Surgical apparatus including a hand-activated, cable assembly and method of using same

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9872736-B2
Application number	US-201414188041-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 24, 2014
Priority date	Aug 31, 2004
Publication date	Jan 23, 2018
Grant date	Jan 23, 2018

Abstract

A surgical apparatus and method according to which a cable assembly is connected to a handpiece and includes a sensing element, and a member adapted to move relative to the sensing element to control the operation of a motor in the handpiece.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A system, comprising:
a cable assembly comprising:
a cable housing separate from and configured to be selectively and removably connected to a handpiece having a motor that drives a surgical tool;
a sensing element housed in the cable housing to generate a signal;
at least one conductor extending from the cable housing and configured to transmit the signal;
a switch member moveable relative to the sensing element by manual operation of a user; and
a signaling member fixed to the switch member and moveable with the switch member relative to the sensing element;
wherein the sensing element housed within the cable housing generates the signal based at least on a position of the signaling member relative to the sensing element by movement of the switch member relative to the cable housing.

2. The system of claim 1 , further comprising:
a control separate from and connected to the cable assembly to control the motor based on the signal from the sensing element.

3. The system of claim 2 , further comprising:
the handpiece separate from the cable housing having a housing that encloses at least the motor that is configured to operate the surgical tool received by the handpiece;
wherein the motor receives an operation signal from the control based on the signal from the sensing element.

4. The system of claim 3 , wherein the sensing element housed in the cable housing that is selectively coupled to the handpiece allows the operation signal from the control to reach the motor.

5. The system of claim 4 , wherein the switch member includes at least one of a lever pivotally coupled to the cable housing or a button moveably coupled to the cable housing.

6. The system of claim 4 , where the cable housing includes a male connector configured to be selectively received in a female socket of the handpiece.

7. The system of claim 4 , further comprising:
the surgical tool connected to the handpiece.

8. A system, comprising:
a handpiece having a handpiece housing to be grasped by a user;
an electric motor housed in the handpiece housing and configured to be driven by a drive signal from a separate external controller;
a connecting portion of the handpiece configured to be selectively and removably coupled to an external and separable cable assembly having a sensing element that generates a control signal sent to the external controller; and
a tool connecting portion formed by the handpiece housing to connect to a tool to be operated by the electric motor.

9. The system of claim 8 , further comprising:
the cable assembly comprising:
a cable housing,
the sensing element fixed to the cable housing to generate the control signal,
a signaling member moveable relative to the sensing element, and
a conductor to conduct the control signal; and

the external controller connected to the cable assembly to receive the control signal.

10. The system of claim 9 , wherein the sensing element is selected from one of a strain gauge, an inductively coupled circuit, a pressure gauge, or a Hall-effect sensing element.

11. The system of claim 10 , wherein the external controller is configured to generate the drive signal based on the control signal to operate the electric motor in the handpiece.

12. The system of claim 10 , further comprising:
a cable connector formed by the cable housing.

13. The system of claim 12 , wherein the cable connector is a male connector and the connecting portion is a female socket.

14. The system of claim 9 , further comprising:
the tool connected to the tool connecting portion of the handpiece and operated by the electric motor.

15. A method of controlling a handpiece having a motor and connected to a control console, comprising:
connecting a first end of a cable to a cable housing of a cable assembly that is separate from and configured to be removably connected to the handpiece;
positioning a sensing element within the cable housing;
connecting a switch with the cable housing configured to be moved relative to the sensing element within the cable housing;
connecting a signaling member to the switch; and
providing a connector at an end of the cable housing to removably connect the cable assembly to the handpiece;
wherein the sensing element is configured to generate a sensing signal based at least on a position of the signaling member relative to the sensing element within the cable housing by movement of the switch relative to the cable housing.

16. The method of claim 15 , further comprising:
connecting a second end of the cable to the control console.

17. The method of claim 16 , further comprising:
operating the switch to selectively generate an operating signal by the control console.

18. The method of claim 17 , further comprising:
generating the sensing signal based upon a position of the signaling member relative to the sensing element within the cable housing; and
receiving the sensing signal at the control console.

19. The method of claim 18 , further comprising:
providing the handpiece with the motor that is controlled with the operating signal; and
removably connecting the cable housing to the handpiece.

20. The method of claim 19 , further comprising:
operating a tool connected to the handpiece with the motor by operation of the switch and sensing element.

Assignees

• Medtronic Inc

Inventors

• Mcpherson Cameron
• Shores Rex W
• Sherry Mitchell

Classifications

• A61B2017/00022

  Sensing or detecting at the treatment site · CPC title

• A61B17/1626 Primary

  Control means; Display units · CPC title

• 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

• A61B17/1615

  Drill bits, i.e. rotating tools extending from a handpiece to contact the worked material · CPC title

• A61B2017/00017

  Electrical control of surgical instruments · CPC title