Surgical instrument having force feedback capabilities

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9439649-B2
Application number	US-201213712090-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 12, 2012
Priority date	Jan 31, 2006
Publication date	Sep 13, 2016
Grant date	Sep 13, 2016

Abstract

A surgical instrument. The surgical instrument has a force delivery system which communicates a changing force to a user of the surgical instrument when a limit of a surgical function is reached. A sensor senses position of a moving element to communicate a signal to the force delivery system. In various embodiments, the system generates a vibratory force to signal the user.

First claim

We claim:

1. A surgical instrument configured to deliver a surgical function, the surgical instrument comprising:
a handle comprising a force delivery system, wherein the force delivery system is configured to operably deliver a changing force to a user holding the handle;
a shaft;
an end effector extending from the shaft;
a moving element configured to move between a plurality of positions within the end effector, wherein the plurality of positions comprises a position indicative of a limit position of the surgical function; and
a sensor configured to detect when the moving element reaches the position indicative of the limit of the surgical function, wherein the sensor operably communicates with the force delivery system, and wherein the sensor signals the force delivery system to deliver the changing force when the moving element reaches the position indicative of the limit position of the surgical function, wherein the sensor signals the force delivery system with one of the group consisting of a square wave signal and a sine wave signal.

2. The surgical system of claim 1 , wherein the changing force comprises a vibratory force.

3. The surgical system of claim 2 , wherein the position indicative of the limit of the surgical function comprises a position indicative of an articulation limit of an end effector.

4. The surgical system of claim 3 , wherein the force delivery system comprises a motor that generates the vibratory force.

5. The surgical system of claim 1 , wherein the moving element comprises a translating actuator.

6. The surgical system of claim 1 , wherein the moving element comprises a rotating actuator.

Assignees

• Ethicon Endo Surgery Inc
• Ethicon Endo Surgery Llc

Inventors

• Shelton Iv Frederick E
• Morgan Jerome J
• Leimbach Richard L
• Overmyer Mark D

Classifications

• A47J43/0716

  for machines with tools driven from the lower side (A47J43/0727 - A47J43/08 take precedence) · CPC title

• A47J36/10

  Lid-locking devices · CPC title

• A47J43/046 Primary

  with tools driven from the bottom side · CPC title

• A61B2090/033

  Abutting means, stops, e.g. abutting on tissue or skin · CPC title

• A61B2017/07271

  characterised by its cartridge · CPC title