Surgical instruments and methods having various alignment mechanisms for improved disassembly and assembly

Abstract

A surgical instrument comprising an end effector configured to transition between a non-activated and an activated state and to transfer energy to tissue, and a proximal body attached to the end effector. The proximal body includes electrical components that can assist the end effector, a first shroud, and a second shroud that can be coupled to the first shroud to cooperatively define a hollow interior that houses the electrical components. The proximal body further includes a first restraint mechanism and a second restraint mechanism associated with the first shroud and the second shroud, respectively. The first restraint mechanism and the second restraint mechanism can be coupled to each other to cooperatively align the first shroud and the second shroud. The first restraint mechanism and the second restraint mechanism may be selectively disengaged to allow the first shroud and the second shroud to be separated from each other to expose the electrical components within the hollow interior.

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 the tissue cells). These instruments include one or more piezoelectric elements that convert electrical power into ultrasonic vibrations, and these vibrations 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, entitled "Tissue Pad for Use with an Ultrasonic Surgical Instrument," published Apr. 13, 2006, now abandoned, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety; U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2007 / 0191713, entitled "Ultrasonic Device for Cutting and Coagulating," published Aug. 16, 2007, now abandoned, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety; and U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2008 / 0200940, entitled "Ultrasonic Device for Cutting and Coagulating," published Aug. 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, entitled "Electrosurgical Instrument and Method of Use," issued Apr. 8, 2008, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety; and U.S. Patent No. 7,381,209, entitled "Electrosurgical Instrument," issued Jun. 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 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 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 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 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 disclosed in U.S. Patent No. 10,624,709, titled "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, titled "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, titled "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, titled "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, titled "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, titled "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, titled "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 medical facility. The sterile field is typically created around the patient and may include appropriately gowned, scrubbed medical personnel, 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, entitled "Method for Controlling Smart Energy Devices," published on July 4, 2019, the disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety; U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2019 / 0201080, entitled "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 hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety; U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2019 / 0201091, entitled "Radio Frequency Energy Device for Delivering Combined Electrical Signals," published on July 4, 2019, the disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety; U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2019 / 0274717, entitled "Methods for Controlling Temperature in Ultrasonic Device," published on September 12, 2019, the disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety; and U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2019 / 0207857, entitled "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 hereby incorporated 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 as claimed in the appended claims. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0007] This specification concludes with claims that particularly point out and distinctly claim the technology. The technology, however, will be better understood from the following description of certain specific embodiments taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which like reference characters identify like elements.

Figure 1

Figure 2

Figure 3

Figure 4

Figure 5

Figure 6

Figure 7A

Figure 7B

Figure 7C

Figure 7D

Figure 7E

Figure 8

Figure 9

Figure 10A

Figure 10B

Figure 11A

Figure 11B

Figure 12

Figure 13A

Figure 13B

Figure 14A

Figure 14B

Figure 15A

Figure 15B

Figure 16A

Figure 16B

Figure 17A

Figure 17B

Figure 18A

Figure 18B

Figure 18C

Figure 19A

Figure 19B

Figure 19C

Figure 20A

Figure 20B

Figure 20C

Figure 21A

Figure 21B

Figure 21C

Figure 22A

Figure 22B

Figure 22C

Figure 22D

Figure 23

Figure 24

Figure 25

Figure 26

Figure 27

[0008] The drawings are not intended to limit in any way, and it is contemplated that various embodiments of the present technology can be implemented in various other ways, including those not necessarily depicted in the drawings. The accompanying drawings incorporated herein and forming 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.

Best Mode for Carrying Out the Invention

[0009] The following description of specific examples of the present technology should not be used for the purpose of limiting its scope. Other examples, 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 technologies described herein are capable of other different and obvious aspects without departing from the technology. Therefore, the drawings and description should be regarded as illustrative rather than restrictive in nature.

[0010] It should be further understood that any one or more of the teachings, expressions, embodiments, examples, etc. described herein may be combined with any one or more of the other teachings, expressions, embodiments, examples, etc. described herein. 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 readily become 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 an operator of a 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 an operator of the surgical instrument, whether human or robotic. Note that the terms "upper", "lower", "top", "bottom", "upper side", and "lower side" are used with respect to embodiments and the associated figures and are not intended to unduly limit the invention described herein.

[0012] I. Example of a Surgical System 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 aspects, 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) operable 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. Patent Application No. 62 / 611,339, filed on December 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. Patent Application No. 62 / 611,340, filed on December 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. Patent Provisional 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 equipment is required. The strict hygiene and sterilization conditions required in the "operating room," i.e., the operating room or treatment room, require the highest possible sterility of all medical devices and equipment. 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 that is considered 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 who is prepared for surgery. The sterile field can include properly attired and scrubbed team members, as well as all supplies 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 has come into contact with, or is presumed to have come into contact with, a patient including 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 the surgical procedure, particularly when processing these mechanisms for disposal, reuse, or remanufacture as necessary. In one example, the surgical system (100) and / or healthcare providers associated with the 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, so that 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 the surgical system (102) in a surgical procedure. The hub (106) is also configured to regulate the flow of information to the display of the surgical instrument (112), such as, for example, as described in U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 62 / 611,341, titled "Interactive Surgical Platform," filed on 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, which 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, titled "Interactive Surgical Platform," filed on 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 hand-held intelligent surgical instrument (112). The hub (106) includes a hub display (135), an imaging module (138), a power 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 in addressing 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 regarding 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 the 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 formed integrally 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) of 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 an 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 understood 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, techniques, 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 components, although in some embodiments 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, Ethernet derivatives thereof, and any other wireless and wired protocols designated as 3G, 4G, 5G, and beyond. The computing module may include a plurality of communication modules. For example, a first communication module may be dedicated to short-range wireless communication such as Wi-Fi and Bluetooth, and a 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, the 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. An SoC integrates a microcontroller (or microprocessor) with state-of-the-art peripherals such as a graphics processing unit (GPU), Wi-Fi module, or coprocessor. An 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 in personal computers or other general-purpose applications composed of various discrete 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 its connection 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 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 algorithms for surgical stapling and cutting instruments can control the speed at which the motor of the instrument drives the knife through tissue according to the resistance generated by the knife as it advances.

[0034] II. Exemplary Surgical Instrument Having an Alignment Mechanism for Improved Assembly and Disassembly As described above, objects intended to penetrate the sterile field in the operating room during surgery need to be properly sterilized, while objects exiting the sterile field after surgery often require special considerations when being disposed of, reused, or remanufactured. In some cases, surgical instruments / tools (112, 117, 152, 154, 156) require at least some assembly in the operating room before exemplary use according to the description herein, and then may require some disassembly after exemplary use so that select components can be taken for disposal, reuse, and / or remanufacture. Thus, in some cases, surgical instruments / tools (112, 117, 152, 154, 156) may be introduced into the sterile field as a surgical kit having sub-components that require at least some assembly before exemplary use. In addition to the sub-components used to form surgical instruments / tools (112, 117, 152, 154, 156), such a surgical kit may include tools for the assembly, disassembly, and suitable processing for disposal, reuse, or remanufacture of the instruments / tools (112, 117, 152, 154, 156) and their sub-components.

[0035] In some cases, the proximal body of a surgical instrument / tool (112, 117, 152, 154, 156), such as a handpiece (160, 176, 185), may include internal components (such as electronics and / or batteries, etc.) that need to be processed separately from the rest of the handpiece (160, 176, 185) for disposal, reuse, or remanufacture. Thus, such internal components may need to be accessed and removed from the handpiece (160, 176, 185) in the sterile operating room after surgery.

[0036] In some cases, it may be desirable to provide internal components accessible within the operating room in the proximal body such as the handpieces (160, 176, 185). However, it is also desirable to ensure that the proximal body such as the handpieces (160, 176, 185) is structurally robust enough to maintain its assembled form during exemplary use of the surgical instrument / tool (112, 117, 152, 154, 156). In other words, after exemplary use in surgery, it may be desirable to selectively access the internal components of the handpieces (160, 176, 185), and to ensure that the handpieces (160, 176, 185) do not accidentally disassemble during exemplary use in surgery.

[0037] FIG. 6 shows an exemplary proximal body (7010) that can be easily incorporated into the surgical instrument / tool (112, 117, 152, 154, 156). The proximal body (7010) includes a first shroud (7012) and a second shroud (7014) configured to couple to each other to form the proximal body (7010). As will be described in more detail below, the first shroud (7012) and the second shroud (7014) include complementary coupling mechanisms configured to resist inadvertent disassembly of the proximal body (7010) during exemplary use, but also allow the user to separate the shrouds (7012, 7014) to access the internal components for processing after exemplary use.

[0038] In this example, the proximal body (7010) is shown as a handpiece, and the proximal body (7010) can be used in place of the handpieces (160, 176, 185) described above. The proximal body (7010) is configured to be suitably coupled to a shaft assembly and an end effector such as the shaft assemblies (164, 178, 186) and end effectors (166, 180, 188) described above. As will be apparent to those skilled in the art in view of the teachings herein, the shrouds (7012, 7014) together define a hollow interior (7015) that can accommodate the appropriate components of the surgical instrument / tool (112, 117, 152, 154, 156) when properly assembled. For example, the proximal body (7010) can be configured to suitably accommodate a circuit board, a control unit, a battery, an ultrasonic transducer (162), toggle buttons (173, 174, 175, 195, 196, 197), triggers (183, 194), and the like.

[0039] In this example, the shrouds (7012, 7014) include a plurality of aligned coupling sleeves (7036) that can receive a friction fit coupling body (7034). The complementary coupling sleeves (7036) of each shroud (7012, 7014) can receive a respective coupling body (7034) such that one coupling body (7034) is inserted within each complementary coupling sleeve (7036) of each shroud (7012, 7014). The coupling body (7034) can serve to prevent the shrouds (7012, 7014) from being separated in the lateral direction (LD) by the frictional braking force generated between the coupling body (7034) and the respective coupling sleeves (7036). The coupling body (7034) and the coupling sleeves (7036) can include any suitable shape that will be apparent to those skilled in the art in view of the teachings herein. In one aspect of the present disclosure, the coupling body (7034) may include a plurality of circumferentially extending ribs that can further promote the engagement between the inner surface of the coupling sleeve (7036) and the coupling body (7034). The coupling body (7034) can be formed from any suitable material that will be apparent to those skilled in the art in view of the teachings herein.

[0040] The shrouds (7012, 7014) also include complementary support ribs (7038) that line the perimeter of the inner surface of the shrouds (7012, 7014). The complementary support ribs (7038) of each shroud (7012, 7014) are configured to receive each other in a nested manner to resist movement in the perpendicular and longitudinal directions relative to each other while the shrouds (7012, 7014) are coupled to each other. Thus, the ribs (7038) engage each other to prevent the shrouds (7012, 7014) from moving relative to each other in a direction perpendicular to the lateral direction (LD) shown in FIG. 6.

[0041] The shrouds (7012, 7014) also include at least one latch assembly (7016). As will be described in more detail below, the shrouds (7012, 7014) are properly coupled to each other, but the latch assembly (7016) is configured to move between a locked configuration and an unlocked configuration. While in the locked configuration, the latch assembly (7016) is configured to assist the coupling body (7024) and the sleeve (7036) when resisting lateral separation of the shrouds (7012, 7014). While in the unlocked configuration, the latch assembly (7016) is configured to allow the user to at least initiate lateral separation of the shrouds (7012, 7014) such that the user can overcome the frictional braking force that prevents lateral separation of the shrouds (7012, 7014).

[0042] Each latch assembly (7016) includes an elastic latch (7018) extending laterally from one shroud (7012), and the other shroud (7014) defines channels (7032) (see FIGS. 7A-7E) and access holes (7030) that communicate with each other. The elastic latch (7018) includes elastic legs (7024) that extend laterally away from their respective shrouds (7012). As will be described in more detail below, the cam surface (7020) is configured to engage the corresponding cam surface (7026) of the shroud (7012) to drive the elastic legs (7024) of the latch (7018) from a relaxed position (see FIG. 7A) to a bent position (see FIG. 7B) when the shrouds (7014, 7014) are laterally coupled to each other. Similarly, as will be described in more detail below, the locking shoulder (7022) is configured to engage a corresponding locking shoulder (7028) defined by the shroud (7014) when the shrouds (7012, 7014) are laterally coupled to prevent the shrouds (7012, 7014) from being laterally separated from each other.

[0043] The elastic legs (7024) terminate at their respective cam surfaces (7020) and locking shoulders (7022). The elastic legs (7024) are sufficiently flexible such that the legs (7024) can deflect from a relaxed position (see FIG. 7A) to a bent position (see FIG. 7B) in response to an external force. Additionally, the elastic legs (7024) are sufficiently elastic such that the legs (7024) can return to the relaxed position (see FIG. 7C) when the external force is sufficiently removed.

[0044] Figures 7A - 7E illustrate exemplary coupling and decoupling of shrouds (7012, 7014) that utilize a latch assembly (7016). First, as shown in Figure 7A, the user may align the shrouds (7012, 7014) such that the resilient latch (7018) is aligned perpendicular and longitudinally to the channel (7032). The latch (7018) and the channel (7032) are appropriately aligned to couple the shrouds (7012, 7014) to each other, but it should be understood that the complementary coupling sleeves (7036) of each shroud are also appropriately aligned, as are the complementary support ribs (7038) of each shroud.

[0045] Next, as shown in Figure 7B, with the latch (7018) and the channel (7032) aligned, the user may move the shrouds (7012, 7014) towards each other such that contact between the cam surfaces (7020, 7026) drives the resilient legs (7024) from the relaxed position to the bent position. As the shrouds (7012, 7014) move further towards each other, the cam surface (7020) of the resilient latch (7018) may remain engaged with the channel (7032) such that the channel (7032) holds the latch (7018) in the bent position.

[0046] Next, as shown in FIG. 7C, when the shrouds (7012, 7014) are fully engaged, the cam surface (7020) advances laterally beyond a portion of the channel (7032), pushing the resilient latch (7018) into the bent position, causing the resilient legs (7024) to return to the relaxed position and allowing the cam surface (7020) to enter the access hole (7030). With the cam surface (7020) within the access hole (7030), the locking shoulder (7022) is directly adjacent to a locking surface (7028) that defines a portion of the access hole (7030). The locking shoulder (7022) and the locking surface (7028) are in direct adjacent relation to each other, such that when the shrouds (7012, 7014) attempt to disengage laterally from each other, the contact between the shoulder (7022) and the surface (7028) prevents lateral movement of the shrouds (7012, 7014) away from each other. Thus, as shown in FIG. 7C, the resilient latch (7018) is in the locked position and the locking shoulder (7022) and the locking surface (7028) are in direct adjacent relation to each other. The latch assembly (7016) also aids in aligning the shrouds (7012, 7014) when they are first engaged with each other and in keeping the shrouds (7012, 7014) aligned during exemplary use.

[0047] While in the locked position, the user may utilize the proximal body (7010) in any suitable manner that would be apparent to one of ordinary skill in the art in view of the teachings herein. For example, the user may operate the proximal body (7010) to suitably control a surgical instrument / tool (112, 117, 152, 154, 156) in which the proximal body (7010) is incorporated. With the latch (7018) in the locked position, the latch assembly (7016) enhances the structural integrity of the proximal body (7010) by further preventing the shrouds (7012, 7014) from inadvertently separating from each other.

[0048] After the user has finished using the proximal body (7010) in accordance with the description of this specification, it may be desirable to access the various components housed within the hollow interior (7015) for further processing (e.g., disposal, reuse, remanufacture, etc.). If the user desires to access the interior (7015) of the proximal body (7010), the user can depress the terminal end of the resulting latch (7018) through the access hole (7030), as shown in FIG. 7D. Specifically, the user may push the elastic latch (7018) to bend the elastic leg portion (7014) so that the locking shoulder (7022) no longer directly abuts the locking surface (7028), thereby driving the elastic latch (7018) into an unlocked configuration. In the unlocked configuration, with the locking shoulder (7022) and the locking surface (7028) separated from each other, the latch assembly (7016) can no longer prevent the lateral separation of the shrouds (7012, 7014). Thus, as shown in FIG. 7D, while the user is pushing the elastic latch (7018) downward through the access hole (7030), the user can simultaneously pull the portions of the shrouds (7012, 7014) directly adjacent to the latch assembly (7016) away from each other, as shown in FIG. 7E.

[0049] When the shrouds (7012, 7014) are suitably separated while the latch assembly (7016) is in the unlocked configuration, the cam surface (7020) of the elastic latch (7018) re-engages with the cam surface (7026) defined by the channel (7032). The engagement between the cam surfaces (7020, 7026) holds the elastic latch (7018) in the bent position, thereby enabling the user to further pull the shrouds (7012, 7014) apart. The user may further pull the shrouds (7012, 7014) apart so that the elastic latch (7018) exits the channel (7032), thereby allowing the latch (7018) to return to the relaxed position.

[0050] It should be understood that the resistance to lateral separation of the shrouds (7012, 7014) provided by the latch assembly (7016) can be controlled depending on whether the latch assembly (7016) is in a locked configuration or an unlocked configuration. Thus, if a user desires to separate the shrouds (7012, 7014) in accordance with the teachings herein, the user may drive the resilient latch (7018) to a flexed position such that the locking shoulder (7022) and the locking surface (7028) separate from each other. Otherwise, the resilient latch (7018) remains in the locked configuration, as shown in FIG. 7C, such that the locking shoulder (7022) and the locking surface (7028) prevent inadvertent separation of the shrouds (7012, 7014). In other words, the latch assembly (7016) enables the user to easily separate the shrouds (7012, 7014) from each other, and while the shrouds (7012, 7014) remain structurally robust in the locked configuration, the shrouds (7012, 7014) are easily separable in the unlocked configuration.

[0051] When the shrouds (7012, 7014) of the proximal body are tightly coupled together using the frictional braking force provided by the coupling body (7034) and the coupling sleeve (7036), the lateral separation force required to pull the shrouds (7012, 7014) apart can be substantially constant regardless of whether the user desires to keep the shrouds (7012, 7014) together or desires to separate the shrouds (7012, 7014) to access internal components. In such cases, one may choose a frictional braking force that is structurally robust enough to keep the shrouds (7012, 7014) together during exemplary use but difficult to access internally, or one may choose a frictional braking force that enables easy separation of the shrouds (7012, 7014) but keeps the shrouds (7012, 7014) easily laterally separable during exemplary use.

[0052] Although two latch assemblies (7016) are shown in this example, any suitable number of latch assemblies (7016) can be utilized as will be apparent to those skilled in the art in view of the teachings of this specification. For example, a single latch assembly (7016) can be utilized. Additionally, although the latch assemblies (7016) are shown positioned on top of the proximal body (7010), the latch assemblies (7016) can be positioned at any suitable location or combination of locations on the proximal body (7010) as will be apparent to those skilled in the art in view of the teachings of this specification.

[0053] The latch assemblies (7016) are utilized to provide both exemplary structural integrity during use and internal access for taking internal components after exemplary use, although any other suitable structure can be utilized as will be apparent to those skilled in the art in view of the teachings of this specification. FIG. 8 shows another exemplary proximal body (7040) that can be readily incorporated into surgical instruments / tools (112, 117, 152, 154, 156). The proximal body (7040) includes a first shroud (7042) and a second shroud (7044) configured to couple to each other to form the proximal body (7040). As will be described in more detail below, the first shroud (7042) and the second shroud (7044) include complementary coupling mechanisms configured to resist inadvertent disassembly of the proximal body (7040) during exemplary use, but also enable a user to separate the shrouds (7042, 7044) after exemplary use to access internal components for processing.

[0054] In this example, the proximal body (7040) is shown as a handpiece, and the proximal body (7040) can be used in place of the handpieces (160, 176, 185) described above. The proximal body (7040) is configured to be suitably coupled to a shaft assembly and an end effector such as the shaft assemblies (164, 178, 186) and end effectors (166, 180, 188) described above. As will be apparent to those skilled in the art in view of the teachings herein, the shrouds (7042, 7044) together define a hollow interior (7045) that can accommodate suitable components of the surgical instrument / tool (112, 117, 152, 154, 156) when assembled. For example, the proximal body (7040) can be configured to suitably accommodate a circuit board, a control unit, a battery, an ultrasonic transducer (162), toggle buttons (173, 174, 175, 195, 196, 197), triggers (183, 194), and the like.

[0055] Similar to the shrouds (7012, 7014) described above, the shrouds (7042, 7044) also include complementary support ribs (7058) that line the perimeter of the inner surface of the shrouds (7042, 7044). The complementary support ribs (7058) of each shroud (7042, 7044) are configured to receive each other in a nested manner to resist movement relative to each other in the perpendicular and longitudinal directions while the shrouds (7042, 7044) are coupled to each other. Accordingly, the ribs (7058) engage each other to prevent the shrouds (7042, 7044) from moving relative to each other in a direction perpendicular to the lateral direction (LD) shown in FIG. 8.

[0056] Rather than a latch assembly (7016), the shroud (7042) includes a plurality of female-threaded coupling sleeves (7046), and the shroud (7044) defines a plurality of corresponding through holes (7050). The through holes (7050) and the corresponding female-threaded coupling sleeves (7046) are configured to receive corresponding threaded twist screws (7052). The through holes (7050) are sized to receive the threaded shaft (7054) of the corresponding twist screw (7052), but are not sized so large that the head (7056) of the twist screw (7052) can pass through the through hole (7050). Additionally, the threaded shaft (7054) is configured to engage the threads of the female-threaded coupling sleeve (7046) such that rotation of the threaded shaft (7054) relative to the female-threaded coupling sleeve (7046) longitudinally actuates the threaded shaft (7054) relative to the female-threaded coupling sleeve (7046) and the shroud (7042). The twist screw (7052) is sized such that when properly engaged, the head (7056) abuts the surface of the shroud (7044), thereby compressing the shrouds (7042, 7044) together, while the screw engagement between the threaded shaft (7054) and the female-threaded coupling sleeve (7046) prevents the twist screw (7052) from separating from the shroud (7042). Thus, a user can insert the threaded shaft (7054) into the corresponding through hole (7050) until the threaded shaft (7054) engages the female-threaded coupling sleeve (7046). Next, the user can rotate the twist screw (7052) with an appropriate torque at the head (7056) until the twist screw (7052) properly couples the shrouds (7042, 7044) to each other. Thus, the twist screw (7052) can prevent the shrouds (7042, 7044) from separating laterally (LD) from each other during exemplary use.

[0057] After exemplary use, the user may remove the threaded twist screw (7052) from the shroud (7042, 7044) to enable easy lateral (LD) separation of the shroud (7042, 7044) to access internal components for processing. The user can apply torque to the head (7056) of each twist screw (7052) until the threaded shaft (7054) disengages from the female-threaded coupling sleeve (7046). After all the twist screws (7052) are disengaged from their respective female-threaded coupling sleeves (7046), the user can laterally separate the shroud (7042, 7044) to provide access to the internal components. Thus, the twist screws (7052), the female-threaded coupling sleeves (7046), and the through holes (7050) enable the user to easily separate the shrouds (7042, 7044) from each other, and the shrouds (7042, 7044) remain structurally robust when the twist screws (7052) are properly assembled, while the shrouds (7042, 7044) are easily separable when the twist screws (7052) are properly removed.

[0058] In some aspects of the present disclosure, the shroud (7042, 7044) can include suitable through holes (7056) and coupling bodies (7034) in conjunction with the use of female-threaded coupling sleeves (7046), through holes (7050), and twist screws (7052). Any suitable combination of the coupling body (7034) and the twist screw (7052) can be utilized as will be apparent to those skilled in the art in view of the teachings herein.

[0059] FIG. 9 shows another exemplary proximal body (7060) that can be easily incorporated into surgical instruments / tools (112, 117, 152, 154, 156). The proximal body (7060) includes a first shroud (7062) and a second shroud (7064) configured to couple to each other to form the proximal body (7060). As will be described in more detail below, the first shroud (7062) and the second shroud (7064) include complementary coupling mechanisms configured to resist inadvertent disassembly of the proximal body (7060) during exemplary use, but also allow a user to separate the shrouds (7062, 7064) after exemplary use to access internal components for processing.

[0060] In this example, the proximal body (7060) is shown as a handpiece, and the proximal body (7060) can be used in place of the handpieces (160, 176, 185) described above. The proximal body (7060) is configured to suitably couple to a shaft assembly and an end effector, such as the shaft assemblies (164, 178, 186) and end effectors (166, 180, 188) described above. As will be apparent to those skilled in the art in view of the teachings herein, the shrouds (7062, 7064) together define a hollow interior (7065) that can suitably house components of the surgical instrument / tool (112, 117, 152, 154, 156) when assembled. For example, the proximal body (7060) can be configured to suitably house a circuit board, a control unit, a battery, an ultrasonic transducer (162), toggle buttons (173, 174, 175, 195, 196, 197), triggers (183, 194), etc.

[0061] Rather than having a latch assembly (7016) or a twist screw (7052), the shrouds (7062, 7064) include a vertical coupling assembly (7066). The vertical coupling assembly (7066) is configured such that the shrouds (7062, 7064) can operate perpendicular to each other to enable proper coupling and separation. The vertical coupling assembly (7066) includes a plurality of first coupling bodies (7068) extending from the first shroud (7062) and a plurality of corresponding second coupling bodies (7070) extending from the second shroud (7064) toward the first shroud (7062).

[0062] As best shown in FIG. 10A, the first coupling body (7068) defines a complementary channel (7080) that extends from the upper surface of the first coupling body (7068) and terminates within the magnetic floor portion (7082). The first coupling body (7068) also defines a slot (7084) that communicates with the channel (7080), such that the slot (7084) and the channel (7080) are dimensioned to receive the corresponding second coupling body (7070).

[0063] The second coupling body (7070) includes a narrow portion (7072) that terminates at a wide portion (7074). The second coupling body (7070) also includes a magnetic surface (7076) configured to be directly adjacent to and / or in contact with the magnetic floor portion (7082) of the first coupling body (7068). The narrow portion (7072) extends away from the sheath (7064) and is dimensioned to fit snugly within a slot (7084) defined by the first coupling body (7068). The wide portion (7074) is dimensioned to fit within a complementary channel (7080) defined by the first coupling body (7068). When suitably coupled as shown in FIG. 10B, the complementary shapes of the slot (7084) and channel (7080) with their respective narrow (7072) and wide (7074) portions are configured to prevent relative movement between the shrouds (7062, 7064) while being suitably coupled in all directions except the vertical direction. Additionally, the magnetic surface (7076) and the magnetic floor portion (7082) are magnetically attracted to each other such that, while the first and second coupling bodies (7068, 7070) are coupled to each other, the magnetic attraction between the surface (7076) and the floor portion (7082) prevents the second coupling body (7070) from operating to deviate vertically from the boundary of the first coupling body (7068), thereby also preventing relative movement between the shrouds (7062, 7064) in the vertical direction.

[0064] It should be understood that the magnetic attraction between the bed portion (7082) and the surface (7076) is preferably strong enough so that the sheaths (7062, 7064) do not unintentionally separate from each other during exemplary use in accordance with the description herein. However, the magnetic attraction between the bed portion (7082) and the surface (7076) can be overcome with a sufficient amount of force in the vertical direction when the user desires to intentionally separate the sheaths (7072, 7064) from each other to access the hollow interior (7065) to retrieve internal components for processing. In other words, the shrouds (7062, 7064) remain structurally robust during exemplary use, but the shrouds (7062, 7064) are easily separable in response to a sufficient amount of force in the vertical direction via the coupling assembly (7066), whereby the user can easily separate the shrouds (7062, 7064) from each other. In the vertical direction, the coupling assembly (7066) also aids in aligning the shrouds (7062, 7064) when they are first coupled to each other and in keeping the shrouds (7062, 7064) aligned during exemplary use.

[0065] In this example, magnetic attraction is used to prevent relative vertical movement between the shrouds (7062, 7064), but any other suitable structure may be utilized to prevent relative vertical movement, as will be apparent to those skilled in the art in view of the teachings herein. FIGS. 11A - 11B show an alternative coupling assembly (7090) that can be readily incorporated into the shrouds (7062, 7064) in place of the coupling assembly (7066) described above. Thus, the coupling assembly (7090) is substantially similar to the shaft assembly (7066) described above, except for the differences detailed below.

[0066] Specifically, the coupling assembly (7090) includes resilient nubs (7092) associated with the outer surface of the second body (7070) rather than magnets, and the coupling assembly (7090) also includes corresponding recesses (7094) defined by the inner surface of the first coupling body (7068). The resilient nubs (7092) and the recesses (7094) are dimensioned to interact with each other in a snap-fit manner such that the frictional braking force between the resilient nubs (7092) and the recesses (7094) prevents relative movement between the first body (7068) and the second body (7070). However, the frictional braking force between the resilient nubs (7092) and the recesses (7094) can be overcome with a sufficient amount of force in the vertical direction when the user desires to intentionally separate the sheaths (7072, 7064) from each other to access the hollow interior (7065) to retrieve internal components for processing. In other words, the coupling assembly (7090) enables the user to easily separate the shrouds (7062, 7064) from each other. The shrouds (7062, 7064) remain structurally robust during exemplary use, but are easily separable in response to a sufficient force in the vertical direction.

[0067] FIG. 12 shows another exemplary proximal body (7100) that can be readily incorporated into surgical instruments / tools (112, 117, 152, 154, 156). The proximal body (7100) includes a first shroud (7102) and a second shroud (7104) configured to couple to each other to form the proximal body (7100). As will be described in more detail below, the first shroud (7102) and the second shroud (7104) include complementary coupling mechanisms configured to resist inadvertent disassembly of the proximal body (7100) during exemplary use, but also enable the user to separate the shrouds (7102, 7104) after exemplary use to retrieve internal components for processing.

[0068] In this example, the proximal body (7100) is shown as a handpiece, and the proximal body (7100) can be used in place of the handpieces (160, 176, 185) described above. The proximal body (7100) is configured to be suitably coupled to a shaft assembly and an end effector such as the shaft assemblies (164, 178, 186) and end effectors (166, 180, 188) described above. As will be apparent to those skilled in the art in view of the teachings herein, the shrouds (7102, 7104) together define a hollow interior (7105) that can house suitable components of the surgical instrument / tool (112, 117, 152, 154, 156) when assembled. For example, the proximal body (7100) can be configured to suitably house a circuit board, a control unit, a battery, an ultrasonic transducer (162), toggle buttons (173, 174, 175, 195, 196, 197), a trigger (183, 194), etc.

[0069] Each shroud (7102, 7104) in this embodiment includes respective complementary support ribs (7106, 7108), which may be substantially similar to the complementary support ribs (7038) described above. Each complementary support rib (7106, 7108) lines the perimeter of the inner surface of its respective shroud (7102, 7104) and extends away from its respective concave surface (7110, 7112). The shrouds (7102, 7104) are configured to couple to each other via lateral movement relative to each other. During coupling, as shown in FIGS. 13A - 13B, the complementary support ribs (7106, 7108) of each shroud (7102, 7104) are configured to receive each other in a nested manner such that support rib (7106) abuts concave surface (7112) and support rib (7108) abuts concave surface (7110). The nested engagement between the support ribs (7106, 7108) prevents the shrouds (7102, 7104) from operating in the vertical and longitudinal directions relative to each other while the shrouds (7102, 7104) are properly coupled. Thus, the ribs (7106, 7108) engage each other to prevent the shrouds (7102, 7104) from moving relative to each other in a direction perpendicular to the lateral direction (LD).

[0070] The shrouds (7102, 7104) also include respective magnets (7114, 7116) located on the surfaces (7110) and support ribs (7108) of the respective shrouds (7102, 7104). In this aspect of the present disclosure, the magnets (7114, 7116) are shown on the surfaces (7110) and support ribs (7108), but as will be apparent to those skilled in the art in view of the teachings herein, the magnets (7114, 7116) may be located on any suitable component of the shrouds (7102, 7104), so this is merely optional. While the support ribs (7106, 7108) are nested with each other, the magnetic attraction between the magnets (7114, 7116) acts to prevent the support ribs (7106, 7108) from laterally disengaging from their engagement with each other, whereby relative lateral movement between the shrouds (7102, 7104) is also prevented.

[0071] It should be understood that the magnetic attraction between the magnets (7114, 7116) is preferably strong enough so that the sheaths (7102, 7104) do not inadvertently separate from each other during exemplary use in accordance with the description herein. However, the magnetic attraction between the magnets (7114, 7116) can be overcome with a sufficient amount of force in the lateral direction when the user desires to intentionally separate the sheaths (7102, 7104) from each other to access the hollow interior (7105) in order to take internal components for processing. In other words, the magnets (7114, 7116) enable the user to easily separate the shrouds (7102, 7104) from each other, and the shrouds (7102, 7104) remain structurally robust during exemplary use, but the shrouds (7102, 7104) are easily separable in response to a sufficient force in the vertical direction.

[0072] In this example, magnetic attraction is used to prevent lateral relative movement between the shrouds (7102, 7104), but as will be apparent to those skilled in the art in view of the teachings herein, any other suitable structure may be utilized to prevent relative vertical movement. FIGS. 14A-14B show an alternative coupling assembly (7120) that can be readily incorporated into the shrouds (7102, 7104) instead of the magnets (7114, 7116) described above.

[0073] Rather than magnets, the coupling assembly (7120) includes resilient tabs (7122) associated with the outer surfaces of the support ribs (7108), and the coupling assembly (7120) also includes corresponding recesses (7124) defined by complementary surfaces of the support ribs (7106). The resilient tabs (7122) and the recesses (7124) are dimensioned to interact with each other in a snap-fit manner such that the frictional braking force between the resilient tabs (7122) and the recesses (7124) prevents relative movement between the support ribs (7106, 7108) while they are coupled to each other. However, the frictional braking force between the resilient tabs (7122) and the recesses (7124) can be overcome with a sufficient amount of force in the lateral direction when the user desires to intentionally separate the sheaths (7102, 7104) from each other to access the hollow interior (7105) to take internal components for processing. In other words, the coupling assembly (7120) enables the user to easily separate the shrouds (7102, 7104) from each other. The shrouds (7102, 7104) remain structurally robust during exemplary use, but the shrouds (7102, 7104) are easily separable in response to sufficient lateral force.

[0074] In some examples, when the proximal body (7010, 7040, 7060, 7100) is intended to be processed for reuse or remanufacture, if a critical component forming the surgical instrument / tool (112, 117, 152, 154, 156) is out of shape or out of specified tolerances, it may be desirable to prevent the shrouds (7012, 7014, 7042, 7044, 7062, 7064, 7102, 7104) from being reassembled with each other or with other suitable components of the surgical instrument / tool (112, 117, 152, 154, 156) coupled to the proximal body (7010, 7040, 7060, 7100). For example, one or more mechanisms of the shrouds (7012, 7014, 7042, 7044, 7062, 7064, 7102, 7104) or other suitable components can be used as blocking means to prevent reassembly if such mechanisms are distorted or damaged outside an acceptable tolerance range. As an example, a clamp trigger similar to the trigger (183) described above may be coupled to the proximal body (7010) via a coupling body (7034) and a coupling sleeve (7036). During exemplary use, the forces acting on the trigger (183) during pivotal movement of the trigger (183) may cause damage to the coupling sleeve (7036) and / or the trigger (183), which, in turn, prevents reassembly when the sheaths (7012, 7014) are properly processed (e.g., sterilized) for reuse.

[0075] As described above, in some cases, after exemplary use of the proximal body (7010, 7040, 7060, 7100), the shrouds (7012, 7014, 7042, 7044, 7062, 7064, 7102, 7104) may be processed for reuse and / or remanufacture. Also as described above, the hollow interior (7015, 7045, 7065, 7105) may accommodate suitable components of surgical instruments / tools (112, 117, 152, 154, 156) such as circuit boards and control units, as will be apparent to those skilled in the art in view of the teachings herein. Thus, when electrical components are housed within the hollow interior (7015, 7045, 7065, 7105), it may be desirable to ensure that such electrical components are properly removed from the shrouds (7012, 7014, 7042, 7044, 7062, 7064, 7102, 7104) before the shrouds (7012, 7014, 7042, 7044, 7062, 7064, 7102, 7104) are processed for reuse and / or remanufacture. Ensuring that electrical components are properly removed before the shrouds (7012, 7014, 7042, 7044, 7062, 7064, 7102, 7104) are processed may prevent such electrical components from being inadvertently exposed to substances used during processing that can damage the electrical components and / or render them unsuitable for further use.

[0076] Figures 15A - 15B show an exemplary proximal body (7130) that may be substantially similar to the proximal bodies (7010, 7040, 7060, 7100) described above, with differences detailed below. Thus, the proximal body (7130) includes a first shroud (7132) and a second shroud (7134) that may be substantially similar to the shrouds (7012, 7014, 7042, 7044, 7062, 7064, 7102, 7104) described above, with differences detailed below. Both shrouds (7132, 7134) define a hollow interior (7135). Shroud (7134) includes a biasing spring (7138) interposed between the inner surface of shroud (7134) and a suitable electrical component (7136). As shown in Figure 15A, when the shrouds (7132, 7134) are assembled, the biasing spring (7138) biases the electrical component (7136) against the first shroud (7132) or any other suitable structure, thereby pushing the electrical component (7136) into a suitable position within the hollow interior (7135).

[0077] After exemplary use, the shrouds (7132, 7134) may be disassembled for processing in accordance with the teachings herein. During disassembly, the proximal body (7130) may be disassembled to remove the electrical component (7136) from the shroud (7134) so that the electrical component (7136) is not inadvertently handled with the shroud (7134). As shown in Figure 15B, once the shrouds (7132, 7134) are disassembled, the biasing spring (7138) drives the electrical component (7136) away from the shroud (7134) such that the electrical component (7136) is presented prominently to a user disassembling the proximal body (7130). Thus, the biasing spring (7138) helps drive the electrical component (7136) to an exposed position so that a person disassembling the proximal body (7130) can be reminded to further remove the electrical component (7136).

[0078] In some cases, it may be desirable to prevent a user who is processing the shrouds (7132, 7134) for reuse and / or remanufacture from inadvertently immersing an electrical component (7136) in the immersion tray during processing. FIGS. 16A - 17B show an exemplary immersion tray (7140) that can be used to process the shrouds (7132, 7134) by exposing the used shrouds (7132, 7134) to a suitable cleaning fluid to clean the shrouds (7132, 7134). The immersion tray (7140) includes a body (7142) that defines a reservoir (7146) that can hold a suitable cleaning fluid. The immersion tray (7140) also includes an outer perimeter (7144) that defines an opening sized to receive the shroud (7134) for processing. As shown in FIGS. 16A - 16B, the outer perimeter (7144) has a specific shape and dimensions that can prevent the shroud (7134) from being properly received within the reservoir (7146) if the electrical component (7136) is not removed from the shroud (7134). As shown in FIGS. 17A - 17B, the outer perimeter (7144) also has a specific shape and dimensions that can properly receive the shroud (7134) within the reservoir (7146) when the electrical component (7136) has been removed from the shroud (7134). Thus, if the user leaves the electrical component (7136) attached to the shroud (7134) inadvertently, the shroud (7143) will not fit properly within the immersion tray (7140), so the user may be reminded to remove the electrical component (7136) when attempting to insert the shroud (7134) into the immersion tray (7140).

[0079] FIGS. 18A - 18C show another exemplary proximal body (7150) that may be substantially similar to the proximal bodies (7010, 7040, 7060, 7100, 7130) described above, with differences detailed below. Thus, the proximal body (7150) includes a sheath (7152) that can define a hollow interior (7155). The sheath (7152) includes a hatch assembly (7156) configured to provide suitable access to the hollow interior (7155) in accordance with the description herein.

[0080] The hatch assembly (7156) includes a hatch door (7158) removably coupled to an opening (7164) defined by a sheath (7152), a barcode (7160), and an electric latch assembly (7162). The latch assembly (7162) is configured to lock the hatch door (7158) to prevent the hatch door (7158) from being removed from the opening (7164) unless the barcode (7160) is properly scanned. As shown in FIG. 18B, when a user desires to remove the hatch door (7158), the user can scan the barcode (7160) with a suitable device. As shown in FIG. 18C, scanning the barcode (7160) can command the latch assembly (7162) to unlock the hatch door (7158), whereby the user can remove the hatch door (7158) to provide access to the hollow interior (7155). Thus, the proximal body (7150) can be structurally robust during exemplary use while still providing access to the hollow interior (7155) for accessing internal components.

[0081] FIGS. 19A - 19C show another exemplary proximal body (7170) that can be substantially similar to the proximal bodies (7010, 7040, 7060, 7100, 7130, 7150) described above, with differences detailed below. Thus, the proximal body (7170) includes a sheath (7172) that can define a hollow interior (7165). The sheath (7172) includes a hatch assembly (7176) configured to provide suitable access to the hollow interior (7175) in accordance with the description herein.

[0082] The hatch assembly (7176) includes a hatch door (7178) removably coupled to an opening (7188) defined by a shroud (7172), a pivot latch (7180) pivotally coupled to the shroud (7172), and a locking protrusion (7186) within a hollow interior (7175). The pivot latch (7180) includes a magnet (7182) at one end and a latch body (7184) at the other end. The pivot latch (7180) may be biased toward a locked position shown in FIG. 19A. In the locked position, the pivot latch (7180) can prevent the hatch door (7178) from being removed from the shroud (7172). If a user desires to remove the hatch door (7178), the user can wave a suitable magnet (M) over the hatch door (7178) as shown in FIG. 19B. The magnetic attraction between the magnet (M) and the magnet (7182) pivots the pivot latch (7180) to an unlocked position, thereby enabling the hatch door (7178) to be removed and providing access to the hollow interior (7175) as shown in FIG. 19C. Accordingly, the proximal body (7170) can be structurally robust during exemplary use while still providing access to the hollow interior (7175) for servicing internal components.

[0083] Figures 20A - 20C illustrate another exemplary proximal body (7190) that may be substantially similar to the proximal bodies (7010, 7040, 7060, 7100, 7130, 7150, 7170) described above, with differences described in detail below. Thus, proximal body (7190) includes a sheath (7192) that may define a hollow interior (7195). The sheath (7192) includes a metal frame window (7196) configured to provide suitable access to the hollow interior (7175) in accordance with the description herein. Specifically, as shown in FIG. 20B, a user may expose the metal frame window (7196) to a suitable heat source. When the metal frame window (7196) has an appropriate amount of thermal energy, the metal frame window (7196) may melt an adjacent portion of the sheath (7192), thereby forming a removable door (7198). As shown in FIG. 20C, the door (7198) may then be removed to provide access to the hollow interior (7195). Thus, proximal body (7190) may be structurally robust during exemplary use while still providing access to the hollow interior (7195) for taking internal components.

[0084] Figures 21A - 21C illustrate another exemplary proximal body (7200) that may be substantially similar to the proximal bodies (7010, 7040, 7060, 7100, 7130, 7150, 7170, 7190) described above, with differences described in detail below. Proximal body (7200) also includes a power coupling portion (7202) configured to selectively electrically couple with a complementary power coupling mechanism (7204) of a power cord (7206). As best shown in FIGS. 21B - 21C, the power coupling portions (7202, 7204) are configured to remain coupled to each other unless the connection to the interaction device (7208) is disconnected. The interaction device (7208) may be a physical key or an electrically actuated release mechanism.

[0085] III. Exemplary Disposal Bag for a Used Surgical Instrument Processing Mechanism As described above, objects emerging from the sterile field after surgery often require special consideration when being processed for disposal, reuse, or remanufacture. In some cases, used surgical instruments can be disassembled into various predetermined categories and inserted into a suitable transport bag for transporting the disassembled surgical mechanisms for appropriate processing. It may be desirable for the transport bag to be easily fillable and / or to prevent the release / leakage / outflow / transmission of biologically harmful substances contained within the transport bag while it is filled with the mechanisms of the used surgical instruments. Further, it may be desirable for the transport bag to facilitate the determination of whether the stored components are suitable for reuse and / or remanufacture.

[0086] Figures 22A - 22D show an exemplary processing bag assembly (7210) that can be utilized to convey a used surgical mechanism for appropriate processing. The processing bag assembly (7210) is formed from a suitable processing bag (7212) configured to seal the stored surgical components from the external environment. Thus, the inner surface of the bag (7212) can be isolated from the outer surface of the bag (7212). The bag (7212) defines a sealable opening (7218) that can be selectively opened to place the used surgical component (7215) inside the bag (7212) and then closed to form a seal so that the surgical component (7215) is suitably isolated from the external environment.

[0087] As shown in Figures 22A - 22C, the bag assembly (7210) includes a pre - applied closable adhesive and / or binding element (7216) that enables the opening of the bag assembly (7210) such that the surgical component (7215) can be placed inside the bag through the sealable opening (7218). As shown in Figures 22C and 22D, the adhesive and / or binding element (7216) is then configured to re - close the opening (7218) of the bag (7212) to re - seal the interior of the bag (7212) from the external environment. As will be apparent to those skilled in the art considering the teachings herein, any suitable type of adhesive and / or binding element can be utilized.

[0088] The bag assembly (7210) also includes biasing means (7214) located on or within a portion of the bag (7212) adjacent to the opening (7218). The biasing means (7214) can assist in biasing the opening (7218) toward the open position shown in FIGS. 22B - 22C, such that a user within the sterile environment can easily place used surgical components into the bag (7212) without having to touch and / or contaminate the outer surface of the bag (7212). The biasing means (7214) can be appropriately overcome to close the opening (7218). The adhesive and / or coupling element (7216) has sufficient strength to overcome the biasing of the biasing means (7214) and close and seal the opening (7218) for suitable transportation as described herein.

[0089] FIG. 23 shows another exemplary processing bag assembly (7220) that can be utilized to convey a used surgical mechanism for proper disposal. The processing bag assembly (7220) may be substantially similar to the processing bag assembly (7210) described above, with differences detailed below. The processing bag assembly (7220) includes a processing bag (7222) that can be substantially similar to the processing bag (7212). Additionally, the processing bag assembly (7220) includes a gas barrier / flame retardant control mechanism (7224) configured to fireproof and / or electrically insulate the interior of the bag (7222). The gas barrier / flame retardant control mechanism (7224) can include any suitable structure that will be apparent to one of ordinary skill in the art in view of the teachings herein. For example, the gas barrier / flame retardant control mechanism (7224) may include a valve configured to establish communication with a suction source to remove oxygen from the interior of the bag (7222). As another example, the gas barrier / flame retardant control mechanism (7224) may include a flame retardant material lining the interior of the bag (7222).

[0090] FIG. 24 shows another exemplary processing bag assembly (7225) that can be utilized to convey a used surgical mechanism for suitable processing. The processing bag assembly (7225) may be substantially similar to the processing bag assemblies (7210, 7220) described above, and the differences will be detailed below. The processing bag assembly (7225) includes a processing bag (7225) that can be substantially similar to the processing bags (7212, 7222). In addition, the processing bag assembly (7225) includes a set of handling option (7228) instructions or displays. For example, the instructions or displays of the handling option (7228) can include instructions for processing or warnings of handling concerns regarding the articles intended to be sealed inside the bag. In some cases, the bag (7226) can be color-coded to indicate the processing path for the articles within the bag (7226).

[0091] FIG. 25 shows another exemplary processing bag assembly (7230) that can be utilized to convey a used surgical mechanism for suitable processing. The processing bag assembly (7230) may be substantially similar to the processing bag assemblies (7210, 7220, 7225) described above, and the differences will be detailed below. The processing bag assembly (7230) includes a processing bag (7232) that can be substantially similar to the processing bags (7212, 7222, 7225). In addition, the processing bag assembly (7230) includes a rigid tray (7234) fixed inside the bag (7332). The tray (7234) may include complementary recesses sized to receive specific portions of the used surgical instruments. Thus, the bag assembly (7230) can function as both a separate holding frame and a sealed bag. In addition, the tray (7234) includes restraint snaps (7236) and restraint means (7238) that can be configured to further secure specific portions of the used surgical instruments housed within the tray (7234).

[0092] FIG. 26 shows another exemplary processing bag assembly (7240) that can be utilized to convey a used surgical mechanism for suitable processing. The processing bag assembly (7240) may be substantially similar to the processing bag assemblies (7210, 7220, 7225, 7230) described above, and the differences will be detailed below. The processing bag assembly (7240) includes a processing bag (7242) that may be substantially similar to the processing bags (7212, 7222, 7225, 7232). The processing bag assembly (7240) also includes a tray (7243) that may be substantially similar to the tray (7243) described above. In addition, the tray (7243) includes an electrical connector (7244) configured to establish electrical communication with a particular portion of a used surgical instrument housed within the tray (7243). The electrical connector (7244) communicates with an external electrical coupling (7248) fixed outside the bag (7242). After suitably loading a portion of the used surgical instrument into the tray (7243), the user may use a suitable electrical device to provide a small voltage or power to the package via the external electrical coupling (7248). The small voltage or power travels to the electrical mechanism of the used surgical instrument in communication with the electrical connector (7244) to check at least one functional aspect of the electrical mechanism and determine whether such an electrical mechanism is capable of being reused.

[0093] FIG. 27 shows an exemplary shutdown cycle (7250) that can be performed by the electronics of the generator module (140) or surgical instrument / tool (112, 117, 152, 154, 156) to check for potential recovery capabilities and generate a sticker or label to be attached to the processing bags (7212, 7222, 7225, 7232, 7242). First, after the user has finished using the surgical instrument / tool (112, 117, 152, 154, 156) in accordance with the description herein, the user may initiate the shutdown cycle (7252). This initiation (7252) can be done using any suitable means that would be apparent to one of ordinary skill in the art in view of the teachings herein. Next, the generator model (140) or electronics of the surgical instrument / tool (112, 117, 152, 154, 156) may perform a final function check (7254) to determine whether the components of the surgical instrument / tool (112, 117, 152, 154, 156) have the ability for reuse. Next, the generator model (140) or electronics of the surgical instrument / tool (112, 117, 152, 154, 156) determines whether the mechanism of the surgical instrument / tool (112, 117, 152, 154, 156) should be sterilized or disposed of (7256). Using such determination, the printer can print a sticker to be placed on the processing bags (7212, 7222, 7225, 7232, 7242) (7258), and this sticker indicates the determination made above. Thus, after an exemplary use of the surgical instrument / tool (112, 117, 152, 154, 156), a sticker is generated and placed on the processing bags (7212, 7222, 7225, 7232, 7242) and can indicate the intended processing route for the mechanism of the surgical instrument / tool (112, 117, 152, 154, 156).

[0094] IV. 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 point 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 so explicitly indicated later by the inventors or their successors in interest. 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

[0095] A surgical instrument, comprising: (a) an end effector configured to transition between a non-activated configuration and an activated configuration, the end effector being configured to transfer energy to tissue in the activated configuration; and (b) a proximal body operably attached to the end effector, the proximal body including: (i) an electrical component configured to assist the end effector; (ii) a first shroud; (iii) a second shroud coupled to and cooperating with the first shroud to define a hollow interior, the electrical component being housed within the hollow interior; (iv) a first restraint mechanism associated with the first shroud; and (v) a second restraint mechanism associated with the second shroud, the first restraint mechanism and the second restraint mechanism being configured to couple to each other to cooperate to align the first shroud and the second shroud, and the first restraint mechanism and the second restraint mechanism being configured to selectively disengage to allow the first shroud and the second shroud to be separated from each other to expose the electrical component within the hollow interior.

Example

[0096] The surgical instrument according to Example 1, wherein the first restraint mechanism includes an elastic latch and the second restraint mechanism includes a locking shoulder.

Example

[0097] The surgical instrument according to Example 1 or 2, wherein the elastic latch is configured to selectively disengage the locking shoulder to allow the first shroud and the second shroud to be separated from each other.

Example

[0098] The surgical instrument according to any one or more of Examples 1 to 3, wherein the second shroud defines an access hole configured to provide access to the elastic latch while the elastic latch is engaged with the locking shoulder.

Example

[0099] The surgical instrument according to any one or more of Examples 1 to 4, wherein the first restraint mechanism and the second restraint mechanism are configured to engage by operating in the vertical direction.

Example

[0100] The surgical instrument according to any one or more of Examples 1 to 5, wherein the first restraint mechanism and the second restraint mechanism are configured to engage by operating in the horizontal direction.

Example

[0101] The surgical instrument according to any one or more of Examples 1 to 6, wherein the first restraint mechanism includes a first magnet and the second restraint mechanism includes a second magnet.

Example

[0102] The surgical instrument according to any one or more of Examples 1 to 7, wherein the first restraint mechanism and the second restraint mechanism are configured to engage with each other in a snap-fit manner.

Example

[0103] The surgical instrument according to any one or more of Examples 1 to 8, further comprising a biasing mechanism interposed between the electrical component and the interior of the second shroud.

Example

[0104] The biasing mechanism is configured to drive the electrical component away from the second shroud in response to the first shroud and the second shroud being initially separated. The surgical instrument according to any one or more of Examples 1 to 9.

Example

[0105] The surgical instrument according to any one or more of Examples 1 to 10, wherein the first restraint mechanism includes a twist screw and the second restraint mechanism includes a threaded sleeve.

Example

[0106] The surgical instrument according to any one or more of Examples 1 to 11, wherein the proximal body includes a handle.

Example

[0107] The surgical instrument according to any one or more of Examples 1 to 12, further comprising a shaft assembly extending between the handle and the end effector.

Example

[0108] The surgical instrument according to any one or more of Examples 1 to 13, wherein the end effector includes an ultrasonic blade.

Example

[0109] The surgical instrument according to any one or more of Examples 1 to 14, wherein the end effector includes an electrode.

Example

[0110] The surgical instrument according to any one or more of Examples 1 to 15, wherein the first restraint mechanism and the second restraint mechanism are configured to prevent reassembly of the proximal body when damaged.

Example

[0111] A surgical instrument, comprising: (a) an end effector configured to transition between a non-operative configuration and an operative configuration, the end effector being configured to transfer energy to tissue in the operative configuration; (b) a proximal body operably attached to the end effector, the proximal body comprising: (i) an electrical component configured to assist the end effector; (ii) a first shroud; (iii) a second shroud coupled to and cooperating with the first shroud to define a hollow interior; and (iv) a restraint mechanism comprising a latch configured to operate between a locked position and an unlocked position, the latch being configured to prevent separation of the first shroud from the second shroud in the locked position and to permit disassembly of the first shroud from the second shroud in the unlocked position.

Example

[0112] The surgical instrument according to any one or more of Examples 1 to 17, wherein the latch comprises an elastic leg configured to bend between a locked position and an unlocked position.

Example

[0113] A surgical instrument, comprising: (a) an end effector configured to transition between a non-operative configuration and an operative configuration, the end effector being configured to transfer energy to tissue in the operative configuration; (b) a proximal body operably attached to the end effector, the proximal body comprising: (i) an electrical component configured for the end effector; (ii) a shroud assembly defining a hollow interior; (iii) a hatch door associated with the shroud and configured to selectively separate from the shroud to expose the hollow interior; and (iv) a locking mechanism configured to selectively prevent separation of the hatch door from the shroud.

Example

[0114] The surgical instrument according to any one or more of Examples 1 to 19, wherein the locking mechanism comprises a magnetic pivot latch.

[0115] V. Others The variations of the above devices 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.

[0116] It should be understood that any of the variations 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 of this specification 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 of this specification 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 of this specification may be incorporated will be apparent to those skilled in the art.

[0117] In addition to the above, the teachings of this specification can 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 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 U.S. Patent Application No. [Attorney Docket No. END9447USNP1.0754992] will be apparent to those skilled in the art upon consideration of the teachings of this specification.

[0118] In addition to the above, the teachings of this specification can be readily combined with the teachings of U.S. Patent Application No. [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 U.S. Patent Application No. [Attorney Docket No. END9448USNP1.0754994] will be apparent to those skilled in the art upon consideration of the teachings of this specification.

[0119] In addition to the above, the teachings of this specification can be readily combined with the teachings of U.S. Patent Application No. [Attorney Docket No. END9448USNP2.0754977], entitled "Surgical Instrument with Removable Cable and Associated Couplings," 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 U.S. Patent Application No. [Attorney Docket No. END9448USNP2.0754977] will be apparent to those skilled in the art upon consideration of the teachings of this specification.

[0120] In addition to the above, the teachings of this specification can be readily combined with the teachings of 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 U.S. Patent Application No. [Attorney Docket No. END9448USNP3.0754979] will be apparent to those skilled in the art upon consideration of the teachings of this specification.

[0121] In addition to the above, the teachings of this specification can be readily combined with the teachings of the U.S. patent application entitled "Robotic Surgical System with Removable Portion and Method of Disassembling Same" [Attorney Docket No. END9449USNP1.0754981], 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 U.S. patent application Ser. No. [Attorney Docket No. END9449USNP1.0754981] will be apparent to those skilled in the art upon consideration of the teachings of this specification.

[0122] 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 U.S. patent application Ser. No. [Attorney Docket No. END9450USNP1.0754983] will be apparent to those skilled in the art upon consideration of the teachings of this specification.

[0123] 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 U.S. patent application Ser. No. [Attorney Docket No. END9450USNP2.0754999] will be apparent to those skilled in the art upon consideration of the teachings of this specification.

[0124] 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" filed on the same day as this specification, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference [Attorney Docket No. END9450USNP4.0755006]. Various suitable ways in which the teachings of this specification can be combined with the teachings of U.S. patent application Ser. No. [Attorney Docket No. END9450USNP4.0755006] will be apparent to those skilled in the art upon consideration of the teachings of this specification.

[0125] It should also be understood that any range of values referred to 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.

[0126] It should be understood that any patent, publication, or other disclosure referred to as being incorporated herein by reference is incorporated herein only to the extent that the incorporated content does not conflict with the 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 portions thereof, that are referred to as being incorporated herein by reference but that conflict 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.

[0127] The above-described variants may be designed to be discarded after single use, or they may be designed to be used multiple times. 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 step, followed by a cleaning or replacement step of specific parts, and a subsequent reassembly step. 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. During cleaning and / or replacement of 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 reconditioning the device. The use of such techniques and the resulting reconditioned device are all within the scope of this application.

[0128] 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 the 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.

[0129] Although various embodiments of the present invention have been shown and described, further adaptations of the methods and systems described herein may be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the scope of the present invention by appropriate modifications. Although some of such possible modifications have been described, 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. Accordingly, the scope of the present invention should be considered with respect to the following claims, and it is understood that the present invention is not limited to the details of construction and operation shown and described in this specification and the drawings.

[0130] 〔Embodiment〕 (1) A surgical instrument comprising: (a) An end effector configured to transition between a non-operative configuration and an operative configuration, the end effector being configured to transfer energy to tissue in the operative configuration; (b) A proximal body operably attached to the end effector, the proximal body comprising: (i) Electrical components configured to assist the end effector; (ii) A first shroud; (iii) A second shroud configured to cooperate with the first shroud to define a hollow interior, the electrical components being housed within the hollow interior; (iv) A first restraint mechanism associated with the first shroud; (v) A second restraint mechanism associated with the second shroud, the first restraint mechanism and the second restraint mechanism being configured to couple to each other to align the first shroud and the second shroud in cooperation, the first restraint mechanism and the second restraint mechanism being configured to selectively disengage to allow the first shroud and the second shroud to be separated from each other to expose the electrical components within the hollow interior. A proximal body comprising: A surgical instrument. (2) The surgical instrument according to Embodiment 1, wherein the first restraint mechanism includes an elastic latch and the second restraint mechanism includes a locking shoulder. (3) The surgical instrument according to Embodiment 2, wherein the elastic latch is configured to selectively disengage the locking shoulder to enable separation of the first shroud and the second shroud. (4) The surgical instrument according to Embodiment 3, wherein the second shroud defines an access hole configured to provide access to the elastic latch while the elastic latch is engaged with the locking shoulder. (5) The surgical instrument according to any one of Embodiments 1 to 4, wherein the first restraint mechanism and the second restraint mechanism are configured to couple by operating in a vertical direction.

[0131] (6) The surgical instrument according to any one of Embodiments 1 to 5, wherein the first restraint mechanism and the second restraint mechanism are configured to couple by operating in a horizontal direction. (7) The surgical instrument according to any one of Embodiments 1 to 6, wherein the first restraint mechanism includes a first magnet and the second restraint mechanism includes a second magnet. (8) The surgical instrument according to any one of Embodiments 1 to 7, wherein the first restraint mechanism and the second restraint mechanism are configured to couple to each other in a snap-fit manner. (9) The surgical instrument according to any one of Embodiments 1 to 8, further comprising a biasing mechanism interposed between the electrical component and the interior of the second shroud. (10) The surgical instrument according to Embodiment 9, wherein the biasing mechanism is configured to drive the electrical component away from the second shroud in response to the first shroud and the second shroud first separating.

[0132] (11) The surgical instrument according to any one of Embodiments 1 to 10, wherein the first restraint mechanism includes a twist screw and the second restraint mechanism includes a female-threaded sleeve. (12) The surgical instrument according to any one of embodiments 1 to 11, wherein the proximal body includes a handle. (13) The surgical instrument according to embodiment 12, further comprising a shaft assembly extending between the handle and the end effector. (14) The surgical instrument according to any one of embodiments 1 to 13, wherein the end effector includes an ultrasonic blade. (15) The surgical instrument according to any one of embodiments 1 to 14, wherein the end effector includes an electrode.

[0133] (16) The surgical instrument according to any one of embodiments 1 to 15, wherein the first restraint mechanism and the second restraint mechanism are configured to prevent reassembly of the proximal body when damaged. (17) A surgical instrument, (a) An end effector configured to transition between a non-operating configuration and an operating configuration, the end effector being configured to transfer energy to tissue in the operating configuration, and (b) A proximal body operably attached to the end effector, the proximal body including (i) Electrical components configured to assist the end effector, (ii) A first shroud, (iii) A second shroud configured to engage with the first shroud and cooperate to define a hollow interior, and (iv) A restraint mechanism including a latch configured to operate between a locked position and an unlocked position, the latch being configured to prevent the first shroud from separating from the second shroud in the locked position, and the latch being configured to allow the first shroud to disassemble from the second shroud in the unlocked position. A surgical instrument comprising a proximal body. (18) The surgical instrument according to embodiment 17, wherein the latch includes an elastic leg configured to bend between the locked position and the unlocked position. (19) A surgical instrument comprising (a) an end effector configured to transition between a non-operative configuration and an operative configuration, the end effector being configured to transfer energy to tissue in the operative configuration; and (b) a proximal body operably attached to the end effector, the proximal body comprising (i) an electrical component configured for the end effector; (ii) a shroud assembly defining a hollow interior; and (iii) a hatch door associated with the shroud, the hatch door being configured to selectively separate from the shroud to expose the hollow interior; and (iv) a locking mechanism configured to selectively prevent the hatch door from separating from the shroud. (20) The surgical instrument according to embodiment 19, wherein the locking mechanism comprises a magnetic actuation latch.

Claims

**Claim 1** A surgical instrument, (a) an end effector configured to transition between a non-operative configuration and an operative configuration, the end effector being configured to transfer energy to tissue in the operative configuration, (b) a proximal body operably attached to the end effector, the proximal body including (i) an electrical component configured to assist the end effector, (ii) a first shroud, (iii) a second shroud coupled to and cooperating with the first shroud to define a hollow interior, the electrical component being housed within the hollow interior, (iv) a first restraint mechanism associated with the first shroud, and (v) a second restraint mechanism associated with the second shroud, the first restraint mechanism and the second restraint mechanism being configured to couple to each other to align the first shroud and the second shroud in cooperation, the first restraint mechanism and the second restraint mechanism being configured to selectively disengage to allow the first shroud and the second shroud to be separated from each other to expose the electrical component within the hollow interior, **Claim 2** The surgical instrument of claim 1, wherein the first restraint mechanism includes an elastic latch and the second restraint mechanism includes a locking shoulder. **Claim 3** The surgical instrument of claim 2, wherein the elastic latch is configured to selectively disengage the locking shoulder to allow the first shroud and the second shroud to be separated. **Claim 4** The surgical instrument of claim 3, wherein the second shroud defines an access hole configured to provide access to the elastic latch while the elastic latch is engaged with the locking shoulder. **Claim 5** The surgical instrument according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the first restraint mechanism and the second restraint mechanism are configured to couple by operating in a vertical direction. **Claim 6** The surgical instrument of claim 1, wherein the first restraint mechanism and the second restraint mechanism are configured to couple by operating in a horizontal direction. **Claim 7** The surgical instrument according to claim 1, wherein the first restraint mechanism comprises a first magnet and the second restraint mechanism comprises a second magnet.

8. The surgical instrument according to claim 1, wherein the first restraint mechanism and the second restraint mechanism are configured to be coupled to each other in a snap-fit manner.

9. The surgical instrument according to claim 1, further comprising a biasing mechanism interposed between the electrical component and the interior of the second shroud.

10. The surgical instrument according to claim 9, wherein the biasing mechanism is configured to drive the electrical component away from the second shroud in response to the first shroud and the second shroud first separating.

11. The surgical instrument according to claim 1, wherein the first restraint mechanism comprises a twist screw and the second restraint mechanism comprises a female-threaded sleeve.

12. The surgical instrument according to claim 1, wherein the proximal body comprises a handle.

13. The surgical instrument according to claim 12, further comprising a shaft assembly extending between the handle and the end effector.

14. The surgical instrument according to claim 1, wherein the end effector comprises an ultrasonic blade.

15. The surgical instrument according to claim 1, wherein the end effector comprises an electrode.

16. The surgical instrument according to claim 1, wherein the first restraint mechanism and the second restraint mechanism are configured to prevent reassembly of the proximal body when damaged.

17. A surgical instrument, comprising: (a) an end effector configured to transition between a non-operative configuration and an operative configuration, the end effector being configured to transfer energy to tissue in the operative configuration; (b) a proximal body operably attached to the end effector, the proximal body comprising: (i) an electrical component configured to assist the end effector; (ii) a first shroud; (iii) a second shroud configured to couple with the first shroud and cooperate to define a hollow interior; A restraint mechanism comprising a latch configured to operate between a locked position and an unlocked position, the latch being configured to prevent the first shroud from separating from the second shroud at the locked position, and the latch being configured to allow the first shroud to disassemble from the second shroud at the unlocked position, and a proximal body comprising the restraint mechanism, a surgical instrument.

18. The surgical instrument according to claim 17, wherein the latch comprises an elastic leg portion configured to bend between the locked position and the unlocked position.

19. A surgical instrument, (a) An end effector configured to transition between a non-operating configuration and an operating configuration, the end effector being configured to transfer energy to tissue in the operating configuration, an end effector; (b) A proximal body operably attached to the end effector, the proximal body comprising: (i) Electrical components configured for the end effector; (ii) A shroud assembly defining a hollow interior; (iii) A hatch door associated with the shroud, the hatch door being configured to selectively separate from the shroud to expose the hollow interior; (iv) A locking mechanism configured to selectively prevent the hatch door from separating from the shroud, and a proximal body comprising the locking mechanism, a surgical instrument.

20. The surgical instrument according to claim 19, wherein the locking mechanism comprises a magnetic pivot latch.

Images