# US 10,864,054 B2 · Tri-axial ergonomic footswitch

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- Number: US 10,864,054 B2
- Document ID: US10864054B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 15/807,710
- Filed: 2017-11-09
- Published: 2018-05-17
- Granted: 2020-12-15
- Earliest claimed: 2016-11-17
- Assignees: Alcon Inc.
- Applicants: Novartis AG
- Inventors: Mauricio Jochinsen; Fred Mercado; Lingfeng Yu
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10864054B2

## CPC

- A61B 34/74: {Manipulators with manual electric input means}
- G05G 1/38: comprising means to continuously detect pedal position
- G05G 1/40: adjustable
- G05G 1/44: pivoting
- G05G 9/04: in which movement in two or more ways can occur simultaneously
- G05G 9/04788: {comprising additional control elements}
- G06F 3/0334: {Foot operated pointing devices}
- G16H 40/63: for local operation
- A61B 17/00: Surgical instruments, devices or methods (A61B18/00 takes precedence; dental tools A61C3/00; eye surgery A61F9/007; ear surgery A61F11/20)
- A61B 90/06: {Measuring instruments not otherwise provided for}
- A61B 2017/00973: {pedal-operated}
- A61B 2017/00977: {the depression depth determining the power rate}
- A61B 2034/742: {Joysticks}
- A61B 2090/061: {for measuring dimensions, e.g. length}
- A61B 2090/065: {for measuring contact or contact pressure}
- A61B 2090/067: {for measuring angles}
- A61F 9/008: using laser
- A61B: DIAGNOSIS; SURGERY; IDENTIFICATION (usefulness limited to only animals A61D)
- G05G: CONTROL DEVICES OR SYSTEMS INSOFAR AS CHARACTERISED BY MECHANICAL FEATURES ONLY ("Bowden" or like mechanisms F16C1/10; gearings or mechanisms not peculiar to this purpose F16H; speed changing or reversing mechanisms for gearings conveying rotary motion F16H59/00 - F16H63/00)
- G06F: ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING (computer systems based on specific computational models G06N)
- G16H: HEALTHCARE INFORMATICS, i.e. INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY [ICT] SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR THE HANDLING OR PROCESSING OF MEDICAL OR HEALTHCARE DATA
- A61F: FILTERS IMPLANTABLE INTO BLOOD VESSELS; PROSTHESES; DEVICES PROVIDING PATENCY TO, OR PREVENTING COLLAPSING OF, TUBULAR STRUCTURES OF THE BODY, e.g. STENTS; ORTHOPAEDIC, NURSING OR CONTRACEPTIVE DEVICES; FOMENTATION; TREATMENT OR PROTECTION OF EYES OR EARS; BANDAGES, DRESSINGS OR ABSORBENT PADS; FIRST-AID KITS (dental prosthetics A61C)

## Abstract

A foot-operated controller includes a base configured to rest on a floor surface, and a movable contact surface coupled to the base. The contact surface includes an anterior region to support a toe region and a posterior region to support a heel region, and is configured to roll about a roll axis in response to inversion or eversion of a foot engaged with the contact surface, pitch about a pitch axis in response to plantar flexion or dorsiflexion of the foot, and yaw about a yaw axis in response to abduction or adduction of the foot. The roll, pitch, and yaw axes intersect at a point superior to the contact surface, and may align with the operator's ankle.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A foot-operated controller, comprising:
a base configured to rest on a floor surface;
a movable contact surface coupled to the base, the movable contact surface comprising an anterior region to support a toe region and a posterior region to support a heel region, the movable contact surface configured to:
roll about a roll axis in response to inversion or eversion of a foot engaged with the contact surface;
pitch about a pitch axis in response to plantarflexion or dorsiflexion of the foot; and
yaw about a yaw axis in response to abduction or adduction of the foot;
a roll sensor coupled to the foot-operated controller and configured to detect a roll of the contact surface and send a signal indicating the detected roll to a microprocessor;
a pitch sensor communicatively coupled to the foot-operated controller and configured to detect a pitch of the contact surface and send a signal indicating the detected pitch to the microprocessor; and
a yaw sensor communicatively coupled to the foot-operated controller and configured to detect a yaw of the contact surface and send a signal indicating the detected yaw to the microprocessor
wherein the roll axis is located in a roll plane superior to the contact surface;
wherein the roll, pitch and yaw axes intersect at a point aligned with an ankle moving the foot.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The controller of claim 1, wherein the roll, pitch and yaw axes intersect at a point located 1-30 millimeters above the contact surface.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The controller of claim 1, wherein a point at which the roll, pitch, and yaw axes intersect is adjustable.

### Claim 4

A foot-operated controller, comprising:
a base configured to rest on a floor surface;
a movable contact surface coupled to the base, the movable contact surface comprising an anterior region to support a toe region and a posterior region to support a heel region, the movable contact surface configured to:
roll about a roll axis in response to inversion or eversion of a foot engaged with the contact surface;
pitch about a pitch axis in response to plantarflexion or dorsiflexion of the foot and
yaw about a yaw axis in response to abduction or adduction of the foot a roll sensor coupled to the foot-operated controller and configured to detect a roll of the contact surface and send a signal indicating the detected roll to a microprocessor;
a pitch sensor communicatively coupled to the foot-operated controller and configured to detect a pitch of the contact surface and send a signal indicating the detected pitch to the microprocessor; and
a yaw sensor communicatively coupled to the foot-operated controller and configured to detect a yaw of the contact surface and send a signal indicating the detected yaw to the microprocessor;
wherein the roll, pitch and yaw axes intersect at a point superior to the contact surface.

### Claim 5

A foot-operated controller, comprising:
a base configured to rest on a floor surface;
a movable contact surface coupled to the base, the movable contact surface comprising an anterior region to support a toe region and a posterior region to support a heel region, the movable contact surface configured to:
roll about a roll axis in response to inversion or eversion of a foot engaged with the contact surface;
pitch about a pitch axis in response to plantarflexion or dorsiflexion of the foot and
yaw about a yaw axis in response to abduction or adduction of the foot
a roll sensor coupled to the foot-operated controller and configured to detect a roll of the contact surface and send a signal indicating the detected roll to a microprocessor;
a pitch sensor communicatively coupled to the foot-operated controller and configured to detect a pitch of the contact surface and send a signal indicating the detected pitch to the microprocessor; and
a yaw sensor communicatively coupled to the foot-operated controller and configured to detect a yaw of the contact surface and send a signal indicating the detected yaw to the microprocessor;
wherein the roll sensor, pitch sensor, and yaw sensor each comprises one or more pressure sensors.