US 12,256,902 B2
Apparatus and method for increasing heat dissipation capacity of a medical instrument
Anqi Fan, Mountain View, CA (US); and Tiejun Hu, Fremont, CA (US)
Assigned to INTUITIVE SURGICAL OPERATIONS, INC., Sunnyvale, CA (US)
Filed by INTUITIVE SURGICAL OPERATIONS, INC., Sunnyvale, CA (US)
Filed on Jun. 30, 2023, as Appl. No. 18/345,729.
Application 18/345,729 is a continuation of application No. 16/611,002, granted, now 11,744,448, previously published as PCT/US2018/031670, filed on May 8, 2018.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/503,521, filed on May 9, 2017.
Prior Publication US 2023/0363631 A1, Nov. 16, 2023
Int. Cl. A61B 1/12 (2006.01); A61B 1/00 (2006.01)
CPC A61B 1/128 (2013.01) [A61B 1/00066 (2013.01); A61B 1/00071 (2013.01); A61B 1/00131 (2013.01)] 9 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A method comprising:
generating thermal energy at a distal end of an elongate member; and
transferring the thermal energy between the elongate member and a housing coupled to a proximal end of the elongate member by activating a heat pump device thermally coupled between the elongate member and the housing and being disposed at least partially outside the housing, wherein the heat pump device has a maximum outer diameter that is greater than a maximum outer diameter of the elongate member.