Motor driven surgical cutting instrument
DC CAFCFirst Claim
Patent Images
1. A surgical instrument, comprising:
- an end effector that clamps tissue, the end effector comprising a moveable member comprising a cutting element that, when actuated, longitudinally traverses the end effector along a cutting travel path to cut tissue clamped in the end effector, wherein the cutting travel path has an initial position at a beginning of the cutting travel path and an end-of-stroke position at an end of the cutting travel path;
an electric motor that drives the moveable member of the end effector when the electric motor is forward rotated, wherein the electric motor is for actuating the cutting instrument of the end effector;
a motor control circuit connected to the electric motor, wherein the motor control circuit is for monitoring a parameter of the electric motor that is indicative of movement of the moveable member of the end effector, and wherein the motor control circuit is for adjustably controlling the electric motor based on the monitored parameter to thereby adjustably control movement of the moveable member of the end effector during forward rotation of the electric motor; and
a cutting instrument position sensor that senses the parameter of the electric motor that is indicative of movement of the moveable member of the end effector, wherein the movement of the moveable member of the end effector comprises a position of the cutting instrument in the end effector along the cutting travel path;
wherein the motor control circuit comprises;
a power source connected to the electric motor for electrically powering the electric motor; and
a current control circuit, connected to the power source, for varying the current supplied to the electric motor from the power source, wherein the current control circuit controls the electric motor according to a switching architecture and based on the position of the cutting instrument along the cutting travel path relative to the end-of-stroke position and the initial position, as sensed by the cutting instrument position sensor, wherein the switching architecture comprises;
a first, low power operational mode for a first portion of a cutting travel path of the cutting instrument when the cutting instrument is within a first non-zero threshold distance along the cutting travel path from the initial position; and
a second, high power operational mode for a second portion the cutting travel path of the cutting instrument when the cutting instrument is between the first non-zero threshold distance and a second non-zero threshold distance from the initial position of the cutting travel path, wherein the first non-zero threshold distance is less than the second non-zero threshold distance, and where greater current is supplied to the motor during the second, higher power operational mode than during the first, low power operational mode.
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Abstract
A motor-driven surgical cutting and fastening instrument that comprises an end effector, an electric motor, and a motor control circuit. The motor control circuit is for monitoring a parameter of the electric motor that is indicative of movement of a moveable member of the end effector, and for adjustably controlling the electric motor based on the monitored parameter to thereby adjustably control movement of the moveable member of the end effector during forward rotation of the electric motor.
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Citations
19 Claims
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1. A surgical instrument, comprising:
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an end effector that clamps tissue, the end effector comprising a moveable member comprising a cutting element that, when actuated, longitudinally traverses the end effector along a cutting travel path to cut tissue clamped in the end effector, wherein the cutting travel path has an initial position at a beginning of the cutting travel path and an end-of-stroke position at an end of the cutting travel path; an electric motor that drives the moveable member of the end effector when the electric motor is forward rotated, wherein the electric motor is for actuating the cutting instrument of the end effector; a motor control circuit connected to the electric motor, wherein the motor control circuit is for monitoring a parameter of the electric motor that is indicative of movement of the moveable member of the end effector, and wherein the motor control circuit is for adjustably controlling the electric motor based on the monitored parameter to thereby adjustably control movement of the moveable member of the end effector during forward rotation of the electric motor; and a cutting instrument position sensor that senses the parameter of the electric motor that is indicative of movement of the moveable member of the end effector, wherein the movement of the moveable member of the end effector comprises a position of the cutting instrument in the end effector along the cutting travel path; wherein the motor control circuit comprises; a power source connected to the electric motor for electrically powering the electric motor; and a current control circuit, connected to the power source, for varying the current supplied to the electric motor from the power source, wherein the current control circuit controls the electric motor according to a switching architecture and based on the position of the cutting instrument along the cutting travel path relative to the end-of-stroke position and the initial position, as sensed by the cutting instrument position sensor, wherein the switching architecture comprises; a first, low power operational mode for a first portion of a cutting travel path of the cutting instrument when the cutting instrument is within a first non-zero threshold distance along the cutting travel path from the initial position; and a second, high power operational mode for a second portion the cutting travel path of the cutting instrument when the cutting instrument is between the first non-zero threshold distance and a second non-zero threshold distance from the initial position of the cutting travel path, wherein the first non-zero threshold distance is less than the second non-zero threshold distance, and where greater current is supplied to the motor during the second, higher power operational mode than during the first, low power operational mode. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. A surgical instrument, comprising:
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an end effector comprising a firing element, wherein the firing element is configured to move along a firing path, and wherein the firing path comprises; an initial position; and an end-of-stroke position; an electric motor, wherein the electric motor drives the firing element in a first direction along the firing path when the electric motor is rotated in a first rotational direction; and a control circuit for controlling the electric motor, wherein the control circuit is configured to switch between a plurality of operational modes during rotation of the electric motor in the first rotational direction, and wherein the plurality of operational modes comprises; a first operational mode, wherein the control circuit operates in the first operational mode when the firing element is positioned within a first range of positions along the firing path, wherein the first range of positions is positioned between the initial position and a second range of positions, and wherein a first amount of current is supplied to the electric motor during the first operational mode; and a second operational mode, wherein the control circuit operates in the second operational mode when the firing element is positioned within the second range of positions along the firing path, wherein the second range of positions is positioned between the first range of positions and the end-of-stroke position, wherein a second amount of current is supplied to the electric motor during the second operational mode, and wherein the second amount of current is greater than the first amount of current. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16)
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17. A surgical instrument, comprising:
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an end effector comprising a firing element, wherein the firing element is configured to move along a firing path, and wherein the firing path comprises; an initial position; and an end-of-stroke position; a sensor that detects a condition of the firing element indicative of the position of the firing element along the firing path; an electric motor, wherein the electric motor drives the firing element in a first direction along the firing path when the electric motor is rotated in a first rotational direction; and a control circuit for controlling the electric motor, wherein the control circuit is configured to operate in a plurality of operational modes during rotation of the electric motor in the first rotational direction, and wherein the plurality of operational modes comprises; a first operational mode, wherein the control circuit operates in the first operational mode when the detected condition is indicative of the firing element positioned within a first range of positions along the firing path, wherein the first range of positions is positioned between the initial position and a second range of positions, and wherein a first amount of current is supplied to the electric motor during the first operational mode; and a second operational mode, wherein the control circuit operates in the second operational mode when the detected condition is indicative of the firing element positioned within the second range of positions along the firing path, wherein the second range of positions is positioned between the first range of positions and the end-of-stroke position, wherein a second amount of current is supplied to the electric motor during the second operational mode, and wherein the second amount of current is greater than the first amount of current. - View Dependent Claims (18)
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19. A surgical instrument, comprising:
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an end effector comprising a firing element, wherein the firing element is configured to move along a firing path, and wherein the firing path comprises; an initial position; and an end-of-stroke position; an electric motor, wherein the electric motor drives the firing element in a first direction along the firing path when the electric motor is rotated in a first rotational direction; and a control circuit for controlling the electric motor, wherein the control circuit is configured to switch between a plurality of operational modes during rotation of the electric motor in the first rotational direction, and wherein the plurality of operational modes comprises; a first operational mode, wherein the control circuit operates in the first operational mode when the firing element is positioned within a first range of positions along the firing path, wherein the first range of positions is positioned between the initial position and a second range of positions, and wherein a first amount of current is supplied to the electric motor during the first operational mode; a second operational mode, wherein the control circuit operates in the second operational mode when the firing element is positioned within the second range of positions along the firing path, wherein the second range of positions is positioned between the first range of positions and a third range of positions, wherein a second amount of current is supplied to the electric motor during the second operational mode, and wherein the second amount of current is greater than the first amount of current; and a third operational mode, wherein the control circuit operates in the third operational mode when the firing element is positioned within the third range of positions along the firing path, wherein the third range of positions is positioned between the second range of positions and the end-of-stroke position, wherein a third amount of current is supplied to the electric motor during the third operational mode, and wherein the third amount of current is less than the second amount of current.
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Specification