ENHANCED CONTROL SYSTEMS INCLUDING FLEXIBLE SHIELDING AND SUPPORT SYSTEMS FOR ELECTROSURGICAL APPLICATIONS
A boot for an articulable electrosurgical instrument having a conductor is disclosed. The boot has: a first layer having a flexible substantially non-conductive material; a second layer disposed on the first layer, the second layer having a flexible conductive medium configured to be electrically coupled to at least one shield conductor, whereby the boot is configured to transmit normal current and fault current to a reference potential; and a third layer disposed on the second layer, the third layer having a flexible non-conductive material.
1 . A boot for an articulable electrosurgical instrument having a conductor, the boot comprising:
a first layer having a flexible substantially non-conductive material;
a second layer disposed on the first layer, the second layer having a flexible conductive medium configured to be electrically coupled to at least one shield conductor, whereby the boot is configured to transmit normal current and fault current to a reference potential;
and a third layer disposed on the second layer, the third layer having a flexible non-conductive material.
2 . The boot of claim 1 , wherein:
the second layer comprises a conductive cloth.
3 . The boot of claim 1 , wherein:
the second layer comprises a wire mesh.
4 . The boot of claim 1 , wherein:
the second layer comprises a wire braid.
5 . The electrosurgical instrument of claim 1 , wherein:
the boot is corrugated.
6 . The boot of claim 1 , wherein:
the boot comprises a proximal region configured to surround at least a portion of a support structure of the electrosurgical instrument and a distal region configured to partially surround an articulable portion of the electrosurgical instrument; and
the distal region is configured to elastically deform.
7 . The boot of claim 1 , further comprising:
a conductive rubber, a coaxial cable, a metal braid inside an insulation material, or a thin conductive film.
8 . The boot of claim 1 , wherein:
the first layer has a woven matrix;
the second layer is a sprayed on conductor; and
the third layer is an insulating coating.
9 . The boot of claim 1 , wherein:
the third layer is a foam material.
10 . The electrosurgical instrument of claim 1 , wherein:
the second layer comprises at least one of a wire coil, a catheter coil, an embedded wire in a flexible structure, a flex circuit, a plurality of conductive segments, or a plurality of conductive segments joined by a mechanical interlock.
11 . The boot of claim 1 , wherein:
the boot is configured to withstand a power having at least one of (a) a voltage of between 2 and 4 kilovolts, (b) a current of at least 2.0 Amperes, or (c) a power of up to 300 Watts and a current up to 1.0 Amperes.
12 . The boot of claim 1 , wherein:
the first layer, the second layer, and the third layer are configured to surround at least an articulating portion of the articulable electrosurgical instrument.
13 . An electrosurgical instrument, comprising:
an instrument segment having a proximal end and a distal end;
an end effector articulably coupled to the distal end of the instrument segment, the end effector having an active electrode and configured to perform an electrosurgical procedure; and
a boot; wherein the boot comprises
a first layer having a flexible substantially non-conductive material,
a second layer disposed on the first layer, the second layer having a flexible conductive medium configured to be electrically coupled to at least one shield conductor, whereby the boot is configured to transmit normal current and fault current to a reference potential,
and a third layer disposed on the second layer, the third layer having a flexible non-conductive material.
14 . The electrosurgical instrument of claim 13 , wherein:
the boot is positioned about at least a portion of the instrument segment and the end effector.
15 . The electrosurgical instrument of claim 13 , wherein:
the boot comprises a conductive rubber, a coaxial cable, a metal braid inside an insulation material, or a thin conductive film.
16 . The electrosurgical instrument of claim 13 , wherein:
the second layer comprises a conductive coating disposed over the first layer, the first layer comprising a polymer tubing.
17 . The electrosurgical instrument of claim 13 , wherein:
the boot is configured to conduct up to 300 Watts of power having a voltage of up to 5 kilovolts.
18 . The electrosurgical instrument of claim 13 , wherein:
the boot is corrugated.
19 . The electrosurgical instrument of claim 13 , wherein:
the second layer comprises at least one of a metal coated flexible polymer, polyaniline, carbon-filled silicone, graphene, conductive epoxy, a physical vapor deposition, a conductive fabric, braided wire, a wire mesh, a spiral wire, a conductive coating, a plurality of conductive segments, or a plurality of conductive segments joined by a mechanical interlock.
20 . The electrosurgical instrument of claim 13 , wherein:
the boot is configured to withstand a power having at least one of a voltage of at least 5 kilovolts or a current of at least 2.0 Amperes.
21 . The electrosurgical instrument of claim 13 , wherein:
the boot is configured isolate an active electrode in the electrosurgical instrument; and
the boot is configured to withstand electrical excitation having an open-circuit voltage up to 5 kilovolts peak, a normal current up to 1.5 amperes, and a fault current up to 2.5 amperes; and wherein
the boot is positioned spaced apart from the active electrode to prevent current from passing between the boot and a surgical region of the active electrode.
22 . The electrosurgical instrument of claim 13 , wherein:
the boot is positioned about an articulating portion of the electrosurgical instrument and exposes a portion of the end effector.