Metallized components and surgical instruments
A surgical instrument and related methods are described. The surgical instrument includes a first jaw including a first structural jaw element and a first sealplate fixed to the first structural jaw element and a second jaw including a second structural jaw element and a second sealplate fixed to the second structural jaw element. The second structural jaw element is moveably coupled to the first structural jaw element to facilitate pinching tissue between the first and second sealplates. The first and second sealplates are configured to facilitate sealing tissue pinched therebetween. The first jaw further includes a metallized tie layer between the first sealplate and the first structural jaw element, wherein the first sealplate is fixed to the first structural jaw element via a metal to metal joint between the first sealplate and the metallized tie layer.
1. A surgical instrument comprising:
a first jaw including a first structural jaw element, a first sealplate fixed to the first structural jaw element, and a first nonmetallic sealplate spacer separating and electrically insulating the first structural jaw element and the first sealplate;
a second jaw including a second structural jaw element, a second sealplate fixed to the second structural jaw element, and a second nonmetallic sealplate spacer separating and electrically insulating the second structural jaw element and the second sealplate,
wherein the second structural jaw element is moveably coupled to the first structural jaw element to facilitate pinching tissue between the first and second sealplates, and wherein the first and second sealplates are configured to facilitate sealing tissue pinched therebetween,
wherein the first jaw further includes a metallized tie layer between the first sealplate and the first nonmetallic sealplate spacer, wherein the first sealplate is fixed to the first nonmetallic sealplate spacer via a metal to metal joint between the first sealplate and the metallized tie layer.
2. The surgical instrument of claim 1 , wherein the first nonmetallic sealplate spacer is attached to an external surface of the first sealplate.
3. The surgical instrument of claim 2 , wherein the metallized tie layer is a first metallized tie layer, wherein the first jaw further comprises a second metallized tie layer between the first nonmetallic sealplate spacer and the first structural jaw element.
4. The surgical instrument of claim 2 , wherein the first nonmetallic sealplate spacer is one of a group consisting of:
a polymeric component;
a ceramic component;
a ceramic-polymer composite component;
an undoped silicon component;
a glass component; and
an alumina-filled epoxy component.
5. The surgical instrument of claim 2 , wherein the nonmetallic sealplate spacer has a thickness in the range of 0.001 inches to 0.02 inches.
6. The surgical instrument of claim 1 , wherein the second jaw further includes a metallized tie layer between the second sealplate and the second nonmetallic sealplate spacer.
7. The surgical instrument of claim 6 , wherein the second sealplate is fixed to the second nonmetallic sealplate spacer via a metal to metal joint between the second sealplate and the metallized tie layer.
8. The surgical instrument of claim 6 , wherein the second nonmetallic spacer is one of a group consisting of:
a polymeric component;
a ceramic component;
a glass component; and
a ceramic-polymer composite component; and
a resin plastic injection molded component.
9. The surgical instrument of claim 1 ,
wherein the metallized tie layer is a first metallized tie layer,
wherein the metal to metal joint is a first metal to metal joint,
wherein the second jaw further includes a second metallized tie layer between the second sealplate and the second structural jaw element,
wherein the second sealplate is fixed to the second structural jaw element via a second metal to metal joint between the second sealplate and the second metallized tie layer.
10. The surgical instrument of any of claim 1 , wherein the first and second sealplates are configured to facilitate sealing tissue via one of a group consisting of:
electrothermal sealing; and
ultrasonic sealing.
11. A medical instrument comprising:
a structural metal element;
a second metal element;
a nonmetallic spacer separating and electrically insulating the structural metal element from the second metal element;
at least one metalized tie layer on the nonmetallic spacer;
a first metal to metal joint between the structural metal element and the at least one metalized tie layer of the nonmetallic spacer; and
a second metal to metal joint between the structural metal element and the at least one metalized tie layer of the nonmetallic spacer.
12. The medical instrument of claim 11 ,
wherein the medical instrument is a tissue sealing medical instrument,
wherein the structural metal element, the second metal element, and the nonmetallic spacer form a jaw element of the tissue sealing medical instrument.
13. The medical instrument of claim 11 , further comprising:
a second nonmetallic spacer on an external surface of the second metal element;
a second metalized tie layer on the second nonmetallic spacer; and
a third metal to metal joint between the second metal element and the second metalized tie layer.
14. The surgical instrument of claim 13 , wherein the second nonmetallic spacer is one of a group consisting of:
a polymeric component;
a ceramic component;
a ceramic-polymer composite component;
a glass component; and
an undoped silicon component; and
an alumina-filled epoxy component.
15. The medical instrument of claim 13 ,
wherein the medical instrument is a tissue sealing medical instrument,
wherein the second metal element is a sealplate, and
wherein the second nonmetallic spacer is a nonmetallic sealplate spacer is on an external surface of the sealplate.
16. A surgical instrument comprising:
a first jaw including a first structural jaw element, a first sealplate fixed to the first structural jaw element, and a nonmetallic sealplate spacer separating and electrically insulating an external surface of the first sealplate and the first structural jaw element; and
a second jaw including a second structural jaw element and a second sealplate fixed to the second structural jaw element,
wherein the second structural jaw element is moveably coupled to the first structural jaw element to facilitate pinching tissue between the first and second sealplates, and wherein the first and second sealplates are configured to facilitate sealing tissue pinched therebetween,
wherein the first jaw further includes a metallized tie layer between the first sealplate and the nonmetallic sealplate spacer, wherein the nonmetallic sealplate spacer is fixed to the first sealplate via a metal to metal joint between the first sealplate and the metallized tie layer.
17. The surgical instrument of claim 16 , wherein the nonmetallic sealplate spacer is one of a group consisting of:
a polymeric component;
a ceramic component;
a ceramic-polymer composite component;
a glass component; and
an undoped silicon component; and
an alumina-filled epoxy component.
18. The surgical instrument of claim 16 , wherein the nonmetallic sealplate spacer has a thickness in the range of 0.001 inches to 0.02 inches.
19. The surgical instrument of claim 16 , wherein the first jaw further comprises a nonmetallic spacer between the first structural jaw element and the first sealplate.
20. The surgical instrument of claim 19 , wherein the nonmetallic spacer is overmolded on the first structural jaw element.
21. The surgical instrument of claim 19 , wherein metallized tie layer is a first metallized tie layer, the first jaw further comprising a second metallized tie layer between the first structural jaw element and the first sealplate.
22. The surgical instrument of claim 19 , wherein the nonmetallic spacer is one of a group consisting of:
a polymeric component;
a ceramic component;
a ceramic-polymer composite component;
a glass component; and
a resin plastic injection molded component.
23. The surgical instrument of claim 16 , wherein the first and second sealplates are configured to facilitate sealing tissue via one of a group consisting of:
electrothermal sealing; and
ultrasonic sealing.