US-12616520-B2 - Magnetic auto-alignment connector

Abstract

A microwave ablation system includes a surgical instrument having an instrument connector and a microwave generator having a generator connector. The instrument connector includes a magnet and a plurality of conductors. The generator connector is configured to couple to the instrument connector and includes a housing, a support base, a magnet, at least one spring, and a plurality of pogo pins. The support base is operably coupled to the housing and configured to move longitudinally along a longitudinal axis of the generator connector. The magnet is operably coupled to the support base and positioned to align with the magnet of the instrument connector. The spring is configured to bias the support base proximally within the housing. The pogo pins extend distally from the support base with each pogo pin being configured to align with a respective conductor of the plurality of conductors of the instrument connector.

Inventors

• K V S Manoj Kumar Vadali
• Joseph D. Brannan
• Venkata Prasad Mooram

Assignees

• COVIDIEN LP

Dates

Publication Date

20260505

Application Date

20211103

Claims (20)

1. 1 . A microwave ablation system, comprising: a surgical instrument including an instrument connector, the instrument connector including a first magnet and a plurality of conductors; and a microwave generator including a generator connector configured to operably couple to the instrument connector, the generator connector including: a housing; a support base operably coupled to the housing and configured to move longitudinally along a longitudinal axis of the generator connector; a second magnet operably coupled to the support base and positioned to align with the first magnet of the instrument connector; at least one spring configured to bias the support base proximally within the housing; and a plurality of pogo pins extending distally from the support base, wherein each pogo pin of the plurality of pogo pins is configured to align with a respective conductor of the plurality of conductors of the instrument connector.
2. 2 . The microwave ablation system according to claim 1 , wherein the second magnet of the generator connector is configured to cause the support base to move distally against the bias of the spring when the instrument connector is properly aligned with the generator connector and the instrument connector is in proximity to the generator connector.
3. 3 . The microwave ablation system according to claim 1 , wherein distal movement of the support base causes each pogo pin of the plurality of pogo pins to advance distally relative to the housing and contact the respective conductor of the plurality of conductors.
4. 4 . The microwave ablation system according to claim 1 , wherein the second magnet of the generator connector is configured to cause the support base to move proximally with the bias of the spring when the instrument connector is improperly aligned with the generator connector and the instrument connector is in proximity to the generator connector to prevent the plurality of pogo pins from contacting the plurality of conductors.
5. 5 . The microwave ablation system according to claim 1 , wherein the second magnet of the generator connector has a first polarity and the generator connector includes a third magnet having a second polarity.
6. 6 . The microwave ablation system according to claim 5 , wherein the first polarity and the second polarity are opposite.
7. 7 . The microwave ablation system according to claim 5 , wherein the first magnet of the instrument connector has a polarity opposite the first polarity of the second magnet of the generator connector and the instrument connector includes a fourth magnet having a polarity opposite the second polarity of the third magnet of the generator connector.
8. 8 . The microwave ablation system according to claim 1 , wherein the first magnet of the instrument connector is a polymagnet defining a first polarity pattern and the second magnet of the generator connector is a polymagnet defining a second polarity pattern configured to align with the first polarity pattern of the first magnet of the instrument connector.
9. 9 . The microwave ablation system according to claim 1 , wherein the surgical instrument includes a thermocouple and a microwave antenna and at least one of the plurality of conductors is operably coupled to at least one of the thermocouple or the microwave antenna.
10. 10 . A microwave generator including a generator connector configured to operably couple to an instrument connector, the generator connector comprising: a housing; a support base operably coupled to the housing and configured to move longitudinally along a longitudinal axis of the generator connector; a magnet operably coupled to the support base and positioned to align with a magnet of the instrument connector; at least one spring configured to bias the support base proximally within the housing; and a plurality of pogo pins extending distally from the support base, wherein each pogo pin of the plurality of pogo pins is configured to align with a respective conductor of a plurality of conductors of the instrument connector.
11. 11 . The microwave generator according to claim 10 , wherein the magnet of the generator connector is configured to cause the support base to move distally against the bias of the spring when the instrument connector is properly aligned with the generator connector and the instrument connector is in proximity to the generator connector.
12. 12 . The microwave generator according to claim 10 , wherein distal movement of the support base causes each pogo pin of the plurality of pogo pins to advance distally relative to the housing and contact the respective conductor of the plurality of conductors.
13. 13 . The microwave generator according to claim 10 , wherein the magnet of the generator connector is configured to cause the support base to move proximally with the bias of the spring when the instrument connector is improperly aligned with the generator connector and the instrument connector is in proximity to the generator connector to prevent the plurality of pogo pins from contacting the plurality of conductors.
14. 14 . The microwave generator according to claim 10 , wherein the magnet of the generator connector is a first generator magnet having a first polarity and the generator connector includes a second generator magnet having a second polarity.
15. 15 . The microwave generator according to claim 14 , wherein the first polarity and the second polarity are opposite.
16. 16 . The microwave generator according to claim 10 , wherein the magnet of the generator connector is a polymagnet defining a polarity pattern configured to align with a polarity pattern of a polymagnet of the instrument connector.
17. 17 . A surgical instrument, comprising: a microwave ablation antenna; and an instrument connector operably coupled to the microwave ablation antenna and configured to operably couple to a generator connector of a microwave generator, the instrument connector including: a housing; a support base operably coupled to the housing and configured to move longitudinally along a longitudinal axis of the instrument connector; a magnet operably coupled to the support base and positioned to align with a magnet of the generator connector; at least one spring configured to bias the support base proximally within the housing; and a plurality of pogo pins extending distally from the support base, wherein each pogo pin of the plurality of pogo pins is configured to align with a respective conductor of a plurality of conductors of the generator connector.
18. 18 . The surgical instrument according to claim 17 , wherein the magnet of the instrument connector is configured to cause the support base to move distally against the bias of the spring when the instrument connector is properly aligned with the generator connector and the instrument connector is in proximity to the generator connector.
19. 19 . The surgical instrument according to claim 17 , wherein distal movement of the support base causes each pogo pin of the plurality of pogo pins to advance distally relative to the housing and contact the respective conductor of the plurality of conductors.
20. 20 . The surgical instrument according to claim 17 , wherein the magnet of the instrument connector is configured to cause the support base to move proximally with the bias of the spring when the instrument connector is improperly aligned with the generator connector and the instrument connector is in proximity to the generator connector to prevent the plurality of pogo pins from contacting the plurality of conductors.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 63/119,038, filed on Nov. 30, 2020. FIELD The present disclosure relates to magnetic auto-alignment connectors for a microwave generator and surgical instrument. BACKGROUND In microwave ablation, an electromagnetic field is used to heat and destroy tumor cells. Treatment may involve inserting an ablation probe into tissues where cancerous tumors have been identified. Once the ablation probe is properly positioned, the ablation probe induces an electromagnetic field within the tissue surrounding the ablation probe to ablate the tissue. Typically, systems for microwave ablation procedures include a microwave generator and a microwave instrument such as an ablation probe having an antenna assembly. The microwave generator and microwave instrument are operatively coupled to each other by a coaxial cable for carrying microwave signals from the microwave generator to the microwave instrument. Microwave generators typically include circuitry for generating microwave signals and a controller for controlling the operation of the circuitry and controlling a user interface, such as a display. The user interface includes user controls for setting characteristics of the microwave signals, such as buttons for adjusting the power level of the microwave signals. Misalignment or improper connection of the microwave instrument to the microwave generator can lead to damage to the microwave generator, the microwave instrument, or both. SUMMARY In accordance with aspects of the present disclosure, a microwave ablation system is provided. The microwave ablation system includes a surgical instrument having an instrument connector and a microwave generator having a generator connector. The instrument connector includes a magnet and a plurality of conductors. The generator connector is configured to couple to the instrument connector and includes a housing, a support base, a magnet, at least one spring, and a plurality of pogo pins. The support base is operably coupled to the housing and configured to move longitudinally along a longitudinal axis of the generator connector. The magnet is operably coupled to the support base and positioned to align with the magnet of the instrument connector. The at least one spring is configured to bias the support base proximally within the housing. The plurality of pogo pins extends distally from the support base with each pogo pin of the plurality of pogo pins being configured to align with a respective conductor of the plurality of conductors of the instrument connector. In an aspect, the magnet of the generator connector is configured to cause the support base to move distally against the bias of the spring when the instrument connector is properly aligned with the generator connector and the instrument connector is in proximity to the generator connector. In an aspect, distal movement of the support base causes each pogo pin of the plurality of pogo pins to advance distally relative to the housing and contact the respective conductor of the plurality of conductors. In an aspect, the magnet of the generator connector is configured to cause the support base to move proximally with the bias of the spring when the instrument connector is improperly aligned with the generator connector and the instrument connector is in proximity to the generator connector to prevent the plurality of pogo pins from contacting the plurality of conductors. In an aspect, the magnet of the generator connector is a first generator magnet having a first polarity and the generator connector includes a second generator magnet having a second polarity. The first polarity and the second polarity may be opposite. Additionally, or alternatively, the magnet of the instrument connector is a first instrument magnet having a polarity opposite the first polarity of the first generator magnet and the instrument connector includes a second instrument magnet having a polarity opposite the second polarity of the second generator magnet. In an aspect, the magnet of the instrument connector is a polymagnet defining a first polarity pattern and the magnet of the generator connector is a polymagnet defining a second polarity pattern configured to align with the first polarity pattern of the polymagnet of the instrument connector. In an aspect, the surgical instrument includes a thermocouple and a microwave antenna and at least one of the plurality of conductors is operably coupled to at least one of the thermocouple, for example via a temperature sensing circuit, or the microwave antenna. In accordance with another aspect of the present disclosure, a microwave generator is provided. The microwave generator is configured to couple to an instrument connector of a surgical instrument. The microwave generator includes a housing, a support base operably coupled to the housing and configured to move longitudinally along a