Connection cable and method for activating a voltage-controlled generator

• US 7,834,484 B2
• Filed: 07/16/2007
• Issued: 11/16/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 07/16/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Covidien LP (Medtronic Plc)
• Original Assignee: Tyco Healthcare Group LP (Medtronic Plc)
• Inventors: Sartor, Joe D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Fleming; Fritz M
• Application Number:
  US11/879,180
• Publication Number:
  US 20090024120A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,219 Days
• Field of Search: 307/116, 307/125, 307/130, 307/147
• US Class Current: 307/116
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 18/1206 Generators therefor
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00702 Power or energy
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00892 Voltage
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 34/30 Surgical robots
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 34/37 Master-slave robots A61B34/35 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/6616 with resistor
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 2201/12 for medicine and surgery

Abstract

A connection cable is disclosed for controlling a voltage-controlled generator such as an electrosurgery generator from a controlling device such as a robotic surgery system. The cable includes a first connector adapted to connect to a voltage-controlled generator and a second connector adapted to connect to a controlling device. Within the cable is a voltage divider interdisposed between the first connector and the second connector. The voltage divider is configured to divide a reference voltage provided by the voltage-controlled generator into at least one control voltage which is selectable by the controlling device. The cable additionally includes a plurality of electrical wires which operatively connect the first connector, the second connector and the voltage divider. During robotic electrosurgery, said operating parameters can be actuated by a surgeon operating at the robotic surgical system console, which causes a corresponding control voltage to be switched to a control voltage input on an electrosurgery generator, which, in turn, generates a corresponding electrosurgical signal in response thereto.

Claims

1. A connection cable for activating a voltage-controlled generator, the connection cable comprising:

a first connector adapted to couple to a voltage-controlled generator;

a second connector adapted to couple to a controlling device, the controlling device including at least one circuit element adapted to electrically couple a control voltage to the voltage-controlled generator;

a voltage divider network having a plurality of voltage taps interdisposed between the first connector and the second connector and configured to divide a reference voltage provided by the voltage-controlled generator into at least one control voltage, wherein a control voltage capable of activating the voltage-controlled generator is provided when a single voltage tap is coupled thereto by the controlling device, and a control voltage incapable of activating the voltage-controlled generator is provided when two or more voltage taps are coupled thereto by the controlling device; and

a cable including a plurality of electrical wires that couple the first connector, the second connector, and the voltage divider network.

2. The connection cable according to claim 1, wherein the voltage-controlled generator is an electrosurgery generator.

3. The connection cable according to claim 1, wherein the controlling device is a remotely-operated robotic surgery system.

4. The connection cable according to claim 1, wherein the voltage divider network includes a plurality of resistors connected in series.

5. The connection cable according to claim 1, wherein the circuit element includes at least one switch.

6. The connection cable according to claim 5 wherein the at least one switch includes at least one normally open, momentary contact, single-pole single-throw switch.

7. The connection cable according to claim 5, wherein the at least one switch includes at least one normally open, single-pole single-throw relay.

8. The connection cable according to claim 5, wherein the at least one switch includes at least one solid state switch.

9. A method for activating a voltage-controlled generator from a controlling device, the method comprising the steps of:

providing a voltage-controlled generator and a controlling device;

providing a connection cable comprising;

a first connector adapted to couple to the voltage-controlled generator;

a second connector adapted to couple to the controlling device, the controlling device including at least one circuit element adapted to electrically couple a control voltage to the voltage-controlled generator;

a voltage divider network having a plurality of voltage taps interdisposed between the first connector and the second connector and configured to divide a reference voltage provided by the voltage-controlled generator into at least one control voltage, wherein a control voltage capable of activating the voltage-controlled generator is provided when a single voltage tap is coupled thereto by the controlling device, and a control voltage incapable of activating the voltage-controlled generator is provided when two or more voltage taps are coupled thereto by the controlling device; and

a cable including a plurality of electrical wires that couple the first connector, the second connector, and the voltage divider network;

operably coupling the voltage-controlled generator and a controlling device with the connection cable;

in the connection cable, dividing the reference voltage provided by the voltage-controlled generator into at least one control voltage;

at the connection cable, receiving at least one control signal originating within the controlling device;

selecting a control voltage in accordance with the received control signal;

determining whether the control voltage is valid;

activating the voltage-controlled generator in response to a determination that the received control voltage is valid; and

inhibiting the activation of the voltage-controlled generator in response to determination that the received control signal is not valid.

10. The method according to claim 9, further comprising the step of transmitting the signal to a destination device.

11. The method according to claim 10, wherein the destination device is a surgical instrument.

12. The method according to claim 9, wherein the voltage-controlled generator is an electrosurgery generator.

13. The method according to claim 9, wherein the controlling device is a robotic surgery system.

14. The method according to claim 9, wherein the resultant signal is an electrosurgery signal.