Foot-operated control console for wirelessly controlling medical devices

• US 10,080,554 B2
• Filed: 06/09/2017
• Issued: 09/25/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 06/27/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Stryker Corporation
• Original Assignee: Stryker Corporation
• Inventors: Hamel, Andrew J., Baycura, Michael D., Hilldoerfer, Michael G., Nambakam, Vasudev, Hameed, Salmaan, Chang, William H. L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Jiang, Yong Hang
• Application Number:
  US15/618,861
• Publication Number:
  US 20170273673A1
• Time in Patent Office: 473 Days
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/00 Surgical instruments, devices or methods, e.g. tourniquets A61B18/00 takes precedence; contraceptive devices, pessaries, or applicators therefor A61F6/00; eye surgery A61F9/007; ear surgery A61F11/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/32002 with continuously rotating, oscillating or reciprocating cutting instruments
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 18/1482 having a long rigid shaft for accessing the inner body transcutaneously in minimal invasive surgery, e.g. laparoscopy
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00017 Electrical control of surgical instruments
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00199 with a console, e.g. a control panel with a display
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00734 battery operated
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00973 pedal-operated
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/701 for flexible tubular instruments, e.g. endoscopes
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 90/70 Cleaning devices specially adapted for surgical instruments
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 17/02 using a radio link
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 2201/70 Device selection

Abstract

A wireless foot control apparatus allows an operator to control multiple medical devices during an endoscopic medical procedure. The apparatus comprises a control console with controls designed for foot operation to control various medical devices. The controls include one or more foot pedals and foot switches to control the devices, including a selection switch to allow selection of the device to be controlled at a particular time. The console transmits signals over a wireless medium, to cause a remote receiver unit to select the device to be controlled and to control the selected device over a wired medium, in response to operation of the foot controls. The console may include a rechargeable battery, which may be sealed within the console'"'"'s housing and charged inductively when the console is placed in a charging station. The receiver unit and the charging station can be separate units or integrated within a single housing.

Claims

1. A foot-operated control console system to allow an operator to control a medical device during a medical procedure, the foot-operated control console system comprising:

a control console including a plurality of depressible elements, with the plurality of depressible elements including foot-operated controls designed to be operated by a foot of the operator, and at least one wireless transmitter to transmit a plurality of control signals over a wireless medium to control the medical device during the medical procedure in response to inputs from at least one of the plurality of depressible elements; and

a receiver unit for receiving the plurality of control signals from the at least one wireless transmitter, the receiver unit comprising a sync button, wherein simultaneous actuation of the sync button and at least one of the plurality of depressible elements synchronizes the control console with the receiver unit.

2. The foot-operated control console system as recited in claim 1, further comprising a controller to receive the inputs from the plurality of depressible elements and to provide the plurality of control signals to the at least one wireless transmitter.

3. The foot-operated control console system as recited in claim 1, wherein the plurality of depressible elements includes a selection control to allow the operator to select the medical device to be controlled.

4. The foot-operated control console system as recited in claim 3, wherein the receiver unit receives a selection signal based on operation of the selection control and the plurality of control signals via the wireless medium, and to control the medical device in response to the selection signal and the plurality of control signals.

5. The foot-operated control console system as recited in claim 4, wherein the receiver unit further is to control the medical device via a wired communication medium in response to the selection signal and the plurality of control signals.

6. The foot-operated control console system as recited in claim 5, wherein the receiver unit includes:

a wireless receiver to receive the selection signal and the plurality of control signals via the wireless medium;

a data communication device to transmit a plurality of controlling signals to the medical device over the wired communication medium, based on the plurality of control signals and the selection signal; and

a controller to control the data communication device in response to the plurality of control signals and the selection signal, including generating the plurality of controlling signals based on the plurality of control signals so that the plurality of controlling signals are compatible with the medical device, as indicated by the selection signal.

7. The foot-operated control console system as recited in claim 1, further comprising an internal rechargeable power source to power the control console.

8. The foot-operated control console system as recited in claim 7, further comprising:

an induction element; and

a charging circuit to control charging of the power source by power induced in the induction element by an external source.

9. The foot-operated control console system as recited in claim 1, wherein the plurality of depressible elements includes a foot pedal and a foot switch.

10. The foot-operated control console system as recited in claim 1, wherein the plurality of depressible elements includes a plurality of foot pedals and a plurality of foot switches.

11. The foot-operated control console system as recited in claim 1, wherein the control console transmits a device identifier identifying the control console in association with the plurality of control signals, the device identifier for associating the control console with the receiver unit.

12. The foot-operated control console system as recited in claim 1, further comprising a housing to contain the at least one wireless transmitter, the housing having an attachment to allow a suction hose to be attached to the housing.

13. The foot-operated control console system as recited in claim 1, wherein the simultaneous actuation of a plurality of the foot-operated controls and the sync button synchronizes the control console with the receiver unit.

14. The foot-operated control console system as recited in claim 1, wherein the plurality of depressible elements includes at least two switches for operation by the foot of the operator, a selection control for manual selection of the medical device to be controlled and a separate device control for manually operating the medical device.

15. A foot-operated control console system to allow an operator to control a medical device during a medical procedure, the foot-operated control console system comprising:

a foot-operated control console including a plurality of controls designed to be operated by a foot of the operator and at least one wireless transmitter to transmit a plurality of control signals over a wireless medium to control the medical device during the medical procedure in response to inputs from the plurality of controls; and

a receiver unit for receiving the plurality of control signals from the at least one wireless transmitter;

at least one of the receiver unit and the control console including a synchronization actuator, and synchronization of the control console and the receiver unit includes depressing the synchronization actuator and at least one of the plurality of controls simultaneously.

16. The foot-operated control console system as recited in claim 15, wherein the receiver unit includes the synchronization actuator.

17. The foot-operated control console system as recited in claim 16, wherein synchronization of the control console and the receiver unit further includes depressing a plurality of the controls.

18. The foot-operated control console system as recited in claim 15, wherein synchronization of the control console and the receiver unit further includes depressing a plurality of the controls.

19. The foot-operated control console system as recited in claim 15, further comprising a controller to receive the inputs from the plurality of controls and to provide the plurality of control signals to the at least one wireless transmitter.

20. The foot-operated control console system as recited in claim 15, wherein the plurality of controls includes a selection control to allow the operator to select the medical device to be controlled.

21. The foot-operated control console system as recited in claim 20, wherein the receiver unit receives a selection signal based on operation of the selection control and the plurality of control signals via the wireless medium, and to control the medical device in response to the selection signal and the plurality of control signals.

22. The foot-operated control console system as recited in claim 21, wherein the receiver unit further is to control the medical device via a wired communication medium in response to the selection signal and the plurality of control signals.

23. The foot-operated control console system as recited in claim 22, wherein the receiver unit includes:

a wireless receiver to receive the selection signal and the plurality of control signals via the wireless medium;

a data communication device to transmit a plurality of controlling signals to the medical device over the wired communication medium, based on the plurality of control signals and the selection signal; and

a controller to control the data communication device in response to the plurality of control signals and the selection signal, including generating the plurality of controlling signals based on the plurality of control signals so that the plurality of controlling signals are compatible with the medical device, as indicated by the selection signal.

24. The foot-operated control console system as recited in claim 15, further comprising an internal rechargeable power source to power the control console.

25. The foot-operated control console system as recited in claim 24, further comprising:

an induction element; and

a charging circuit to control charging of the power source by power induced in the induction element by an external source.

26. The foot-operated control console system as recited in claim 15, wherein the plurality of controls includes a foot pedal and a foot switch.

27. The foot-operated control console system as recited in claim 15, wherein the plurality of controls includes a plurality of foot pedals and a plurality of foot switches.

28. The foot-operated control console system as recited in claim 15, wherein the control console transmits a device identifier identifying the control console in association with the plurality of control signals, the device identifier for associating the control console with the receiver unit.

29. The foot-operated control console system as recited in claim 15, further comprising a housing to contain the at least one wireless transmitter, the housing having an attachment to allow a suction hose to be attached to the housing.

30. The foot-operated control console system as recited in claim 15, wherein the simultaneous actuation of a plurality of the controls and the synchronization actuator synchronizes the foot-operated control console with the receiver unit.

31. The foot-operated control console system as recited in claim 15, wherein the plurality of controls includes at least two switches for operation by the foot of the operator, a selection control for manual selection of the medical device to be controlled and a separate device control for manually operating the medical device.