Powered surgical devices including strain gauges incorporated into flex circuits

Abstract

A surgical device includes an end effector and a handle assembly operably coupled to the end effector. The end effector includes an anvil assembly and a cartridge assembly pivotally coupled to one another. The cartridge assembly includes a staple cartridge, a cartridge carrier, and a strain gauge. The cartridge carrier includes an elongated support channel configured to receive the staple cartridge, the elongated support channel defined by an inner first surface and a pair of inner second surfaces. The inner first surface includes a recess defined therein, and the strain gauge is disposed within the recess. The handle assembly includes a power-pack configured to receive sensor data from the strain gauge of the end effector and to control a function of the end effector in response to the sensor data.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A surgical device, comprising:
 an end effector including an anvil assembly and a cartridge assembly pivotally coupled to one another, the cartridge assembly including:
 a staple cartridge; 
 a cartridge carrier including an elongated support channel configured to receive the staple cartridge, the elongated support channel defined by an inner first surface and a pair of inner second surfaces, the inner first surface including a recess defined therein; and 
 a strain gauge disposed within the recess of the cartridge carrier; and 
   a handle assembly operably coupled to the end effector, the handle assembly including a power-pack configured to receive sensor data from the strain gauge of the end effector and to control a function of the end effector in response to the sensor data.   
     
     
         2 . The surgical device according to  claim 1 , wherein the recess of the cartridge carrier includes a first portion extending longitudinally along a majority of the length of the cartridge carrier, the strain gauge secured to the first portion of the recess. 
     
     
         3 . The surgical device according to  claim 2 , wherein the recess of the cartridge carrier includes a second portion extending from the first portion at an angular orientation relative thereto and open to one of the pair of inner second surfaces of the cartridge carrier. 
     
     
         4 . The surgical device according to  claim 3 , wherein the end effector includes a flex circuit disposed within the second portion of the cartridge carrier and extending distally along the respective one of the pair of inner second surfaces of the cartridge carrier. 
     
     
         5 . The surgical device according to  claim 4 , wherein the strain gauge is embedded within the flex circuit. 
     
     
         6 . The surgical device according to  claim 5 , wherein the flex circuit includes a first region including resistor traces forming the strain gauge, and a second region including conductive traces coupled to the strain gauge. 
     
     
         7 . The surgical device according to  claim 5 , wherein the flex circuit includes a first dielectric layer, a resistive layer disposed over the first dielectric layer, a conductive layer disposed over the resistive layer. 
     
     
         8 . The surgical device according to  claim 7 , wherein the resistive layer extends an entire length of the first dielectric layer, the resistive layer including resistor traces patterned in a first region of the flex circuit and a continuous plane of resistive material in a second region of the flex circuit. 
     
     
         9 . The surgical device according to  claim 8 , wherein the conductive layer is disposed over the resistive layer, the resistor traces masked from the conductive layer. 
     
     
         10 . The surgical device according to  claim 1 , wherein the end effector further includes a microcontroller coupled to a memory, the microcontroller electrically coupled to the strain gauge and configured to receive sensor data from the strain gauge, the memory configured to store the sensor data. 
     
     
         11 . An end effector for a surgical device, the end effector comprising:
 an anvil assembly; and   a cartridge assembly pivotally coupled to the anvil assembly, the cartridge assembly including:
 a staple cartridge; 
 a cartridge carrier including an elongated support channel configured to receive the staple cartridge, the elongated support channel defined by an inner first surface and a pair of inner second surfaces, the inner first surface including a recess defined therein; and 
 a strain gauge disposed within the recess of the cartridge carrier. 
   
     
     
         12 . The end effector according to  claim 11 , wherein the recess of the cartridge carrier includes a first portion extending longitudinally along a majority of the length of the cartridge carrier, the strain gauge secured to the first portion of the recess. 
     
     
         13 . The end effector according to  claim 12 , wherein the recess of the cartridge carrier includes a second portion extending from the first portion at an angular orientation relative thereto and open to one of the pair of inner second surfaces of the cartridge carrier. 
     
     
         14 . The end effector according to  claim 13 , wherein the end effector includes a flex circuit disposed within the second portion of the cartridge carrier and extending distally along the respective one of the pair of inner second surfaces of the cartridge carrier. 
     
     
         15 . The end effector according to  claim 14 , wherein the strain gauge is embedded within the flex circuit. 
     
     
         16 . The end effector according to  claim 15 , wherein the flex circuit includes a first region including resistor traces forming the strain gauge, and a second region including conductive traces coupled to the strain gauge. 
     
     
         17 . The end effector according to  claim 15 , wherein the flex circuit includes a first dielectric layer, a resistive layer disposed over the first dielectric layer, a conductive layer disposed over the resistive layer. 
     
     
         18 . The end effector according to  claim 17 , wherein the resistive layer extends an entire length of the first dielectric layer, the resistive layer including resistor traces patterned in a first region of the flex circuit and a plane of resistive material in a second region of the flex circuit. 
     
     
         19 . The end effector according to  claim 18 , wherein the conductive layer is disposed over the resistive layer, the resistor traces masked from the conductive layer. 
     
     
         20 . The end effector according to  claim 11 , further comprising a microcontroller coupled to a memory, the microcontroller electrically coupled to the strain gauge and configured to receive sensor data from the strain gauge, the memory configured to store the sensor data.