Powered surgical tool with control module that contains a sensor for remotely monitoring the tool power generating unit
First Claim
1. A powered surgical tool including:
- a housing;
a power generating unit disposed in said housing, said power generating unit configured to emit a variable signal representative of the operation said power generating unit, wherein the signal is in the form of;
a magnetic field;
a RF signal;
a light signal;
or mechanical energy;
an attachment that extends from said housing that is connected to and actuated by said power generating unit for performing a surgical/medical task;
a control assembly with an actuatable control member mounted to said housing for regulating actuation of said power generating unit, said control assembly emitting a control signal in response to actuation of said control member; and
a control module disposed in the housing, the control module having;
a shell formed from at least one structural member, said at least one structural member being formed from material through which the signal from said power generating unit passes therethrough;
a sensor disposed in said shell, said sensor configured to monitor the signal transmitted by said power generating unit through the said shell structural member through which the signal can pass and, based on the monitored signal, output a sensor signal the sensor signal being in the form of an electrical signal; and
a control circuit in the shell for receiving the control signal from said control assembly and the sensor signal from said sensor that, based on the control signal and the sensor signal, selectively actuates the power generating unit.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A powered surgical tool with a housing that contains a power generating unit such as a motor. A control module is disposed in a shell that is mounted in the housing. The control module contains a control circuit for regulating the actuation of the power generating unit. The power generating unit emits a signal representative of the operating state of the unit that is transmitted through the structural material forming the shell. Also internal to the control module shell is a sensor that monitors the signal emitted by the power generating unit. This signal output by the sensor is applied to the control circuit. The control circuit, based on the sensor signal regulates actuation of the power generating unit. Wherein the power generating unit is a motor, the signal emitted is the magnetic field that varies with rotor position. The sensor monitors the strength of this field.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. A powered surgical tool including:
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a housing; a power generating unit disposed in said housing, said power generating unit configured to emit a variable signal representative of the operation said power generating unit, wherein the signal is in the form of;
a magnetic field;
a RF signal;
a light signal;
or mechanical energy;an attachment that extends from said housing that is connected to and actuated by said power generating unit for performing a surgical/medical task; a control assembly with an actuatable control member mounted to said housing for regulating actuation of said power generating unit, said control assembly emitting a control signal in response to actuation of said control member; and a control module disposed in the housing, the control module having; a shell formed from at least one structural member, said at least one structural member being formed from material through which the signal from said power generating unit passes therethrough; a sensor disposed in said shell, said sensor configured to monitor the signal transmitted by said power generating unit through the said shell structural member through which the signal can pass and, based on the monitored signal, output a sensor signal the sensor signal being in the form of an electrical signal; and a control circuit in the shell for receiving the control signal from said control assembly and the sensor signal from said sensor that, based on the control signal and the sensor signal, selectively actuates the power generating unit. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5)
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6. A powered surgical tool including:
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a housing; a power generating unit disposed in the housing; an attachment that extends from the housing that is connected to and actuated by the power generating unit for performing a surgical/medical task; an actuatable control member mounted to the housing for regulating the actuation of the power generating unit, said control member configured to, in response to actuation of said control member, output control member control signals; a receiver attached to said housing for receiving wireless signals that contain instructions for regulating the actuation of the power generating unit, said receiver configured to, in response to receipt of the wireless signals, generate instruction signals; and a programmable control unit disposed in said housing for receiving the control member control signals, the receiver instruction signals and user-programmed instructions that correlate the control member control signals to user-specified actuation signals, said control unit configured to; based on receipt of the control member control signals and the user-programmed instructions, generate variable actuation signals; and based on receipt of the receiver instructions signals, and the variable actuation signals, selectively generate modified actuation signals; and a power regulator disposed in said housing for receiving the modified actuation signals and configured to, based on the modified actuation signals, regulate the actuation of the power generating unit. - View Dependent Claims (7, 8, 9)
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10. A powered surgical tool, said power surgical tool including:
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a housing; a power generating unit disposed in said housing, said power generating unit configured to emit a variable power generating unit signal representative of the operation said power generating unit, wherein the signal is in the form of;
a magnetic field;
a RF signal;
a light signal;
or mechanical energy;an attachment that extends from said housing that is connected to and actuated by said power generating unit for performing a surgical/medical task; a manually actuatable control member that is moveably attached to said housing, said control member being configured to emit a control member signal representative of actuation of said control member; and a control module disposed in said housing, said control module having; a shell, said shell including a structural member through which the power generating unit signal is transmitted wirelessly therethrough and a structural member through which the control member signal is transmitted wirelessly therethrough; a first sensor assembly disposed in said shell for receiving therethrough the signal from said power generating unit that, in response to the received signal, generates a first sensor signal that is representative of power generating unit signal; a second sensor assembly disposed in said shell for receiving therethrough the signal from said control member that, in response to the received signal, generates a second sensor signal that is representive of the control member signal; and a control circuit in the shell for receiving the first sensor signal and the second sensor signal that, based on the sensor signals, selectively actuates the power generating unit. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. A powered surgical tool, said power surgical tool including:
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a housing; a motor disposed in said housing, said motor having a rotor and configured to wirelessly emit a signal representative of rotor position; an attachment that extends from said housing that is connected to and actuated by said rotor for performing a surgical/medical task; a manually actuatable control member that is moveably attached to said housing; and a control module disposed in said housing, said control module having; a shell, said shell including a structural member through which the signal emitted by said motor is transmitted wirelessly therethrough; a first sensor assembly disposed in said shell for receiving wirelessly therethrough the signal from said motor that, said first sensor assembly configured to, in response to the received signal, generate a rotor state signal representative of the position of said motor rotor, the rotor state signal being an electrical signal; and a control circuit in the shell for receiving the rotor state signal and a control signal that is based on the actuation of said control member, said control member configured to, based on the received signals, selectively actuate said motor. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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Specification