Patent ID: 11918751
Assignee: BIOSENSE WEBSTER (ISRAEL) LTD.
Field: Medical technology (Instruments)
Classification: CPC A | IPC A

Claim 0:
1. A method of manufacturing a surgical instrument, the surgical instrument including a sheath and an end effector extending distally from the sheath, the end effector including a cylindraceous nitinol member configured with a dome and a barrel, the method comprising:
forming at least one electrode or thermocouple on the cylindraceous nitinol member of the end effector of the surgical instrument by etching or vapor depositing a first three-dimensional structure of a first electrically-conductive material onto a first non-conductive planar material that is layered over the dome or barrel of the cylindraceous nitinol member, an outer surface of the cylindraceous nitinol member in direct contact with an inner surface of the first non-conductive planar material, an outer surface of the first non-conductive planar material in direct contact with an inner surface of the first electrically-conductive material of the first three-dimensional structure; and
forming at least one position sensor or force sensor on the sheath of the surgical instrument by etching or vapor depositing a second three-dimensional structure of a second electrically-conductive material onto a second non-conductive planar material that is layered over a thin film of nitinol, an outer surface of the thin film of nitinol in direct contact with an inner surface of the second non-conductive planar material, an inner surface of the thin film of nitinol in direct contact with an outer surface of the sheath, an outer surface of the second non-conductive planar material in direct contact with an inner surface of the second electrically-conductive material of the second three-dimensional structure.