Battery initialization clip

• US 9,333,025 B2
• Filed: 10/23/2012
• Issued: 05/10/2016
• 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: Chan, Wai T., Monson, Gavin M., Trees, Gregory A., Leather, Gordon J., Stocks, David J., Ruddenklau, David I., Lee, Robin M., Wilkins, Rebecca A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Peffley, Michael
• Assistant Examiner(s): Fowler, Daniel
• Application Number:
  US13/658,790
• Publication Number:
  US 20130131660A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,295 Days
• 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 a housing, a control lever rotatably coupled to the housing, 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 and an initialization clip coupled to housing and the control lever to prevent operation of the RF generation circuit and movement of the control lever.

Claims

1. A medical instrument comprising:

a housing;

a control lever rotatably coupled to the housing;

at least one electrical contact;

a radio frequency (RF) generation circuit configured 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; and

an initialization clip coupled to the housing and the control lever to prevent operation of the RF generation circuit and movement of the control lever.

2. The medical instrument according to claim 1, wherein the initialization clip comprises a first half and a second half fastened by at least one mechanical fastening element.

3. The medical instrument according to claim 2, comprising:

a battery; and

a battery connection circuit coupled to the battery;

wherein when the initialization clip is attached to the housing, the battery connection circuit electrically disconnects the battery from the RF generation circuit.

4. The medical instrument according to claim 3, wherein when the initialization clip is removed from the housing, the battery connection circuit electrically couples the battery to the RF generation circuit.

5. The medical instrument according to claim 3, comprising:

a remotely activated switch element coupled between the battery and the battery connection circuit; and

a remote switch activation element supported by the initialization clip.

6. The medical instrument according to claim 5, wherein the remotely activated switch element electrically disconnects the battery from the RF generation circuit when the remote switch activation element is in proximity to the remotely activated switch element.

7. The medical instrument according to claim 5, wherein the remotely activated switch element electrically connects the battery from the RF generation circuit when the remote switch activation element is not in proximity to the remotely activated switch element.

8. The medical instrument according to claim 5, wherein the remotely activated switch element is a magnetically operated element and the remote switch activation element is a magnet.

9. The medical instrument according to claim 8, wherein the magnetically operated element is any one of a reed switch and a Hall-effect sensor.

10. The medical instrument according to claim 5, wherein the battery connection circuit comprises a field effect transistor (FET), wherein when the initialization clip is removed from the housing, the remotely activated switch element closes, enabling current to flow through the FET to couple the RF generation circuit to a return (−

) terminal of the battery.

11. The medical instrument according to claim 5, wherein the battery connection circuit comprises a relay comprising a primary winding that controls a switch, wherein when the initialization clip is removed from the housing, the remotely activated switch element closes, enabling current to flow through the primary winding and closing the switch to couple the RF generation circuit to a return (−

) terminal of the battery.

12. The medical instrument according to claim 2, wherein the at least one mechanical fastening element is a snap button.

13. The medical instrument according to claim 2, wherein the initialization clip comprises a chamber to contain a remote switch activation element.

14. The medical instrument according to claim 13, wherein the chamber is tilted.

15. A method of configuring a medical instrument comprising a housing, a control lever rotatably coupled to the housing, at least one electrical contact, a radio frequency (RF) generation circuit configured to be 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 memory, and a processor coupled to the memory, the method comprising:

fitting an initialization clip on the housing and the control lever a first time;

storing an application code in the memory, the application code comprising a set of computer instructions to be executed by the processor;

turning the instrument to an off state;

removing the initialization clip;

placing the instrument in production mode; and

fitting an initialization clip on the housing and the control lever a second time.

16. The method according to claim 15, comprising removing the initialization clip to activate the RF generation circuit.

17. The method according to claim 16, comprising:

disabling the RF generation circuit when the initialization clip is refitted to the housing and the control lever; and

discharging the battery.

18. A medical instrument comprising:

a housing;

a battery supported by the housing;

a control lever rotatably coupled to the housing;

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 connection circuit coupled to the battery; and

a remotely activated switch element coupled between the battery and the battery connection circuit;

wherein when an initialization clip is attached to the housing, the battery connection circuit electrically disconnects the battery from the RF generation circuit; and

wherein when the initialization clip is removed from the housing, the battery connection circuit electrically couples the battery to the RF generation circuit.

19. The medical instrument according to claim 18, wherein the remotely activated switch element electrically disconnects the battery from the RF generation circuit when a remote switch activation element is in proximity to the remotely activated switch element.

20. The medical instrument according to claim 18, wherein the remotely activated switch element electrically connects the battery from the RF generation circuit when a remote switch activation element is not in proximity to the remotely activated switch element.

21. The medical instrument according to claim 18, wherein the remotely activated switch element is a magnetically operated element responsive to a magnet.