System and method for non-contact electronic articulation sensing

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11406368-B2
Application number	US-201816172284-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 26, 2018
Priority date	Oct 6, 2006
Publication date	Aug 9, 2022
Grant date	Aug 9, 2022

Abstract

A surgical instrument is disclosed. The instrument includes a handle portion, a body portion extending distally from the handle portion and defining a first longitudinal axis and an articulating tool assembly defining a second longitudinal axis and having a proximal end. The articulating tool assembly is disposed at a distal end of the body portion and is movable from a first position in which the second longitudinal axis is substantially aligned with the first longitudinal axis to at least a second position in which the second longitudinal axis is disposed at an angle with respect to the first longitudinal axis. The instrument also includes an articulation mechanism configured to articulate the articulating tool assembly, the articulation mechanism including an articulation sensor assembly configured to transmit a sensor signal to a microcontroller which is configured to determine an articulation angle of the articulation assembly.

First claim

What is claimed:

1. A surgical instrument, comprising:
a tool being movable between an unarticulated position and an articulated position;
an articulation mechanism operably coupled to the tool and configured to move the tool between the unarticulated position and the articulated position, the articulation mechanism including:
a housing; and
an articulation knob moveable relative to the housing and mechanically engaged to the tool, wherein rotational motion of the articulation knob is translated into articulation movement of the tool; and

an articulation sensor assembly including:
a magnet coupled to the articulation knob and a magnetic sensor coupled to the housing, the magnetic sensor configured to measure a magnetic field of the magnet; and
a microcontroller operably coupled to the magnet and configured to determine an articulation angle of the tool based on the measured magnetic field.

2. The surgical instrument according to claim 1 , wherein the microcontroller is configured to determine the articulation angle as a function of a displacement of the articulation knob based on the magnetic field.

3. The surgical instrument according to claim 1 , further comprising a switch coupled to the housing, the switch configured to actuate when the tool is in at least one of the articulated position or the unarticulated position.

4. The surgical instrument according to claim 3 , wherein the microcontroller receives a switch signal from the switch and is configured to determine whether the tool is in the articulated position based on the switch signal.

Assignees

• Covidien Lp

Inventors

• Ross Adam
• Zemlok Michael
• Marczyk Stanislaw

Classifications

• A61B2017/00367

  Details of actuation of instruments, e.g. relations between pushing buttons, or the like, and activation of the tool, working tip, or the like · CPC title

• A61B17/068

  Surgical staplers {, e.g. containing multiple staples or clamps}({staplers containing only one staple A61B17/10; magazines or containers for staples A61B17/105;} for performing anastomosis A61B17/115; {staplers in general B25C5/00}) · CPC title

• A61B2017/320052

  Guides for cutting instruments · CPC title

• A61B2017/00681

  Aspects not otherwise provided for · CPC title

• A61B2017/00137

  Details of operation mode · CPC title