Patent US5925039A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US5925039A
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Electrosurgical instrument with conductive ceramic or cermet and method of making same
Assignee: Kentucky Packaging Service LP
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Filing: 1996-06-12
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Granted: 1999-07-20
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Expires: 2016-06-12
Abstract
Abstract An electrosurgical instrument including an active electrode surface made of a conducting ceramic or cermet. The conducting ceramic may be a carbide, boride, or nitride ceramic or a mixture of these ceramics. The cermet may include a ceramic and a metal selected from the group consisting of Cobalt, Nickel, Iron, Tungsten, Molybdenum, Titanium, Zirconium, and Aluminum. The conducting ceramic or cermet active electrode surface may be supported on a core. In some embodiments, the core is a metal core with the active electrode surface formed as a coating on a surface of the metal core. In other embodiments, the core is made of electrically insulating material. Some embodiments of the invention are Bovie blades, bipolar forceps, cauterizing end effectors for endoscopic surgery, bipolar biopsy devices, and spatula blades having the inventive active electrode surface.
Inventors
- 👤 Richard L. Landingham
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-23 20:54
CPC Classifications
A; A61; A61B; A61B18/00; A61B18/04; A61B18/12; A61B18/14; A61B2018/00053; A61B2018/00107; A61B2018/00119
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 37
Claim 1
Independent Claim
19 words
An electrosurgical instrument, including an active electrode surface made of an electrically conducting ceramic or an electrically conducting cermet.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
19 words
An electrosurgical instrument, including an active electrode surface made of an electrically conducting ceramic or an electrically conducting cermet.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
37 words
The electrosurgical instrument of claim 1, wherein the active electrode surface is made of a cermet selected from the group consisting of Aluminum/Boron Carbide, Cobalt/Tungsten Carbide, Nickel Iron/Tungsten Carbide, Nickel Molybdenum/Titanium Carbide, Titanium/Aluminum Oxide, and Aluminum/Aluminum Oxide.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
20 words
The electrosurgical instrument of claim 1, further including means for maintaining the active electrode surface at a desired electric potential.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
29 words
The electrosurgical instrument of claim 1, wherein the active electrode surface is made of an electrically conducting ceramic that is substantially unreactive in a carburizing environment present during electrosurgery.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
27 words
The electrosurgical instrument of claim 1, wherein the active electrode surface is made of a cermet that is substantially unreactive in a carburizing environment present during electrosurgery.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
15 words
The electrosurgical instrument of claim 1, wherein said electrosurgical instrument is a unipolar electrosurgical instrument.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
29 words
The electrosurgical instrument of claim 1, wherein the active electrode surface is made of a cermet selected from the group consisting of Aluminum/Boron Carbide and an Aluminum Alloy/Boron Carbide.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
22 words
The electrosurgical instrument of claim 7, wherein the cermet contains between about 40% and about 80% by weight of B 4 C.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
21 words
The electrosurgical instrument of claim 1, wherein the electrosurgical instrument further includes a support means for supporting the active electrode surface.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
31 words
The electrosurgical instrument of claim 9, wherein the support means is a metal core and the active electrode surface is formed as a coating on a surface of the support means.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
16 words
The electrosurgical instrument of claim 9, wherein the support means is an electrically insulating support means.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
16 words
The electrosurgical instrument of claim 1, wherein the active electrode surface is made of a cermet.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
15 words
The electrosurgical instrument of claim 12, wherein the cermet includes a refractory or transition metal.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
34 words
The electrosurgical instrument of claim 12, wherein the cermet includes a metal selected from the group consisting of Silver, Hafnium, Copper, Platinum, Tantalum, Vanadium, Tungsten, Titanium, Zirconium, Niobium, Cobalt, Nickel, Iron, Molybdenum, and Aluminum.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
30 words
The electrosurgical instrument of claim 12, wherein the cermet includes a second ceramic selected from the group consisting of carbide ceramics, boride ceramics, nitride ceramics, and mixtures of these ceramics.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
39 words
The electrosurgical instrument of claim 1, wherein the active electrode surface is made of an electrically conducting ceramic comprising a first ceramic selected from the group consisting of carbide ceramics, boride ceramics, nitride ceramics, and mixtures of these ceramics.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
46 words
The electrosurgical instrument of claim 16, wherein the first ceramic is selected from the group consisting of Boron Carbide, Tungsten Carbide, Titanium Carbide, Molybdenum Carbide, Niobium Carbide, Zirconium Carbide, Titanium Boride, Zirconium Boride, Vanadium Carbide, Hafnium Carbide, Titanium Nitride, Aluminum nitride, Zirconium nitride, and Tantalum Carbide.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
16 words
The electrosurgical instrument of claim 16, wherein the conducting ceramic further comprises an electrically insulating ceramic.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
17 words
The electrosurgical instrument of claim 18, wherein the first ceramic is dispersed in the electrically insulating ceramic.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
24 words
An electrosurgical instrument, including a metal core coated with an active electrode surface made of an electrically conducting ceramic or an electrically conducting cermet.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
24 words
An electrosurgical instrument, including a metal core coated with an active electrode surface made of an electrically conducting ceramic or an electrically conducting cermet.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
38 words
The electrosurgical instrument of claim 20, wherein the active electrode surface is made of a cermet selected from the group consisting of Aluminum/Boron Carbide, Cobalt/Tungsten Carbide, Nickel Iron/Tungsten Carbide, Nickel Molybdenum/Titanium Carbide, Titanium Aluminum Oxide, and Aluminum/Aluminum Oxide.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
24 words
The electrosurgical instrument of claim 20, wherein the cermet includes a metal component that is the same as the metal of the metal core.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
20 words
The electrosurgical instrument of claim 20, further including means for maintaining the active electrode surface at a desired electric potential.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
29 words
The electrosurgical instrument of claim 20, wherein the active electrode surface is made of an electrically conducting ceramic that is substantially unreactive in a carburizing environment present during electrosurgery.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
27 words
The electrosurgical instrument of claim 20, wherein the active electrode surface is made of a cermet that is substantially unreactive in a carburizing environment present during electrosurgery.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
22 words
The electrosurgical instrument of claim 20, wherein the active electrode surface is made of an electrically conducting ceramic comprising a diamond-like material.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
30 words
The electrosurgical instrument of claim 20, wherein the active electrode surface is made of a cermet selected from the group consisting of an Aluminum/Boron Carbide or an Aluminum Alloy/Boron Carbide.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
22 words
The electrosurgical instrument of claim 27, wherein the cermet contains between about 40% and about 80% by weight of B 4 C.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
39 words
The electrosurgical instrument of claim 20, wherein the active electrode surface is made of an electrically conducting ceramic comprising a first ceramic selected from the group consisting of carbide ceramics, boride ceramics, nitride ceramics and mixtures of these ceramics.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
46 words
The electrosurgical instrument of claim 29, wherein the first ceramic is selected from the group consisting of Boron Carbide, Tungsten Carbide, Titanium Carbide, Molybdenum Carbide, Niobium Carbide, Zirconium Carbide, Titanium Boride, Zirconium Boride, Titanium Nitride, Aluminum Nitride, Zirconium Nitride, Vanadium Carbide, Hafnium Carbide, and Tantalum Carbide.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim
25 words
The electrosurgical instrument of claim 29, wherein the electrically conducting ceramic further includes a metal component that is the same metal as the metal core.
Claim 34
Dependent Claim
23 words
The electrosurgical instrument of claim 20, wherein the active electrode surface is made of a cermet comprising a metal and a second ceramic.
Claim 35
Dependent Claim
15 words
The electrosurgical instrument of claim 32, wherein the metal is a refractory or transition metal.
Claim 36
Dependent Claim
32 words
The electrosurgical instrument of claim 32, wherein the metal is selected from the group consisting of Silver, Copper, Hafnium, Platinum, Tantalum, Vanadium, Tungsten, Titanium, Zirconium, Niobium, Cobalt, Nickel, Iron, Molybdenum, and Aluminum.
Claim 37
Dependent Claim
28 words
The electrosurgical instrument of claim 32, wherein the second ceramic is selected from the group consisting of carbide ceramics, boride ceramics, nitride ceramics, and mixture of these ceramics.
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| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
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| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2002-07-19 | 2003-01-18 | 2003-07-20 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2006-07-19 | 2007-01-18 | 2007-07-20 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2010-07-19 | 2011-01-18 | 2011-07-20 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |