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US-12622699-B2 - Handheld electromechanical surgical device including load sensor having spherical ball pivots

US12622699B2US 12622699 B2US12622699 B2US 12622699B2US-12622699-B2

Abstract

A force sensor arrangement for use in a surgical device includes a support block supported within the surgical device and defining a support block surface; a load sensor disposed axially adjacent the support block, the load sensor defining a sensor surface; and a spherical disc interposed between the support block and the load sensor, and in contact with the support block surface and the sensor surface, wherein the spherical disc defines a first side in contact with the sensor surface, and a second side in contact with the support block surface, wherein the second side of the spherical disc has a spherical profile and the support block surface has a complimentary spherical profile.

Inventors

  • Anthony Sgroi

Assignees

  • COVIDIEN LP

Dates

Publication Date
20260512
Application Date
20240207

Claims (14)

  1. 1 . A force sensor arrangement for use in a surgical device, the force sensor arrangement comprising: a support block supported within the surgical device and defining a support block surface; a load sensor disposed axially adjacent the support block, the load sensor defining a sensor surface; and a spherical disc interposed between the support block and the load sensor, and in contact with the support block surface and the sensor surface, wherein the spherical disc defines a first side in contact with the sensor surface, and a second side in contact with the support block surface, wherein the second side of the spherical disc has a spherical profile and the support block surface has a complimentary spherical profile.
  2. 2 . The force sensor arrangement according to claim 1 , wherein the spherical disc of the force sensor arrangement accommodates for variations in manufacturing tolerances of the support block and the load sensor.
  3. 3 . The force sensor arrangement according to claim 2 , wherein the spherical disc of the force sensor arrangement accommodates for variations in manufacturing tolerances in any direction.
  4. 4 . The force sensor arrangement according to claim 3 , wherein the first side of the spherical disc is planar, and the sensor surface in contact therewith is planar.
  5. 5 . The force sensor arrangement according to claim 4 , wherein the load sensor is disposed distal of the support block.
  6. 6 . The force sensor arrangement according to claim 3 , wherein the spherical disc is a double spherical disc having a first side that is spherical, and wherein the support block surface defines a complimentary spherical surface.
  7. 7 . The force sensor arrangement according to claim 1 , wherein the force sensor arrangement senses axial translation of a trocar member of the surgical device.
  8. 8 . A force sensor arrangement for use in a surgical device, the force sensor arrangement comprising: a support block supported within the surgical device and defining a support block surface having a support geometric profile; a load sensor disposed axially adjacent the support block, the load sensor defining a sensor surface having a sensor geometric profile; and a disc interposed between the support block and the load sensor, and in contact with the support block surface and the sensor surface, wherein the disc defines a first side in contact with the sensor surface and having a first geometric profile, and a second side in contact with the support block surface and having a second geometric profile; wherein at least one of the first geometric profile or the second geometric profile is complementary to the corresponding at least one of the support geometric profile or the sensor geometric profile; wherein the first geometric profile and the second geometric profile include a spherical surface.
  9. 9 . A force sensor arrangement for use in a surgical device, the force sensor arrangement comprising: a support block defining a support block surface and a support block passage having a longitudinal axis; a load sensor disposed axially adjacent the support block, the load sensor defining a sensor surface and a load sensor passage extending along the longitudinal axis; and a spherical disc interposed between the support block and the load sensor, and in contact with the support block surface and the sensor surface, wherein the spherical disc defines a first side in abutting contact with the sensor surface, and a second side in abutting contact with the support block surface, wherein the second side of the spherical disc has a spherical profile and the support block surface has a complimentary spherical profile whereby the spherical disc is free to pivot relative to the longitudinal axis to maintain the support block and the load sensor in force transmitting alignment with one another, and wherein the spherical disc defines a spherical disc passage extending along the longitudinal axis.
  10. 10 . The force sensor arrangement according to claim 9 , wherein the spherical disc accommodates for variations in manufacturing tolerances of the support block and the load sensor.
  11. 11 . The force sensor arrangement according to claim 10 , wherein the spherical disc accommodates for variations in manufacturing tolerances in any direction.
  12. 12 . The force sensor arrangement according to claim 11 , wherein the first side of the spherical disc is planar, and the sensor surface in contact with the first side of the spherical disc is planar.
  13. 13 . The force sensor arrangement according to claim 12 , wherein the load sensor is disposed distal of the support block.
  14. 14 . The force sensor arrangement according to claim 11 , wherein the spherical disc is a double spherical disc having the first side that is spherical, and wherein the support block surface defines a complimentary spherical surface.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS This application is a Continuation Application which claims the benefit of and priority to U.S. patent application Ser. No. 17/143,277, filed Jan. 7, 2021 now U.S. Pat. No. 11,896,230), which claims the benefit of and priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 62/957,958 filed Jan. 7, 2020, the entire disclosure of each of which being incorporated by reference herein. The present application U.S. patent application Ser. No. 17/143,277 is a Continuation-in-Part Application which claims the benefit of and priority to U.S. patent application Ser. No. 15/972,606, filed on May 7, 2018 (now U.S. Pat. No. 10,932,784), the entire content of which is hereby incorporated by reference. The present application U.S. patent application Ser. No. 17/143,277 relates to U.S. Pat. No. 10,702,302, filed on May 17, 2016, the entire content of which is hereby incorporated by reference. BACKGROUND 1. Technical Field The present disclosure relates to powered surgical devices. More specifically, the present disclosure relates to reusable handheld electromechanical surgical devices including load sensors having spherical ball pivots. 2. Background of Related Art Circular stapling instruments/devices for performing surgical procedures such as anastomoses, hemorrhoidectomies, and mucosectomies are well known. Such a circular stapling device includes a shell assembly having a staple cartridge. The staple cartridge includes a plurality of staples. In the procedure, an anvil is attached to the instrument in such a way that each staple is aligned to a corresponding staple pocket. The staple pocket is shaped and sized so that when the staples are forced through the staple cartridge, the pocket forms the necessary staple closure to provide a leak free staple line or anastomosis of the tissue. Such circular stapling devices include manual operated devices, such as, for example, the DST Series™ end-to-end anastomosis (EEA™) Staplers marketed by Medtronic, LLC, or handheld electromechanical powered EEA™ devices having load sensing capabilities using load sensors. Load sensors are used to measure force/weight in a plurality of applications. The use of a load sensor can be configured to produce desired clinical outcomes when performing a surgical stapling function in a surgical stapling device. By use of a load reading sensor, the clamping force, stapling force, and cut forces of the surgical stapling device can be monitored and used to facilitate these various functions. For example, the load reading sensor can detect pre-set loads and cause the surgical stapling device to react to such a response. For example, during the clamping of thick tissue, the clamp load will continue to rise. By use of a load sensor, electronics, and software, the rise in load can be read and stored so that the surgical stapling device can lower the clamp rate or pause the clamp rate allowing for the tissue to relax. This process can run continuously allowing the clamp load to rise to the pre-determined limit such that the surgical stapling device can maintain the desired clamping force as the tissue relaxes to produce the desired clinical outcome. In one example, this would allow for clamping of thick tissue without undesired clinical outcomes. The load sensors can be designed in various forms. For example, in the configuration of a cantilever beam, simply supported beam, and the like. The opposing surfaces of a simply supports load sensor has flat interfaces and such interfaces can be sensitive to tolerance variations of the components assembled thereto. Such tolerances can result in the load sensor not sitting coplanar to their respective assembled faces causing load variations. Therefore, there is a need for sensors that can be assembled to surgical devices in a way that loading component tolerances would minimize any effect on the sensitivity of the sensor. SUMMARY In accordance with aspects of the present disclosure, an adapter assembly is provided for mechanically and electrically interconnecting a surgical reload to a handle assembly of a handheld electromechanical surgical device. The adapter assembly includes an adapter housing configured and adapted for connection with the surgical device and to be in rotative communication with a rotatable drive shaft of the surgical device; an outer tube having a proximal end supported by the adapter housing and a distal end configured and adapted for connection with the surgical reload; and a force sensor arrangement disposed within the outer tube. The force sensor arrangement includes a support block supported within the outer tube and defining a support block surface; a load sensor disposed axially adjacent the support block, the load sensor defining a sensor surface; and a spherical disc interposed between the support block and the load sensor, and in contact with the support block surface and the sensor surface, wherein the spherical disc defines a first side in co