Process for manufacturing electrosurgical forceps with composite material tips
An electrosurgical forceps has at least the tip of one blade member formed of a composite material having aligned elongated particles of nickel interspersed in a matrix of silver particles. The tip can be provided as a tip member attached, such as by brazing, to the body of the blade member, or the entire blade member can be formed of the silver/nickel composite material. In another embodiment, the tip or blade member is formed of a dispersion strengthened silver or copper composite material.
1. A process for manufacturing electrosurgical forceps comprising:
providing a dispersion strengthened silver or copper composite material comprised of aluminum oxide dispersed in a matrix of silver or copper, comprising:
melting aluminum together with one of silver or copper to form a melt;
cooling the melt to form a solid;
grinding the solid into a powder; and
heating the powder to oxidize the aluminum to aluminum oxide;
forming a blade member or a tip member from the dispersion strengthened silver or copper material;
forming the blade member or the tip member into a first electrosurgical forceps blade;
providing a second electrosurgical forceps blade;
connecting the first electrosurgical blade and the second electrosurgical blade to electrodes at a connection; and
fixing the connection between the first electrosurgical blade, the second electrosurgical blade, and the electrodes within an insulating cap portion.
2. The process of claim 1 , wherein the second electrosurgical forceps blade comprises at least a tip comprised of a composite material comprising particles of aluminum oxide dispersed in a matrix of silver or copper particles.
3. The process of claim 1 , wherein the aluminum oxide content in silver ranges from 0.1 weight percent to 0.5 weight percent of the total, the balance comprising silver.
4. The process of claim 1 , wherein the aluminum oxide content in copper ranges from 0.3 weight percent to 1.1 weight percent of the total, the balance comprising copper.