US 11,937,863 B2
Deflectable electrode with variable compression bias along the length of the deflectable electrode
Jeffrey D. Messerly, Cincinnati, OH (US); Frederick E. Shelton, IV, Hillsboro, OH (US); Stephen M. Leuck, Milford, OH (US); Nina Mastroianni, Cincinnati, OH (US); John E. Brady, Cincinnati, OH (US); and Wei Guo, Mason, OH (US)
Assigned to Cilag GmbH International, Zug (CH)
Filed by Cilag GmbH International, Zug (CH)
Filed on May 29, 2020, as Appl. No. 16/887,532.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/955,292, filed on Dec. 30, 2019.
Prior Publication US 2021/0196335 A1, Jul. 1, 2021
This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.
Int. Cl. A61B 18/00 (2006.01); A61B 17/32 (2006.01); A61B 18/12 (2006.01); A61B 18/14 (2006.01); A61B 18/16 (2006.01); A61B 18/18 (2006.01)
CPC A61B 18/00 (2013.01) [A61B 17/320092 (2013.01); A61B 18/1445 (2013.01); A61B 2017/320074 (2017.08); A61B 2017/320095 (2017.08); A61B 2018/00607 (2013.01); A61B 2018/00613 (2013.01); A61B 2018/0063 (2013.01); A61B 2018/00672 (2013.01); A61B 2018/00702 (2013.01); A61B 2018/00875 (2013.01); A61B 2018/00994 (2013.01); A61B 2018/1253 (2013.01); A61B 2018/126 (2013.01); A61B 2018/1452 (2013.01); A61B 18/16 (2013.01); A61B 18/1815 (2013.01)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. An end-effector, comprising:
a clamp arm; and
an ultrasonic blade configured to acoustically couple to an ultrasonic transducer and to electrically couple to a pole of an electrical generator;
wherein the clamp arm comprises:
a clamp jaw;
a plurality of variable longitudinal support elements; and
a cantilever electrode configured to electrically couple to an opposite pole of the electrical generator, wherein the cantilever electrode is fixed to the clamp jaw at a proximal end and free to deflect at a distal end, wherein the cantilever electrode is supported by the variable longitudinal support elements, and wherein the variable longitudinal support elements apply a variable force on the cantilever electrode from the proximal end to the distal end.