Disposable end effectors

Inventors

Cho, Sungwoo • Park, Yongman • Kim, Byeonghui • Lee, Raymond • Kim, Daniel • Shin, DongSuk

Assignees

Endoquest Robotics Inc

Abstract

An end effector for a minimally invasive medical device can include a base configured to attach to a distal end of a shaft, and a disposable distal portion configured to removably attach to the base to be disposed of after use.

Core Innovation

The invention relates to an end effector for a minimally invasive medical device that includes a base configured to attach to a distal end of a shaft and a disposable distal portion configured to removably attach to the base to be disposed of after use. The disposable distal portion includes an electrically conductive material for an electrosurgical procedure and is electrically connected to the base when removably attached. The disposable distal portion is or includes blades or jaws including a conductive material to provide electrosurgical energy to tissue, enabling electrosurgical energy delivery through the removable distal portion.

The disposable distal portion further includes a mount portion configured to abut the base and a clevis connected to the mount portion. The blades or jaws are mounted to the clevis to pivot about a pivot joint of the clevis, and the base is configured to removably mechanically engage the blades or jaws to actuate the blades or jaws between an open and a closed position. The base includes a drive structure configured to mechanically engage the blades or jaws to actuate the blades or jaws between the open and the closed position, and the clevis comprises a non-conductive material while the mount portion includes a non-conductive center post configured to mechanically connect the blades or jaws to the drive structure.

To selectively retain and lock the disposable distal portion to the base, the disposable distal portion and the base are configured to be selectively axially retained together by a locking sleeve. The locking sleeve is configured to selectively lock the disposable distal portion to the base and includes a plurality of lock protrusions on an inner surface thereof. The base includes one or more locking channels, the disposable distal portion includes one or more alignment channels defined through a lip, and proximal lock protrusions are configured to be axially advanced through the alignment channels beyond the lip and rotated into a respective locking channel.

Distal inner stop protrusions are configured to axially engage the lip to limit axial advancement of the sleeve and to retain the disposable distal portion to the base when the sleeve is rotated into a locked position such that the proximal lock protrusions are within the locking channels. A minimally-invasive medical device is also described that includes an adapter configured to connect to and be actuated by a robotic surgical system, an elongate member extending from the adapter positioned as a function of the actuation of the adapter, and an end effector connected to the elongate member with the removable base and disposable distal portion architecture configured for an electrosurgical procedure.

Claims Coverage

The document includes two independent claims. Each independent claim includes multiple inventive features, primarily centered on a reusable base with a removable disposable distal portion for electrosurgical use, conductive blades or jaws pivotally mounted via a clevis and actuated between open and closed positions by a drive structure, a selective axial retention and locking sleeve arrangement, and a robotic surgical system adapter with an elongate member and end effector.

Across the independent claims, the core claim coverage is directed to a removable disposable distal portion that provides electrically conductive electrosurgical energy while being removably connected to a reusable base. The claims further cover conductive blades or jaws pivotally mounted to a non-conductive clevis and mechanically actuated between open and closed positions by a base drive structure, a detailed locking sleeve retention arrangement using alignment channels, locking channels, and lock protrusions, and a robotic surgical system adapter with an elongate member and end effector.

Stated Advantages

Documented Applications

No documented applications found