Transducer assembly, transducer housing, and ultrasound scalpel
The transducer assembly design, which connects the front and rear shells with flexible materials, solves the problem of the heavy weight of existing ultrasonic scalpels, enabling simpler installation and lighter handle operation, while ensuring shell stability during the sterilization process.
Patent Information
- Authority / Receiving Office
- WO · WO
- Patent Type
- Applications
- Current Assignee / Owner
- ENSURGE MEDICAL (SUZHOU) CO LTD
- Filing Date
- 2025-06-17
- Publication Date
- 2026-06-04
Smart Images
Figure CN2025101405_04062026_PF_FP_ABST
Abstract
Description
Transducer assembly, transducer housing and ultrasonic scalpel
[0001] This application claims priority to Chinese patent application No. CN2024116972204, filed on November 26, 2024, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. Technical Field
[0002] This disclosure relates to the field of medical devices, specifically to a transducer assembly, a transducer housing, and an ultrasonic scalpel. Background Technology
[0003] An ultrasonic scalpel (also known as an ultrasonic blade or ultrasonic hemostatic blade) is an advanced medical device widely used in surgical procedures. Its working principle is based on high-frequency ultrasonic vibrations, enabling precise tissue cutting while minimizing bleeding, making it an indispensable tool in modern minimally invasive surgery. The core component of the ultrasonic scalpel is the transducer, which converts electrical energy into mechanical energy, generating high-frequency vibrations (typically around 55,000 Hz). These high-frequency vibrations are transmitted to the surgical site through a special blade tip, allowing the tip to gently and precisely cut tissue. In addition to cutting tissue, the ultrasonic scalpel also has a coagulation function. During the cutting process, the high-frequency vibrations of the blade tip can close blood vessels, thereby reducing bleeding.
[0004] The transducer is usually assembled together with the transducer housing to form a transducer assembly, and is integrally installed in the handle housing of the ultrasonic scalpel. The transducer's amplitude rod is used to generate vibration, and the transducer housing is used to protect the transducer. The amplitude rod can be rotated by rotating the transducer housing. In other words, the transducer housing and the transducer are relatively fixed.
[0005] In existing ultrasonic scalpels, the transducer housing is usually made of metal to withstand high-temperature or vacuum sterilization environments. Because the metal housing is relatively rigid, multiple elastic components are needed between the metal housing and the transducer to reduce interference from the metal housing on the amplitude transformer's vibration. This makes the installation process more complex. Additionally, the overall weight of the ultrasonic scalpel is relatively heavy, placing a significant burden on it during prolonged surgical procedures. Public content
[0006] One object of this disclosure is to provide a transducer assembly that addresses one or more problems of the prior art.
[0007] To achieve the above objectives, the technical solution adopted in this disclosure is: a transducer assembly, comprising a transducer and a transducer housing relatively fixedly arranged, wherein the transducer includes a front portion of an amplitude rod, a flange, and a rear portion of an amplitude rod connected sequentially from front to back along the axial direction, the outer diameter of the flange being larger than the outer diameter of the rear portion of the amplitude rod and the outer diameter of the front portion of the amplitude rod; the transducer housing includes a front shell, a middle shell, a rear shell, and a conductive plate, the middle shell being sealed between the front shell and the rear shell, and the conductive plate being fixedly disposed on the rear shell. At the rear, the front part of the middle shell or the front shell is fitted onto the outer periphery of the flange. A sealed chamber is formed between the conductive plate, the rear shell, the middle shell, the front shell and the flange. The rear part of the amplitude transformer is housed in the sealed chamber and electrically connected to the conductive plate. The front shell and the rear shell are both made of rigid material, while the middle shell is made of flexible and deformable material. The transducer housing is also provided with a perforation communicating with the sealed chamber, and the perforation is covered with a waterproof and breathable membrane.
[0008] In some embodiments, the middle shell has a hollow cavity extending axially, the front shell is fitted onto the front part of the middle shell, and the inner circumferential cavity wall of the front shell is sealed to the outer circumferential wall of the middle shell; the rear part of the middle shell is fitted onto the front part of the rear shell, and the outer circumferential wall of the rear shell is sealed to the inner circumferential cavity wall of the middle shell; the conductive plate is fixedly disposed on the rear part of the rear shell, and the conductive plate is sealed to the rear end face of the rear shell.
[0009] In some embodiments, the middle shell is integrally formed on one of the front shell and the rear shell, and a sealing layer is provided between the other of the front shell and the middle shell, and the sealing layer is used to fix and seal them together.
[0010] Alternatively, a sealing layer may be provided between the inner cavity wall of the front shell and the outer peripheral wall of the middle shell, and between the outer peripheral wall of the rear shell and the inner cavity wall of the middle shell, to achieve mutual fixation and sealing.
[0011] In some embodiments, the middle shell has a first cylinder, a second cylinder, and a third cylinder connected sequentially from front to back. The cross-section of at least a portion of the first cylinder, the cross-section of at least a portion of the inner cavity of the front shell, and the cross-section of the flange have the same shape and are all non-circular. The first cylinder is integrally attached to the inner wall of the front shell and is sleeved on the flange. The front part of the rear shell is fitted into the inner cavity of the third cylinder.
[0012] In some embodiments, the inner cavity of the third cylinder is circular, the second cylinder has a cylinder body and a connecting portion, the cylinder body extends rearward from the rear of the first cylinder, the inner cavity of the cylinder body has the same cross-sectional shape as the inner cavity of the first cylinder, and the size gradually decreases from front to back; the connecting portion connects the third cylinder and the cylinder body, and the connecting portion is tapered with a smaller front and a larger rear.
[0013] In some embodiments, the rear shell includes a mounting cylinder portion and an end cap portion, the outer diameter of the end cap portion being larger than the outer diameter of the mounting cylinder portion, the rear portion of the middle shell being fitted onto the outer periphery of the mounting cylinder portion, the outer periphery of the mounting cylinder portion being provided with a plurality of axially spaced annular ribs, and the conductive plate being fixedly connected to the rear end face of the mounting cylinder portion.
[0014] In some embodiments, the front portion of the front housing is further provided with a limiting portion, the limiting portion having a through hole through which the front portion of the amplitude rod passes axially, and the flange being located behind the limiting portion.
[0015] In some embodiments, a sealant is provided between the conductive plate and the rear part of the rear shell, so that the front end face of the conductive plate and the rear end face of the rear shell are sealed together, and / or, a sealant is provided between the limiting part and the flange.
[0016] In some embodiments, the middle shell is made of flexible plastic, silicone, or rubber, while the front and rear shells are both made of rigid plastic.
[0017] In some embodiments, the conductive plate includes a plate body, the perforation is formed on the plate body and extends through the plate body in a front-to-back direction, and the waterproof and breathable membrane is fixed on the plate body and covers the perforation.
[0018] In some embodiments, the conductive plate includes a conductive element fixed on the plate body. The conductive element includes a first conductive portion and a second conductive portion that are insulated from each other. The first conductive portion is annular and surrounds the outer periphery of the second conductive portion. There are two or more perforations spaced apart on the plate body, and the perforations are located between the first conductive portion and the second conductive portion.
[0019] In some embodiments, the plate body has two or more perforations, and each perforation is covered with a waterproof and breathable membrane on its front side, the circumferential edge of the waterproof and breathable membrane being sealed to the front end face of the plate body.
[0020] Another object of this disclosure is to provide a transducer housing that can be assembled with a transducer to form a transducer assembly.
[0021] To achieve the above objectives, the technical solution adopted in this disclosure is: a transducer housing, the transducer housing comprising a front shell, a middle shell, a rear shell, and a conductive plate, wherein the front shell, the middle shell, and the rear shell are all hollow, the middle shell is axially connected between the front shell and the rear shell, and the middle shell is circumferentially sealed to both the front shell and the rear shell, and the conductive plate is fixedly disposed at the rear of the rear shell.
[0022] The front shell and the rear shell are both made of rigid materials, while the middle shell is made of flexible and deformable materials. The conductive plate has axially penetrating perforations, and the perforations are covered with a waterproof and breathable membrane.
[0023] In some embodiments, the middle shell has a hollow cavity extending axially, the front shell is fitted onto the front part of the middle shell, and the inner circumferential cavity wall of the front shell is sealed to the outer circumferential wall of the middle shell; the rear part of the middle shell is fitted onto the front part of the rear shell, and the outer circumferential wall of the rear shell is sealed to the inner circumferential cavity wall of the middle shell; the conductive plate is fixedly disposed on the rear part of the rear shell, and the conductive plate is sealed to the rear end face of the rear shell.
[0024] In some embodiments, the middle shell is integrally formed on one of the front shell and the rear shell, and a sealing layer is provided between the other of the front shell and the middle shell to achieve mutual fixation and sealing;
[0025] Alternatively, a sealing layer may be provided between the inner cavity wall of the front shell and the outer peripheral wall of the middle shell, and between the outer peripheral wall of the rear shell and the inner cavity wall of the middle shell, to achieve mutual fixation and sealing.
[0026] In some embodiments, the front portion of the middle shell is integrally formed in the inner cavity of the front shell, and at least a portion of the inner cavity of the front shell has the same cross-section as at least a portion of the cross-section of the middle shell, both of which are non-circular.
[0027] In some embodiments, the front portion of the front shell is provided with a limiting portion, which is located in the inner cavity of the front shell, and the limiting portion is provided with a through hole extending in the front-rear direction.
[0028] In some embodiments, the rear shell includes a mounting cylinder portion and an end cap portion, the outer diameter of the end cap portion being larger than the outer diameter of the mounting cylinder portion, the rear portion of the middle shell being fitted onto the outer periphery of the mounting cylinder portion, the outer periphery of the mounting cylinder portion being provided with a plurality of axially spaced annular ribs, and the conductive plate being fixedly connected to the rear end face of the mounting cylinder portion.
[0029] In some embodiments, the conductive plate includes a plate body and a conductive element fixed on the plate body, the perforation is formed on the plate body and penetrates the plate body in the front-to-back direction, the waterproof and breathable membrane is fixed on the plate body and covers the perforation, and the conductive element and the perforation do not overlap.
[0030] In some embodiments, the conductive element includes a first conductive portion and a second conductive portion that are insulated from each other. The first conductive portion is annular and surrounds the outer periphery of the second conductive portion. There are two or more perforations spaced apart, and the perforations are located on the plate between the first conductive portion and the second conductive portion.
[0031] In some embodiments, each of the perforations is covered with a waterproof and breathable membrane on its front side, and the circumferential edge of the waterproof and breathable membrane is sealed to the front end face of the plate.
[0032] Another object of this disclosure is to provide an ultrasonic scalpel, including a handle and a blade, the handle including a handle housing and a transducer assembly disposed within the cavity of the handle housing as described above.
[0033] Due to the application of the above technical solution, this disclosure has the following advantages: In the transducer assembly and transducer housing provided by this disclosure, the front shell and the rear shell are connected by a middle shell made of a soft and deformable material. When the transducer is installed in the transducer housing, it is not necessary to set multiple elastic parts to reduce the influence of the transducer housing on the vibration of the amplitude transformer, making the whole structure simpler and the production and installation process more convenient. When the transducer assembly is vacuum sterilized, the transducer housing will not be deformed or damaged. At the same time, the overall weight of the transducer assembly and the handle on which it is installed is reduced, reducing the burden on the operator's hands.
[0034] The ultrasonic surgical scalpel disclosed herein contains all the technical solutions for the transducer assembly, and therefore necessarily possesses all the technical advantages of the transducer assembly. Attached Figure Description
[0035] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions of this disclosure, the accompanying drawings used in the description of the embodiments will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the accompanying drawings described below are only some embodiments of this disclosure. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative effort.
[0036] Figure 1 is a schematic diagram of the overall structure of a transducer assembly according to an embodiment of the present disclosure;
[0037] Figure 2 is a schematic diagram of the overall structure of the transducer housing in the transducer assembly of Figure 1;
[0038] Figure 3 is an exploded view of the transducer housing structure shown in Figure 2;
[0039] Figure 4 is an exploded view of the transducer assembly in Figure 1.
[0040] Figure 5 is a front view of the transducer assembly in Figure 1.
[0041] Figure 6 is a schematic diagram of the cross-sectional structure along direction AA in Figure 5;
[0042] Figure 7 is a schematic diagram of the left-side structure of the transducer assembly in Figure 1;
[0043] Figure 8 is a schematic diagram of the structure of the transducer assembly in Figure 1 after the conductive plate is removed;
[0044] Figure 9 is a schematic diagram of the overall structure of an ultrasonic surgical knife according to an embodiment of the present disclosure;
[0045] In the attached diagrams above:
[0046] 1. Front shell; 11. Limiting part; 12. Positioning part;
[0047] 2. Middle shell; 21. First cylinder; 21a. Fitting part; 22. Second cylinder; 22a. Cylinder body; 22b. Connecting part; 23. Third cylinder;
[0048] 3. Rear shell; 31. Mounting cylinder; 31a. Annular rib; 31b. Clearance groove; 32. End cap; 33. Positioning protrusion;
[0049] 4. Conductive plate; 41. Plate body; 41a. Connecting hole; 41b. Perforation; 42. Waterproof and breathable membrane; 43. Conductive component; 43a. First conductive part; 43b. Second conductive part;
[0050] 5. Transducer; 51. Flange; 52. Rear part of the luffing rod; 53. Front part of the luffing rod; 53a. Connecting bolts;
[0051] 6. Conductive wire;
[0052] 100. Handle; 101. Handle housing; 200. Cutting tool; 10. Transducer assembly. Detailed Implementation
[0053] The technical solutions of this disclosure will now be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings and preferred embodiments, so that the advantages and features of this disclosure can be more easily understood by those skilled in the art. Obviously, the embodiments described in this application are only a part of the embodiments, and not all of the embodiments.
[0054] The diagrams in Figures 1 to 8 are drawn to scale. To maintain the brevity of the instruction manual, the proportions of each component are not listed individually. However, the proportions and positions of each component should be considered part of the content of this instruction manual.
[0055] It should be noted that the following descriptions of the front-back direction are based on the direction observed by the surgeon when the ultrasonic scalpel is used in the surgical procedure, and are intended only to clearly illustrate the relative positional relationships of the transducer assembly and the various components in the ultrasonic scalpel.
[0056] Referring to Figure 9, the ultrasonic scalpel includes a handle 100 and a blade 200. The handle 100 includes a handle housing 101 and a transducer assembly 10 disposed in the inner cavity of the handle housing 101. The blade 200 is connected to the front of the handle 100, and the blade shank of the blade 200 is connected to the transducer assembly 10 in the inner cavity of the handle housing 101.
[0057] Referring to Figures 1 to 8, the transducer assembly 10 includes a transducer 5 and a transducer housing that are fixedly arranged relative to each other. The transducer 5 includes a front part 53 of an amplitude rod, a flange 51, and a rear part 52 of an amplitude rod connected sequentially from front to back along the axial direction. The outer diameter of the flange 51 is larger than the outer diameter of the rear part 52 of the amplitude rod and the outer diameter of the front part 53 of the amplitude rod. The front end of the front part 53 of the amplitude rod is provided with a connecting screw 53a for connecting with the blade of the ultrasonic surgical scalpel 200. The rear part 52 of the amplitude rod contains the core components and circuit elements of the transducer 5. The transducer housing is mainly used to enclose the rear part 52 of the amplitude rod and other structures installed on it, and to fix it to the transducer 5. The transducer assembly 10 is installed in the handle housing 101 by connecting the transducer housing to the handle housing 101.
[0058] Referring to Figures 1 to 8, the transducer housing includes a front shell 1, a middle shell 2, a rear shell 3, and a conductive plate 4. The middle shell 2 is sealed between the front shell 1 and the rear shell 3. The conductive plate 4 is fixedly disposed at the rear of the rear shell 3. The front part of the middle shell 2 or the front shell 1 is fitted onto the outer periphery of the flange 51, forming a sealed chamber between the conductive plate 4, the rear shell 3, the middle shell 2, the front shell 1, and the flange 51. The rear part 52 of the amplitude transformer is housed within this sealed space and electrically connected to the conductive plate 4. The front shell 1 and the rear shell 3 are both made of rigid materials, while the middle shell 2 is made of a flexible and deformable material. The hardness of the front shell 1 and the rear shell 3 is greater than that of the middle shell 2. The transducer housing also has a perforation 41b communicating with the sealed chamber, and this perforation 41b is covered with a waterproof and breathable membrane 42.
[0059] Thus, in this transducer assembly 10, on the one hand, the middle shell 2, made of a flexible and deformable material, is connected between the front shell 1 and the rear shell 3, achieving a flexible connection between them. When the front part 53 of the amplitude rod vibrates, the vibration is transmitted to the front shell 1. However, thanks to the flexible buffering effect of the middle shell 2, the vibration is not transmitted to the rear shell 3. This allows the vibration between the front shell 1 and the rear shell 3 to be adequately buffered, ensuring that the rear shell 3 has almost no impact on the vibration of the front part 53 of the amplitude rod. The rear shell 3 will not resonate; that is, when the front part 53 of the amplitude rod vibrates, it will not cause the rear shell 3 to vibrate along with it. The energy of the vibration of the front part 53 of the amplitude rod will not be lost due to the vibration of the transducer housing, and the vibration of the front part 53 of the amplitude rod can be more effectively... The transmission is conducted to the distal end of the blade 200, which is located at a greater distance (the blade of an ultrasonic scalpel is typically over 20cm, and the blade commonly used in this field is 36cm), thereby ensuring normal coagulation and cutting operations during surgery. At the same time, the middle shell 2 is made of a flexible material, which is lighter than traditional metal materials, making the overall weight of the transducer assembly 10 significantly lower than that of existing transducer assemblies with an integral metal shell. This reduces the overall weight of the handle 100 and alleviates the burden on the surgeon's hands. On the other hand, since the waterproof and breathable membrane 42 is breathable and waterproof, it can prevent liquid from entering the sealed chamber of the transducer assembly 10 through the perforation 41b, while allowing the sealed chamber to communicate with the external airflow. In this way, a vacuum operation can be performed when sterilizing the handle 100 of the ultrasonic scalpel. During vacuum sterilization, the sterilizing gas can enter the sealed chamber through the waterproof and breathable membrane 42, so that the internal and external air pressures are consistent. During the vacuum operation, the middle shell 2 will not expand outward under pressure due to the pressure difference between the inside and outside of the sealed chamber, thus avoiding deformation of the transducer shell and loss of protection for the rear part 52 of the amplitude transformer.
[0060] Referring to Figures 1 to 8, in the transducer assembly 10 of this embodiment, the middle shell 2 has a hollow cavity extending axially, the front shell 1 is sleeved on the front part of the middle shell 2, and the inner circumferential cavity wall of the front shell 1 is sealed with the outer circumferential wall of the middle shell 2; the rear part of the middle shell 2 is sleeved on the front part of the rear shell 3, and the outer circumferential wall of the rear shell 3 is sealed with the inner circumferential cavity wall of the middle shell 2; the conductive plate 4 is fixedly disposed on the rear part of the rear shell 3, and the conductive plate 4 is sealed with the rear end face of the rear shell 3.
[0061] Specifically, the middle shell 2 can be made of silicone, flexible plastic, or rubber, such as thermoplastic elastomer or nitrile rubber. In this embodiment, the middle shell 2 is a flexible tube made of flexible plastic material, while the front shell 1 and rear shell 3 are both made of rigid plastic material. The material of the middle shell 2 is mainly selected from TPU (thermoplastic polyurethane elastomer, also known as thermoplastic polyurethane rubber) and / or TPE (thermoplastic elastomer, also known as synthetic rubber), and has a certain degree of flexibility. The materials of the front shell 1 and rear shell 3 are mainly selected from at least one of PC (polycarbonate), ABS (acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene plastic), PI (polyimide), PA (polyamide), PMMA (polymethyl methacrylate), POM (polyoxymethylene), and PTFE (polytetrafluoroethylene). In this way, the overall weight of the transducer shell is lighter than that of the traditional one-piece metal shell, further reducing the overall weight of the handle 100.
[0062] In a specific configuration, the middle shell 2 can be integrally mounted on one of the front shell 1 and the rear shell 3. A sealing layer is provided between the other of the two shells and the middle shell 2, and the middle shell 2 is fixed and sealed together through this sealing layer. Alternatively, the middle shell 2 can be fixed and sealed together with the front shell 1 and the rear shell 3 respectively through sealing layers. That is, sealing layers are provided between the inner cavity wall of the front shell 1 and the outer peripheral wall of the middle shell 2, and between the outer peripheral wall of the rear shell 3 and the inner cavity wall of the middle shell 2, respectively, to achieve mutual fixation and sealing. In this embodiment, the front part of the middle shell 2 is integrally formed on the front shell 1, that is, the middle shell 2 and the front shell 1 constitute an integral component and are assembled with the transducer 5 and the rear shell 3. This not only facilitates assembly but also ensures the reliability of the sealing connection between the front shell 1 and the middle shell 2.
[0063] Referring to Figures 3 and 4, the middle shell 2 has a first cylindrical body 21, a second cylindrical body 22, and a third cylindrical body 23 connected sequentially from front to back. The front shell 1 is fitted onto the outer periphery of the first cylindrical body 21, and the first cylindrical body 21 is fitted onto the flange 51. The cross-section of the flange 51 is non-circular, specifically it can be set as a polygon. At least part of the cross-section of the first cylindrical body 21 and at least part of the cross-section of the inner cavity of the front shell 1 have the same shape as the cross-section of the flange 51. This allows the front shell 1, the middle shell 2, and the flange 51 to be fixed relative to the flange 51 in the circumferential direction after they are fitted together, avoiding relative rotation between them. In this way, when the transducer housing rotates, the transducer 5 can rotate synchronously with it.
[0064] Here, a plurality of positioning parts 12 are provided at the rear of the front shell 1. Specifically, the positioning part 12 is a positioning groove that communicates with the inner cavity of the front shell 1. A mating part 21a is also provided on the outer periphery of the first cylinder 21. The aforementioned mating part 21a protrudes outward from the outer periphery of the first cylinder 21 and can be inserted into the plurality of positioning parts 12 in a corresponding manner, which makes the connection between the front shell 1 and the middle shell 2 more stable and reliable.
[0065] The front part of the front housing 1 is also provided with a limiting part 11, which has a through hole for the front part 53 of the amplitude rod to pass through axially. The limiting part 11 is located in the inner cavity of the front housing 1, and the flange 51 is located behind the limiting part 11. The axial limiting between the transducer 5 and the transducer housing is achieved by the cooperation between the limiting part 11 and the flange 51. A sealant is also provided between the end faces of the limiting part 11 and the flange 51, so that the flange 51 and the limiting part 11 of the front housing 1 are further fixed and sealed.
[0066] The front part of the rear shell 3 is inserted into the inner cavity of the third cylinder 23. Here, the inner cross-section of the third cylinder 23 is specifically set to be circular. The second cylinder 22 has a cylinder body 22a and a connecting part 22b. The cylinder body 22a extends rearward from the rear of the first cylinder 21. The inner cavity of the cylinder body 22a has the same cross-sectional shape as the inner cavity of the first cylinder 21, and its size gradually decreases from front to back. This makes the middle shell 2 easier to form during molding. The connecting part 22b connects the third cylinder 23 and the cylinder body 22a, and the connecting part 22b is tapered, with a smaller front and a larger rear. Of course, in other embodiments, the second cylinder 22 can also be set to other shapes. For example, the front inner cavity of the cylinder body 22a has the same cross-sectional shape as the inner cavity of the first cylinder 21, while the rear inner cavity is a circle with a gradually decreasing diameter, etc.
[0067] The rear shell 3 includes a mounting cylinder 31 and an end cap 32. The outer diameter of the end cap 32 is larger than the outer diameter of the mounting cylinder 31. The rear part of the middle shell 2 is fitted onto the outer periphery of the mounting cylinder 31. The conductive plate 4 is fixedly connected to the rear end face of the mounting cylinder 31. The outer periphery of the mounting cylinder 31 is also provided with a plurality of annular ribs 31a spaced apart along the axial direction. When the mounting cylinder 31 is inserted into the inner cavity of the connecting part 22b, the fit between the aforementioned annular ribs 31a and the circumferential cavity wall of the connecting part 22b not only makes the connection between the two tighter, but also allows a sealing layer to be accommodated between two adjacent annular ribs 31a, further improving the sealing performance between the two.
[0068] Referring to the accompanying drawings, in this transducer assembly 10, a perforation 41b and a waterproof and breathable membrane 42 are disposed on a conductive plate 4. Specifically, the conductive plate 4 includes a plate body 41, which can be integrally formed with the rear shell 3, or it can be fixedly connected to the rear end of the rear shell 3 and sealed to the rear end face of the rear shell 3 as in this embodiment. The perforation 41b is formed on the plate body 41 and penetrates the plate body 41 along the thickness direction. The waterproof and breathable membrane 42 is fixed to the front end face of the plate body 41 and covers the front side of the perforation 41b.
[0069] Specifically, the conductive plate 4 also includes a conductive element 43 for electrical connection with external connecting elements, so that the conductive element 43 can maintain electrical connection with the connecting elements when the transducer assembly 10 rotates to any angle around its own axis. Here, the conductive element 43 is generally in the shape of a thin plate, which is fixedly disposed on the rear end of the plate body 41 and its rear end face is flush with the rear end face of the plate body 41. Specifically, the conductive element 43 includes a first conductive part 43a and a second conductive part 43b that are insulated from each other. The first conductive part 43a is annular, and the second conductive part 43b is annular or disc-shaped as shown in this embodiment. The first conductive part 43a is coaxially arranged around the circumferential outer side of the second conductive part 43b.
[0070] In this embodiment, the plate 41 has two or more perforations 41b, each perforation 41b is covered with a waterproof and breathable membrane 42, and the circumferential edges of all the waterproof and breathable membranes 42 are sealed to the front end face of the plate 41. Here, the two perforations 41b are spaced apart and located between the first conductive part 43a and the second conductive part 43b.
[0071] In this embodiment, the conductive plate 4 is specifically made of PCB board, which is generally disc-shaped. Multiple connection holes 41a are provided at intervals on its outer periphery. Multiple positioning protrusions 33 are correspondingly provided at the rear end of the rear shell 3. When the conductive plate 4 is connected to the rear end of the rear shell 3, sealant is first applied between the front sides of the conductive plate 4. Then, the multiple connection holes 41a and the multiple positioning protrusions 33 are matched one by one to make the conductive plate 4 and the rear shell 3 correspondingly positioned. The front side of the conductive plate 4 is bonded and fixed to the rear end face of the rear shell 3 by sealant, so that the conductive plate 4 is fixed to the rear shell 3 and sealed with the rear shell 3, thereby closing the rear end of the rear shell 3.
[0072] The rear shell 3 is also provided with two clearance grooves 31b extending through the axis. The rear part 52 of the amplitude rod of the transducer 5 is electrically connected to the first conductive part 43a and the second conductive part 43b of the conductive plate 4 through two conductive wires 6. The two conductive wires 6 are respectively housed in the two clearance grooves 31b.
[0073] For example, the transducer assembly 10 of this embodiment can be assembled as follows: the front part 53 of the amplitude rod of the transducer 5 is inserted into the inner cavity of the middle shell 2 from the rear part and passes through the through hole at the front part of the front shell 1, so that the middle shell 2 is fitted on the outer periphery of the flange 51, and the flange 51 is fitted forward with the limiting part 11 to achieve axial limiting; two conductive wires 6 are respectively inserted into the two clearance grooves 31b of the rear shell 3, and then sealant is applied to the outer periphery of the rear shell 3, and the front part of the rear shell 3 is inserted forward into the inner cavity of the third cylinder 23 of the middle shell 2, and the sealant is cured between the rear shell 3 and the middle shell 2 to form a sealant layer, so that the rear shell 3 and the middle shell 2 are fixed and sealed to each other; the conductive plate 4 is electrically connected to the transducer 5 through two conductive wires 6, and then sealant is applied to the front end face of the conductive plate 4, and then it is positioned at the rear end of the rear shell 3, so that the conductive plate 4 and the rear shell 3 are sealed and fixedly connected to each other.
[0074] In summary, the transducer assembly 10 provided in this embodiment has a transducer housing divided into a front shell 1, a middle shell 2, and a rear shell 3. The rear shell 3 is connected to the front shell 1 by a flexible and deformable middle shell 2, which makes the rear shell 3 have almost no impact on the vibration of the front part 53 of the amplitude transformer. This eliminates the need for multiple elastic components to reduce the impact of the transducer housing on the vibration of the front part 53 of the amplitude transformer, making the overall structure simpler and the production and installation process more convenient. When sterilizing the handle 100 of the ultrasonic scalpel equipped with this transducer assembly 10, a vacuum operation can be performed. During the vacuum operation, the middle shell 2 will not expand outward under pressure due to the pressure difference between the inside and outside of the sealed chamber, preventing deformation and failure of the transducer housing. Furthermore, the transducer housing design in this embodiment significantly reduces the overall weight of the transducer assembly 10 compared to existing transducer assemblies with an integral metal shell, reducing the burden on the surgeon's hands and facilitating delicate surgical procedures.
[0075] The above embodiments are only for illustrating the technical concept and features of this disclosure, and are intended to enable those skilled in the art to understand the content of this disclosure and implement it accordingly. They should not be construed as limiting the scope of protection of this disclosure. All equivalent changes or modifications made based on the substance of this disclosure should be included within the scope of protection of this disclosure.
Claims
1. A transducer assembly, comprising a transducer and a transducer housing fixedly disposed relative to each other, the transducer comprising a front portion of an amplitude rod, a flange, and a rear portion of an amplitude rod connected sequentially from front to back along an axial direction, wherein the outer diameter of the flange is larger than the outer diameter of the rear portion of the amplitude rod and the outer diameter of the front portion of the amplitude rod, characterized in that: The transducer housing includes a front shell, a middle shell, a rear shell, and a conductive plate. The middle shell is sealed between the front shell and the rear shell. The conductive plate is fixedly disposed at the rear of the rear shell. The front of the middle shell or the front shell is fitted onto the outer periphery of the flange. A sealed chamber is formed between the conductive plate, the rear shell, the middle shell, the front shell, and the flange. The rear part of the amplitude transformer is housed in the sealed chamber and electrically connected to the conductive plate. The front shell and the rear shell are both made of rigid material, while the middle shell is made of flexible and deformable material. The transducer housing also has a perforation communicating with the sealed chamber, and the perforation is covered with a waterproof and breathable membrane.
2. The transducer assembly according to claim 1, characterized in that: The middle shell has a hollow cavity extending axially. The front shell is fitted onto the front part of the middle shell, and the inner circumferential cavity wall of the front shell is sealed to the outer circumferential wall of the middle shell. The rear part of the middle shell is fitted onto the front part of the rear shell, and the outer circumferential wall of the rear shell is sealed to the inner circumferential cavity wall of the middle shell. The conductive plate is fixedly disposed on the rear part of the rear shell, and the conductive plate is sealed to the rear end face of the rear shell.
3. The transducer assembly according to claim 2, characterized in that: The middle shell is integrally formed on one of the front shell and the rear shell, and a sealing layer is provided between the other of the front shell and the middle shell to achieve mutual fixation and sealing. Alternatively, a sealing layer may be provided between the inner cavity wall of the front shell and the outer peripheral wall of the middle shell, and between the outer peripheral wall of the rear shell and the inner cavity wall of the middle shell, to achieve mutual fixation and sealing.
4. The transducer assembly according to claim 2, characterized in that: The middle shell has a first cylinder, a second cylinder, and a third cylinder connected sequentially from front to back. At least a portion of the cross-section of the first cylinder, at least a portion of the cross-section of the inner cavity of the front shell, and the cross-section of the flange have the same shape and are all non-circular. The first cylinder is integrally attached to the inner wall of the front shell and is sleeved on the flange. The front part of the rear shell is fitted into the inner cavity of the third cylinder.
5. The transducer assembly according to claim 4, characterized in that: The inner cross-section of the third cylinder is circular. The second cylinder has a cylinder body and a connecting part. The cylinder body extends rearward from the rear of the first cylinder. The inner cavity of the cylinder body has the same cross-sectional shape as the inner cavity of the first cylinder, and the size gradually decreases from front to back. The connecting part connects the third cylinder and the cylinder body. The connecting part is tapered, with a smaller front and a larger rear.
6. The transducer assembly according to claim 2, characterized in that: The rear shell includes a mounting cylinder and an end cap. The outer diameter of the end cap is larger than the outer diameter of the mounting cylinder. The rear part of the middle shell is fitted onto the outer periphery of the mounting cylinder. The outer periphery of the mounting cylinder is provided with a plurality of axially spaced annular ribs. The conductive plate is fixedly connected to the rear end face of the mounting cylinder.
7. The transducer assembly according to claim 2, characterized in that: The front part of the front housing is also provided with a limiting part, which has a through hole for the front part of the amplitude rod to pass through axially, and the flange is located behind the limiting part.
8. The transducer assembly according to claim 7, characterized in that: A sealant is provided between the conductive plate and the rear part of the rear shell, so that the front end face of the conductive plate and the rear end face of the rear shell are sealed together, and / or, a sealant is provided between the limiting part and the flange.
9. The transducer assembly according to claim 1, characterized in that: The middle shell is made of flexible plastic or silicone or rubber, while the front shell and the rear shell are both made of rigid plastic.
10. The transducer assembly according to claim 1, characterized in that: The conductive plate includes a plate body, the perforation is formed on the plate body and penetrates the plate body in the front-to-back direction, and the waterproof and breathable membrane is fixed on the plate body and covers the perforation.
11. The transducer assembly according to claim 10, characterized in that: The conductive plate includes a conductive element fixed on the plate body. The conductive element includes a first conductive part and a second conductive part that are insulated from each other. The first conductive part is annular and surrounds the outer periphery of the second conductive part. There are two or more perforations spaced apart. The perforations are located on the plate body between the first conductive part and the second conductive part.
12. The transducer assembly according to claim 10, characterized in that: The plate has two or more perforations, and each perforation is covered with a waterproof and breathable membrane on its front side. The circumferential edge of the waterproof and breathable membrane is sealed to the front end face of the plate.
13. A transducer housing, characterized in that: The transducer housing includes a front shell, a middle shell, a rear shell, and a conductive plate. The front shell, the middle shell, and the rear shell are all hollow. The middle shell is axially connected between the front shell and the rear shell, and is circumferentially sealed to both the front shell and the rear shell. The conductive plate is fixedly disposed at the rear of the rear shell. The front shell and the rear shell are both made of rigid material, while the middle shell is made of flexible and deformable material. The conductive plate has axially penetrating perforations, and the perforations are covered with a waterproof and breathable membrane.
14. The transducer housing according to claim 13, characterized in that: The middle shell has a hollow cavity extending axially. The front shell is fitted onto the front part of the middle shell, and the inner circumferential cavity wall of the front shell is sealed to the outer circumferential wall of the middle shell. The rear part of the middle shell is fitted onto the front part of the rear shell, and the outer circumferential wall of the rear shell is sealed to the inner circumferential cavity wall of the middle shell. The conductive plate is fixedly disposed on the rear part of the rear shell, and the conductive plate is sealed to the rear end face of the rear shell.
15. The transducer housing according to claim 14, characterized in that: The middle shell is integrally formed on one of the front shell and the rear shell, and a sealing layer is provided between the other of the front shell and the middle shell to achieve mutual fixation and sealing. Alternatively, a sealing layer may be provided between the inner cavity wall of the front shell and the outer peripheral wall of the middle shell, and between the outer peripheral wall of the rear shell and the inner cavity wall of the middle shell, to achieve mutual fixation and sealing.
16. The transducer housing according to claim 14, characterized in that: The front portion of the middle shell is integrally formed in the inner cavity of the front shell, and the cross-section of at least a portion of the inner cavity of the front shell is the same as that of at least a portion of the middle shell and both are non-circular.
17. The transducer housing according to claim 14, characterized in that: The front part of the front shell is provided with a limiting part, which is located in the inner cavity of the front shell, and the limiting part is provided with a through hole that runs through the front and rear directions.
18. The transducer housing according to claim 14, characterized in that: The rear shell includes a mounting cylinder and an end cap. The outer diameter of the end cap is larger than the outer diameter of the mounting cylinder. The rear part of the middle shell is fitted onto the outer periphery of the mounting cylinder. The outer periphery of the mounting cylinder is provided with a plurality of axially spaced annular ribs. The conductive plate is fixedly connected to the rear end face of the mounting cylinder.
19. The transducer housing according to claim 13, characterized in that: The conductive plate includes a plate body and a conductive element fixed on the plate body. The perforation is formed on the plate body and penetrates the plate body in the front-to-back direction. The waterproof and breathable membrane is fixed on the plate body and covers the perforation. The conductive element and the perforation do not overlap.
20. The transducer housing according to claim 19, characterized in that: The conductive component includes a first conductive part and a second conductive part that are insulated from each other. The first conductive part is annular and is arranged around the outer periphery of the second conductive part. There are two or more perforations that are spaced apart. The perforations are located on the plate between the first conductive part and the second conductive part. Each of the perforations is covered with a waterproof and breathable membrane on its front side, and the circumferential edge of the waterproof and breathable membrane is sealed to the front end face of the plate.
21. An ultrasonic surgical scalpel, comprising a handle and a blade, characterized in that: The handle includes a handle housing and a transducer assembly disposed within the inner cavity of the handle housing, wherein the transducer assembly is as described in any one of claims 1 to 12.