Patent ID: 11950798
Assignee: CILAG GMBH INTERNATIONAL
Field: Medical technology (Instruments)
Classification: CPC A | IPC A

Claim 15:
16. An ultrasonic surgical instrument, comprising:
(a) an end effector including an ultrasonic blade;
(b) a shaft assembly extending proximally from the end effector, wherein the shaft assembly includes:
(i) a tube,
(ii) an acoustic waveguide received within the tube, wherein the acoustic waveguide is operatively connected to the ultrasonic blade such that the acoustic waveguide is in acoustic communication with the ultrasonic blade, and
(ii) a sheath positioned between the acoustic waveguide and the tube and configured to damp acoustic vibrations from the acoustic waveguide toward the tube; and

(c) a sheath sensor positioned on the sheath and configured to measure force applied at the sheath as a measured force and thereby provide real-time feedback of a non-clamping force applied against the ultrasonic blade,
wherein the sheath sensor is configured to measure the force applied between the sheath and the acoustic waveguide for determining the non-clamping force applied against the ultrasonic blade.