IP Library Granted Patent US 11,883,055
Granted Patent B2
US 11,883,055 · App. 17/215,234 · Granted Jan 30, 2024

Ultrasonic surgical instrument with piezoelectric central lumen transducer

Inventors: Sora Rhee (Spring Mills, PA); Jacob S. Gee (Cincinnati, OH); Steven P. Smolik (West Chester, OH); Stephen J. Balek (Springboro, OH); William D. Dannaher (Cincinnati, OH)
Assignee: Cilag GmbH International
A61B17/320068A61B17/320092B06B1/0611B06B3/00A61B2017/0011A61B2017/00084A61B2017/00402A61B2017/00504A61B2017/22027A61B2017/320071A61B2017/320084A61B2017/320094B06B1/0614
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,883,055
App. No.
17/215,234
Granted
Jan 30, 2024
Kind
B2
Abstract

A surgical instrument includes a transducer assembly with a housing having a conduit section and a base portion. A fluid passageway is defined through the conduit and base portion, an ultrasonic transducer including a plurality of piezoelectric elements and a plurality of electrodes are arranged in a stack configuration, where an electrode is located between each pair of piezoelectric elements. A first borehole is defined through the ultrasonic transducer and an end mass having a second borehole defined therethrough. A surface of the end mass is positioned adjacent a first end of the ultrasonic transducer, the end mass is configured to engage with the housing, and the conduit section of the housing is configured to pass through the second borehole of the end mass. The end mass is configured to compress the ultrasonic transducer against a surface of the housing when the end mass is engaged with the housing.

Claims (44)

1. A transducer assembly comprising:

a housing comprising a conduit section and a base portion, wherein a fluid passageway is defined through the conduit section and the base portion;

a conductive element at least partially surrounding the conduit section of the housing;

an insulator positioned between the conductive element and the conduit section, wherein the insulator is configured to electrically isolate the conductive element from the conduit section;

an ultrasonic transducer comprising a plurality of piezoelectric elements and a plurality of electrodes arranged in a stack configuration, wherein the ultrasonic transducer comprises a first end and a second end;

a first borehole defined through the ultrasonic transducer;

an end mass comprising a second borehole defined therethrough, wherein the end mass is positioned adjacent to a first end of the ultrasonic transducer and the end mass is configured to engage with the housing; and

wherein:

the conduit section of the housing is configured to pass through the first borehole of the ultrasonic transducer and the second borehole of the end mass,

the end mass is configured to compress the ultrasonic transducer against a surface of the housing when the end mass is engaged with the housing, and

a first piezoelectric element of the plurality of piezoelectric elements and a second piezoelectric element of the plurality of piezoelectric elements are electrically connected in parallel.

2. The transducer assembly of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the plurality of electrodes is located between at least one pair of the plurality of piezoelectric elements.

3. The transducer assembly of claim 2 , wherein:

a first electrode of the plurality of electrodes is located at the first end of the ultrasonic transducer; and

the first electrode is electrically coupled to the conductive element.

4. The transducer assembly of claim 3 , wherein a second electrode is located at the second end of the ultrasonic transducer.

5. The transducer assembly of claim 1 , wherein the end mass comprises a wall that at least partially surrounds and houses the ultrasonic transducer.

6. The transducer assembly of claim 1 , wherein the end mass comprises a torqueing feature that allows torque to be applied to the end mass.

7. The transducer assembly of claim 1 , wherein an interior compartment is defined when the end mass is engaged with the housing, and wherein the ultrasonic transducer is positionable in the interior compartment.

8. A transducer assembly, comprising:

a housing, comprising:

a base portion; and

a conduit section extending from the base portion;

an ultrasonic transducer comprising a plurality of piezoelectric elements and a plurality of electrodes arranged in a stack configuration, wherein a first borehole is defined through the ultrasonic transducer;

an end mass configured to removably couple to the housing, wherein the end mass defines a second borehole;

wherein the conduit section is configured to extend through the first borehole and the second borehole; and

a first piezoelectric element of the plurality of piezoelectric elements and a second piezoelectric element of the plurality of piezoelectric elements are electrically connected in parallel.

9. The transducer assembly of claim 8 , further comprising a conductive element at least partially surrounding the conduit section of the housing.

10. The transducer assembly of claim 9 , further comprising an insulator positioned between the conductive element and the conduit section, wherein the insulator is configured to electrically isolate the conductive element from the conduit section.

11. The transducer assembly of claim 8 , wherein an interior compartment is defined, based on the end mass being coupled to the housing, and wherein the ultrasonic transducer is positionable in the interior compartment.

12. The transducer assembly of claim 8 , wherein the end mass is configured to compress the ultrasonic transducer against a surface of the housing, based on the end mass engaging the housing.

13. The transducer assembly of claim 8 , wherein the end mass comprises a wall that at least partially surrounds and houses the ultrasonic transducer.

14. The transducer assembly of claim 8 , wherein the end mass comprises a torqueing feature that allows torque to be applied to the end mass.

15. A transducer assembly, comprising:

a housing, comprising:

a base portion; and

a conduit section extending from the base portion;

an end mass configured to removably couple to the housing, wherein the end mass defines a first aperture configured to receive the conduit section therethrough, and wherein the housing and the end mass define a compartment, based on the end mass being coupled to the housing; and

an ultrasonic transducer comprising a plurality of piezoelectric elements and a plurality of electrodes arranged in a stack configuration, wherein the ultrasonic transducer is positioned in the compartment and defines a second aperture configured to receive the conduit section therethrough; and

a first piezoelectric element of the plurality of piezoelectric elements and a second piezoelectric element of the plurality of piezoelectric elements are electrically connected in parallel.

16. The transducer assembly of claim 15 , wherein the end mass comprises a wall that at least partially surrounds and houses the ultrasonic transducer.

17. The transducer assembly of claim 15 , wherein the end mass comprises a torqueing feature that allows torque to be applied to the end mass.

18. The transducer assembly of claim 15 , further comprising a conductive element at least partially surrounding the conduit section of the housing.

19. The transducer assembly of claim 18 , further comprising an insulator positioned between the conductive element and the conduit section, wherein the insulator is configured to electrically isolate the conductive element from the conduit section.

Assignments (3)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jul 6, 2021
From: ETHICON LLC
To: CILAG GMBH INTERNATIONAL
Reel/Frame 056983/0569 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jun 22, 2021
From: RHEE, SORA
To: ETHICON LLC
Reel/Frame 056620/0582 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jun 22, 2021
From: GEE, JACOB S.; SMOLIK, STEVEN P.; BALEK, STEPHEN J.; DANNAHER, WILLIAM D.
To: ETHICON LLC
Reel/Frame 056620/0698 →
Continuity (5)
Division 16170788 · Oct 25, 2018
Division 15626768 · Jun 19, 2017
Provisional Application 62381785 · Aug 31, 2016
Provisional Application 62361136 · Jul 12, 2016
Related Publication 20210236157A1 · Aug 5, 2021
Cited By (1)
US 12,446,913