Medical handle

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9451976-B2
Application number	US-961908-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 17, 2008
Priority date	Jan 17, 2007
Publication date	Sep 27, 2016
Grant date	Sep 27, 2016

Abstract

A medical handle comprises a drive unit and a control device or circuit for driving a medical tool. The control device or circuit comprises a control and/or regulating circuit for controlling and/or regulating the drive unit, the drive unit comprises at least one magnetic element and a sensor system for determining the alignment of the at least one magnetic element. To achieve simpler assembly and a greater resistance to the ambient conditions that prevail during sterilization in comparison with known handles, the sensor system and the control and/or regulating circuit are combined in a joint control module, and the at least one magnetic element is arranged in the medical handle in such a way that at least a part of the control module can be positioned in the immediate vicinity of the at least one magnetic element and that the sensor system is arranged in the control module in such a way that it can be positioned in the immediate vicinity of the at least one magnetic element.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A medical handle comprising
a grip section, a function section, a drive unit adapted to drive a medical tool and a control and/or regulating circuit adapted to control and/or regulate the drive unit, wherein the drive unit comprises a brushless electric motor with a stator, a rotor unit including a rotor and at least one magnetic element that rotates with the rotor and a sensor system for determining the alignment of the at least one magnetic element by determining an angle of rotation of the at least one magnetic element, the sensor system sensing the at least one magnetic element that rotates with the rotor and the rotational movement of the motor, wherein the sensor system for determining the alignment of the at least one magnetic element and the control and/or regulating circuit are combined in a one-piece joint control module, wherein the at least one magnetic element is arranged in the medical handle in such a way that at least a part of the control module can be positioned in the immediate vicinity of the at least one magnetic element and wherein the sensor system for determining the alignment of the at least one magnetic element is arranged in the control module in such a way that it can be positioned in the immediate vicinity of the at least one magnetic element,
wherein the control module has an elongated shape that is accommodated partially in the grip section and the function section and comprises a first end turned toward the drive unit and a second end turned toward an energy source for supplying energy to the handle,
wherein the first end is provided with contact elements which connect the control module to the drive unit for the supply of drive signals to the drive unit and the second end is provided with electrical contact elements for connecting the control module to the energy source,
wherein the medical handle has a tool receptacle for the medical tool or a connecting device for a tool receptacle, and wherein the rotor unit comprises the rotor and one of the at least one magnetic element which is in the form of a sensor magnet, and wherein the sensor magnet and the control module are arranged between the rotor and the tool receptacle of the connecting device, and wherein the sensor system comprises at least two sensors positioned to surround the at least one magnetic element in an arch-shaped or circular configuration.

2. The medical handle according to claim 1 , wherein the control module is shaped in such a way that the at least one magnetic element and the sensor system for determining the alignment of the at least one magnetic element can be arranged in direct proximity to one another.

3. The medical handle according to claim 2 , wherein the control module comprises an accommodation for at least partially accommodating or surrounding the at least one magnetic element.

4. The medical handle according to claim 3 , wherein the accommodation comprises one of an arch-shaped setback, a step-shaped setback or a bore.

5. The medical handle according to claim 1 , wherein the sensor system for determining the alignment of the at least one magnetic element is arranged on one of the first end and the second ends of the control module.

6. The medical handle according to claim 1 , wherein the function section is arranged at an angle to the grip section, wherein the at least one magnetic element is arranged in one of the two sections.

7. The medical handle according to claim 6 , wherein the at least one magnetic element is arranged in an area of the function section to which the grip section is adjacent, and the control module is accommodated at least partially in the grip section.

8. The medical handle according to claim 1 , wherein the control module comprises a carrier device that is one of a carrier plate or a circuit board on which at least the control and/or regulating circuit and the sensor system are mounted.

9. The medical handle according to claim 1 , wherein the control module is surrounded at least partially by a housing.

10. The medical handle according to claim 9 , wherein the housing is designed so that the operability of the components in the interior of the housing can be maintained even after frequent cleaning or sterilization.

11. The medical handle according to claim 9 , wherein the housing comprises a hermetically sealed interior.

12. The medical handle according to claim 9 , wherein the housing comprises a cast material, which embeds the control module.

13. The medical handle according to claim 1 , wherein the control module further comprises at least one of the following:
at least parts of the circuit for selecting the drive rotational speed, at least parts of the circuit for selecting the direction of rotation of the electric motor, at least parts of a circuit for monitoring the temperature of heat-emitting components of the handle, and at least parts of a circuit for monitoring the voltage of voltage-carrying parts of the handle.

14. The medical handle according to claim 1 , wherein the control module comprises:
an elongate body having the first end and the second end;
a housing substantially surrounding and hermetically sealing the elongate body, and
the electrical contact elements positioned on the elongate body adjacent the second end, the electrical contact elements having a portion that extends through the housing and is removably connectable to a source of electric power.

15. The medical handle of claim 14 , wherein the contact elements positioned on the first end of the elongate body have a portion that projects through the housing, the portion of the contact elements being connectable to provide electric power to the motor.

16. The medical handle of claim 14 , wherein the first end of the elongate body is shaped to allow the sensor system to be positioned in operative relationship with the at least one magnetic element.

17. The medical handle of claim 14 , wherein the medical handle has a pistol-grip shaped body with a grip section and a function section arranged at an angle to the grip section, the control module being configured for positioning inside the pistol-shaped body with the first end projecting into the function section and a remainder of the control module extending into the grip section.

18. The medical handle of claim 14 , wherein the control module comprises one or more additional sensors mounted on the elongate body and within the housing, the one or more sensors being operable to sense magnetic elements of a variable user control used to selectively change an operation of the electric motor.

19. The medical handle according to claim 14 , wherein the housing is designed so that the operability of the components in the interior of the housing can be maintained even after frequent cleaning or sterilization.

20. The medical handle according to claim 14 , wherein the housing comprises a cast material within which the control module is embedded.

Assignees

• Schneider Rainer
• Schroeck Rainer
• Pletscher Walter
• Ott Josef
• Arthrex Inc

Inventors

• Schneider Rainer
• Schroeck Rainer
• Pletscher Walter
• Ott Josef

Classifications

• H02K11/215

  Magnetic effect devices, e.g. Hall-effect or magneto-resistive elements · CPC title

• H02K29/08

  using magnetic effect devices, e.g. Hall-plates, magneto-resistors (H02K29/12 takes precedence) · CPC title

• H02K7/145

  Hand-held machine tool · CPC title

• A61B2090/0813

  Accessories designed for easy sterilising, i.e. re-usable · CPC title

• A61B2017/320028

  with reciprocating movements · CPC title