MODULAR DOCKING SYSTEM FOR ELECTROSURGICAL EQUIPMENT

Abstract

A docking system for electrosurgical equipment where a first docking interface is a recess in the housing of a smoke evacuator and a second docking interface is a raised portion of an electrosurgical unit. The first and second docking interfaces have corresponding ground, power, and communication contacts, so that the two devices can be physically and electrically interconnected by mating the first docking interface with the second docking interface. The first docking interface is on the top of the smoke evacuator and the second docking interface is on the bottom of the electrosurgical unit so that the devices may be stacked and interconnected using a minimum amount of space without the need for cabling.

Claims

1. A docking system for electrosurgical equipment, comprising: a first docking interface comprising a recess in a first housing associated with a first electrosurgical device, wherein the recess includes a first set of electrical contacts extending thereacross; a second docking interface comprising a raised portion in a second housing associated with a second electrosurgical device, wherein the raised portion includes a second set of electrical contacts extending thereacross; and wherein the recess is configured to receive the raised portion therein so that the first set of electrical contacts are coupled to and in electrical communication with the second set of electrical contacts when the first docking interface and second docking interface are positioned together.

2. The docking system of claim 1, wherein the first set of electrical contacts are arranged linearly across the recess.

3. The docking system of claim 2, wherein the second set of electrical contacts are arranged linearly across the raised portion.

4. The docking system of claim 3, wherein the first electrosurgical device comprises a smoke evacuator.

5. The docking system of claim 4, wherein the first set of electrical contacts are positioned on an upper surface the smoke evacuator.

6. The docking system of claim 5, wherein the second electrosurgical device comprises an electrosurgical unit.

7. The docking system of claim 6, wherein the second set of electrical contacts are positioned on a lower surface of the electrosurgical unit.

8. The docking system of claim 7, wherein the first set of electrical contacts and the second set of electrical contacts each comprise a pair of ground contacts, a pair of power contacts, and a series of communication contacts.

9. The docking system of claim 8, wherein the smoke evacuator received power from the electrosurgical unit via the first docking interface and the second docking interface.

10. The docking system of claim 9, wherein the smoke evacuator is in communication with the electrosurgical unit via the first docking interface and the second docking interface.

11. The docking system of claim 10, wherein first docking interface extends transversely across an upper surface of the housing of the smoke evacuator.

12. The docking system of claim 11, wherein second docking interface extends transversely across a lower surface of the housing of the electrosurgical unit.

13. The docking system of claim 12, wherein the upper surface of the housing of the smoke evacuator includes a third docking interface comprising a recess.

14. The docking system of claim 13, wherein the lower surface of the housing of the electrosurgical unit includes a fourth docking interface comprising a raised portion that can be received by the recess of the third docking interface.

15. The docking system of claim 14, wherein the first docking interface extends across a front portion of the smoke evacuator, the third docking interface extends across a rear portion of the smoke evacuator, the second docking interface extends across a front portion of the electrosurgical unit, and the fourth docking interface extends across a rear portion of the electrosurgical unit.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWING(S)

[0006] The present invention will be more fully understood and appreciated by reading the following Detailed Description in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

[0007] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a modular interconnection system for electrosurgical equipment according to the present invention;

[0008] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a modular docking interface for a smoke evacuator according to the present invention;

[0009] FIG. 3 is a perspective of electrical interconnectors in modular docking interface for a smoke evacuator according to the present invention;

[0010] FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a modular docking interface for an electrosurgical unit according to the present invention; and

[0011] FIG. 5 is a perspective of electrical interconnectors in modular docking interface for an electrosurgical unit according to the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0012] Referring to the figures, wherein like numeral refer to like parts throughout, there is seen in FIG. 1 an electrosurgical system 10 having two or more interconnected modules, shown as an electrosurgical unit 12 and a smoke evacuator 14. Electrosurgical unit 12 and smoke evacuator 14 are interconnected using an upwardly facing docking interface 16 of smoke evacuator 14 that mates with a corresponding downwardly docking interface 20 of electrosurgical unit 12.

[0013] Referring to FIG. 2, docking interface 16 includes a series of power connectors 22, ground studs 24, and communication ports 26, shown as male style connectors positioned within a recessed portion 28 of the housing 30 of smoke evacuator 14. More specifically, docking interface 16 comprises a pair of ground studs 24a and 24b positioned at opposing ends 32 and 34 of recessed portion 28. Recessed portion 28 extends transversely across a forward portion 36 of the upper surface 38 of housing 30. Ground studs 24a and 24b may comprise conventional banana jack plugs that provide electrical connectivity as well as structural coupling. A pair of power connectors 22a and 22b and a series of communication ports 26a, 26b, 26c, and 26d, are positioned and extend between ground studs 24 and 24a and within recessed portion 28. Referring to FIG. 3, power connectors 22a and 22b and a series of communication ports 26a, 26b, 26c, and 26d may comprise cylindrical posts 40 that extend outwardly and upwardly from housing 30, wherein each post 40 defines an inner cavity 42 having electrical contacting faces therein as is conventionally known for electronic interconnection.

[0014] Power connectors 22a and 22b, ground studs 24 and 24a, and communication ports 26a, 26b, 26c, and 26d are arranged linearly and extend transversely across forward portion 36 of housing 30. This orientation provides structural stability to the interconnection between electrosurgical unit 12 and smoke evacuator 14 as well as electrical connectivity when electrosurgical unit 12 and smoke evacuator 14 are interconnected. The orientation also allows for easy interconnection in the field and ensure that electrosurgical unit 12 and smoke evacuator 14 are aligned in a condensed footprint to minimize the amount of space needed for electrosurgical unit 12 and smoke evacuator 14.

[0015] Referring to FIG. 4, docking interface 20 of electrosurgical unit 12 comprises a raised portion 50 relative to a housing 54 of electrosurgical unit 12. Raised portion 50 extends downwardly from a forward portion 52 of the lower surface of housing 54. The geometry of docking interface 20 corresponds to the geometry of docking interface 16 so that docking interface 20 may be received stably within docking interface 16. For example, docking interface 16 is shown as generally rectangular with a slight taper and radius defining the perimeter of docking interface 16. Docking interface 20 has a corresponding rectangular shape with a slight taper and radius so that docking interface 16 and docking interface 20 can be easily positioned by a user in an interfacing relationship and so that when docking interface 20 is seated with docking interface 16, there is contact between the rectangular surfaces to provide structural stability between electrosurgical unit 12 and a smoke evacuator 14 as they are stacked together.

[0016] Docking interface 20 includes series of power connectors 62, ground stud receivers 64a and 64b, and communication ports 46, shown in FIG. 4 as female connectors positioned within raised portion 50 of housing 54 of electrosurgical unit 12. In the example of banana jack plugs as ground studs 24a and 24b, ground stud receivers 64a and 64b may comprise banana jack sockets. As with docking interface 26, docking interface 20 includes a pair of ground stud receivers 64a and 64b positioned at opposing ends 72 and 74 of raised portion 50.

[0017] As seen in FIG. 5, power connectors 62a and 62b and a series of communication ports 66a, 66b, 66c, and 66d may comprise cylindrical receptacles 80 extending inwardly into housing 54 and having a contact pins 82 supported therein for electrical engagement with inner cavities 42 of power connectors 22a and 22b and communication ports 26a, 26b, 26c, and 26d.

[0018] Power connectors 62, ground connectors 64, and communication ports 66 and positioned to engage power connectors 22, ground studs 24, and communication connectors 26 and provide for electrical continuity therebetween when smoke evacuator 14 is positioned on electrosurgical unit 12 so that docking interface 20 is received within docking interface 16. As a result, smoke evacuator 14 can be powered from electrosurgical unit 12 and be placed into electrical communication therewith without the need for an external power cable or a communication interface cable. Instead, simply positioning smoke evacuator 14 on top of electrosurgical unit 12 with provide for power and communication interconnectivity. The connection ports and grounding studs also act to hold the modules together, so they do not come apart unless the user wants to take them apart. The interfacing of power connectors 62, ground connectors 64, and communication ports 66 with power connectors 22, ground stud receivers 24, and communication ports 26 also helps hold the modules together.

[0019] As seen in FIG. 1, smoke evacuator 14 may include an additional receptacle 16 positioned in rear portion 90 that includes additional ground contacts 24. Similarly, electrosurgical unit 12 may include an additional docking interface 20 containing just ground connectors 24 positioned on a rear portion of the downwardly surface. As further seen in FIG. 1, additional upwardly facing docking interfaces 16 may be provided on an upper surface of electrosurgical unit 12 for interconnection to other operating room equipment outfitting with docking interfaces according to the present invention. It should be recognized that the docking interfaces of the present invention could be reversed, i.e., the recessed and raised portions reverses, or the positioning of the electrosurgical unit 12 and smoke evacuator 14 reversed with the docking interfaces reverses accordingly.