Foot-operated control console for wirelessly controlling medical devices

• US 9,035,741 B2
• Filed: 06/27/2003
• Issued: 05/19/2015
• 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): Mehmood, Jennifer
• Assistant Examiner(s): Jiang, Yong Hang
• Application Number:
  US10/607,810
• Publication Number:
  US 20080140158A1
• Time in Patent Office: 4,344 Days
• Field of Search: 340/825.72, 340/3.22, 340/3.12, 340/3.1, 340/5.72, 340/825, 340/3.2, 340/825.69, 323/282, 320/114, 606/34, 606/1
• US Class Current: 340/3.2
• 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 system for manually controlling a plurality of medical devices during an endoscopic medical procedure comprising:

a plurality of medical devices;

a foot-operated control console comprising;

a housing;

a plurality of controls including at least two switches for operation by a foot of an operator, the plurality of controls including a selection control for manual selection of a medical device to be controlled and a separate device control for manually operating the selected medical device;

a controller disposed in said housing for receiving inputs from said plurality of controls;

a wireless transmitter disposed in said housing for receiving outputs from said controller and transmitting said outputs as a selection control signal for manual selection of a medical device and a device control signal for controlling the selected medical device;

a battery for providing power to said controller and said wireless transmitter; and

a wireless receiver disposed in said housing for receiving wireless signals from another device and providing the wireless signals to said controller;

a receiver unit separate from the foot-operated control console for receiving the selection control signal and the device control signal from the wireless transmitter, the receiver unit providing the device control signal as a wireless signal to the selected medical device for control thereof, the receiver unit further comprising a sync button and indicators for indicating the selected one of said plurality of medical devices, wherein simultaneous actuation of said sync button and said at least two switches synchronizes said foot-operated control console with said receiver unit.

2. A system according to claim 1, wherein the console has a unique console identifier so that the receiver unit is capable of identifying more than the one said control console.

3. A system according to claim 1, wherein the wireless transmitter and the wireless receiver of the foot-operated control console comprise a transceiver.

4. A system according to claim 1, wherein said receiver for receiving wireless signals from another device receives information for modifying parameters or settings of the foot-operated control console from a transmitter unit disposed in the receiver unit that is separate from the foot-operated control console.