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Method of maintaining constant movement of a cutting blade of an ultrasonic waveguide

  • US 9,782,180 B2
  • Filed: 05/07/2012
  • Issued: 10/10/2017
  • Est. Priority Date: 12/03/2007
  • Status: Active Grant
First Claim
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1. A method of maintaining a constant movement of a cutting blade of an ultrasonic waveguide of a surgical instrument, which comprises:

  • providing within a handle of the surgical instrument;

    an ultrasonic transducer operable to convert a received motional current into a movement of a cutting blade of an ultrasonic waveguide;

    a measurement circuit connected in a parallel configuration with the ultrasonic transducer; and

    a variable power source comprising a battery;

    providing a clamping mechanism having a range of clamping force values and being operable to place material in physical contact with the cutting blade, wherein the clamping mechanism is communicatively coupled to a current controller;

    supplying current through a set of connection points of the parallel configuration with the variable power source to, thereby, create the motional current in the ultrasonic transducer;

    regulating the motional current with the current controller by varying an output of the power source, thereby maintaining a resonant condition along the cutting blade in which there is a substantially constant rate of movement of the cutting blade across a variety of cutting loads; and

    varying the motional current with the current controller based upon a given clamping value within the range of clamping values.

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