Battery drain kill feature in a battery powered device

• US 9,283,027 B2
• Filed: 10/23/2012
• Issued: 03/15/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 10/24/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cilag Gmbh International (Johnson & Johnson)
• Original Assignee: Ethicon Endo-Surgery LLC (Johnson & Johnson)
• Inventors: Monson, Gavin M., Trees, Gregory A., Leather, Gordon J., Evans, John Hefin Bowen, Roberts, Paul C., Pinheiro, Paulo Alexandre da Torre, Styler, Clive, Ruddenklau, David I., Green, Alan E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Peffley, Michael
• Assistant Examiner(s): Fowler, Daniel
• Application Number:
  US13/658,791
• Publication Number:
  US 20130123777A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,239 Days
• Field of Search: 320134-136
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 18/1206 Generators therefor
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 18/1233 with circuits for assuring patient safety
• 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 18/18 by applying electromagnetic radiation, e.g. microwaves radiation therapy A61N5/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00115 with audible or visual output with imaging means A61B90/37, A61B34/20
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00196 reciprocating lengthwise
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00595 Cauterization
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00642 with feedback, i.e. closed loop control
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00702 Power or energy
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/0072 Current
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00726 Duty cycle
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00732 Frequency
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00767 Voltage
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00827 Current
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00875 Resistance or impedance
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00892 Voltage
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00916 with means for switching or controlling the main function of the instrument or device
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00922 by switching or controlling the treatment energy directly within the hand-piece
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/1226 powered by a battery
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/1286 having a specific transformer
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/1455 : having a moving blade for cutting tissue grasped by the jaws
• CPC Class Codes: F16B 2/20 : Clips, i.e. with gripping action effected solely by the inherent resistance to deformation of the material of the fastening
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00 : Circuit arrangements for charging or depolarising batteries or for supplying loads from batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 74/20666 : Lever engaging

Abstract

A medical instrument is disclosed. The medical instrument includes at least one electrical contact, a radio frequency (RF) generation circuit coupled to and operated by the battery and operable to generate an RF drive signal and to provide the RF drive signal to the at least one electrical contact, a battery discharge circuit coupled to the RF generation circuit, a processor coupled to the battery discharge circuit, and a memory coupled to the processor. The memory stores computer instructions that when executed cause the processor to monitor battery capacity and send a signal to the battery discharge circuit to discharge a battery coupled to the battery discharge circuit when the battery capacity falls below a predetermined threshold.

Claims

1. A medical instrument, comprising:

at least one electrical contact;

a radio frequency (RF) generation circuit coupled to and operated by a battery and operable to generate an RF drive signal and to provide the RF drive signal to the at least one electrical contact;

a battery discharge circuit coupled to the RF generation circuit;

a processor coupled to the battery discharge circuit;

a memory coupled to the processor, the memory stores computer instructions that when executed cause the processor to;

monitor battery capacity; and

send a signal to the battery discharge circuit to discharge a battery coupled to the battery discharge circuit when the battery capacity falls below a predetermined threshold; and

an output sensing circuit comprising a dummy load and coupled to the processor, wherein the output sensing circuit is configured to verify output current and output voltage sensing functions,

wherein the processor is configured to;

measure a first battery current;

apply a second battery current to the dummy load;

measure the second battery current after the second battery current is applied to the dummy load; and

determine an energy sufficiency in the battery to proceed based on the measured first battery current and the measured second battery current.

2. The medical instrument according to claim 1, wherein the processor is configured to:

monitor capacity of a battery coupled to the battery discharge circuit; and

determine when the battery capacity is below a predetermined threshold;

wherein, when the processor determines that the battery capacity is below the predetermined threshold, the processor outputs the signal to the battery discharge circuit to controllably discharge the battery.

3. The medical instrument according to claim 1, wherein the battery discharge circuit comprises an electronic switch element coupled to the processor and coupled to the battery coupled to a battery discharge load resistor, wherein when the processor applies the signal to the electronic switch element, the electronic switch element conducts current from the battery to controllably discharge the battery.

4. The medical instrument according to claim 3, wherein the electronic switch element is selected from the group consisting of a transistor, relay, silicon controlled rectifier, optical isolator, and optical coupler.

5. A medical instrument, comprising:

a battery discharge circuit coupled to an RF generation circuit;

a processor coupled to the battery discharge circuit;

a memory coupled to the processor, the memory stores computer instructions that when executed cause the processor to send a signal to the battery discharge circuit to discharge a battery coupled to the battery discharge circuit; and

an output sensing circuit comprising a dummy load and coupled to the processor, wherein the output sensing circuit is configured to verify output current and output voltage sensing functions,

wherein the processor is configured to;

measure a first battery current;

apply a second battery current to the dummy load;

measure the second battery current after the second battery current is applied to the dummy load; and

determine energy sufficiency in the battery to proceed based on the measured first battery current and the measured second battery current.

6. The medical instrument according to claim 5, wherein the processor is configured to:

monitor capacity of the battery coupled to the battery discharge circuit; and

determine when the battery capacity is below a predetermined threshold;

wherein, when the processor determines that the battery capacity is below the predetermined threshold, the processor outputs the signal to the battery discharge circuit to controllably discharge the battery.

7. The medical instrument according to claim 5, wherein the battery discharge circuit comprises an electronic switch element coupled to the processor and coupled to the battery coupled to a battery discharge load resistor, wherein when the processor applies the signal to the electronic switch element, the electronic switch element conducts current from the battery to controllably discharge the battery.

8. The medical instrument according to claim 7, wherein the electronic switch element is selected from the group consisting of a transistor, relay, silicon controlled rectifier, optical isolator, optical coupler.

9. A method of discharging a battery in a medical instrument comprising a battery discharge circuit coupled to an RF generation circuit, a processor coupled to the battery discharge circuit, and a memory coupled to the processor, the memory stores computer instructions that when executed control the operation of the processor, the method comprising:

monitoring battery capacity by the processor;

sending a signal by the processor to the battery discharge circuit to discharge the battery coupled to the battery discharge circuit when the battery capacity falls below a predetermined threshold;

verifying output current and output voltage sensing functions by an output sensing circuit comprising a dummy load and coupled to the processor;

measuring by the processor a first battery current;

applying by the processor a second battery current to a dummy load;

measuring by the processor the second battery current applied to the dummy load; and

determining by the processor energy sufficiency in the battery to proceed based on the measured first battery current and the measured second battery current.

10. The method according to claim 9, comprising:

monitoring capacity by the processor of the battery coupled to the battery discharge circuit; and

determining by the processor when the battery capacity is below a predetermined threshold;

determining by the processor that the battery capacity is below the predetermined threshold;

outputting the signal by the processor to the battery discharge circuit;

controllably discharging the battery by the battery discharge circuit.

11. The method according to claim 10, comprising conducting by an electronic switch element current from the battery to controllably discharge the battery.