Surgical machine and method for controlling and/or regulating a surgical machine

• US 8,029,510 B2
• Filed: 10/10/2007
• Issued: 10/04/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 04/16/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Aesculap AG (B. Braun Holding GmbH & Co. KG)
• Original Assignee: Aesculap AG (B. Braun Holding GmbH & Co. KG)
• Inventors: Hoegerle, Roland Alois
• Primary Examiner(s): Barrett; Thomas C.
• Assistant Examiner(s): SEVILLA, CHRISTIAN ANTHONY
• Application Number:
  US11/974,182
• Publication Number:
  US 20080077149A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,455 Days
• Field of Search: 606/79, 606/80, 606/82, 606/167, 606/169, 606/171, 606/180, 408/8, 408/9, 318/139, 335/219, 335175-179, 324/201, 388/907
• US Class Current: 606/80
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/1613 Component parts
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/1626 Control means; Display units
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/1628 Motors; Power supplies
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/0813 Accessories designed for easy sterilising, i.e. re-usable
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 388/907 Specific control circuit element or device

Abstract

In order to so improve a surgical machine comprising a housing and a surgical drive that maintenance of the machine is simplified, it is proposed that the drive and the housing be directly on indirectly connectable in a detachable manner.

A method for controlling and/or regulating a surgical machine is also proposed.

Claims

1. Surgical machine comprising:

a housing,

a surgical drive disposed in the housing,

a push-button unit with at least one actuating member mounted on the housing for movement in a direction of actuation for prescribing a rotational speed and/or a direction of rotation of the surgical machine,

a field generating unit for generating a magnetic field,

at least one actuating sensor coupled with the field generating unit for generating an actuation signal in response to a movement and/or a position of the actuating member, the generated actuation signal being correlated with a field strength and/or a change in the field generated by the field generating unit, which occurs as a result of a movement of the actuating member,

a field changing member for generating a change in the field acting at a location of the actuating sensor and generated by the field generating unit, which occurs as a result of a movement and/or a changed position of the actuating member,

wherein;

the drive and the housing are directly or indirectly connectable in a detachable manner, and

the actuating sensor and the field generating unit are fixedly disposed relative to each other.

2. Machine in accordance with claim 1, wherein the push-button unit comprises a frame.

3. Machine in accordance with claim 1, wherein the actuating sensor is a magnetic field sensor.

4. Machine in accordance with claim 3, wherein the magnetic field sensor is a Hall sensor.

5. Machine in accordance with claim 1, wherein the field changing member is at least partially magnetically polarizable and has a magnetic susceptibility χ

_m differing from zero.

6. Machine in accordance with claim 5, wherein the field changing member is at least partially diamagnetic, paramagnetic, ferromagnetic, antiferromagnetic or ferrimagnetic.

7. Machine in accordance with claim 5, wherein the field changing member is a soft iron element.

8. Machine in accordance with claim 1, wherein the field generating unit is a magnet.

9. Machine in accordance with claim 8, wherein the magnet is a permanent magnet.

10. Machine in accordance with claim 8, wherein the magnet is formed by a coil.

11. Machine in accordance with claim 1, wherein the actuating sensor is disposed between poles of the field generating unit.

12. Machine in accordance with claim 11, wherein the actuating sensor is disposed in a gap of a ring coil.

13. Machine in accordance with claim 1, wherein a cross section of the field changing member varies in a direction of actuation of the actuating member.

14. Machine in accordance with claim 13, wherein the cross section increases.

15. Machine in accordance with claim 1, wherein the field generating unit is coupled by a return path system with the actuating sensor.

16. Machine in accordance with claim 15, wherein the return path system is a magnetic return path system.

17. Machine in accordance with claim 1, wherein the field generating unit, the return path system and the actuating sensor define a recess, and the field changing member is so disposed that it is at least partially introducible into the recess as a result of a movement of the actuating member.

18. Machine in accordance with claim 17, wherein the recess has a substantially rectangular cross section.

19. Machine in accordance with claim 1, wherein the actuating member carries the field changing member.

20. Machine in accordance with claim 1, wherein the field generating unit is disposed on a power and control unit.

21. Machine in accordance with claim 1, wherein:

the machine has at least two different operating modes,

a first operating mode position of the at least one actuating member being associated with a first operating mode, and

the at least one actuating member is rotatable about an axis of rotation from the first operating mode position to a second operating mode position, which is associated with a second operating mode of the machine, in order to switch the drive unit over from the first operating mode to the second operating mode.