Cautery apparatus and method

• US 6,482,200 B2
• Filed: 01/03/2001
• Issued: 11/19/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 01/03/2001
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Shippert Enterprises LLC (Summit Medical, LLC)
• Original Assignee: Ronald D. Shippert
• Inventors: Shippert, Ronald D.
• Primary Examiner(s): COHEN, LEE S
• Application Number:
  US09/753,700
• Publication Number:
  US 20020087154A1
• Time in Patent Office: 685 Days
• Field of Search: 606/30, 607/151, 219/240, 219/233, 200/293.1
• US Class Current: 606/30
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 18/082 Probes or electrodes therefor
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 18/10 Power sources therefor
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00734 battery operated

Abstract

A battery operated, hand-held cautery apparatus including a cauterizing unit with a cautery body and a heating assembly having a heating element, a switch assembly, and a housing assembly is disclosed. The switch assembly is essentially the position of a battery. That is, the battery acts as a switch. Power is not supplied to the heating element when the battery is in a first position, but power is supplied to the heating element when the battery is moved to a second position. The housing assembly may include a biasing member in contact with the battery such that the biasing force of the biasing member must be overcome to move the battery from the first position to the second position and thus energize the heating element.

Claims

1. A cautery apparatus, comprising:

a cauterizing unit that includes a cautery body and a heating assembly having a heating element;

a switch assembly consisting essentially of a first battery having first battery power, said first battery having a first position and a second position wherein, when said first battery is in said first position, said first battery does not supply said first battery power to said heating element and, when said first battery is in said second position, said first battery supplies said first battery power to said heating element; and

a housing assembly located about at least portions of said first battery.

2. An apparatus, as claimed in claim 1, wherein:

said first battery alone is used to cause a change between supplying and not supplying said first battery power to said heating element.

3. An apparatus, as claimed in claim 1, wherein:

said heating element is activated and caused to receive said first battery power from said first battery independently of any movable switch element.

4. An apparatus, as claimed in claim 1, further including:

a second battery electrically connected to said first battery when said first battery is in said second position.

5. An apparatus, as claimed in claim 1, wherein:

said cautery body has a longitudinal axis and when said first battery is in said first position, said first battery is at an angle different from parallel to said longitudinal axis.

6. An apparatus, as claimed in claim 1, wherein:

said housing assembly surrounds all of said first battery and portions of said cauterizing unit.

7. An apparatus, as claimed in claim 1, wherein:

said housing assembly includes a film enclosure surrounding said first battery.

8. An apparatus, as claimed in claim 1, wherein:

said housing assembly includes a battery housing subassembly and a main housing, with said main housing located about at least portions of said battery housing subassembly.

9. An apparatus, as claimed in claim 8, wherein:

said battery housing subassembly includes at least a first receptacle in which said first battery is located when said first battery is in said second position.

10. An apparatus, as claimed in claim 8, wherein:

said battery housing subassembly includes a biasing member in contact with said first battery and in which said biasing member has a biasing force that must be overcome to provide said first battery in said second position.

11. A cautery apparatus, comprising:

a cauterizing unit that includes a cautery body and a heating assembly having a heating element;

a battery subassembly including at least a first battery, wherein said battery subassembly alone controls supplying and not supplying battery power to said heating element, said first battery having a first position and a second position, when said first battery is in said first position, said battery power is not being supplied to said heating element and when said first battery is in said second position, said battery power is being supplied to said heating element, said battery subassembly including a second battery and when said first battery is in said first position, said first battery is located at an angle that is non-parallel relative to said second battery; and

a housing assembly located about at least portions of said battery subassembly.

12. An apparatus, as claimed in claim 11, wherein:

said first battery has a power end and a ground end and, when said first battery is moved from said first position to said second position, one of said power end and said ground end moves while the other of said ground end and said power end remains substantially stationary.

13. An apparatus, as claimed in claim 11, wherein:

said housing assembly includes a battery housing having a biasing member that contacts said first battery.

14. An apparatus, as claimed in claim 11, wherein:

said housing assembly includes a main housing surrounding said first battery, with said main housing including a film enclosure.

15. A method for controlling activation/deactivation of a cautery apparatus, comprising:

providing a first battery and a cauterizing unit that includes a cautery body and a heating assembly having a heating element;

moving said first battery from a first position to a second position, said second position being at an angle relative to said first position; and

supplying battery power to said heating element after moving from said first position to said second position.

16. A method, as claimed in claim 15, further including:

providing a second battery that remains in the same position during said moving step.

17. A method, as claimed in claim 16, wherein:

said first and second batteries are laterally adjacent to each other when said first battery is in said second position.

18. A method, as claimed in claim 15, further including:

removing said battery power to said heating element by releasing a force applied to said first battery.

19. A method, as claimed in claim 15, further including:

locating a non-conductive member in contact with said first battery to prevent said supplying step when said first battery is in said second position.