Finger controlled switching apparatus
First Claim
1. An electrosurgical apparatus, comprising:
- first means for providing heat, said first means including a cautery;
second means for supplying current to said cautery;
third means for controlling current between said cautery and said second means, said third means including electrical switch means having first and second terminals and electrical contact means for switchably electrically interconnecting said first and second terminals, at least one of said first terminal, said second terminal and said electrical contact means slides between first and second positions of said electrical switch means, said first position for use in providing electrical current to said cautery and said second position for use in removing electrical current from said cautery, wherein during said sliding, said at least one of said first terminal, said second terminal and said electrical contact means moves and in which said cautery also moves during said sliding, said third means further including housing means for containing said electrical switch means and mounting means for holding said housing means to a human finger; and
fourth means for providing electrical communication between said electrical switch means and said second means, wherein said second means is electrically connected to said electrical switch means using said fourth means and said cautery is electrically connected to said electrical switch means.
0 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A switching apparatus is provided includes an output device, a power supply for providing power to the output device and a finger-mounted switch connected between the output device and the power supply. When the finger to which the switch is mounted is in a first position, current flows from the power supply to the output device. When the finger is moved into a second position, current flow is prevented. In one embodiment, the output device is an electrosurgical cautery mounted on the finger in the same housing as the switch. The cautery tip extends from the housing and is energized when the finger is in the first position and is positioned within the housing and is deenergized when the finger is in the second position.
69 Citations
20 Claims
-
1. An electrosurgical apparatus, comprising:
-
first means for providing heat, said first means including a cautery; second means for supplying current to said cautery; third means for controlling current between said cautery and said second means, said third means including electrical switch means having first and second terminals and electrical contact means for switchably electrically interconnecting said first and second terminals, at least one of said first terminal, said second terminal and said electrical contact means slides between first and second positions of said electrical switch means, said first position for use in providing electrical current to said cautery and said second position for use in removing electrical current from said cautery, wherein during said sliding, said at least one of said first terminal, said second terminal and said electrical contact means moves and in which said cautery also moves during said sliding, said third means further including housing means for containing said electrical switch means and mounting means for holding said housing means to a human finger; and fourth means for providing electrical communication between said electrical switch means and said second means, wherein said second means is electrically connected to said electrical switch means using said fourth means and said cautery is electrically connected to said electrical switch means. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
-
-
12. A method for controlling current to an electrosurgical apparatus, comprising the steps of:
-
securing a switch to a human finger, said switch being movable between a first state and a second state and said switch being contained in housing means; positioning the human finger in a first position thereby causing said switch to be in said first state and a cautery to be positioned outwardly of said housing means whereby said switch allows current to flow from a power source to said cautery; and positioning the human finger in a second position thereby causing said switch to be in said second state and substantially all of said cautery being contained in said housing means whereby said switch prevents current from flowing from said power source to said cautery. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
-
-
18. An electrosurgical apparatus, comprising:
-
a power source; a cautery for switchably receiving electrical current from said power source; switch means disposed between said power source and said cautery, said switch means able to be mounted to a human finger and having first and second switch positions, each of said switch positions depending upon a position of the human finger to which said switch means is attached; and housing means having an opening for removably receiving said cautery, substantially all of said cautery being located outwardly of said housing means when said switch means is in said first position when current is provided from said power source to said cautery through said switch means and substantially all of said cautery being contained in said housing means when electrical current is not provided to said cautery. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20)
-
Specification