Surgical instrument having a removable cable and an associated coupling

Abstract

Surgical devices and processing methods include a cable and a first adapter. The adapter includes a body, an electrical contact connected to the cable, and an engagement assembly. The engagement assembly includes a latching joint or a communication joint. The latching joint is movable between a locked position and an unlocked position and includes a catch member. The communication joint is configured to be elastically biased into engagement between the electrical contact and an instrument or a generator.

Description

Background Art

[0001] Various ultrasonic surgical instruments include an end effector having a blade element that vibrates at ultrasonic frequencies to cut and / or seal tissue (e.g., by denaturing proteins within tissue cells). These instruments include one or more piezoelectric elements that convert electrical power into ultrasonic vibrations, which are transmitted along an acoustic waveguide to the blade element. Examples of ultrasonic surgical instruments and related concepts are disclosed in U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2006 / 0079874, titled "Tissue Pad for Use with an Ultrasonic Surgical Instrument," published on April 13, 2006, now abandoned, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety; U.S. Patent Publication No. 2007 / 0191713, titled "Ultrasonic Device for Cutting and Coagulating," published on August 16, 2007, now abandoned, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety; and U.S. Patent Publication No. 2008 / 0200940, titled "Ultrasonic Device for Cutting and Coagulating," published on August 21, 2008, now abandoned, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

[0002] Some instruments are operable to seal tissue by applying radiofrequency (RF) electrosurgical energy to the tissue. Examples of such devices and related concepts are disclosed in U.S. Patent No. 7,354,440, titled "Electrosurgical Instrument and Method of Use," issued on April 8, 2008, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety; and U.S. Patent No. 7,381,209, titled "Electrosurgical Instrument," issued on June 3, 2008, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

[0003] Some instruments are capable of applying both ultrasonic energy and RF electrosurgical energy to tissue. Examples of such instruments are U.S. Patent No. 9,949,785, entitled "Ultrasonic Surgical Instrument with Electrosurgical Feature," issued on April 24, 2018, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety; U.S. Patent No. 8,663,220, entitled "Ultrasonic Electrosurgical Instruments," issued on March 4, 2014, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety; U.S. Patent No. 10,835,307, entitled "Modular Battery Powered Handheld Surgical Instrument Containing Elongated Multi-Layered Shaft," issued on November 17, 2020, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety; and U.S. Patent No. 11,229,471, entitled "Modular Battery Powered Handheld Surgical Instrument with Selective Application of Energy Based on Tissue Characterization," issued on January 25, 2022, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

[0004] In some scenarios, it may be preferable to directly grip and manipulate a surgical instrument by one or more hands of one or more human operators. Additionally, or alternatively, it may be preferable to have a surgical instrument that is controlled via a robotic surgical system. Examples of robotic surgical systems and related instruments are U.S. Patent No. 10,624,709, entitled "Robotic Surgical Tool with Manual Release Lever," published on May 2, 2019, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety; U.S. Patent No. 9,314,308, entitled "Robotic Ultrasonic Surgical Device With Articulating End Effector," issued on April 19, 2016, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety; U.S. Patent No. 9,125,662, entitled "Multi-Axis Articulating and Rotating Surgical Tools," issued on September 8, 2015, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety; U.S. Patent No. 8,820,605, entitled "Robotically-Controlled Surgical Instruments," issued on September 2, 2014, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety; U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2019 / 0201077, entitled "Interruption of Energy Due to Inadvertent Capacitive Coupling," published on July 4, 2019, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety; U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2012 / 0292367, entitled "Robotically-Controlled End Effector," published on November 11, 2012, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety; and U.S. Patent Application No. 16 / 556,661, entitled "Ultrasonic Surgical Instrument with a Multi-Planar Articulating Shaft Assembly," filed on August 30, 2019, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

[0005] Such instruments and robotic surgical systems may further be incorporated into a surgical system for performing procedures in a surgical environment such as an operating room or surgical suite within a healthcare facility. The sterile field is typically created around the patient and may include appropriately gowned, washed healthcare providers, as well as desired furniture and / or fixtures. Examples of such surgical systems and related mechanisms are disclosed in U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2019 / 0201046, titled "Method for Controlling Smart Energy Devices," published on July 4, 2019, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety; U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2019 / 0201080, titled "Ultrasonic Energy Device Which Varies Pressure Applied by Clamp Arm to Provide Threshold Control Pressure at a Cut Progression Location," published on July 4, 2019, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety; U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2019 / 0201091, titled "Radio Frequency Energy Device for Delivering Combined Electrical Signals," published on July 4, 2019, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety; U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2019 / 0274717, titled "Methods for Controlling Temperature in Ultrasonic Device," published on September 12, 2019, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety; and U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2019 / 0207857, titled "Surgical Network Determination of Prioritization of Communication, Interaction, or Processing Based on System or Device Needs," published on July 4, 2019, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

[0006] Although several surgical instruments and systems have been made and used, it is believed that no one prior to the inventors has made or used the invention described in the appended claims.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0007] This specification concludes with the claims, which particularly point out and distinctly claim the technology. However, the technology is better understood when read in conjunction with the following description of certain specific embodiments and the accompanying drawings, in which like reference numerals identify like elements.

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[0008] The drawings are not intended to limit in any way, and it is contemplated that various embodiments of the present technology may be implemented in various other ways, including those not necessarily depicted in the drawings. The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated herein and form a part of this specification, illustrate some aspects of the present technology and, together with the description, explain the principles of the present technology, but it is understood that the present technology is not limited to the exact arrangements shown. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0009] The following description of specific embodiments of the present technology should not be used for the purpose of limiting its scope. Other embodiments, features, aspects, embodiments, and advantages of the present technology will become apparent to those skilled in the art from the following description, which is one of the best modes contemplated for practicing the present technology by way of example. As will be understood, the techniques described herein are capable of other different and obvious aspects without departing from the technology. Therefore, the drawings and description are not limiting and should be regarded as essentially exemplary.

[0010] It should be further understood that any one or more of the teachings, expressions, embodiments, examples, etc. described in this specification may be combined with any one or more of the other teachings, expressions, embodiments, examples, etc. described in this specification. Therefore, the teachings, expressions, embodiments, examples, etc. described below should not be considered in isolation from each other. Various suitable ways of combining the teachings of this specification will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art upon consideration of the teachings of this specification. Such modifications and variations are intended to be included within the scope of the claims.

[0011] For the sake of clarity of the present disclosure, the terms "proximal" and "distal" are defined herein with respect to an operator of a surgical instrument, whether human or robotic. The term "proximal" means the position of an element that is closer to the operator of the surgical instrument, whether human or robotic, and further away from the surgical end effector of the surgical instrument. The term "distal" means the position of an element that is closer to the surgical end effector of the surgical instrument and further away from the operator of the surgical instrument, whether human or robotic. It should be noted that the terms "upper", "lower", "top", "bottom", "upper side", and "lower side" are used with respect to the examples and the associated figures and are not intended to unduly limit the invention described herein.

[0012] I. Examples of Surgical Systems Referring to FIG. 1, a computer-implemented interactive surgical system (100) includes one or more surgical systems (102) and a cloud-based system (e.g., a cloud (104) that may include a remote server (113) coupled to a storage device (105)). Each surgical system (102) in this example may include at least one surgical hub (106) that communicates with a cloud (104) that may include a remote server (113). In one example, as shown in FIG. 1, the surgical system (102) includes a visualization system (108), a robotic system (110), and a handheld intelligent surgical instrument (112), which are configured to communicate with each other and / or with the hub 106. In some embodiments, the surgical system (102) may include M hubs (106), N visualization systems (108), O robotic systems (110), and P handheld intelligent surgical instruments (112), where M, N, O, and P are integers greater than or equal to 1. In any case, any suitable combination of the mechanisms provided below may be incorporated into an exemplary surgical system such as the surgical system (100) and used in an operating room to perform a desired surgical procedure, as will be apparent to those skilled in the art in view of the teachings herein.

[0013] FIG. 2 shows an example of a surgical system (102) used to perform surgery on a patient lying on an operating table (114) within an operating room (116). A robotic system (110) is used as part of the surgical system 102 in a surgical procedure. The robotic system (110) includes a surgeon's console (118), a patient-side cart (120) (surgical robot), and a surgical robot hub (122). While the surgeon views the surgical site through the console (118), the patient-side cart (120) can manipulate a surgical tool (117) removably coupled to any of a plurality of surgical arms (123) through a minimally invasive incision in the patient's body. An image of the surgical site can be acquired by a medical imaging device (124) that can be manipulated by the patient-side cart (120) to change the orientation of the imaging device (124). The robot hub (122) can be used to process an image of the surgical site and then display it to the surgeon through the console (118).

[0014] Other types of robotic systems can be readily adapted for use with the surgical system (102). Various examples of robotic systems and surgical tools suitable for use with the present disclosure are described in U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 62 / 611,339, filed Dec. 28, 2017, entitled “Robot Assisted Surgical Platform,” the entire disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference.

[0015] Various examples of cloud-based analysis methods executed by the cloud (104) and suitable for use with the present disclosure are described in U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 62 / 611,340, filed Dec. 28, 2017, entitled “Cloud-Based Medical Analytics,” the entire disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference.

[0016] In various aspects, the imaging device (124) includes at least one image sensor and one or more optical components. Suitable image sensors include, but are not limited to, charge-coupled device (CCD) sensors and complementary metal-oxide semiconductor (CMOS) sensors. In various aspects, the imaging device (124) is configured for use in minimally invasive procedures. Examples of imaging devices suitable for use with the present disclosure include, but are not limited to, arthroscopes, angioscopes, bronchoscopes, choledochoscopes, colonoscopes, cystoscopes, duodenoscopes, enteroscopes, esophagogastroduodenoscopes (stomach cameras), endoscopes, laryngoscopes, nasopharyngo-ureteroscopes, sigmoidoscopes, thoracoscopes, and ureteroscopes. Some aspects of spectral and multispectral imaging methods are described in detail in the "Advanced Imaging Acquisition Module" of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 62 / 611,341, entitled "Interactive Surgical Platform," filed on December 28, 2017, the entire disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference.

[0017] During any surgical procedure, strict sterilization of the operating room and surgical instruments is required. The strict hygiene and sterilization conditions required in the "operating room," i.e., the operating room or procedure room, require the highest possible sterility of all medical devices and instruments. Part of that sterilization process requires sterilizing anything that comes into contact with the patient or penetrates the sterile field. It will be understood that the sterile field can be considered a specific area considered to be free of microorganisms, such as within a tray or on a sterile towel, or the sterile field can be considered the area immediately surrounding a patient prepared for surgery. The sterile field can include properly attired and scrubbed team members, as well as all equipment and fixtures within that area.

[0018] In addition to the introduction of any mechanism of a surgical system (100), furniture, or fixture into a sterile field that requires sterilization, particularly when such a mechanism comes into contact with, or is presumed to come into contact with, a patient who includes any tissue and / or fluid associated with a surgical procedure, additional complications can result from the removal of these mechanisms from the sterile field. Such contamination of these mechanisms from the patient often requires special consideration during or after a surgical procedure, particularly when processing these mechanisms for disposal, reuse, or remanufacture as needed. In one example, the surgical system (100) and / or medical personnel associated with a surgical procedure can be specifically equipped to handle such processing, as described in more detail below.

[0019] As shown in FIG. 2, the primary display (119) is positioned within the sterile field so as to be visible to the operator of the operating table (114). In addition, a visualization tower (111) is positioned outside of the sterile field. The visualization tower (111) includes a first non-sterile display (107) and a second non-sterile display (109) that face opposite each other. A visualization system (108) guided by a hub (106) is configured to utilize the displays (107, 109, 119) to coordinate the flow of information to the operators inside and outside of the sterile field. For example, the hub (106) can cause the visualization system (108) to display a snapshot of the surgical site recorded by the imaging device (124) on the non-sterile display (107) or (109) while maintaining a live video of the surgical site on the primary display (119). The snapshot on the non-sterile display (107) or display (109) can, for example, permit a non-sterile operator to perform diagnostic steps related to the surgical procedure.

[0020] In one aspect, the hub (106) is also configured to send diagnostic inputs or feedback entered by a non-sterile operator at the visualization tower (111) to a primary display (119) within the sterile field, where it can be viewed by a sterile operator at the operating table. In one example, the input can be in the form of a modification to a snapshot displayed on the non-sterile display (107) or display (109) that can be sent by the hub (106) to the primary display (119).

[0021] Referring to FIG. 2, the surgical instrument (112) is used as part of a surgical system (102) in a surgical procedure. The hub (106) is also configured to regulate the flow of information to a display of the surgical instrument (112), such as, for example, as described in U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 62 / 611,341, entitled "Interactive Surgical Platform," filed Dec. 28, 2017, the disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety. Diagnostic inputs or feedback entered by a non-sterile operator at the visualization tower (111) can be sent by the hub (106) to a surgical instrument display (115) within the sterile field, where it can be viewed by the operator of the surgical instrument (112). Exemplary surgical instruments suitable for use with the surgical system (102) are described, for example, in the "Surgical Instrument Hardware" section of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 62 / 611,341, entitled "Interactive Surgical Platform," filed Dec. 28, 2017, the entire disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by reference.

[0022] Referring now to FIG. 3, a hub (106) is shown that communicates with a visualization system (108), a robotic system (110), and a handheld intelligent surgical instrument (112). The hub (106) includes a hub display (135), an imaging module (138), a generator module (140), a communication module (130), a processor module (132), and a storage array (134). In certain aspects, as shown in FIG. 3, the hub (106) further includes a smoke exhaust module (126), a suction / irrigation module (128), and / or an operating room mapping module (133).

[0023] During surgery, applying energy to tissue for sealing and / or cutting is generally associated with smoke evacuation, suction of excess fluid, and / or irrigation of tissue. Fluid lines, power lines, and / or data lines from different sources often become entangled during surgery. Valuable time can be lost dealing with this problem during surgery. To untangle the lines, it may be necessary to disconnect the lines from their corresponding modules, which may require resetting the modules. The hub module enclosure (136) provides an integrated environment for managing power lines, data lines, and fluid lines, reducing the frequency of such line entanglements.

[0024] Referring to FIGS. 3-4, aspects of the present disclosure are presented for a hub module type enclosure (136) that enables modular integration of a generator module (140), a flue gas discharge module (126), and a suction / irrigation module (128). The hub module type enclosure (136) further facilitates interactive communication between the modules (140, 126, 128). As shown in FIG. 4, the generator module (140) may be a generator module including integrated monopole components, bipolar components, and ultrasonic components supported within a single housing unit (139) slidably insertable into the hub module type enclosure (136). As shown in FIG. 4, the generator module (140) can be configured to connect to a monopole device (146), a bipolar device (147), and an ultrasonic device (148). Alternatively, the generator module (140) may include a series of monopole generator modules, bipolar generator modules, and / or ultrasonic generator modules that interact via the hub module type enclosure (136). The hub module type enclosure (136) can be configured to facilitate the insertion of multiple generators and interactive communication between the generators docked to the hub module type enclosure (136) such that the multiple generators function as a single generator.

[0025] FIG. 5 shows one form of a generator (150) and various surgical instruments (152, 154, 156) that can be used therewith. The surgical instrument (152) is an ultrasonic surgical instrument (152), the surgical instrument (154) is an RF electrosurgical instrument (154), and the multifunctional surgical instrument (156) is an ultrasonic / RF combined electrosurgical instrument (156). The generator (150) can be configured to be used with various surgical instruments. According to various forms, the generator (150) can be configured to be used with various surgical instruments of different types, including, for example, an ultrasonic surgical instrument (152), an RF electrosurgical instrument (154), and a multifunctional surgical instrument (156) that integrates RF energy and ultrasonic energy simultaneously delivered from the generator (150). The generator (150) in the present example of FIG. 5 is shown separately from the surgical instruments (152, 154, 156), but the generator (150) may alternatively be integrally formed with any of the surgical instruments (152, 154, 156) to form a single surgical system. The generator (150) includes an input device (158) located on the front panel of the console of the generator (150). The input device (158) can include any suitable device that generates a signal suitable for programming the operation of the generator (150). The generator (150) may be configured for wired or wireless communication.

[0026] The generator (150) in this example is configured to drive a plurality of surgical instruments (152, 154, 156). An example of such a surgical instrument is an ultrasonic surgical instrument (152), which includes a handpiece (160), an ultrasonic transducer 162, a shaft assembly (164), and an end effector (166). The end effector (166) includes an ultrasonic blade (168) and a clamp arm (170) acoustically coupled to the ultrasonic transducer (162). The handpiece (160) includes a trigger (172) for operating the clamp arm (170) and a combination of toggle buttons (173, 174, 175) for supplying and driving energy to the ultrasonic blade (168) or other functions. The toggle buttons (173, 174, 175) can be configured to supply energy to the ultrasonic transducer (162) using the generator (150).

[0027] The generator (150) is also configured to drive another example of a surgical instrument (154). The RF electrosurgical instrument (154) includes a handpiece (176), a shaft assembly (178), and an end effector (180). The end effector (180) includes electrodes within the clamp arms (181, 182) and returns through the electrical conductor portion of the shaft assembly (178). The electrodes are coupled to a bipolar energy source within the generator (150) and are energized by the bipolar energy source. The handpiece (176) includes a trigger (183) for operating the clamp arms (181, 182) and an energy button (184) for actuating an energy switch for supplying energy to the electrodes within the end effector (180).

[0028] The generator (150) is also configured to drive a multi-functional surgical instrument (156). The multi-functional surgical instrument (156) includes a handpiece (185), a shaft assembly (186), and an end effector (188). The end effector (188) includes an ultrasonic blade (190) and a clamp arm (192). The ultrasonic blade (190) is acoustically coupled to the ultrasonic transducer (162). The handpiece (185) includes a trigger (194) for operating the clamp arm (192) and a combination of toggle buttons (195, 196, 197) for supplying and driving energy to the ultrasonic blade (190) or other functions. The toggle buttons (195, 196, 197) can be configured to supply energy to the ultrasonic transducer (162) using the generator (150) and, similarly, to supply energy to the ultrasonic blade (190) using a bipolar energy source housed within the generator (150). It will be appreciated that the handpieces (160, 176, 185) may be replaced with robotically controlled instruments for incorporating one or more aspects of the surgical instruments (152, 154, 156). Thus, the term "handpiece" should not be limited to this context and handheld use.

[0029] As used throughout this specification, the term "wireless" and its derivatives may be used to describe circuits, devices, systems, methods, technologies, communication channels, etc. that can communicate data through the use of modulated electromagnetic radiation via a non-solid medium. This term does not mean that the associated devices do not include any wired connections, but in some aspects, they may not be present. The communication module may implement any of several wireless or wired communication standards or protocols, including but not limited to Wi-Fi (IEEE802.11 family), WMAX (IEEE802.16 family), IEEE802.20, Long Term Evolution (LTE), Ev-DO, HSPA+, HSDPA+, HSUPA+, EDGE, GSM, GPRS, CDMA, TDMA, DECT, Bluetooth, derivatives of these Ethernet, and any other wireless and wired protocols designated as 3G, 4G, 5G and later. The computing module may include a plurality of communication modules. For example, the first communication module may be dedicated to short-range wireless communication such as Wi-Fi and Bluetooth, and the second communication module may be dedicated to long-range wireless communication such as GPS, EDGE, GPRS, CDMA, WiMAX, LTE, Ev-DO, etc.

[0030] As used in this specification, a processor or processing unit is an electronic circuit that performs operations on some external data source (usually memory) or some other data stream. In this specification, this term is used to refer to the central processor (central processing unit) within a system or computer system (especially a system on a chip (SoC)) that combines many specialized "processors".

[0031] As used herein, a system-on-chip (SoC or SOC) is an integrated circuit (also known as an "IC" or "chip") that integrates all the components of a computer or other electronic system. This can include digital, analog, mixed-signal, and in many cases high-frequency functions, all on a single substrate. The SoC integrates a microcontroller (or microprocessor) with state-of-the-art peripherals such as a graphics processing unit (GPU), Wi-Fi module or coprocessor. The SoC may or may not include on-chip memory.

[0032] As used herein, a microcontroller or controller is a system that integrates a microprocessor with peripheral circuits and memory. A microcontroller (or MCU of a microcontroller unit) may be implemented as a small computer on a single integrated circuit. This may be similar to an SoC, which may include a microcontroller as one of its components. A microcontroller may house memory and programmable input / output peripherals along with one or more core processing units (CPUs). Program memory in the form of ferroelectric RAM, NOR flash, or OTP ROM and a small amount of RAM are also often included on the chip. A microcontroller can be used for embedded applications, as opposed to microprocessors used for general-purpose applications such as personal computers or other general-purpose applications composed of various individual chips.

[0033] As used herein, the term controller or microcontroller may be a stand-alone IC or chip device that interfaces with peripheral devices. This may also be the linkage between two parts of a computer or controller on an external device that manages the operation of the device (and connections to the device). A modular device includes a module that can be received within a surgical hub (e.g., as described in connection with FIG. 3), and a surgical device or instrument that can be connected to various modules to connect or pair with a corresponding surgical hub. Examples of modular devices include, for example, intelligent surgical instruments, medical imaging devices, suction / irrigation devices, smoke evacuators, energy generators, ventilators, inhalers, and displays. The modular devices described herein can be controlled by a control algorithm. The control algorithm can be executed on the modular device itself, on the surgical hub to which a particular modular device is paired, or on both the modular device and the surgical hub (e.g., via a distributed computing architecture). In some examples, the control algorithm of a modular device controls the device based on data sensed by the modular device itself (i.e., by sensors within, on, or connected to the modular device). This data may be related to the patient during surgery (e.g., tissue characteristics or insufflation pressure), or it may be related to the modular device itself (e.g., the speed of a advancing knife, motor current, or energy level). For example, the control algorithm for a surgical stapling and cutting instrument can control the speed at which the motor of the instrument drives the knife through tissue according to the resistance created by the knife as it advances.

[0034] II. Surgical Instrument with Removable Cable and Associated Coupling FIG. 6 shows an exemplary surgical device as a first example of a cable assembly (2710) used to connect a medical device such as a surgical instrument (152) to a generator such as a generator (150) for transmitting power and electrical communication signals. The cable assembly (2710) includes at least one cable adapter (2712, 2714) for connecting to at least one device, but as shown in this example may include a plurality of adapters (2712, 2714) for connecting to a plurality of devices and a cable (2716) that collectively acts as a jumper between the devices. The surgical instrument (152) may be reusable as a whole or may be disassembled to reuse only a portion of the cable assembly (2710). The reusable portion may be determined based on the cost of a particular portion, the ease of removal and replacement of a particular portion, the environmental impact of not reusing a particular portion, or the visual aesthetics of a particular portion. The surgical instrument (152) may also be disassembled for cleaning and sterilization purposes. Such sterilization purposes may include autoclaving and ethylene oxide sterilization of either a selected portion of the surgical instrument (125) or the entire surgical instrument (152). The surgical instrument (152) can help reduce the cost of the procedure by enabling a reusable electrical conduit rather than using a conventional single-use disposable electrical conduit. The cable adapters (2712, 2714) and the cable (2716) can also shield the electrical conduit from external signals that affect the performance of the surgical instrument (152) and / or the generator (150) when conducting electrical communication. The cable assembly (2710) is shown more specifically in this example as connecting the surgical instrument (152) to the generator (150) via an instrument adapter (2718) and a generator adapter (2720) respectively, but the cable assembly (2710) may alternatively connect any such device and / or generator described herein so as not to be unnecessarily limited to use with the surgical instrument (152) and the generator (150).

[0035] FIG. 7 shows a cable adapter (2712) having a terminal block (2722) supporting a plurality of electrical contacts (2724). Each electrical contact (2724) in this example is connected to an electrical conduit (2726) that extends to an integrated circuit (2728). As further shown in this example, the integrated circuit (2728) is removably connected to the cable body (2730) of the cable (2716), although in another example the integrated circuit (2778) may be incorporated into any one of the adapters (2712, 2714) (see FIG. 6), or in other examples may not be included at all. The integrated circuit (2778) is configured to track various parameters and / or measurement criteria of past use of the surgical instrument (152), the cable assembly (2710), and / or the generator (150).

[0036] A strain relief (2731) is coupled between the cable adapter (2712) and the cable body (2730) and is configured to prevent damage to the cable body (2730) and / or the electrical conduit (2726) when the cable assembly (2710) is pulled and / or bent at a damaging force or angle. In one example, the strain relief (2731) may be adhered to the cable body (2730) or may simply surround the cable body (2730) similar to a shroud. The strain relief (2731) may be permanently or removably fixed to the cable adapter (2712) and / or the cable body (2730) for replacement. The strain relief (2731) may vary in size to accommodate different diameters and provide more or less strain protection as desired.

[0037] At least one electrical conduit (2726), such as a wire, extends from the integrated circuit (2728) and traverses the cable body (2730) to the opposing cable adapter (2714) (see FIG. 6) for connection to the generator (150) (see FIG. 6). By way of example, the electrical contact (2724) may be coated on the outside or made from a corrosion-resistant material such as gold or dielectric grease to prevent corrosion and facilitate electrical communication. The electrical contact (2724) and the electrical conduit (2726) may be shielded by adapters (2712, 2714, 2718, 2720) applicable to form female joints in cable adapters (2712, 2714) etc. of this example, or may be outside the adapters (2712, 2714, 2718, 2720) to form male joints in instrument and generator adapters (2718, 2720) etc.

[0038] For this purpose, with respect to FIG. 8, the cable adapter (2712) and the instrument adapter (2718) define an electrical coupling (2732), while the cable adapter (2714) (see FIG. 6) and the generator adapter (2720) (see FIG. 6), although at opposite ends of the cable (2716), similarly define another such electrical coupling (2732). The cable adapter (2712) of the electrical coupling (2732) includes a seal (2734) configured to prevent entry of foreign matter into the electrical coupling (2732) when coupled as shown in FIG. 9. The seal (2734) is also located around all electrical contacts (2724) within the electrical coupling (2732) to prevent entry of foreign matter into the electrical contacts (2724) when the cable assembly (2710) is coupled to the surgical instrument (152) (see FIG. 6) and / or the generator (150) (see FIG. 6).

[0039] Referring to FIGS. 8, 9, and 9A, the electrical coupling portion (2732) includes a latching coupling portion (2736) having a selectively translatable sleeve (2738), a plurality of catch members (2739), and an annular groove (2740). More specifically, the annular groove (2740) is positioned on the instrument adapter body (2742) so as to surround the longitudinal axis of the electrical coupling portion (2732), while the catch members (2739) are positioned at an angle about the longitudinal axis of the electrical coupling portion (2732) so as to surround the longitudinal axis around most of the circumference of the cable adapter body (2744) of the cable adapter (2714). The catch members (2739) are further selectively movably fixed to the cable adapter body (2744). The sleeve (2738) is also movably fixed to the cable adapter body (2744) so as to radially surround a longitudinal axis that selectively translates longitudinally.

[0040] For this purpose, the sleeve (2738) of this example is configured to move from a locked position that mechanically couples the cable adapter (2712) to the instrument adapter (2718) to an unlocked position that mechanically decouples the cable adapter (2712) from the instrument adapter (2718). In this example, the sleeve (2738) is biased toward the locked position by a sleeve spring (2746) fixed in a compressed state between the cable adapter body (2744) and the sleeve (2738), thereby pushing the sleeve (2738) toward the locked position.

[0041] To enable mechanical coupling and decoupling from the unlocked position, the sleeve (2738) further includes an inner annular recess (2748) positioned to be longitudinally aligned with the catch member (2739), which in this example is more specifically shown as a ball bearing (2739). The cable adapter (2712) further includes at least one receptacle (2750) configured to hold the ball bearing (2739), although it will be understood that any member configured to be held in such a manner, such as a pin, could equally be used. The receptacle (2750) fixes the ball bearing (2739) longitudinally while allowing limited inner and outer radial movement, enabled by the surrounding structure. For example, the inner sidewall (2752) generally biases the ball bearing (2739) radially inward when the sleeve is not in the unlocked position. However, the inner annular recess (2748) receives the ball bearing (2739) at the unlocked position, allowing the ball bearing (2739) to move radially outward. Thus, with the sleeve (2738) in the unlocked position, when the instrument adapter body (2742) is inserted into the cable adapter body (2744), it biases the ball bearing (2739) radially outward into the inner annular recess (2748) of the sleeve (2738). When the annular groove (2740) is longitudinally aligned with the ball bearing (2739) as the instrument adapter (2718) and the cable adapter (2712) are partially coupled, the sleeve (2738) selectively returns to the locked position such that the inner sidewall (2752) of the sleeve (2738) biases the ball bearing (2739) radially inward toward the annular groove (2740) within the instrument adapter body (2742). The ball bearing (2739) is effectively captured within the annular groove (2740) between the inner sidewall (2752) of the sleeve (2738) and the instrument adapter body (2742), and the instrument adapter (2718) and the cable adapter (2712) are fully coupled in the locked position for communication along the electrical conduit (2726).

[0042] Mechanically coupling the appliance adapter body (2742) to the cable adapter body (2744) generally prevents accidental disconnection of the cable adapter (2712) and the appliance adapter (2718), but the electrical coupling portion (2732) of this example further includes a communication coupling portion (2754) configured to facilitate direct engagement between the electrical contacts (2724) on the terminal block (2722) of the cable adapter (2712) and the electrical contacts (2756) of the appliance adapter (2718). By way of example, the terminal block (2722) of the communication coupling portion (2754) having the electrical contacts (2724) is elastically biased away from the cable body (2730) toward the appliance adapter (2718) to facilitate engagement with the electrical contacts (2756) within the appliance adapter (2718). Thereby, the communication coupling portion (2754) enables the electrical contacts (2724) having the terminal block (2722) to translate longitudinally within a predetermined range, which in this example is a predetermined longitudinal stroke, by pushing the cable adapter body (2744). At one end of a predetermined stroke in which the leaf spring (2758) is in an extended state, the electrical contacts (2724) having the terminal block (2722) fully advance at a distance away from the cable (2716) prior to insertion of the appliance adapter body (2742). At the other end of the predetermined stroke, with the appliance adapter body (2742) coupled to the cable adapter (2712) and the leaf spring (2758) in a contracted state, the electrical contacts (2756) on the appliance adapter body (2742) bias the terminal block (2722) toward the cable (2716) such that the leaf spring (2758) is compressed between the terminal block (2722) and the cable adapter body (2744). The leaf spring (2758) continues to press the electrical contacts (2724) on the terminal block (2722) into the adjacent electrical contacts (2756) of the appliance adapter (2718) to facilitate engagement and electrical communication therebetween. In one example, if the cable adapter (2712) and the appliance adapter (2718) are separated while the latch coupling portion (2736) is unlocked, the leaf spring may further assist in separating the cable adapter (2712) and the appliance adapter (2718).

[0043] To further assist in aligning the cable adapter (2712) and the instrument adapter (2718), the cable adapter (2712) further includes an alignment mechanism such as an alignment key (2760) for angularly aligning the cable adapter (2712) and the instrument adapter (2718) relative to each other about the longitudinal axis. By maintaining the angular alignment, the respective electrical contacts (2724, 2756) are properly aligned and engageable such that they can engage and maintain the engagement during coupling and during use of the surgical instrument (152) (see FIG. 6).

[0044] The above description generally pertains to the cable adapter (2712) and the instrument adapter (2718), but it will be understood that the cable adapter (2714) and the generator adapter (2720) are generally the same as the cable adapter (2712) and the instrument adapter (2718) respectively, unless otherwise described herein. Thus, the above description of the cable adapter (2712) and the instrument adapter (2718) applies equally to the cable adapter (2714) and the generator adapter (2720) in this example, but the invention should not be limited to the cable adapter (2712) being of the type of the cable adapter (2714) and the instrument adapter (2718) being of the type of the generator adapter (2720). As long as the adapters (2712, 2714, 2718, 2720) are configured to effectively fit for communication between them during use, it will be further understood that any of the adapters (2712, 2714, 2718, 2720) can be interchanged with the relevant mechanisms on any device as desired. In other words, in one example, one or more instrument or generator adapters (2718, 2720) may be incorporated into the cable assembly (2710), and / or one or more cable adapters (2712, 2714) may be incorporated into the surgical instrument (152) (see FIG. 6) and / or the generator (150) (see FIG. 6). Thus, the invention is not intended to be unnecessarily limited to the specific arrangement of the adapters (2712, 2714, 2718, 2720) as shown in this example.

[0045] Figures 10 and 11 show another exemplary cable assembly (2810) having an alternative latch coupling (2836) with a rotatable sleeve (2838) for mechanically coupling together a cable adapter (2812), an appliance adapter (2818), and an appliance adapter body (2742) and a cable adapter body (2744). In this regard, the cable adapter and the appliance adapter (2812, 2818) are similar to the above-described cable adapter and appliance adapter (2712, 2718) unless explicitly stated otherwise herein, and like reference numerals indicate like mechanisms. More specifically, the sleeve (2838) includes a bayonet slot (2848) configured to receive a companion bayonet pin (2850) that extends radially therethrough and radially from the appliance adapter body (2742). The sleeve (2838) having the bayonet slot (2848) is configured to rotate relative to the cable adapter body (2744), while the bayonet pin (2850) extends rigidly from the appliance adapter body (2742) and is fixed relative to the appliance adapter body (2742).

[0046] The bayonet slot (2848) more specifically includes an opening (2870), a longitudinally extending straight portion (2872), an arcuate portion (2874) extending in the longitudinal and angular directions, and a locking terminal cavity (2876). The sleeve (2838) is rotatable around the cable adapter body (2844) from a partially coupled unlock position where the bayonet pin (2850) is received into the straight portion (2872) through the opening (2870), as shown in FIG. 10, to a fully coupled lock position where the bayonet pin (2850) is rotated through the arcuate portion (2874) to the end of the bayonet slot (2848) within the terminal cavity (2876). When the bayonet pin (2850) reaches the rounded portion, the sleeve spring (2846) advances the sleeve (2838) distally relative to the cable (2716), and as a result, the bayonet pin (2850) is captured in the terminal cavity (2876), thereby locking the cable adapter (2812) to the instrument adapter (2818) in the locked position. In one example, when the terminal cavity (2876) receives the bayonet pin (2850), the bayonet pin (2850) and the sleeve (2838) collectively generate an audible noise and / or a tactile feedback indicating the locked position.

[0047] The above description generally pertains to the cable adapter (2812) and the instrument adapter (2818), but it is understood that the adapters (2812, 2818) may be interchangeably used in cooperation with any of the adapters (2712, 2714, 2718, 2720) as needed or included together with the associated mechanisms on any device, as long as the adapters (2712, 2714, 2718, 2720) are configured to effectively engage for communication between them during use. Again, the present invention is not intended to be unnecessarily limited to the specific arrangement of the adapters (2812, 2818) as shown in this example.

[0048] III. Exemplary Combinations The following examples relate to various non-exhaustive ways in which the teachings of this specification can be combined or applied. It should be understood that the following examples are not intended to limit any claims that may be presented at any time in this application or in subsequent applications of this application. No waiver of any rights is intended. The following examples are provided for illustrative purposes only. It is contemplated that the various teachings of this specification can be configured and applied in many other ways. Also, in some variations, it is contemplated that certain features mentioned in the following examples may be omitted. Accordingly, none of the aspects or features mentioned below should be considered important unless explicitly so indicated later by the inventors or their successors in title. If the claims presented in this application or in subsequent applications related to this application include additional features other than those mentioned below, those additional features should not be considered to have been added for any reason related to patentability.

Example

[0049] A surgical device comprising: (a) a cable configured to transmit electrical energy; and (b) a first adapter extending along a longitudinal axis from the cable and configured to releasably connect to at least one of an instrument adapter of a surgical instrument or a generator adapter of a generator, the first adapter including: (i) an adapter body; (ii) a first electrical contact electrically connected to the cable; and (iii) an engagement assembly, the engagement assembly including: (A) a latch coupling having a latch portion selectively movable relative to the adapter body between a locked position and an unlocked position, the latch portion including at least one catch member that angularly surrounds at least a majority of the longitudinal axis, or a sleeve rotatable about the longitudinal axis, the latch portion in the locked position being configured to capture at least one of the instrument adapter or the generator adapter to hold an electrical connection between the first electrical contact and at least one of the instrument adapter or the generator adapter, and the latch portion in the unlocked position being configured to release at least one of the instrument adapter or the generator adapter to disconnect the electrical connection between the first electrical contact and at least one of the instrument adapter or the generator adapter; or (B) a communication coupling supported by the adapter body and configured to elastically bias an engagement between the first electrical contact and at least one of the instrument adapter or the generator adapter to facilitate contact therebetween.

Example

[0050] The surgical device according to Example 1, further comprising a surgical instrument having an instrument adapter or a generator having a generator adapter.

Example

[0051] The surgical device according to Example 1 or 2, wherein the first adapter includes a latch coupling.

Example

[0052] The surgical device according to any one of Examples 1 to 3, wherein the latch coupling portion includes a sleeve operably connected to the adapter body, and the sleeve is configured to translate between a locked position and an unlocked position.

Example

[0053] The surgical device according to any one of Examples 1 to 4, wherein the latch coupling portion further includes a latch biasing element, and the latch biasing element elastically biases the sleeve toward the locked position.

Example

[0054] The surgical device according to any one of Examples 2 to 5, wherein the latch coupling portion further includes at least one catch member positioned around the longitudinal axis and movable radially with respect to the longitudinal axis, the at least one catch member being configured to longitudinally capture at least one of the instrument adapter or the generator adapter in the locked position and further configured to longitudinally release at least one of the instrument adapter or the generator adapter in the unlocked position.

Example

[0055] The surgical device according to any one of Examples 1 to 6, wherein the at least one catch member includes a plurality of ball bearings.

Example

[0056] The surgical device according to any one of Examples 1 to 7, wherein the latch coupling portion includes a sleeve operably connected to the adapter body, and the sleeve is configured to translate between a locked position and an unlocked position.

Example

[0057] The surgical device according to any one of Examples 1 to 8, wherein the latch coupling portion further includes a bayonet coupling portion having a bayonet slot, and the bayonet slot extends through at least one of the sleeve or the adapter body.

Example

[0058] The surgical device according to Example 9, wherein the bayonet slot extends through the sleeve.

Example

[0059] The surgical device according to any one of Examples 1 to 10, wherein the latch coupling portion further includes a latch biasing element, and the latch biasing element elastically biases the sleeve toward the locked position.

Example

[0060] The surgical device according to any one of Examples 1 to 11, wherein the first adapter includes a communication coupling portion.

Example

[0061] The surgical device according to any one of Examples 1 to 12, wherein the first adapter includes a communication coupling portion.

Example

[0062] The surgical device according to any one of Examples 1 to 13, wherein the communication coupling portion is supported by the adapter body and has a biasing element configured to elastically bias the engagement between the first electrical contact and at least one of the instrument adapter or the generator adapter to facilitate contact therebetween.

Example

[0063] The surgical device according to any one of Examples 1 to 14, wherein the communication coupling portion is operably connected to the adapter body and further includes a seat configured to move longitudinally from an extended position to a retracted position, the first electrical contact is positioned on the seat, and the first electrical contact having the seat is biased toward the extended position for biasing engagement with at least one of the instrument adapter or the generator adapter.

Example

[0064] A surgical device, comprising: (a) a cable configured to transmit electrical energy; and (b) a first adapter extending from the cable and configured to releasably connect to at least one of an instrument adapter of a surgical instrument or a generator adapter of a generator, the first adapter including: (i) an adapter body; (ii) a first electrical contact electrically connected to the cable; and (iii) an engagement assembly, the engagement assembly including: (A) a latch coupling selectively movable relative to the adapter body between a locked position and an unlocked position, the latch coupling in the locked position being configured to capture at least one of the instrument adapter or the generator adapter to maintain an electrical connection between the first electrical contact and at least one of the instrument adapter or the generator adapter, the latch coupling in the unlocked position being configured to release at least one of the instrument adapter or the generator adapter to disconnect the electrical connection between the first electrical contact and at least one of the instrument adapter or the generator adapter, the latch coupling including a sleeve operably connected to the adapter body, the sleeve being biased toward the locked position and configured to move selectively between the locked position and the unlocked position; and (B) a communication coupling supported by the adapter body and having a biasing element configured to elastically bias the engagement between the first electrical contact and at least one of the instrument adapter or the generator adapter to facilitate contact therebetween.

Example

[0065] The surgical device according to Example 16, wherein the first adapter extends longitudinally along a longitudinal axis, the communication coupling further includes a seat operably connected to the adapter body and configured to move longitudinally from an extended position to a retracted position, the first electrical contact is positioned on the seat, and the first electrical contact having the seat is biased toward the extended position for biased engagement with at least one of the instrument adapter or the generator adapter.

Example

[0066] A method of processing a surgical device, the surgical device including: (a) a cable configured to transmit electrical energy; and (b) a first adapter extending from the cable and configured to releasably connect to at least one of an instrument adapter of a surgical instrument or a generator adapter of a generator, the first adapter including: (i) an adapter body; (ii) a first electrical contact electrically connected to the cable; and (iii) an engagement assembly, the engagement assembly including: (A) a latch coupling selectively movable relative to the adapter body between a locked position and an unlocked position, the latch coupling in the locked position being configured to capture at least one of the instrument adapter or the generator adapter to maintain an electrical connection between the first electrical contact and at least one of the instrument adapter or the generator adapter, and the latch coupling in the unlocked position being configured to release at least one of the instrument adapter or the generator adapter to disconnect the electrical connection between the first electrical contact and at least one of the instrument adapter or the generator adapter, or (B) a communication coupling supported by the adapter body and configured to elastically bias an engagement between the first electrical contact and at least one of the instrument adapter or the generator adapter to facilitate contact therebetween, the method including: (a) separating at least one of at least one of the instrument adapter or the generator adapter from the first adapter; and (b) processing the cable and the first adapter for reuse.

Example

[0067] The method according to Example 18, further comprising autoclaving the cable and the first adapter for reuse.

Example

[0068] The method according to Example 18 or 19, further comprising selectively moving the latch coupling from the locked position to the unlocked position.

Example

[0069] A surgical device comprising: (a) a cable configured to transmit electrical energy; and (b) a first adapter extending along a longitudinal axis from the cable and configured to releasably connect to at least one of an instrument adapter of a surgical instrument or a generator adapter of a generator, the first adapter including: (i) an adapter body; (ii) a first electrical contact electrically connected to the cable; and (iii) an engagement assembly, the engagement assembly including: (A) a latch coupling having a ball bearing selectively movable relative to the adapter body between a locked position and an unlocked position, the ball bearing in the locked position being configured to capture at least one of the instrument adapter or the generator adapter to maintain an electrical connection between the first electrical contact and at least one of the instrument adapter or the generator adapter, and the ball bearing in the unlocked position being configured to release at least one of the instrument adapter or the generator adapter to separate the electrical connection between the first electrical contact and at least one of the instrument adapter or the generator adapter; and (B) a communication coupling supported by the adapter body and configured to engage at least one of the instrument adapter or the generator adapter to facilitate contact therebetween.

[0070] IV. Others The variations of the above device are applicable not only to conventional medical procedures and surgeries performed by medical professionals, but also to robot-assisted medical procedures and robot-assisted surgeries.

[0071] It should be understood that any variant forms of the instruments described herein may include various other features in addition to, or instead of, those described above. By way of example only, any of the instruments described herein may further include one or more of the various features disclosed in any of the various references incorporated herein by reference. The teachings herein may be readily applied to any of the instruments described in any of the other references cited herein, and thus it should also be understood that the teachings herein may be readily combined in many ways with the teachings of any of the references cited herein. Other types of instruments into which the teachings herein may be incorporated will be apparent to those skilled in the art.

[0072] In addition to the above, the teachings herein may be readily combined with the teachings of the U.S. patent application entitled "Method of Reclaiming Portions of Surgical Instruments for Remanufacturing and Sustainability" [Attorney Docket No. END9447USNP1.0754992], filed on the same date as this application, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference. Various suitable ways in which the teachings herein may be combined with the teachings of the U.S. patent application [Attorney Docket No. END9447USNP1.0754992] will be apparent to those skilled in the art upon consideration of the teachings herein.

[0073] In addition to the above, the teachings of this specification can be readily combined with the teachings of the U.S. Patent Application [Attorney Docket No. END9448USNP1.0754994] entitled "Surgical Instrument with Predetermined Separation Features for Waste Stream Utilization and Related Methods", filed on the same day as this specification and incorporated herein by reference. Various suitable ways in which the teachings of this specification can be combined with the teachings of the U.S. Patent Application [Attorney Docket No. END9448USNP1.0754994] will be apparent to those skilled in the art upon consideration of the teachings of this specification.

[0074] In addition to the above, the teachings of this specification can be readily combined with the teachings of the U.S. Patent Application [Attorney Docket No. END9448USNP3.0754979] entitled "Surgical System and Methods of Assembly and Disassembly of Surgical Instrument", filed on the same day as this specification and incorporated herein by reference. Various suitable ways in which the teachings of this specification can be combined with the teachings of the U.S. Patent Application [Attorney Docket No. END9448USNP3.0754979] will be apparent to those skilled in the art upon consideration of the teachings of this specification.

[0075] In addition to the above, the teachings of this specification can be readily combined with the teachings of the U.S. Patent Application [Attorney Docket No. END9449USNP1.0754981] entitled "Robotic Surgical System with Removable Portion and Method of Disassembling Same", filed on the same day as this specification and incorporated herein by reference. Various suitable ways in which the teachings of this specification can be combined with the teachings of the U.S. Patent Application [Attorney Docket No. END9449USNP1.0754981] will be apparent to those skilled in the art upon consideration of the teachings of this specification.

[0076] In addition to the above, the teachings of this specification can be readily combined with the teachings of the U.S. Patent Application entitled "System for Determining Disposal of Surgical Instrument and Related Methods" [Attorney Docket No. END9450USNP1.0754983], filed on the same day as this specification, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference. Various suitable ways in which the teachings of this specification can be combined with the teachings of the U.S. Patent Application [Attorney Docket No. END9450USNP1.0754983] will be apparent to those skilled in the art upon consideration of the teachings of this specification.

[0077] In addition to the above, the teachings of this specification can be readily combined with the teachings of the U.S. Patent Application entitled "Reclamation Packaging for Surgical Instrument and Related Methods" [Attorney Docket No. END9450USNP2.0754999], filed on the same day as this specification, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference. Various suitable ways in which the teachings of this specification can be combined with the teachings of the U.S. Patent Application [Attorney Docket No. END9450USNP2.0754999] will be apparent to those skilled in the art upon consideration of the teachings of this specification.

[0078] In addition to the above, the teachings of this specification can be readily combined with the teachings of the U.S. Patent Application entitled "Surgical Instrument with Various Alignment Features and Methods for Improved Disassembly and Assembly" [Attorney Docket No. END9450USNP3.0755001], filed on the same day as this specification, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference. Various suitable ways in which the teachings of this specification can be combined with the teachings of the U.S. Patent Application [Attorney Docket No. END9450USNP3.0755001] will be apparent to those skilled in the art upon consideration of the teachings of this specification.

[0079] In addition to the above, the teachings of this specification can be readily combined with the teachings of the U.S. patent application entitled "Surgical System and Methods for Instrument Assessment and Cleaning" [Attorney Docket No. END9450USNP4.0755006] filed on the same day as this specification, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference. Various suitable ways in which the teachings of this specification can be combined with the teachings of the U.S. patent application [Attorney Docket No. END9450USNP4.0755006] will be apparent to those skilled in the art in view of the teachings of this specification.

[0080] It should also be understood that any range of values recited herein is to be read as including the upper and lower limits of such range. For example, a range expressed as "about 1.0 inch to about 1.5 inches" is to be read as including about 1.0 inch and about 1.5 inches, in addition to the values between those upper and lower limits.

[0081] It should be understood that all or part of any patent, publication, or other disclosure referred to herein as being incorporated by reference is incorporated herein only to the extent that the incorporated content does not conflict with existing definitions, opinions, or other disclosure set forth in this disclosure. As such, and to the extent necessary, the disclosure expressly set forth herein shall supersede any conflicting disclosure incorporated herein by reference. Any content, or portion thereof, that is referred to as being incorporated by reference but conflicts with the current definitions, opinions, or other disclosure set forth in this specification shall be incorporated only to the extent that no conflict arises between the incorporated content and the current disclosure.

[0082] The above-described variants may be designed to be discarded after single use, or they may be designed for multiple uses. In either or both cases, the variants may be reconditioned for reuse after at least one use. Reconditioning may include any combination of a device disassembly process, followed by a cleaning or replacement process of specific parts, and subsequent reassembly. Specifically, some variants of the device may be disassembled, and any number of specific parts or components of the device may be selectively replaced or removed in any combination. When cleaning and / or replacing specific parts, some variants of the device may be reassembled for subsequent use either in a reconditioning facility or by an operator immediately prior to the procedure. One skilled in the art will understand that various techniques for disassembly, cleaning / replacement, and reassembly can be utilized in the reconditioning of the device. The use of such techniques and the resulting reconditioned device are all within the scope of this application.

[0083] Merely by way of example, the variants described herein may be sterilized before and / or after the procedure. In one sterilization technique, the device is placed in a sealed container, such as a plastic or TYVEK bag, and the container is sealed. Next, the container and device may be placed in a radiation field, such as gamma rays, X-rays, or high-energy electron beams, that can penetrate the container. The radiation can kill bacteria on the device and within the container. Next, the sterilized device may be stored in the sterilized container for later use. The device may also be sterilized using any other technique well known in the art, including but not limited to beta or gamma rays, ethylene oxide, or steam.

[0084] Although various embodiments of the present invention have been shown and described, further adaptations of the methods and systems described herein can be realized without departing from the scope of the present invention by appropriate modifications by those skilled in the art. Some of such possible modifications have been described, but other modifications will be apparent to those skilled in the art. For example, the examples, embodiments, geometric shapes, materials, dimensions, ratios, steps, etc. discussed above are illustrative and not essential. Therefore, the scope of the present invention should be considered with respect to the following claims, and it is understood that it is not limited to the details of the structures and operations shown and described in this specification and the drawings.

[0085] 〔Embodiment〕 (1) A surgical device, comprising: (a) a cable configured to transmit electrical energy; and (b) a first adapter extending along a longitudinal axis from the cable and configured to releasably connect to at least one of an instrument adapter of a surgical instrument or a generator adapter of a generator, the first adapter including: (i) an adapter body; (ii) a first electrical contact electrically connected to the cable; and (iii) an engagement assembly, the engagement assembly including: (A) A latching coupling part having a latch part that is selectively movable relative to the adapter body between a locked position and an unlocked position, wherein the latch part includes at least one catch member that angularly surrounds at least a majority of the longitudinal axis, or a sleeve that is rotatable about the longitudinal axis, and the latch part in the locked position is configured to capture at least one of the instrument adapter or the generator adapter to hold an electrical connection between the first electrical contact and at least one of the instrument adapter or the generator adapter, and the latch part in the unlocked position is configured to release at least one of the instrument adapter or the generator adapter to disconnect the electrical connection between the first electrical contact and at least one of the instrument adapter or the generator adapter. A latching coupling part, or (B) A communication coupling part supported by the adapter body and configured to elastically bias the engagement between the first electrical contact and at least one of the instrument adapter or the generator adapter to promote contact therebetween, included in a surgical device. (2) The surgical device according to embodiment 1, further including a surgical instrument having an instrument adapter or a generator having a generator adapter. (3) The surgical device according to embodiment 1 or 2, wherein the first adapter includes the latching coupling part. (4) The surgical device according to any one of embodiments 1 to 3, wherein the latching coupling part includes the sleeve operably connected to the adapter body, and the sleeve is configured to translate between the locked position and the unlocked position. (5) The surgical device according to embodiment 4, wherein the latching coupling part further includes a latch biasing element, and the latch biasing element elastically biases the sleeve toward the locked position.

[0086] (6) The at least one catch member, wherein the latch coupling portion is positioned about the longitudinal axis and is movable radially with respect to the longitudinal axis, and is configured to longitudinally capture at least one of the instrument adapter or the generator adapter in the locked position and further configured to longitudinally release at least one of the instrument adapter or the generator adapter in the unlocked position, the surgical device according to any one of embodiments 1-5. (7) The at least one catch member includes a plurality of ball bearings, the surgical device according to any one of embodiments 1-6. (8) The latch coupling portion includes the sleeve operably connected to the adapter body, the sleeve being configured to rotate between the locked position and the unlocked position, the surgical device according to any one of embodiments 1-3. (9) The latch coupling portion further includes a bayonet coupling portion having a bayonet slot, the bayonet slot extending through at least one of the sleeve or the adapter body, the surgical device according to any one of embodiments 1-8. (10) The bayonet slot extends through the sleeve, the surgical device according to embodiment 9.

[0087] (11) The latch coupling portion further includes a latch biasing element, the latch biasing element elastically biasing the sleeve toward the locked position, the surgical device according to any one of embodiments 1-10. (12) The first adapter includes the communication coupling portion, the surgical device according to any one of embodiments 1-11. (13) The first adapter includes the communication coupling portion, the surgical device according to any one of embodiments 1-12. (14) The surgical device according to any one of Embodiments 1 to 13, wherein the communication coupling portion is supported by the adapter body and has a biasing element configured to elastically bias the engagement between the first electrical contact and at least one of the instrument adapter or the generator adapter to promote contact therebetween. (15) The surgical device according to any one of Embodiments 1 to 14, wherein the communication coupling portion is operably connected to the adapter body and further includes a seat portion configured to move longitudinally from an extended position to a retracted position, the first electrical contact is positioned on the seat portion, and the first electrical contact having the seat portion is biased toward the extended position for biasing engagement with at least one of the instrument adapter or the generator adapter.

[0088] (16) A surgical device, (a) a cable configured to transmit electrical energy; (b) a first adapter extending from the cable and configured to releasably connect to at least one of an instrument adapter of a surgical instrument or a generator adapter of a generator, the first adapter including (i) an adapter body; (ii) a first electrical contact electrically connected to the cable; (iii) an engagement assembly, and the engagement assembly including (A) A latch coupling portion that is selectively movable relative to the adapter body between a locked position and an unlocked position, wherein the latch coupling portion in the locked position is configured to capture at least one of the instrument adapter or the generator adapter to maintain an electrical connection between the first electrical contact and at least one of the instrument adapter or the generator adapter, and the latch coupling portion in the unlocked position is configured to release at least one of the instrument adapter or the generator adapter to disconnect the electrical connection between the first electrical contact and at least one of the instrument adapter or the generator adapter, and the latch coupling portion includes a sleeve operably connected to the adapter body, the sleeve being biased toward the locked position and configured to move selectively between the locked position and the unlocked position, the latch coupling portion; (B) A surgical device including a communication coupling portion supported by the adapter body and having a biasing element configured to elastically bias an engagement between the first electrical contact and at least one of the instrument adapter or the generator adapter to promote contact therebetween. (17) The surgical device according to embodiment 16, wherein the first adapter extends longitudinally along a longitudinal axis, the communication coupling portion further includes a seat operably connected to the adapter body and configured to move longitudinally from an extended position to a retracted position, the first electrical contact is positioned on the seat, and the first electrical contact having the seat is biased toward the extended position for biasing engagement with at least one of the instrument adapter or the generator adapter. (18) A method of processing a surgical device, wherein the surgical device includes: (a) a cable configured to transmit electrical energy; and (b) a first adapter extending from the cable and configured to releasably connect to at least one of an instrument adapter of a surgical instrument or a generator adapter of a generator. The first adapter includes: (i) an adapter body; (ii) a first electrical contact electrically connected to the cable; and (iii) an engagement assembly. The engagement assembly includes: (A) a latch coupling selectively movable relative to the adapter body between a locked position and an unlocked position, wherein the latch coupling in the locked position is configured to capture at least one of the instrument adapter or the generator adapter to maintain an electrical connection between the first electrical contact and at least one of the instrument adapter or the generator adapter, and the latch coupling in the unlocked position is configured to release at least one of the instrument adapter or the generator adapter to disconnect the electrical connection between the first electrical contact and at least one of the instrument adapter or the generator adapter; or (B) a communication coupling supported by the adapter body and configured to elastically bias an engagement between the first electrical contact and at least one of the instrument adapter or the generator adapter to facilitate contact therebetween. The method includes (a) separating at least one of at least one of the instrument adapter or the generator adapter from the first adapter; (b) processing the cable and the first adapter for reuse. (19) The method according to embodiment 18, wherein the processing further includes autoclaving the cable and the first adapter for reuse. (20) The method according to embodiment 18, further including selectively moving the latch coupling from the locked position to the unlocked position.

[0089] (21) A surgical device, comprising (a) A cable configured to transmit electrical energy, and (b) a first adapter extending along a longitudinal axis from the cable and configured to releasably connect to at least one of an instrument adapter of a surgical instrument or a generator adapter of a generator, the first adapter including (i) an adapter body, and (ii) a first electrical contact electrically connected to the cable, and (iii) an engagement assembly, the engagement assembly including (A) a latch coupling having a ball bearing selectively movable relative to the adapter body between a locked position and an unlocked position, the ball bearing in the locked position being configured to capture at least one of the instrument adapter or the generator adapter to maintain an electrical connection between the first electrical contact and at least one of the instrument adapter or the generator adapter, the ball bearing in the unlocked position being configured to release at least one of the instrument adapter or the generator adapter to separate the electrical connection between the first electrical contact and at least one of the instrument adapter or the generator adapter; and (B) a communication coupling supported by the adapter body and configured to engage the first electrical contact and at least one of the instrument adapter or the generator adapter to facilitate contact therebetween, a surgical device.

Claims

Claim 1 A surgical device, comprising: (a) a cable configured to transmit electrical energy; and (b) a first adapter extending along a longitudinal axis from the cable and configured to releasably connect to at least one of an instrument adapter of a surgical instrument or a generator adapter of a generator, wherein the first adapter comprises: (i) an adapter body; (ii) a first electrical contact electrically connected to the cable; and (iii) an engagement assembly, wherein the engagement assembly comprises: (A) a latch coupling having a latch portion selectively movable relative to the adapter body between a locked position and an unlocked position, the latch portion including at least one catch member angularly surrounding at least a majority of the longitudinal axis or a sleeve rotatable about the longitudinal axis, the latch portion in the locked position being configured to capture at least one of the instrument adapter or the generator adapter to maintain an electrical connection between the first electrical contact and at least one of the instrument adapter or the generator adapter, and the latch portion in the unlocked position being configured to release at least one of the instrument adapter or the generator adapter to disconnect the electrical connection between the first electrical contact and at least one of the instrument adapter or the generator adapter; or (B) a communication coupling supported by the adapter body and configured to elastically bias an engagement between the first electrical contact and at least one of the instrument adapter or the generator adapter to facilitate contact therebetween, the surgical device. Claim 2 The surgical device according to claim 1, further comprising a surgical instrument having an instrument adapter or a generator having a generator adapter. Claim 3 The surgical device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the first adapter includes the latch coupling. Claim 4 The surgical device according to claim 1, wherein the latch coupling includes the sleeve operably connected to the adapter body, and the sleeve is configured to translate between the locked position and the unlocked position. Claim 5 The surgical device according to claim 4, wherein the latch coupling portion further includes a latch biasing element, and the latch biasing element elastically biases the sleeve toward the locked position.

6. The surgical device according to claim 1, further comprising at least one catch member, wherein the latch coupling portion is positioned around the longitudinal axis and is movable radially with respect to the longitudinal axis, and is configured to longitudinally capture at least one of the instrument adapter or the generator adapter in the locked position, and is further configured to longitudinally release at least one of the instrument adapter or the generator adapter in the unlocked position.

7. The surgical device according to claim 1, wherein the at least one catch member includes a plurality of ball bearings.

8. The surgical device according to claim 1, wherein the latch coupling portion includes the sleeve operably connected to the adapter body, and the sleeve is configured to rotate between the locked position and the unlocked position.

9. The surgical device according to claim 1, wherein the latch coupling portion further includes a bayonet coupling portion having a bayonet slot, and the bayonet slot extends through at least one of the sleeve or the adapter body.

10. The surgical device according to claim 9, wherein the bayonet slot extends through the sleeve.

11. The surgical device according to claim 1, wherein the latch coupling portion further includes a latch biasing element, and the latch biasing element elastically biases the sleeve toward the locked position.

12. The surgical device according to claim 1, wherein the first adapter includes the communication coupling portion.

13. The surgical device according to claim 1, wherein the first adapter includes the communication coupling portion.

14. The surgical device according to claim 1, wherein the communication coupling portion is supported by the adapter body and has a biasing element configured to elastically bias the engagement between the first electrical contact and at least one of the instrument adapter or the generator adapter to facilitate contact therebetween.

15. The surgical device according to claim 1, wherein the communication coupling portion is operably connected to the adapter body and further includes a seat portion configured to move longitudinally from an extended position to a retracted position, the first electrical contact is positioned on the seat portion, and the first electrical contact having the seat portion is biased toward the extended position for biased engagement with at least one of the instrument adapter or the generator adapter.

16. A surgical device comprising: (a)a cable configured to transmit electrical energy; (b)a first adapter extending from the cable and configured to releasably connect to at least one of an instrument adapter of a surgical instrument or a generator adapter of a generator, the first adapter comprising: (i)an adapter body; (ii)a first electrical contact electrically connected to the cable; (iii)an engagement assembly, the engagement assembly comprising: (A)a latch coupling portion selectively movable relative to the adapter body between a locked position and an unlocked position, the latch coupling portion in the locked position being configured to capture at least one of the instrument adapter or the generator adapter to maintain an electrical connection between the first electrical contact and at least one of the instrument adapter or the generator adapter, the latch coupling portion in the unlocked position being configured to release at least one of the instrument adapter or the generator adapter to disconnect the electrical connection between the first electrical contact and at least one of the instrument adapter or the generator adapter, the latch coupling portion including a sleeve operably connected to the adapter body, the sleeve being biased toward the locked position and configured to selectively move between the locked position and the unlocked position; (B)a communication coupling portion supported by the adapter body and having a biasing element configured to elastically bias the engagement between the first electrical contact and at least one of the instrument adapter or the generator adapter to facilitate contact therebetween.

17. The surgical device according to claim 16, wherein the first adapter extends longitudinally along a longitudinal axis, the communication coupling is operably connected to the adapter body, and further includes a seat configured to move longitudinally from an extended position to a retracted position, the first electrical contact is positioned on the seat, and the first electrical contact having the seat is biased toward the extended position for biasing engagement with at least one of the instrument adapter or the generator adapter.

18. A method of processing a surgical device, the surgical device including: (a) a cable configured to transmit electrical energy; and (b) a first adapter extending from the cable and configured to releasably connect to at least one of an instrument adapter of a surgical instrument or a generator adapter of a generator, the first adapter including: (i) an adapter body; (ii) a first electrical contact electrically connected to the cable; and (iii) an engagement assembly, the engagement assembly including: (A) a latch coupling selectively movable relative to the adapter body between a locked position and an unlocked position, the latch coupling in the locked position being configured to capture at least one of the instrument adapter or the generator adapter to maintain an electrical connection between the first electrical contact and at least one of the instrument adapter or the generator adapter, and the latch coupling in the unlocked position being configured to release at least one of the instrument adapter or the generator adapter to disconnect the electrical connection between the first electrical contact and at least one of the instrument adapter or the generator adapter, or (B) a communication coupling supported by the adapter body and configured to elastically bias an engagement between the first electrical contact and at least one of the instrument adapter or the generator adapter to promote contact therebetween, the method including: (a) separating at least one of at least one of the instrument adapter or the generator adapter from the first adapter; (b) processing the cable and the first adapter for reuse.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the process further comprises subjecting the cable and the first adapter to autoclave treatment for reuse.

20. The method of claim 18, further comprising selectively moving the latch coupling from the locked position to the unlocked position.

21. A surgical device comprising: (a) a cable configured to transmit electrical energy; and (b) a first adapter extending along a longitudinal axis from the cable and configured to releasably connect to at least one of an instrument adapter of a surgical instrument or a generator adapter of a generator, the first adapter comprising: (i) an adapter body; (ii) a first electrical contact electrically connected to the cable; and (iii) an engagement assembly, the engagement assembly comprising: (A) a latch coupling having a ball bearing selectively movable relative to the adapter body between a locked position and an unlocked position, the ball bearing in the locked position being configured to capture at least one of the instrument adapter or the generator adapter to maintain an electrical connection between the first electrical contact and at least one of the instrument adapter or the generator adapter, and the ball bearing in the unlocked position being configured to release at least one of the instrument adapter or the generator adapter to separate the electrical connection between the first electrical contact and at least one of the instrument adapter or the generator adapter; (B) a communication coupling supported by the adapter body and configured to engage the first electrical contact and at least one of the instrument adapter or the generator adapter to facilitate contact therebetween.

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