Patent ID: 11931059
Assignee: CILAG GMBH INTERNATIONAL
Field: Medical technology (Instruments)
Classification: CPC A | IPC A

Claim 12:
13. An ultrasonic surgical instrument, comprising:
(a) an end effector including an ultrasonic blade and a clamp arm pivotally connected relative to the ultrasonic blade, wherein the clamp arm is configured to selectively move from an open position for receiving a tissue and a closed position for clamping tissue against the ultrasonic blade;
(b) a shaft assembly defining a longitudinal axis and proximally extending from the end effector, wherein the shaft assembly includes an acoustic waveguide in acoustic communication with the ultrasonic blade;
(c) an ultrasonic transducer assembly proximally extending from and in acoustic communication with the acoustic waveguide;
(d) a housing proximally projecting from the shaft assembly such that the ultrasonic transducer assembly is positioned within the housing;
(e) a carrier movably supporting the ultrasonic transducer assembly along the longitudinal axis such that the ultrasonic transducer assembly, the acoustic waveguide, and the end effector are configured to collectively move relative to the housing from a proximal, retracted position on the longitudinal axis to a distal, extended position on the longitudinal axis for inserting the ultrasonic blade into a patient;
(f) an electrical cable extending through the housing at a cable port and electrically connected to the ultrasonic transducer assembly, wherein the electrical cable is configured to transmit electrical communication therealong for operating the ultrasonic transducer assembly; and
(g) a flex circuit operatively connected to the ultrasonic transducer assembly,
wherein the flex circuit has a manual activation switch, and wherein the manual activation switch is configured to allow manual activation of the ultrasonic transducer assembly, and
wherein the flex circuit has a closure switch configured to activate the ultrasonic transducer assembly with the clamp arm in the closed position with a predetermined clamping force.