Method and apparatus for determining parameters of linear motion in a surgical instrument
First Claim
1. A surgical instrument, comprising:
- a housing;
an elongated shaft extending distally from the housing and defining a first longitudinal axis;
a firing rod disposed at least partially within the elongated shaft;
a drive mechanism disposed at least partially within the elongated shaft, the drive mechanism being in mechanical cooperation with the firing rod;
a sensor that senses changes in an electric field between the firing rod and the elongated shaft;
a signal generator that generates a pulse signal including a plurality of pulses, wherein widths of the plurality of pulses vary with the changes in the electric field between the firing rod and the elongated shaft;
a measurement unit that measures the widths of the plurality of pulses; and
a data processor that determines a parameter of motion of the firing rod based on the measured widths of the plurality of pulses.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A surgical instrument and method of controlling the surgical instrument are disclosed. The surgical instrument includes a housing and an elongated shaft that extends distally from the housing and defines a first longitudinal axis. The surgical instrument also includes a firing rod disposed in the elongated shaft and a drive mechanism disposed at least partially within the housing. The drive mechanism mechanically cooperates with the firing rod to move the firing rod. A motion sensor senses a change in the electric field (e.g., capacitance, impedance, or admittance) between the firing rod and the elongated shaft. The measurement unit determines a parameter of the motion of the firing rod, such as the position, speed, and direction of the firing rod, based on the sensed change in the electric field. A controller uses the measured parameter of the motion of the firing rod to control the drive mechanism.
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Citations
16 Claims
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1. A surgical instrument, comprising:
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a housing; an elongated shaft extending distally from the housing and defining a first longitudinal axis; a firing rod disposed at least partially within the elongated shaft; a drive mechanism disposed at least partially within the elongated shaft, the drive mechanism being in mechanical cooperation with the firing rod; a sensor that senses changes in an electric field between the firing rod and the elongated shaft; a signal generator that generates a pulse signal including a plurality of pulses, wherein widths of the plurality of pulses vary with the changes in the electric field between the firing rod and the elongated shaft; a measurement unit that measures the widths of the plurality of pulses; and a data processor that determines a parameter of motion of the firing rod based on the measured widths of the plurality of pulses. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. A method of determining a parameter of motion of a firing rod in a surgical instrument, comprising:
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sensing changes in an electric field between a housing portion of a surgical instrument and a firing rod disposed at least partially in the housing portion; generating a pulse signal including a plurality of pulses, wherein widths of the plurality of pulses vary with the changes in the electric field; measuring the widths of the plurality of pulses; and determining a parameter of motion of the firing rod based on the measured widths of the plurality of pulses.
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10. A method of operating a surgical instrument, comprising:
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sensing changes in an electric field between a housing portion of a surgical instrument and a firing rod disposed at least partially in the housing; generating a pulse signal including a plurality of pulses, wherein widths of the plurality of pulses vary with the changes in the electric field; measuring the widths of the plurality of pulses; determining a parameter of motion of the firing rod based on the measured widths of the plurality of pulses; and controlling the motion of the firing rod based on the determined parameter of the motion of the firing rod. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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Specification