US 12,185,948 B2
Powered surgical devices including strain gauges incorporated into flex circuits
Matthew Eschbach, Cheshire, CT (US); David Nicholas, Trumbull, CT (US); and Russell Pribanic, Roxbury, CT (US)
Assigned to Covidien LP, Mansfield, MA (US)
Filed by Covidien LP, Mansfield, MA (US)
Filed on Sep. 5, 2023, as Appl. No. 18/460,857.
Application 18/460,857 is a continuation of application No. 17/734,494, filed on May 2, 2022, granted, now 11,751,874.
Application 17/734,494 is a continuation of application No. 16/413,919, filed on May 16, 2019, abandoned.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/687,846, filed on Jun. 21, 2018.
Prior Publication US 2023/0404580 A1, Dec. 21, 2023
Int. Cl. A61B 17/072 (2006.01); A61B 17/00 (2006.01); A61B 17/29 (2006.01)
CPC A61B 17/07207 (2013.01) [A61B 2017/00022 (2013.01); A61B 2017/00734 (2013.01); A61B 2017/07257 (2013.01); A61B 2017/07271 (2013.01); A61B 2017/2925 (2013.01); A61B 2017/2927 (2013.01); A61B 2562/0261 (2013.01)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A surgical device, comprising:
an end effector including a proximal body portion and a tool assembly pivotally connected to the proximal body portion, the tool assembly including:
an anvil assembly;
a cartridge carrier pivotally connected to the anvil assembly, the cartridge carrier including:
a first wall defining an inner first surface;
a pair of second walls extending from the first wall in spaced relation relative to each other and defining inner second surfaces, wherein the inner first surface of the first wall and the inner second surfaces of the pair of second walls define an elongated support channel; and
a strain gauge disposed within the elongated support channel and supported on the inner first surface of the first wall; and
a flex cable including:
a distal portion disposed within the elongated support channel and supported on the inner first surface of the first wall, the distal portion of the flex cable being electrically coupled to the strain gauge, the distal portion of the flex cable having a first profile; and
a proximal portion disposed at least partially within the elongated support channel and supported on the inner second surface of one of the pair of second walls and disposed at least partially within the proximal body portion of the end effector, the proximal portion of the flex cable having a second profile that is perpendicular to the first profile.