Device and method for controlling compression of tissue
AssigneeCovidien LP
InventorsMichael P. Whitman, Donald Malinouskas, David Zeichner
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A method and device for controlling the compression of tissue include clamping tissue between a first clamping member and a second clamping member by driving at least one of the clamping members with an electric motor toward a predetermined tissue gap between the clamping members and, during the clamping, monitoring a parameter of the electric motor indicative of a clamping force exerted to the tissue by the clamping members. The method and device include, during the clamping, controlling the electric motor, based on the monitored parameter, to limit the clamping force to a predetermined maximum limit.
Claims20
A surgical device comprising:
- a first clamping member;
- a second clamping member;
- a motor configured to move at least one of the first clamp member or the second clamp member relative to each other;
- a plurality of sensors coupled to the motor, each of the plurality of sensors configured to sense a corresponding operational property of the motor;
- and
- a controller configured to:
- calculate for each of the operational properties a corresponding drive signal;
- select a smallest drive signal from the calculated drive signals;
- and
- control the motor based on the selected drive signal.
A method for controlling a surgical device including a first clamp member and a second clamp member, the method comprising:
- controlling a motor configured to move at least one of the first clamp member or the second clamp member relative to each other;
- sensing a plurality of operational properties of the motor;
- calculating a corresponding drive signal for each of the operational properties;
- selecting a smallest drive signal from the calculated drive signals;
- and
- controlling the motor based on the selected drive signal.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.