Force switch

• US 10,217,582 B2
• Filed: 02/12/2018
• Issued: 02/26/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 05/19/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ethicon Endo-Surgery, Inc. (Johnson & Johnson)
• Original Assignee: Ethicon Endo-Surgery, Inc. (Johnson & Johnson)
• Inventors: Smith, Kevin W.
• Primary Examiner(s): Lee, Kyung
• Application Number:
  US15/894,361
• Publication Number:
  US 20180166237A1
• Time in Patent Office: 379 Days
• Field of Search: 200 6153
• 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 17/068 Surgical staplers , e.g. containing multiple staples or clampsstaplers containing only one staple A61B17/10; magazines or containers for staples A61B17/105; for performing anastomosis A61B17/115; staplers in general B25C5/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/115 Staplers for performing anastomosis in a single operation
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/72 Intramedullary pins, nails or other devices A61B17/744 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00017 Electrical control of surgical instruments
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00115 with audible or visual output with imaging means A61B90/37, A61B34/20
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00398 using powered actuators, e.g. stepper motors, solenoids
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/032 pressure limiting, e.g. hydrostatic
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/064 for measuring force, pressure or mechanical tension
• 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: H01H 11/00 Apparatus or processes specially adapted for the manufacture of electric switches processes specially adapted for manufacture of rectilinearly movable switches having a plurality of operating members associated with different sets of contacts, e.g. keyboards, H01H13/88
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 13/14 Operating parts, e.g. push-button
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 13/18 adapted for actuation at a limit or other predetermined position in the path of a body, the relative movement of switch and body being primarily for a purpose other than the actuation of the switch, e.g. door switch, limit switch, floor-levelling switch of a lift
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2203/00 Form of contacts
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2235/01 Spiral spring
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2300/014 Application surgical instrument
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 35/14 Switches operated by change of acceleration, e.g. by shock or vibration, inertia switch wherein the liquid constitutes a contact of the switch H01H29/002
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 9/06 Casing of switch constituted by a handle serving a purpose other than the actuation of the switch, e.g. by the handle of a vacuum cleaner
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49105 Switch making

Abstract

A method of creating a switch, comprising disposing a switching element movably within an interior cavity of the switch to define first and second positions along a switching axis of the switching element, disposing a biasing element about the switching element to impart a biasing force to the switching element to place the switching element in one of the first and second positions until an external force imparted to the switching element exceeds the biasing force to cause the switching element to move to the other position, disposing a biasing force-adjusting element in cooperative engagement with the biasing element such that a magnitude of the biasing force is adjustable, and coupling a conductive contact to the switching element to define a first switching state when the switching element is in the first position and a second switching state when the switching element is in the second position.

Claims

1. A method of creating a switch to be disposed along a longitudinal axis of a device, comprising:

providing a hollow body defining an interior cavity;

disposing a switching element movably within the interior cavity to define;

a first position along a switching axis of the switching element; and

a second position along the switching axis of the switching element, the second position being different from the first position;

disposing a biasing element about the switching element to impart a longitudinal biasing force to the switching element to place the switching element in one of the first position and the second position until an external force imparted to the switching element exceeds the biasing force to thereby cause the switching element to move to the other one of the first position and the second position;

disposing a biasing force-adjusting element in cooperative engagement with the biasing element such that a magnitude of the biasing force is adjustable using the biasing force-adjusting element; and

coupling an electrically-conductive contact to the switching element to define;

a first switching state when the switching element is in the first position; and

a second switching state when the switching element is in the second position.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein:

the first position is a switch-making position;

the second position is a switch-breaking position;

the first-switching state is a switch-making state; and

the second switching state is a switch-breaking state.

3. The method according to claim 2, wherein the biasing element imparts the biasing force to place the switching element in the switch-making position to create a normally closed switch configuration.

4. The method according to claim 2, wherein a distance between the switch-making position and the switch-breaking positions is between approximately 25 μ

m and approximately 750 μ

m.

5. The method according to claim 2, wherein a distance between the switch-making position and the switch-breaking position is between approximately 75 μ

m and approximately 200 μ

m.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein the switching element is a piston.

7. The method according to claim 1, wherein the electrically-conductive contact is physically coupled to the switching element and is movable along the switching axis between the first position and the second position.

8. The method according to claim 1, wherein the biasing force-adjusting element comprises a stop element defining a second interior cavity in which the switching element is movably disposed, the stop element being at least partly disposed in the interior cavity of the hollow body.

9. The method according to claim 8, wherein:

the switching element comprises a bias contact; and

the biasing element is disposed about at least a portion of the switching element between the stop element and the bias contact.

10. The method according to claim 9, wherein the magnitude of the biasing force is dependent upon a longitudinal position of the stop element within the interior cavity of the hollow body.

11. The method according to claim 9, wherein the biasing element is a compression spring compressed between the bias contact and the stop element around the switching element to bias the switching element in a direction away from the stop element.

12. The method according to claim 1, wherein the electrically-conductive contact is electrically insulated from the hollow body and the switching element.

13. The method according to claim 1, further comprising electrically connecting an electric indication circuit to the switching element and the electrically-conductive contact, wherein the electric indication circuit comprises an indicator operable to transmit state-change information to signal to a user that a state change of the switching element has occurred.

14. A method of operating a switch of a device, comprising:

using a biasing element that is disposed about a switching element of the switch, imparting a longitudinal biasing force to the switching element to place the switching element in one of a first position and a second position, wherein;

the switching element is movably disposed within an interior cavity of a hollow body of the switch to define;

the first position along a switching axis of the switching element; and

the second position along the switching axis of the switching element, the second position being different from the first position;

an electrically-conductive contact is coupled to the switching element to define;

a first switching state when the switching element is in the first position; and

a second switching state when the switching element is in the second position; and

a magnitude of the biasing force is adjustable using a biasing force-adjusting element that is in cooperative engagement with the biasing element; and

imparting an external force to the switching element, wherein a magnitude of the external force exceeds the biasing force to thereby cause the switching element to move to the other one of the first position and the second position.

15. The method according to claim 14, wherein:

the first position is a switch-making position;

the second position is a switch-breaking position;

the first switching state is a switch-making state; and

the second switching state is a switch-breaking state.

16. The method according to claim 14, wherein the electrically-conductive contact is physically coupled to the switching element and is movable along the switching axis between the first position and the second position.

17. The method according to claim 14, wherein the biasing force-adjusting element comprises a stop element defining a second interior cavity in which the switching element is movably disposed, the stop element being at least partly disposed in the interior cavity of the hollow body.

18. The method according to claim 17, wherein:

the switching element comprises a bias contact; and

the biasing element is disposed about at least a portion of the switching element between the stop element and the bias contact.

19. The method according to claim 18, wherein the magnitude of the biasing force is dependent upon a longitudinal position of the stop element within the interior cavity of the hollow body.