CHARGING STATION FOR BATTERY POWERED BIOPSY APPARATUS

• US 20140062405A1
• Filed: 09/28/2012
• Published: 03/06/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 09/01/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Bard Peripheral Vascular Incorporated (Becton, Dickinson & Co)
• Original Assignee: Bard Peripheral Vascular Incorporated (Becton, Dickinson & Co)
• Inventors: Videbaek, Karsten
• Granted Patent: US 9,282,949 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 320/115
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 10/0275 with sample notch, e.g. on the side of inner stylet
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 10/0283 with vacuum aspiration, e.g. caused by retractable plunger or by connected syringe A61B10/025, A61B10/0266 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2010/0208 Biopsy devices with actuators, e.g. with triggered spring mechanisms
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00398 using powered actuators, e.g. stepper motors, solenoids
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00424 ergonomic, e.g. fitting in fist
• 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 2017/00477 Coupling A61B2017/0046 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00734 battery operated
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 2310/23 The load being a medical device, a medical implant, or a life supporting device
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0044 specially adapted for holding portable devices containing batteries H02J7/0045 takes precedence

Abstract

A charging station for a battery powered biopsy apparatus includes a charging dock having a housing and a charging unit contained in the housing. The charging unit has a set of electrical contacts. The housing is received in a first cavity of a driver assembly with the electrical contacts being coupled in electrical communication with the driver assembly when the driver assembly is mounted on the charging dock for charging. The charging unit provides a signal to the driver assembly to reset the driver assembly to an initialized state when the driver assembly is mounted to the charging station.

Claims

1. A charging station for a battery powered biopsy apparatus, said biopsy apparatus including a driver assembly configured for releasable attachment to a biopsy probe assembly, said driver assembly having a battery and a first housing configured to be grasped by a user, said first housing having a first cavity, said first cavity of said driver assembly being configured for receiving a second housing of said biopsy probe assembly when said biopsy probe assembly is mounted to said driver assembly, said second housing having a first shape, said charging station comprising:

a charging dock having a third housing and a charging unit contained in said third housing, said charging unit having a set of electrical contacts, said third housing having a second shape, said third housing configured to be received in said first cavity of said driver assembly of said biopsy apparatus with said electrical contacts being coupled in electrical communication with said driver assembly when said driver assembly is mounted on said charging dock for charging; and

said charging unit configured to provide a signal to said driver assembly to reset said driver assembly to an initialized state when said driver assembly is mounted to said charging station.

2. The charging station of claim 1, wherein said reset of said driver assembly to said initialized state initializes a controller of said driver assembly to preposition components of an electromechanical power source of said driver assembly such that said electromechanical power source is ready to be drivably coupled to said biopsy probe assembly upon removal of said driver assembly from said charging station.

3. The charging station of claim 2, said controller configured to reset said driver assembly to said initialized state when said driver assembly is mounted to said charging station if said driver assembly is in an error state.

4. The charging station of claim 1, wherein said second shape of said third housing of said charging dock is substantially the same as said first shape of said second housing of said biopsy probe assembly.

5. The charging station of claim 1, wherein:

said second housing is configured to contain a coiling unit, said biopsy probe assembly having a sample basket arranged coaxially within a cutter cannula, with said sample basket being connected to said coiling unit; and

said third housing configured to contain all electronic components of said charging unit.

6. The charging station of claim 1, comprising a removable cover to which all electronic components of said charging unit are mounted, said third housing having a second cavity such that said all electronic components are positioned internally to said third housing in said second cavity when said removable cover is coupled to said third housing.

22. The charging station of claim 1, wherein:

said second housing is configured to contain a coiling unit, said biopsy probe assembly having a sample basket arranged coaxially within a cutter cannula, with said sample basket being connected to said coiling unit; and

said third housing contains all electronic components of said charging unit.

7-13. -13. (canceled)

14. A method for charging a battery operated biopsy apparatus, comprising:

providing a signal to a driver assembly of said battery operated biopsy apparatus indicating that a connection between first electrical contacts of a charging unit of a charging station and second electrical contacts of said driver assembly has been made;

upon receiving said signal, determining whether said driver assembly is in an error state, wherein if said error state exists, then resetting said driver assembly to an initialized state; and

charging a battery of said driver assembly.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein said initialized state prepositions mechanical components of said driver assembly to facilitate a proper mechanical drivable coupling between said driver assembly and a biopsy probe assembly upon removal of said driver assembly from said charging station.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein prior to mounting said driver assembly on said charging station, any biopsy probe assembly installed on said driver assembly must be removed from said driver assembly to vacate a cavity in said driver assembly for receiving a housing of said charging station.

17. A charging station for a battery powered biopsy apparatus, said biopsy apparatus including a driver assembly configured for releasable attachment to a biopsy probe assembly, said driver assembly having a battery and a first housing configured to be grasped by a user, said first housing having a first cavity, said first cavity of said driver assembly being configured for receiving a second housing of said biopsy probe assembly when said biopsy probe assembly is mounted to said driver assembly, said second housing having a first shape, said charging station comprising:

a charging dock having a third housing and a charging unit contained in said third housing, said charging unit having a set of electrical contacts, said third housing having a second shape, said third housing configured to be received in said first cavity of said driver assembly of said biopsy apparatus with said electrical contacts being coupled in electrical communication with said driver assembly when said driver assembly is mounted on said charging dock for charging.

18. The charging station of claim 17, said charging unit configured to reset said driver assembly to an initialized state when said driver assembly is mounted to said charging station.

19. The charging station of claim 18, wherein said driver assembly includes a controller, and wherein said reset of said driver assembly to said initialized state initializes said controller of said driver assembly to preposition components of an electromechanical power source of said driver assembly such that said electromechanical power source is ready to be drivably coupled to said biopsy probe assembly upon removal of said driver assembly from said charging station.

20. The charging station of claim 17, said driver assembly including a controller, said charging unit configured to provide a signal to said controller to reset said driver assembly to an initialized state when said driver assembly is mounted to said charging station if said driver assembly is in an error state.

21. The charging station of claim 17, wherein said second shape of said third housing of said charging dock is substantially the same as said first shape of said second housing of said biopsy probe assembly.

23. The charging station of claim 17, comprising a removable cover to which all electronic components of said charging unit are mounted, said third housing having a second cavity configured such that said all electronic components are positioned internally to said third housing in said second cavity when said removable cover is coupled to said third housing.