Powered surgical tool with a control module in a sealed housing, the housing having active seals for protecting internal components from the effects of sterilization

摘要

A powered surgical tool with a housing that contains a power generating unit such as a motor. A control module is disposed in a shell that is mounted in the housing. Conductive pins extend through the shell to provide electrical connections to the components within the shell. An active seals are disposed around the conductors and the inner walls of the shell that define the openings in which the shells are seated. Each active seal include an inner and outer skirt. A biasing component disposed between the skirts urges the inner skirt against the section of the conductive pin seated in the opening. The biasing component also urges the outer skirt against the adjacent opening-defining inner wall of the shell. The active seal functions as a barrier between the conductive pin and the adjacent inner wall of the shell.

主权项

1. A powered surgical tool including:
a housing; a power generating unit disposed in said housing; an attachment that extends from said housing that is connected to and actuated by the power generating unit for performing a surgical/medical task; a control module disposed in the housing, the control module having: a shell, said shell formed with at least one opening: a circuit disposed in said shell for regulating operation of said power generating unit; at least one conductive pin that extends through the at least one opening of said shell for establishing an electrical connection between said power generating unit and said circuit; and a seal assembly disposed in said at least one opening of said shell, said seal including:
a first stop disposed in the at least one opening around said pin, said first stop extending to an inner surface of said shell that defines the shell opening;a second stop disposed in the at least one opening around said pin said second stop extending to the inner surface of said shell that defines the shell opening, said second stop being spaced away from said first stop;a seal unit disposed in the at least one opening around said conductive pin and between said first and second stops, said seal including: a boot, said boot shaped to have an inner skirt that extends around a section of said conductive pin that that extends through the shell opening; an outer skirt disposed around said pin adjacent the inner surface of said shell that defines the shell opening; and a base that extends between said skirts; and at least one biasing member located between said skirts that biases the outer skirt against the shell inner surface or biases the inner skirt against said pin.