Foot pedal occlusion indicator system, apparatus, and method

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10940245-B2
Application number	US-201916240511-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 4, 2019
Priority date	Nov 12, 2015
Publication date	Mar 9, 2021
Grant date	Mar 9, 2021

Abstract

A system, method and apparatus for notifying a surgeon of an occlusion in an ocular surgical apparatus are disclosed herein. Through operation of a handpiece of the surgical apparatus, the handpiece may become blocked or occluded. An occlusion detector is configured to sense the occlusion in the handpiece, and an occlusion signal is generated. A control module is provided to send an occlusion warning signal to a foot pedal of the surgical apparatus, where a tactile notification is provided to a user of the apparatus that an occlusion has occurred.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A process of indicating that an occlusion has occurred in an ocular surgical apparatus, the process comprising:
detecting by a sensor of the ocular surgical apparatus, the occlusion;
generating, by a control module of the ocular surgical apparatus, a notification signal in response to the detecting of the occlusion;
sending by the control module, the notification signal to a foot pedal of the ocular surgical apparatus, the foot pedal comprising a treadle and a body housing, the treadle being rotatably coupled to the body housing; and
generating, by a mechanism of the foot pedal, a tactile indicator in the foot pedal when the foot pedal receives the notification signal.

2. The process of claim 1 , wherein the tactile indicator is a vibration.

3. The process of claim 2 , wherein the mechanism is a vibration mechanism comprising a motor and an off-center weight.

4. The process of claim 1 , wherein the tactile indicator is a forced feedback.

5. The process of claim 1 , wherein the foot peddle comprises a base.

6. The process of claim 5 , wherein the mechanism is coupled to the base of the foot pedal and configured to remain stationary when the treadle is compressed.

7. The process of claim 1 , wherein the tactile indicator provides feedback to a user with respect to whether settings or criteria of the ocular surgical apparatus needs adjustment in light of the occlusion.

8. The process of claim 1 , wherein the mechanism is coupled to a surface of the treadle.

9. The process of claim 8 , wherein the surface of the treadle is a bottom surface.

10. The process of claim 8 , wherein the mechanism is configured to rotate with the treadle about a pivot point of the foot pedal when the treadle is pressed.

11. The process of claim 1 , wherein the mechanism is configured in a heel portion of the foot pedal.

12. The process of claim 1 , wherein the mechanism comprises a motor and a rotating vane wheel with one or more projections.

13. The process of claim 12 , wherein the rotating vane wheel is configured to be rotated by the motor about a rotation axis to cause the one or more projections to engage with or hit against a surface of the treadle.

Assignees

• Johnson & Johnson Surgical Vision Inc

Inventors

• Mallough Mitchell W

Classifications

• A61M3/0202 Primary

  with electronic control means or interfaces · CPC title

• A61M1/804

  using Laval or Venturi jet pumps · CPC title

• A61M2205/3576

  with non implanted data transmission devices, e.g. using external transmitter or receiver · CPC title

• G05G1/506

  Controlling members for foot-actuation · CPC title

• A61M2205/50

  with microprocessors or computers · CPC title