SURGICAL INSTRUMENTS WITH NON-CONTACT SWITCH ASSEMBLIES

• US 20150235789A1
• Filed: 10/24/2014
• Published: 08/20/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 02/14/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Covidien LP (Medtronic Plc)
• Original Assignee: Covidien LP (Medtronic Plc)
• Inventors: Calderoni, Anthony
• Granted Patent: US 9,502,192 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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 17/04 for suturing wounds; Holders or packages for needles or suture materials suture materials A61L17/00
• 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 17/10 for applying or removing wound clamps, e.g. containing only one clamp or staple A61B17/076 takes precedence; containing multiple wound clamps A61B17/068; Wound clamp magazines containers, packaging elements or packages specially adapted for particular articles or with special means for dispensing contents B65D83/00, B65D85/00
• 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 17/32 Surgical cutting instruments A61B18/042 takes precedence; suture cutters A61B17/0467; instruments for ligaturing or cutting A61B17/128; instruments for rupturing the amniotic membrane A61B17/4208; specially adapted knives for eye surgery A61F9/0133
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00119 alarm; indicating an abnormal situation
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00367 Details of actuation of instruments, e.g. relations between pushing buttons, or the like, and activation of the tool, working tip, or the like
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00393 with means for switching between functions
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00398 using powered actuators, e.g. stepper motors, solenoids
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/0046 with a releasable handle; with handle and operating part separable
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00734 battery operated
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/0813 Accessories designed for easy sterilising, i.e. re-usable
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2219/036 Light emitting elements
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2219/062 Light conductor
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2219/0621 Optical fiber light conductor
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 23/025 Light-emitting indicators
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 17/969 having a plurality of control members, e.g. keyboard
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 2217/94063 with optical detection

Abstract

A non-contact button assembly for a powered surgical instrument includes a light emitter, a rocker switch, and a button shaft. The rocker switch defines a through passage about a longitudinal axis of the button assembly. The button shaft is disposed within the through passage. The button shaft includes a proximal portion, a distal portion, and a flange positioned therebetween. The button shaft has a deactivated position such that the button shaft is configured to prevent light from the light emitter from illuminating a light detector and the button shaft has an activated position such that the button shaft is configured to permit light emitted from the light emitter to illuminate the light detector.

Claims

1. A non-contact button assembly for a powered surgical instrument, the button assembly comprising:

a light emitter configured to emit light;

a rocker switch having a proximal end portion, the rocker switch defining a through passage about a longitudinal axis thereof through the proximal end portion;

a rocker housing positioned about the proximal end portion of the rocker switch;

a button retainer secured about the proximal end portion of the rocker switch to retain the rocker switch within the rocker housing; and

a button shaft disposed within the through passage of the rocker switch, the button shaft having a proximal portion, a distal portion, and a flange positioned between the proximal and distal portions, the button shaft has a deactivated position, wherein the button shaft is configured to prevent light from the light emitter from illuminating a light detector, and the button shaft has an activated position, wherein the button shaft is configured to permit light emitted from the light emitter to illuminate the light detector.

2. The button assembly of claim 1, wherein the button shaft defines a through slot orthogonal to a longitudinal axis thereof, wherein in the activated position the through slot is aligned with the light emitter and in the deactivated position the through slot is offset from the light emitter.

3. The button assembly of claim 2, wherein the through slot is distal to the flange.

4. The button assembly of claim 1, wherein the proximal portion of the button shaft defines an opening, the light emitter is positioned within the opening and configured to emit light from the opening.

5. The button assembly of claim 4, wherein a cover is coupled to the proximal portion adjacent the opening, the cover having a closed configuration, wherein the cover is configured to prevent light from the light emitter from illuminating a light detector, and an open configuration, wherein the cover is configured to permit light to illuminate the light detector.

6. The button assembly of claim 5, wherein the cover includes a tab extending beyond an outer surface of the proximal portion, wherein when the button shaft is in the activated position the tab engages the rocker housing to transition the cover to the open position.

7. The button assembly of claim 1 further including a control button secured to the distal portion of the button shaft.

8. The button assembly of claim 7, wherein the control button is threadably secured to the distal portion of the button shaft.

9. The button assembly of claim 1, wherein the light emitter is a light pipe configured to transmit light from a light source.

10. The button assembly of claim 1, wherein a light pipe is configured to transmit light from the light emitter to illuminate a light detector.

11. The button assembly of claim 1 further including a rocker disc and a second light emitter, the rocker disc defining an activation slot, the rocker disc cooperating with rotation of the rocker switch about the longitudinal axis, the rocker switch having a deactivated position, wherein the second light emitter is offset from the activation slot and the rocker disc is configured to prevent light emitted from the second light emitter from illuminating a light detector, and an activated position, wherein the second light emitter is aligned with the activation slot and the activation slot of the rocker disc is configured to permit light emitted from the second light emitter to illuminate a light detector.

12. The button assembly of claim 1, wherein the light emitter is configured to encode light emitted therefrom.

13. The button assembly of claim 1, wherein the button shaft is configured to be depressed from the deactivated position to the activated position.

14. A surgical handle comprising:

a handle housing;

a control assembly including a first light detector sealed within the handle housing; and

a switch block assembly including a switch block fixed to the handle housing, the switch block having a first non-contact control button assembly, the first non-contact control button assembly having;

a first light emitter configured to emit light;

a rocker switch having a proximal end portion, the rocker switch defining a through passage about a longitudinal axis thereof;

a rocker housing positioned about the proximal end portion of the rocker switch;

a button retainer secured about the proximal end portion of the rocker switch to retain the rocker switch within the rocker housing; and

a button shaft disposed within the through passage of the rocker switch, the button shaft having a proximal portion, a distal portion, and a flange positioned between the proximal and distal portions, the button shaft has a deactivated position, wherein the button shaft is configured to prevent light from the first light emitter from illuminating the first light detector, and the button shaft has an activated position, wherein the button shaft is configured to permit light emitted from the first light emitter to illuminate the first light detector.

15. The handle of claim 14 further including a drive component operatively associated with the first light detector, the control assembly configured to activate the drive component when the first light detector is illuminated by light emitted from the first light emitter.

16. The handle of claim 14, wherein the handle housing is sealed from the switch block, the control assembly includes a first light source positioned within the handle housing, and the first light emitter includes a fiber optic light pipe configured to receive light from the first light source.

17. The handle of claim 14, wherein the control assembly includes a second light detector and the switch block includes a second non-contact control button assembly, the second non-contact control button assembly having:

a second light emitter configured to emit light;

a rocker switch having a proximal end portion, the rocker switch defining a through passage about a longitudinal axis thereof;

a rocker housing positioned about the proximal end portion of the rocker switch;

a button retainer secured about the proximal end portion of the rocker switch to retain the rocker switch within the rocker housing; and

a button shaft disposed within the through passage of the rocker switch, the button shaft having a proximal portion, a distal portion, and a flange positioned between the proximal and distal portions, the button shaft has a deactivated position, wherein the button shaft is configured to prevent light from the second light emitter from illuminating the second light detector, and the button shaft has an activated position, wherein the button shaft is configured to permit light emitted from the second light emitter to illuminate the second light detector.

18. The handle of claim 17, wherein the first light detector is configured to activate a drive component operatively associated with the first light detector when the first light detector is illuminated with light emitted from the first light emitter.

19. The handle of claim 17, wherein the first light detector is configured to not sense light emitted from the second light emitter.

20. The handle of claim 17, wherein the control assembly includes third and fourth light detectors and the rocker switch of the first non-contact control button assembly is operatively associated with a third light emitter and the rocker switch of the second non-contact control button assembly is operatively associated with a fourth light emitter.