Surgical instrument having a removable battery

• US 20070175960A1
• Filed: 01/31/2006
• Published: 08/02/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 01/31/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ethicon Endo-Surgery, Inc. (Johnson & Johnson)
• Original Assignee: Ethicon Endo-Surgery, Inc. (Johnson & Johnson)
• Inventors: Swayze, Jeffrey, Timperman, Eugene, Shelton, Frederick, Doil, Kevin
• Granted Patent: US 7,464,846 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 227/178.100
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/07207 the staples being applied sequentially
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00734 battery operated
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/0803 Counting the number of times an instrument is used
• 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 2090/0814 Preventing re-use

Abstract

A surgical instrument. The surgical instrument comprises a handle, a battery, a motor, and a lockout system. The handle comprises a primary portion and a grip portion. The grip portion is releasably connected to the primary portion. The battery is within the grip portion. The motor is in electrical communication with the battery. The lockout system is within the handle, and is structured and arranged to block connection of the grip portion to the primary portion after the grip portion is disconnected from the primary portion a predetermined number of times.

Claims

1. A surgical instrument, comprising:

a handle comprising;

a primary portion; and

a grip portion releasably connected to the primary portion;

a battery within the grip portion;

a motor in electrical communication with the battery; and

a lockout system within the handle, the lockout system comprising a counter to advance when the grip portion is disconnected from the primary portion, wherein the lockout system blocks the grip portion from connecting to the primary portion after the counter has advanced a predetermined number of times.

2. The surgical instrument of claim 1, wherein the battery is removable from the grip portion.

3. The surgical instrument of claim 1, wherein the battery is a rechargeable battery.

5. The surgical instrument of claim 1, wherein the counter comprises:

an index wheel; and

a biasing member coupled to the index wheel.

6. The surgical instrument of claim 1, wherein the lockout system further comprises a blocking assembly coupled to the counter, wherein the blocking assembly blocks connection of the grip portion to the primary portion after the counter has advanced the predetermined number of times.

7. The surgical instrument of claim 6, wherein the blocking assembly comprises a blocking member blocks connection of the grip portion to the primary portion after the counter has advanced the predetermined number of times.

8. The surgical instrument of claim 7, wherein the blocking assembly further comprises a gate member in contact with the blocking member.

9. The surgical instrument of claim 8, wherein the blocking assembly further comprises a biasing member coupled to the gate member.

10. The surgical instrument of claim 1, wherein the counter is a resettable counter.

21. The surgical instrument of claim 1, wherein the lockout system blocks the grip portion from physically connecting to the primary portion after the counter has advanced a predetermined number of times.

22. The surgical instrument of claim 1, wherein the lockout system blocks the grip portion from electrically connecting to the primary portion after the counter has advanced a predetermined number of times.

4. (canceled)

11. A surgical instrument, comprising:

a handle comprising;

a primary portion; and

a grip portion releasably connected to the primary portion, the grip portion comprising a break off portion located between and in contact with the primary portion and the grip portion, wherein the break off portion breaks off from the grip portion and remains in contact with the primary portion to physically block reattachment of the grip portion to the primary portion when the grip portion is disconnected from the primary portion;

a battery within the grip portion; and

a motor in electrical communication with the battery.

12. The surgical instrument of claim 11, wherein the battery is removable from the grip portion.

13. The surgical instrument of claim 11, wherein the battery is a rechargeable battery.

23. The surgical instrument of claim 11, wherein the break off portion remains in contact with the primary portion to physically block attachment of a replacement grip portion to the primary portion when the grip portion is disconnected from the primary portion.

14. A surgical instrument, comprising:

a handle comprising;

a primary portion; and

a grip portion releasably connected to the primary portion;

a battery within the grip portion;

a motor in electrical communication with the battery;

a counter located within the handle to advance to a predetermined count; and

a motor interlock located in an electrical communication path between the battery and the motor;

wherein the counter opens the motor interlock after the counter reaches the predetermined count to prevent the battery from powering the motor.

15. The surgical instrument of claim 14, wherein the battery is removable from the grip portion.

16. The surgical instrument of claim 14, wherein the battery is a rechargeable battery.

17. The surgical instrument of claim 14, wherein the predetermined count is the number of times the battery is removed from the instrument.

18. The surgical instrument of claim 14, wherein the predetermined count is the number of times the grip portion is disconnected from the primary portion.

19. The surgical instrument of claim 14, wherein the predetermined count is the number of times a trigger of the surgical instrument is actuated.

20. The surgical instrument of claim 14, wherein the predetermined count is the amount of time after a first use of the surgical instrument.