a second capacitance value, wherein the second inductance value and the second capacitance correspond to the second self-resonant frequency.

6. An electrosurgical generator as in claim 1 , wherein the first and second parallel inductor-capacitor circuit are driven by switching on and off first and second switching components respectively.

7. An electrosurgical generator as in claim 6 , wherein the first and second switching components are selected from the group consisting of transistors, relays, metal-oxide semiconductor field-effect transistors and insulated gate bipolar transistors.

8. An electrosurgical generator as in claim 1 , wherein the series inductor-capacitor resonant circuit is tuned to a third self-resonant frequency that is substantially equivalent to the predetermined frequency.

9. An electrosurgical generator as in claim 8 , wherein the series inductor-capacitor resonant circuit includes a third inductor having a third inductance value and a third capacitor having a third capacitance value, wherein the third inductance value and the third capacitance correspond to the third self-resonant frequency.

10. An electrosurgical generator as in claim 1 , wherein temperature is sensed proximate the surgical site by a temperature sensor disposed on a remote electrode.

11. A method for generating high frequency electrosurgical current comprising the steps of:

providing a power supply operable to generate a DC voltage, a first parallel inductor-capacitor circuit, a second parallel inductor-capacitor circuit, a series inductor-capacitor resonant circuit, wherein the first parallel inductor-capacitor circuit, the second parallel inductor-capacitor circuit, the series inductor-capacitor resonant circuit are operably connected in series with a primary winding of a transformer, and a temperature circuit configured to determine temperature at a surgical site and adjust the DC voltage generated by the power supply;

driving the first parallel inductor-capacitor circuit by a first signal at a first predetermined frequency;

driving the second parallel inductor-capacitor circuit by a second signal at the first predetermined frequency phase-shifted 180°; and

generating a positive half sine wave at the first inductor-capacitor parallel circuit;

generating a 180° phase-shifted positive half sine wave at the second parallel inductor-capacitor circuit;

combining the positive half sine wave and the 180° phase-shifted positive half sine wave at a secondary winding of the transformer to generate a full sine wave; and

determining temperature at the surgical site by the temperature circuit to adjust the DC voltage generated by the power supply.

12. A method as in claim 11 , wherein the first parallel inductor-capacitor resonant circuit of the providing step is tuned to a first self-resonant frequency that is substantially equivalent to the first predetermined frequency.

13. A method as in claim 12 , wherein the first parallel inductor-capacitor resonant circuit of the providing step includes a first inductor having a first inductance value and a first capacitor having a first capacitance value, wherein the first inductance value and the first capacitance correspond to the first self-resonant frequency.

14. A method as in claim 11 , wherein the second parallel inductor-capacitor resonant circuit of the providing step is tuned to a second self-resonant frequency that is substantially equivalent to the first predetermined frequency.

15. A method as in claim 14 , wherein the second parallel inductor-capacitor resonant circuit includes a second inductor having a second inductance value and a second capacitor having a second capacitance value, wherein the second inductance value and the second capacitance correspond to the second self-resonant frequency.

16. A method as in claim 11 , wherein the first and second parallel inductor-capacitor circuits of the providing step are each driven in the respective driving steps by switching on and off first and second switching components respectively.

17. A method as in claim 16 , wherein the first and second switching components are selected from the group consisting of transistors, relays, metal-oxide semiconductor field-effect transistors and insulated gate bipolar transistors.

18. A method as in claim 11 , wherein the series inductor-capacitor resonant circuit of the providing step is tuned to a third self-resonant frequency that is substantially equivalent to the predetermined frequency.

19. A method as in claim 18 , wherein the series inductor-capacitor resonant circuit of the providing step includes a third inductor having a third inductance value and a third capacitor having a third capacitance value, wherein the third inductance value and the third capacitance correspond to the third self-resonant frequency.

20. A method as in claim 11 , wherein the temperature circuit of the determining step senses temperature proximate the surgical site by a temperature sensor disposed on a remote electrode.

Assignments (5)
MERGER Recorded Nov 8, 2009
From: COVIDIEN AG
To: TYCO HEALTHCARE GROUP AG
Reel/Frame 023486/0023 →
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Nov 8, 2009
From: TYCO HEALTHCARE GROUP AG
To: COVIDIEN AG
Reel/Frame 023486/0026 →
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Mar 9, 2009
From: SHERWOOD SERVICES AG
To: COVIDIEN AG
Reel/Frame 022366/0785 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Mar 21, 2006
From: ORSZULAK, JAMES H.; MCPHERSON, JAMES W.
To: SHERWOOD SERVIES AG
Reel/Frame 018048/0384 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Mar 21, 2006
From: ORSZULAK, JAMES H.; MCPHERSON, JAMES W.
To: SHERWOOD SERVICES AG
Reel/Frame 017669/0664 →
Continuity (1)
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