BATTERY AND CONTROL MODULE FOR BOTH ENERGIZING AND CONTROLLING A POWERED SURGICAL TOOL THAT IS RELEASABLY ATTACHED TO THE MODULE

• US 20150182230A1
• Filed: 11/20/2014
• Published: 07/02/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 05/23/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Stryker Corporation
• Original Assignee: Stryker Corporation
• Inventors: Belagali, Krishnamurthy, Hassler, William L. Jr., Hershberger, David, Irvine, Michael
• Granted Patent: US 10,076,340 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/14 Surgical saws A61B17/1637 takes precedence; tooth saws A61C3/12 ; Accessories therefor
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/142 with reciprocating saw blades, e.g. with cutting edges at the distal end of the saw blades
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/1613 Component parts
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/1622 Drill handpieces A61B17/1626, A61B17/1628 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/1626 Control means; Display units
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/1628 Motors; Power supplies
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00022 Sensing or detecting at the treatment site
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00221 with wireless transmission of data, e.g. by infrared radiation or radiowaves
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00734 battery operated
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 90/03 Automatic limiting or abutting means, e.g. for safety
• CPC Class Codes: B25F 5/00 Details or components of portable power-driven tools not particularly related to the operations performed and not otherwise provided for
• CPC Class Codes: B25F 5/02 Construction of casings, bodies or handles B25F5/006, B25F5/008 take precedence

Abstract

A battery and control module to which a powered surgical tool is releasably attached. Internal to the module there is: a cell for energizing the tool; a sensor for monitoring an operational state of the tool; a sensor for monitoring a trigger external to the module; and a control circuit. Based on the signals output by the sensors, the control circuit selectively applies energization signals from the cell to the power generating unit internal to the surgical tool. In some versions of the invention, the trigger is attached to the module.

Claims

1. A battery and control module for use with a surgical tool unit that includes a power generating unit and an energy applicator that is actuated by the power generating unit that is adapted for use to perform a medical/surgical procedure, said battery and control module comprising:

a housing having a void space, said housing constructed so as to isolate the void space from the ambient environment;

a latch feature integral with said housing that cooperates with the surgical tool unit to releasably hold the surgical tool unit to said housing;

at least one rechargeable cell disposed in the housing void space;

at least one contact mounted to said housing, said contact positioned to connect to a complementary contact connected to the surgical tool unit power generating unit;

a user actuated switch mounted to said housing;

at least one first sensor disposed in the housing void space, said first sensor configured to monitor a signal emitted by the tool unit representative of an operating state or condition of the power generating unit to, based on the monitored signal, output a first sensor signal;

at least one second sensor disposed in the housing void space, said second sensor configured to monitor the state of said switch and to, based on the state of said switch, output a second sensor signal; and

a tool unit controller disposed in the housing void space wherein said tool unit controller receives the first sensor signal and the second sensor signal and selectively connects the at least one cell to the at least one housing contact so as to regulate the output of energization signals from said cell through said housing contact to the tool power generating unit, said tool unit controller being configured to, based on the first sensor signal and the second sensor signal, regulate the outputting of the energization signals.

2. The battery and control module of claim 1, wherein at least a portion of the housing is formed from material through which the signal emitted by the surgical tool unit can pass wirelessly therethrough without being distorted to the level that it adversely affects the operation of said at least one first sensor

3. The battery and control module of claim 1, wherein said housing is shaped to define a bore for receiving the surgical tool unit.

4. The battery and control module of claim 1, wherein:

said at least one first sensor is configured to monitor a magnetic field emitted by said surgical tool unit and, based on the monitored magnetic field, output the first sensor signal; and

at least adjacent said at least one first sensor, said housing is formed from material that allows magnetic fields emitted by said surgical tool unit to pass therethrough without adversely affecting the ability of said at least one first sensor to, based on the magnetic field, output the first sensor signal.

5. The battery and control module of claim 1, wherein:

said switch is moveably mounted to said housing and a magnet is attached to said switch to move with said switch;

said at least one second sensor is configured to monitor a magnetic field emitted by said switch magnet and to, based on the monitored magnetic field, output the second sensor signal; and

at least adjacent said at least one second sensor, said housing is formed from material that allows magnetic fields emitted by said switch magnet to pass therethrough without adversely affecting the ability of said at least one second sensor to, based on the magnetic field, output the second sensor signal.

6. The battery and control module of claim 1, wherein:

plural said contacts are mounted to said housing, each said housing contact being adapted to connect to a complementary contact of the surgical tool unit that is connected to the surgical tool unit power generating unit; and

said tool unit controller includes a driver capable of connecting a plurality of said housing contacts to either said at least one rechargeable cell or a ground.

7. The battery and control module of claim 1, wherein said latch feature includes a component that is moveably mounted to said housing for releasably holding the surgical tool unit to said housing.

8. The battery and control module of claim 1, wherein plural said rechargeable cells are disposed in said housing and said plural cells source the energization signals that are outputted to the tool power generating unit.

9. The battery and control module of claim 1, wherein said at least one rechargeable cell is mounted in the housing void space so that, when the surgical tool unit is attached to said housing, at least a portion of said cell is disposed forward of a proximal end of the surgical tool unit.

10. The battery and control module of claim 1, wherein:

plural said first sensors are disposed in the housing void space and each said first sensor outputs a first sensor signal; and

said tool unit controller is further configured to, based on the plural first sensor signals received from said plural first sensors, regulate the outputting of energization signals from said at least one cell to the tool unit power generating unit.

11. The battery and control module of claim 1, wherein said housing is further formed with a bore-defining component that is positioned so that, when the surgical tool unit is held to said housing, the bore defined by said housing component extends to a complementary cannula internal to the surgical tool unit.

12. A battery and control module for use with a surgical tool unit that includes:

a proximal end;

a power generating unit; and

an energy applicator that is actuated by the power generating unit that is adapted for use to perform a medical/surgical procedure, said battery and control module comprising;

a housing having a void space, said housing constructed to isolate the void space from the ambient environment;

a latch feature integral with said housing that cooperates with the surgical tool unit to releasably hold the surgical tool unit to said housing;

at least one rechargeable cell disposed in the housing void space, said cell being positioned within the housing void space so that, when the surgical tool unit is held to said housing, said cell is at least partially distal to the proximal end of the surgical tool unit;

at least one contact mounted to said housing, said contact positioned to connect to a complementary contact connected to the surgical tool unit power generating unit;

a user actuated switch mounted to said housing;

at least one first sensor disposed in the housing void space, said first sensor configured to monitor a signal emitted by the tool unit representative of an operating state or condition of the power generating unit to, based on the monitored signal, output a first sensor signal;

at least one second sensor disposed in the housing void space, said second sensor configured to monitor the state of said switch and to, based on the state of said switch output a second sensor signal; and

a tool unit controller disposed in the housing void space wherein said tool unit controller receives the first sensor signal and the second signal and that selectively connects the at least one cell to the at least one housing contact so as to regulate the output of energization signals from said cell through said housing contact to the tool power generating unit, said tool unit controller being configured to, based on the first sensor signal and the second sensor signal, regulate the outputting of energization signals from said at least one cell to the tool unit power generating unit.

13. The battery and control module of claim 12, wherein said housing is shaped to define a bore for receiving the surgical tool unit.

14. The battery and control module of claim 12, wherein:

said housing is shaped to define a bore for receiving the surgical tool, and said housing includes a structural member that defines a proximal end of the bore; and

said at least one housing contact is mounted to the structural member that defines the proximal end of the bore.

15. The battery and control module of claim 12, wherein:

said at least one first sensor is configured to monitor a magnetic field emitted by said surgical tool unit and, based on the monitored magnetic field, output the first sensor signal; and

at least adjacent said at least one first sensor, said housing is formed from material that allows magnetic fields emitted by said surgical tool unit to pass therethrough without adversely affecting the ability of said at least one first sensor to, based on the magnetic field, output the first sensor signal.

16. The battery and control module of claim 12, wherein:

said switch is moveably mounted to said housing and a magnet is attached to said switch to move with said switch;

said at least one second sensor is configured to monitor a magnetic field emitted by said switch magnet and to, based on the monitored magnetic field, output the second sensor signal; and

at least adjacent said at least one second sensor, said housing is formed from material that allows magnetic fields emitted by said switch magnet to pass therethrough without adversely affecting the ability of said at least one second sensor to, based on the magnetic field, output the second sensor signal.

17. The battery and control module of claim 12, wherein plural said rechargeable cells are disposed in said housing and said plural cells source the energization signals that are outputted to the tool power generating unit.

18. The battery and control module of claim 12, wherein;

plural said rechargeable cells are disposed in the housing void space and said plural cells source the energization signals that are outputted to the tool power generating unit; and

said cells are disposed in the housing void space so that when the surgical tool unit is held to said housing, in addition to at least one said rechargeable cell being located at least partially distal to the proximal end of the surgical tool unit, at least one said rechargeable cell is located proximal to the surgical tool unit.

19. The battery and control module of claim 12, wherein:

plural said contacts are mounted to said housing, each said housing contact being adapted to connect to a complementary contact complementary integral with the surgical tool unit that is connected to the surgical tool unit power generating unit; and

said tool unit controller includes a driver capable of connecting a plurality of said housing contacts to either said at least one rechargeable cell or a ground.

20. The battery and control module of claim 12, wherein:

plural said first sensors are disposed in the housing void space and each said first sensor outputs a first sensor signal; and

said tool unit controller is further configured to, based on the plural first sensor signals received from said plural first sensors, regulate the outputting of energization signals from said at least one cell to the tool unit power generating unit.

21. The battery and control module of claim 12, wherein at least a portion of the housing is formed from material through which the signal emitted by the surgical tool unit can pass wirelessly therethrough without being distorted to the level that it adversely affects the operation of said at least one first sensor

22. The battery and control module of claim 12, wherein said latch feature includes a component that is moveably mounted to said housing for releasably holding the surgical tool unit to said housing.

23. The battery and control module of claim 12, wherein said void housing is shaped and said at least one cell is disposed in the housing void space so that when said module and said surgical tool unit are held so that the energy application is normally directed to tissue, said at least one cell is disposed above the surgical tool unit.