Two-Stage Switch for Surgical Device

• US 8,502,091 B2
• Filed: 10/19/2012
• Issued: 08/06/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 11/06/2008
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Covidien AG (Medtronic Plc)
• Original Assignee: Covidien AG (Medtronic Plc)
• Inventors: Palmer, Matthew A., Smith, Kevin W., Bales, Thomas O. Jr., Deville, Derek Dee
• Primary Examiner(s): LEON MUNOZ, EDWIN A
• Application Number:
  US13/655,532
• Publication Number:
  US 20130046290A1
• Time in Patent Office: 291 Days
• Field of Search: 200/1.B, 200/1.R, 200/19.01, 200/5.R, 200/5.A, 200/42.01, 200/43.17, 227/19, 227/176.1, 227/175.1, 227/175.2, 227/180.1, 227/179.1, 606/169, 606/139, 606/219, 600/437, 600/461, 600/471, 601/2, 604/22, 433/86, 433/119, 173/29, 173/217, 173/2, 483/16, 483/901, 295/94, 298/31, 298/32, 298/54
• US Class Current: 200/1.B
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/00234 for minimally invasive surgery A61B17/0218, A61B17/0469, A61B17/12013, A61B17/1285, A61B17/29, A61B17/320016 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00017 Electrical control of surgical instruments
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00137 Details of operation mode
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00199 with a console, e.g. a control panel with a display
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00367 Details of actuation of instruments, e.g. relations between pushing buttons, or the like, and activation of the tool, working tip, or the like
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/0038 Simultaneous actuation of two tools by pushing one button or the like
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00389 Button or wheel for performing multiple functions, e.g. rotation of shaft and end effector
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00402 Piezo electric actuators
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00415 having power generation near the working tip of the tool
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/0046 with a releasable handle; with handle and operating part separable for prosthetic joint-implanting tools A61F2/4603
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00734 battery operated
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/320069 for ablating tissue
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/320093 additional movable means performing cutting operation
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/320094 additional movable means performing clamping operation
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/320095 with sealing or cauterizing means
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/320097 with stapling means
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2050/301 carried on the medical practitioner's clothing or back
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 50/20 Holders specially adapted for surgical or diagnostic appliances or instruments drapes with means to hold surgical instruments A61B46/23; for catheters A61M25/02
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 13/64 wherein the switch has more than two electrically distinguishable positions, e.g. multi-position push-button switches

Abstract

A surgical device, comprising a control circuit operable to carry out at least two operational conditions of the surgical device, and a two-stage switch electrically connected to the control circuit, a first stage of the switch effecting a first of the at least two operational conditions and a second stage of the switch effecting a second of the at least two operational conditions that is different from the first operational condition, wherein the force required to sustain the first operational condition is less than the force required to enter the first operational condition and the force required to enter the second operational condition is greater than the force required to sustain the first operational condition.

Claims

1. A surgical device, comprising:

a control circuit operable to carry out at least two operational conditions of the surgical device; and

a two-stage switch electrically connected to the control circuit, a first stage of the switch effecting a first of the at least two operational conditions and a second stage of the switch effecting a second of the at least two operational conditions that is different from the first operational condition, wherein the force required to sustain the first operational condition is less than the force required to enter the first operational condition and the force required to enter the second operational condition is greater than the force required to sustain the first operational condition.

2. The device according to claim 1, which further comprises a handle having a self-contained power supply, wherein the control circuit is at the handle and is operable to control an amount of power delivered from the power supply.

3. The device according to claim 2, wherein the first operational condition is a first amount of power delivered from the power supply and the second operational condition is a second amount of power delivered from the power supply.

4. The device according to claim 1, wherein the two-stage switch further comprises at least one electrical contact that is operable to electrically close the control circuit to affect the first and second of the at least two operational conditions.

5. The device according to claim 1, wherein the two-stage switch further comprises at least one electrical contact that is operable to electrically break the control circuit to affect the first and second of the at least two operational conditions.

6. The device according to claim 1, wherein the two-stage switch is operable to switch between the first and second stages by changing between a first position and a second position, whereby the switch is in the first position when the first depression force is applied and is in the second position when the second depression force is applied.

7. The device according to claim 6, wherein the two-stage switch is in the first stage when in the first position.

8. The device according to claim 7, wherein the two-stage switch is in the second stage when in the second position.

9. The device according to claim 8, wherein the first and second positions are operably connected in a stacked configuration.

10. The device according to claim 1, wherein the first depression force causes the switch to be partially depressed.

11. The device according to claim 10, wherein the second depression force causes the switch to be fully depressed.

12. The device according to claim 6, further comprising a plunger coupled to the two-stage switch and operable to change the positions of the two-stage switch when a pressure is applied to the plunger.

13. The device according to claim 12, wherein the plunger is spring-biased.

14. The device according to claim 12, wherein a variable amount of pressure is applied to the plunger to cause the two-stage switch to change position.

15. The device according to claim 12, wherein the amount of pressure needed to position the two-stage switch in the first stage is less than the amount of pressure needed to position the two-stage switch in the second stage.

16. The device according to claim 1, wherein the two-stage switch is comprised of at least a first sub-switch and a second sub-switch, the first sub-switch effecting the first stage and the second sub-switch effecting the second stage.

17. A surgical device, comprising:

a control circuit operable to carry out at least two operational conditions of the surgical device; and

a two-stage switch electrically connected to the control circuit, a first stage of the switch effecting a first of the at least two operational conditions and a second stage of the switch effecting a second of the at least two operational conditions that is different from the first operational condition, whereby the two-stage switch is operable to switch to the first stage and to the second stage by changing between first and second positions, wherein the force required to sustain the first operational condition is less than the force required to enter the first operational condition and the force required to enter the second operational condition is greater than the force required to sustain the first operational condition.

18. The device according to claim 17, wherein:

the two-stage switch is in the first stage when in the first position; and

the two-stage switch is in the second stage when in the second position.

19. The device according to claim 18, wherein the first and second positions are operably connected in a stacked configuration.

20. The device according to claim 17, wherein the two-stage switch is comprised of at least a first sub-switch and a second sub-switch, the first sub-switch effecting the first stage and the second sub-switch effecting the second stage.