Non-contact surgical adapter electrical interface

• US 10,164,466 B2
• Filed: 10/24/2014
• Issued: 12/25/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 04/17/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Covidien LP (Medtronic Plc)
• Original Assignee: Covidien LP (Medtronic Plc)
• Inventors: Calderoni, Anthony
• Primary Examiner(s): Cavallari, Daniel
• Application Number:
  US14/522,873
• Publication Number:
  US 20150303996A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,523 Days
• Field of Search: 307104
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/00 Surgical instruments, devices or methods, e.g. tourniquets A61B18/00 takes precedence; contraceptive devices, pessaries, or applicators therefor A61F6/00; eye surgery A61F9/007; ear surgery A61F11/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/07207 the staples being applied sequentially
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/295 combined with cutting implements
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00022 Sensing or detecting at the treatment site
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00075 Motion
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00084 Temperature
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00199 with a console, e.g. a control panel with a display
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00221 with wireless transmission of data, e.g. by infrared radiation or radiowaves
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00398 using powered actuators, e.g. stepper motors, solenoids
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00411 actuated by application of energy from an energy source outside the body
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/0046 with a releasable handle; with handle and operating part separable for prosthetic joint-implanting tools A61F2/4603
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00473 Distal part, e.g. tip or head A61B2017/00464 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00477 Coupling A61B2017/0046 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00734 battery operated
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/0811 for the position of a particular part of an instrument with respect to the rest of the instrument, e.g. position of the anvil of a stapling instrument
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 90/98 using electromagnetic means, e.g. transponders
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 2310/23 The load being a medical device, a medical implant, or a life supporting device
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/10 using inductive coupling
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/26 using coils
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/79 for data transfer in combination with power transfer

Abstract

A surgical instrument includes a handle, an adaptor, and a non-contact electrical interface. A proximal end of the adaptor is releasably coupled to a distal end of the handle. The non-contact electrical interface is configured to wirelessly transmit energy from the handle to the adaptor and is configured to wirelessly transmit data from the adaptor to the handle. The electrical interface may include a proximal coil disposed within the handle and a distal coil disposed within the adaptor. When the adaptor is coupled to the handle, the proximal coil may be disposed adjacent the distal coil to form a transformer to inductively transfer energy from the handle to the adaptor and inductively transmit data from the adaptor to the handle.

Claims

1. A surgical instrument comprising:

a handle;

an adaptor including a proximal end releasably coupled to a distal end of the handle;

a loading unit including a proximal end releasably coupled to a distal end of the adaptor;

and

a non-contact electrical interface configured to wirelessly transfer energy from the handle to the adaptor and configured to wirelessly transmit data from the adaptor to the handle.

2. The surgical instrument of claim 1, wherein the handle includes a protrusion, wherein the adaptor defines a recess that receives the protrusion when the adaptor is coupled to the handle, and wherein the electrical interface includes a proximal electrical coil disposed within the protrusion and a distal electrical coil disposed within the adaptor at a location adjacent the recess.

3. The surgical instrument of claim 2, wherein when the adaptor is coupled to the handle the proximal and distal electrical coils form a transformer.

4. The surgical instrument of claim 2, wherein the proximal electrical coil inductively transfers energy to the distal electrical coil, and the distal electrical coil inductively transmits data to the proximal electrical coil.

5. The surgical instrument of claim 2, wherein the proximal electrical coil inductively transfers a constant supply of energy to the distal electrical coil.

6. The surgical instrument of claim 5, wherein the handle includes an energy source disposed therein, wherein the energy source is electrically coupled to the proximal electrical coil.

7. The surgical instrument of claim 6, wherein the adaptor includes an energy storage device disposed therein, wherein the energy storage device is electrically coupled to the distal electrical coil, and wherein the energy storage device is configured to store energy from the energy source.

8. The surgical instrument of claim 7, wherein the electrical interface includes a signal processor disposed within the adaptor, and wherein the energy storage device is configured to energize the signal processor.

9. The surgical instrument of claim 4, wherein the electrical interface includes a signal processor disposed within the adaptor, the signal processor configured to create high frequency signals from data signals and transmit the high frequency signals to the distal electrical coil.

10. The surgical instrument of claim 9, wherein the electrical interface further includes a plurality of sensors disposed within the adaptor, the plurality of sensors configured to generate and transmit data signals to the signal processor.

11. The surgical instrument of claim 10, wherein the energy storage device is configured to energize the plurality of sensors.

12. The surgical instrument of claim 9, wherein the electrical interface includes a filter disposed within the handle, wherein the filter is electrically coupled to the proximal electrical coil, and wherein the filter is configured to reconstruct the data signals from the high frequency signals.

13. The surgical instrument of claim 12, wherein the handle includes a display configured to display information from the reconstructed data signals to a user.

14. The surgical instrument of claim 2, wherein the electrical interface includes a control circuit configured to wirelessly transmit control signals from the handle to the adaptor.

15. The surgical instrument of claim 14, wherein the control circuit includes a proximal control coil disposed within the protrusion and a distal control coil disposed within the adaptor at a location adjacent to the recess, the proximal and distal control coils forming a control transformer when the adaptor is coupled to the handle to inductively transmit control signals from the handle to the adaptor.

16. The surgical instrument of claim 15, wherein the handle includes a control interface and the electrical interface includes a processor disposed within the handle, the processor configured to receive control inputs from the control interface and to receive data from the adaptor, the processor configured to generate control signals from the control inputs and from the data, the processor configured to transmit the control signals to the proximal control coil.

17. The surgical instrument of claim 1 further comprising a loading unit releasably coupled to a distal end of the adaptor and to form a second electrical interface, the second electrical interface configured to inductively transfer energy from the adaptor to the loading unit and configured to inductively transmit data signals from the loading unit to the adaptor.

18. A method of communication between components of a surgical instrument, the method comprising:

providing a surgical instrument including a handle, a loading unit, and an adaptor;

coupling a proximal end of the adaptor to a distal end of the handle to form a non-contact electrical interface therebetween;

coupling a proximal end of the loading unit to a distal end of the adaptor;

using the non-contact electrical interface to wirelessly transfer energy from an energy source disposed within the handle to the adaptor; and

using the non-contact electrical interface to wirelessly transmit data from the adaptor to the handle.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein forming the non-contact electrical interface includes positioning a proximal coil disposed within the handle adjacent a distal coil disposed within the adaptor to form a transformer, wirelessly transferring energy from the energy source includes inductively transferring energy across the transformer from the handle to the adaptor, and wirelessly transmitting data from the adaptor to the handle includes inductively transmitting data across the transformer from the adaptor to the handle.