Charging station for battery powered biopsy apparatus

• US 8,283,890 B2
• Filed: 09/25/2009
• Issued: 10/09/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 09/25/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Bard Peripheral Vascular Incorporated (Becton, Dickinson & Co)
• Original Assignee: Bard Peripheral Vascular Incorporated (Becton, Dickinson & Co)
• Inventors: Videbaek, Karsten
• Primary Examiner(s): DOUGHERTY, SEAN PATRICK
• Application Number:
  US12/567,164
• Publication Number:
  US 20110077551A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,110 Days
• Field of Search: 320/106, 320/107, 320/114, 320/115, 320/132, 600/562, 600/564, 600/567, 600/568, 606/167, 606/170
• US Class Current: 320/115
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 10/0275 with sample notch, e.g. on the side of inner stylet
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 10/0283 with vacuum aspiration, e.g. caused by retractable plunger or by connected syringe A61B10/025, A61B10/0266 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2010/0208 Biopsy devices with actuators, e.g. with triggered spring mechanisms
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00398 using powered actuators, e.g. stepper motors, solenoids
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00424 ergonomic, e.g. fitting in fist
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/0046 with a releasable handle; with handle and operating part separable
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00477 Coupling A61B2017/0046 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00734 battery operated
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 2310/23 The load being a medical device, a medical implant, or a life supporting device
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0044 specially adapted for holding portable devices containing batteries H02J7/0045 takes precedence

Abstract

A charging station for a battery powered biopsy apparatus includes a charging dock having a housing and a charging unit contained in the housing. The charging unit has a set of electrical contacts. The housing is received in a first cavity of a driver assembly with the electrical contacts being coupled in electrical communication with the driver assembly when the driver assembly is mounted on the charging dock for charging. The charging unit provides a signal to the driver assembly to reset the driver assembly to an initialized state when the driver assembly is mounted to the charging station.

Claims

1. A biopsy system, comprising:

a driver assembly having an electromechanical power source with a battery and having a first housing configured to be grasped by a user, said first housing having a first cavity;

a biopsy probe assembly configured for releasable attachment to said driver assembly, said biopsy probe assembly having a frame, a biopsy probe, a transmission device and a second housing, said biopsy probe and said second housing being mounted to said frame, said second housing containing at least a portion of said transmission device, said biopsy probe being drivably coupled to said transmission device, and said transmission device being configured for releasable driven coupling to said electromechanical power source of said driver assembly, said first cavity of said driver assembly being configured for receiving said second housing of said biopsy probe assembly when said driver assembly is mounted to said biopsy probe assembly, said second housing having a first shape; and

a charging dock having a third housing and a charging unit contained in said third housing, said charging unit having a set of electrical contacts, said third housing having a second shape substantially the same as said first shape of said second housing of said biopsy probe assembly, said third housing being received in said first cavity of said driver assembly, said electrical contacts being coupled in electrical communication with said driver assembly when said driver assembly is mounted on said charging dock for charging.

2. The biopsy system of claim 1, said driver assembly further including a controller communicatively coupled to said electromechanical power source, said controller receiving a signal from said charging unit to reset said driver assembly to an initialized state when said driver assembly is mounted to said charging station.

3. The biopsy system of claim 2, wherein said reset of said driver assembly to said initialized state initializes said controller to preposition components of said electromechanical power source such that said electromechanical power source is ready to be drivably coupled to said biopsy probe assembly upon removal of said driver assembly from said charging dock.

4. The biopsy system of claim 1, said driver assembly further including a controller, said controller receiving a signal from said charging unit to reset said driver assembly to an initialized state when said driver assembly is mounted to said charging station if said driver assembly is in an error state.

5. The biopsy system of claim 1, wherein:

said second housing is configured to contain a coiling unit of said transmission device, said biopsy probe having a sample basket arranged coaxially within a cutter cannula, with said sample basket being connected to said coiling unit; and

said third housing of said charging dock contains all electronic components of said charging unit.

6. The biopsy system of claim 1, further comprising a removable cover to which all electronic components of said charging unit are mounted, said third housing having a second cavity such that said all electronic components are positioned internally to said third housing in said second cavity when said removable cover is coupled to said third housing.

7. The biopsy system of claim 1, wherein prior to mounting said driver assembly on said charging station, any biopsy probe assembly installed on said driver assembly must be removed from said driver assembly to vacate said first cavity in said driver assembly for receiving said third housing of said charging dock.