Two-stage switch for surgical device

• US 8,742,269 B2
• Filed: 05/24/2013
• Issued: 06/03/2014
• 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:
  US13/901,994
• Publication Number:
  US 20130341165A1
• Time in Patent Office: 375 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: 200/18
• 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 control assembly includes a control device operable to carry out at least two operational conditions of a surgical device and a button operatively connected to the control device. The button has a button-actuation direction in which the button actuates, an unactuated position at a rest point of the button, a first actuated position at first distance from the rest point in the button-actuation direction, and a second actuated position at a second distance further from the rest point in the button-actuation direction than the first distance. The first actuated position effects a first of the at least two operational conditions. The second actuated position effects a second of the at least two operational conditions different from the first operational condition.

Claims

1. A surgical device control assembly, comprising:

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

a button operatively connected to the control device, the button having;

a button-actuation direction in which the button actuates;

an unactuated position at a rest point of the button;

a first actuated position at first distance from the rest point in the button-actuation direction, the first actuated position effecting a first of the at least two operational conditions; and

a second actuated position at a second distance further from the rest point in the button-actuation direction than the first distance, the second actuated position effecting a second of the at least two operational conditions different from the first operational condition.

2. The device according to claim 1, wherein a force required to enter the first actuated position is less than a force required to enter the second actuation position.

3. The device according to claim 1, wherein a force required to sustain the first actuated position is less than a force required to enter the second actuation position.

4. The device according to claim 1, wherein a force required to sustain the first actuated position is less than a 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.

5. The device according to claim 1, which further comprises a handle having a self-contained power supply, the control device being disposed at the handle and operable to control power delivered from the power supply.

6. The device according to claim 5, wherein the first operational condition is power delivered from the power supply.

7. The device according to claim 5, wherein the second operational condition is power delivered from the power supply.

8. The device according to claim 1, wherein:

the control device has a circuit; and

the button further comprises at least one electrical contact that electrically closes the circuit to effect at least one of the at least two operational conditions.

9. The device according to claim 1, wherein the first actuated position is a partially depressed state of the button.

10. The device according to claim 9, wherein the second actuated position is a fully depressed state of the button.

11. The device according to claim 1, wherein the button comprises:

a two-position switch; and

a plunger coupled to the two-position switch and operable to change the positions of the two-position switch when pressure is applied to the plunger.

12. The device according to claim 11, wherein the plunger is spring-biased.

13. The device according to claim 11, wherein the two-position switch is comprised of at least a first sub-switch and a second sub-switch, the first sub-switch effecting the first actuated position and the second sub-switch effecting the second actuated position.

14. The device according to claim 13, wherein the first and second sub-switches are operably connected in a stacked configuration.

15. The device according to claim 1, wherein a variable amount of pressure is applied to the button to cause the button to change between positions.

16. A surgical device control assembly, comprising:

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

a two-actuation-position button operatively connected to the control device and having a single actuation member, a first depressed position of the actuation member effecting a first of the at least two operational conditions and a second depressed position of the actuation member in substantially the same direction effecting a second of the at least two operational conditions that is different from the first operational condition.

17. The device according to claim 16, wherein:

a force required to enter the first depressed position is less than a force required to enter the second depressed position; and

a force required to sustain the first depressed position is less than a force required to enter the second depressed position.

18. The device according to claim 16, wherein a force required to sustain the first depressed position is less than a 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.

19. The device according to claim 16, wherein:

the first actuation position is a partially depressed state of the actuation member; and

the second actuation position is a fully depressed state of the actuation member.

20. In a surgical device, a surgical device control assembly, comprising:

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

a two-actuation-position button operatively connected to the control device and having a single actuation member, a first depressed position of the actuation member effecting a first of the at least two operational conditions and a second depressed position of the actuation member in substantially the same direction effecting a second of the at least two operational conditions that is different from the first operational condition.