Constant power inverter with crest factor control

• US 9,270,202 B2
• Filed: 12/04/2013
• Issued: 02/23/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 03/11/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Covidien LP (Medtronic Plc)
• Original Assignee: Covidien LP (Medtronic Plc)
• Inventors: Johnson, Joshua H., Tonn, Donald
• Primary Examiner(s): Berhane, Adolf
• Application Number:
  US14/096,341
• Publication Number:
  US 20140254221A1
• Time in Patent Office: 811 Days
• Field of Search: 363/59, 363/60, 363/62, 363/95, 363/97, 363/98, 363/131, 363/132
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 18/1206 Generators therefor
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 18/1402 Probes for open surgery
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 18/1445 at the distal end of a shaft, e.g. forceps or scissors at the end of a rigid rod
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00702 Power or energy
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/0072 Current
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00767 Voltage
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/165 Multiple indifferent electrodes
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 1/007 Plural converter units in cascade push-pull DC/DC converters with pre-regulator H02M3/3374; DC-AC converters following a DC-DC stage including a high frequency transformer H02M7/4807; DC-AC converters following a DC-DC conversion stage generating periodically varying voltages H02M7/4826
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 7/5395 by pulse-width modulation

Abstract

An electrosurgical generator is provided. The generator includes a DC-DC buck converter configured to output a DC waveform, the DC-DC buck converter including at least one first switching element operated at a first duty cycle; a DC-AC boost converter coupled to the DC-DC buck converter and including at least one second switching element operated at a second duty cycle, the DC-AC boost converter configured to convert the DC waveform to generate at least one electrosurgical waveform; and a controller coupled to the DC-DC buck converter and the DC-AC boost converter and configured to adjust the first duty cycle and the second duty cycle to operate the at least one electrosurgical waveform in at least one of constant current, constant voltage, or constant power modes.

Claims

1. An electrosurgical generator, comprising:

a DC-DC buck converter configured to output a DC waveform, the DC-DC buck converter including at least one first switching element operated at a first duty cycle;

a DC-AC boost converter coupled to the DC-DC buck converter and including at least one second switching element operated at a second duty cycle, the DC-AC boost converter configured to convert the DC waveform to generate at least one electrosurgical waveform; and

a controller coupled to the DC-DC buck converter and the DC-AC boost converter and configured to;

adjust the first duty cycle and the second duty cycle to operate the at least one electrosurgical waveform in at least one of constant current, constant voltage, or constant power modes; and

adjust the second duty cycle to control a crest factor of the at least one electrosurgical waveform independent of the first duty cycle.

2. The electrosurgical generator according to claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to control the DC-DC buck converter in a current-program mode and to maintain the second duty cycle at about 100% to operate the at least one electrosurgical waveform in a constant current mode.

3. The electrosurgical generator according to claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to control the DC-DC buck converter in a non-linear carrier control mode and to maintain the second duty cycle at about 100% to operate the at least one electrosurgical waveform in a constant power mode.

4. The electrosurgical generator according to claim 3, wherein in the non-linear carrier control mode the controller calculates a set point current based on a ratio of elapsed time and period length of each cycle of the DC waveform.

5. The electrosurgical generator according to claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to control the DC-AC boost converter in a current-program mode and to maintain the first duty cycle at about 100% to operate the at least one electrosurgical waveform in a constant power mode.

6. The electrosurgical generator according to claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to maintain the first duty cycle at about 100% and the second duty cycle at less than 100% to operate the at least one electrosurgical waveform in a constant voltage mode.

7. The electrosurgical generator according to claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to adjust the first duty cycle to control power of the at least one electrosurgical waveform.

8. The electrosurgical generator according to claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to switch operation of the at least one electrosurgical waveform between at least one of constant current, constant voltage, or constant power modes based on the first duty cycle.

9. An electrosurgical generator, comprising:

a DC-DC buck converter configured to output a DC waveform, the DC-DC buck converter including at least one first switching element operated at a first duty cycle;

a DC-AC boost converter coupled to the DC-DC buck converter and including at least one second switching element operated at a second duty cycle, the DC-AC boost converter configured to convert the DC waveform to generate at least one electrosurgical waveform; and

a controller coupled to the DC-DC buck converter and the DC-AC boost converter and configured to;

adjust the first duty cycle and the second duty cycle to switch operation of the at least one electrosurgical waveform between at least one of constant current, constant voltage, or constant power modes based on the first duty cycle; and

adjust the second duty cycle to control a crest factor of the at least one electrosurgical waveform independent of the first duty cycle.

10. The electrosurgical generator according to claim 9, wherein the controller is configured to control the DC-DC buck converter in a current-program mode and to maintain the second duty cycle at about 100% to operate the at least one electrosurgical waveform in a constant current mode.

11. The electrosurgical generator according to claim 9, wherein the controller is configured to control the DC-DC buck converter in a non-linear carrier control mode and to maintain the second duty cycle at about 100% to operate the at least one electrosurgical waveform in a constant power mode.

12. The electrosurgical generator according to claim 11, wherein in the non-linear carrier control mode the controller calculates a set point current based on a ratio of elapsed time and period length of each cycle of the DC waveform.

13. The electrosurgical generator according to claim 9, wherein the controller is configured to control the DC-AC boost converter in a current-program mode and to maintain the first duty cycle at about 100% to operate the at least one electrosurgical waveform in a constant power mode.

14. The electrosurgical generator according to claim 9, wherein the controller is configured to maintain the first duty cycle at about 100% and the second duty cycle at less than 100% to operate the at least one electrosurgical waveform in a constant voltage mode.

15. The electrosurgical generator according to claim 9, wherein the controller is configured to adjust the first duty cycle to control power of the at least one electrosurgical waveform.

16. A method for controlling an electrosurgical generator, the method comprising:

operating at least one first switching element of a DC-DC buck converter at a first duty cycle to output a DC waveform;

operating at least one second switching element of a DC-AC boost converter coupled to the DC-DC buck converter at a second duty cycle to convert the DC waveform to generate at least one electrosurgical waveform;

adjusting the first duty cycle and the second duty cycle to operate the at least one electrosurgical waveform in at least one of constant current, constant voltage, or constant power modes; and

adjusting the second duty cycle to control a crest factor of the at least one electrosurgical waveform independently of adjusting the first duty cycle.

17. The method according to claim 16, further comprising:

controlling the DC-DC buck converter in a current-program mode and to maintain the second duty cycle at about 100% to operate the at least one electrosurgical waveform in a constant current mode.

18. The method according to claim 16, further comprising:

controlling the DC-DC buck converter in a non-linear carrier control mode and to maintain the second duty cycle at about 100% to operate the at least one electrosurgical waveform in a constant power mode.

19. The method according to claim 18, wherein controlling the DC-DC buck converter in non-linear carrier control mode further comprises calculating a set point current based on a ratio of elapsed time and period length of each cycle of the DC waveform.

20. The method according to claim 16, further comprising:

controlling the DC-AC boost converter in a current-program mode and to maintain the first duty cycle at about 100% to operate the at least one electrosurgical waveform in a constant power mode.