# US 10,945,753 B2 · System and method for controlling an ultrasonic tool

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- Number: US 10,945,753 B2
- Document ID: US10945753B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 15/742,361
- Filed: 2016-07-14
- Published: 2019-03-21
- Granted: 2021-03-16
- Earliest claimed: 2015-07-15
- Assignees: Stryker Corporation
- Applicants: Stryker Corporation
- Inventors: Adam Darwin Downey
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10945753B2

## CPC

- A61B 17/320068: {using mechanical vibrations, e.g. ultrasonic (A61B17/22012 takes precedence; dental tooth drilling devices operated by vibration A61C3/03; removing intra-ocular material using mechanical vibrations A61F9/00745)}
- A61B 17/320092: {with additional movable means for clamping or cutting tissue, e.g. with a pivoting jaw}
- A61B 2017/00017: {Electrical control of surgical instruments}
- A61B 2017/0003: {of parts of the instruments}
- A61B 2017/00137: {Details of operation mode}
- A61B 2017/00146: {with multiple frequencies}
- A61B 2017/0015: {applied simultaneously}
- A61B 2017/00154: {pulsed}
- A61B 2017/320069: {for ablating tissue}
- A61B 2017/32007: {with suction or vacuum means}
- A61B 2017/320089: {node location}
- B06B 2201/76: Medical, dental
- A61B: DIAGNOSIS; SURGERY; IDENTIFICATION (usefulness limited to only animals A61D)
- B06B: METHODS OR APPARATUS FOR GENERATING OR TRANSMITTING MECHANICAL VIBRATIONS OF INFRASONIC, SONIC, OR ULTRASONIC FREQUENCY, {e.g.} FOR PERFORMING MECHANICAL WORK IN GENERAL (for particular applications, see the relevant subclasses, e.g. B07B1/40, B23Q17/12, B24B31/06; measurement of mechanical vibrations G01H; in direction finding, locating, distance or velocity measuring G01S; {generating seismic energy G01V1/02}; control of mechanical vibrations in general G05D; sound-producing devices, e.g. bells, sirens, whistles G10K, {e.g. methods or devices for transmitting, conducting, or directing sound in general G10K11/00}; generation of electrical oscillations H03B; electromechanical resonators in general H03H; electromechanical transducers {for communication techniques, e.g. microphones, speakers} H04R)

## Abstract

Systems (10) and methods (12) of controlling an ultrasonic surgical tool (20) with a console (22) are provided. A first drive signal (40) is applied to the ultrasonic surgical tool (20). A characteristic of a harmonic signal (44) resulting from application of the first drive signal (40) to the ultrasonic surgical tool (20) is acquired. A cancellation signal (70) is generated based on the characteristic of the harmonic signal (44). The first drive signal (40) and the cancellation signal (70) are combined to produce a second drive signal (80) that is sinusoidal. The second drive signal (80) is applied to the ultrasonic surgical tool (20) such that presence of the harmonic signal (44) resulting from application of the second drive signal (80) is reduced relative to presence of the harmonic signal (44) resulting from application of the first drive signal (40).

## Claims

### Claim 1

A method of controlling an ultrasonic surgical tool to reduce presence of a harmonic signal, the method comprising:
driving the ultrasonic surgical tool with a first drive signal;
increasing a mechanical current of the ultrasonic surgical tool;
determining whether the increased mechanical current causes the harmonic signal to reach a predetermined level;
responsive to determining that the increased mechanical current does not cause the harmonic signal to reach the predetermined level, continuing to drive the ultrasonic surgical tool with the first drive signal; and
responsive to determining that the increased mechanical current causes the harmonic signal to reach the predetermined level:
acquiring characteristics of the harmonic signal resulting from the increased mechanical current, the characteristics being at least a frequency and a phase of the harmonic signal;
generating a cancellation signal with a frequency similar to the frequency of the harmonic signal and a phase that is shifted in relation to the phase of the harmonic signal;
combining the first drive signal and the cancellation signal to produce a second drive signal, the second drive signal being sinusoidal; and
driving the ultrasonic surgical tool with the second drive signal such that presence of the harmonic signal resulting from driving the ultrasonic surgical tool with the second drive signal is reduced relative to presence of the harmonic signal resulting from driving the ultrasonic surgical tool with the first drive signal.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1 wherein acquiring the characteristics of the harmonic signal is further defined as generating current and voltage samples relating to the first drive signal, wherein the characteristics of the harmonic signal are present in the generated current and voltage samples.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The method of claim 2 wherein acquiring the characteristics of the harmonic signal is further defined as analyzing a fast-Fourier transform of the generated current and voltage samples to determine the characteristics of the harmonic signal.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1 wherein the predetermined level is based on an amplitude of a fundamental frequency component of the first drive signal.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1 wherein generating the cancellation signal is further defined as generating the cancellation signal with the phase being shifted by any odd multiple of 180 degrees in relation to the phase of the harmonic signal.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1 wherein generating the cancellation signal is further defined as generating the cancellation signal with an amplitude being equal to or greater than the amplitude of the harmonic signal.

### Claim 7 (depends on 6)

The method of claim 6 wherein generating the cancellation signal is further defined as generating the cancellation signal with the amplitude being twice the amplitude of the harmonic signal.

### Claim 8 (depends on 6)

The method of claim 6 wherein generating the cancellation signal is further defined as adjusting the amplitude of the cancellation signal, monitoring how adjusting the amplitude of the cancellation signal affects the harmonic signal, and selecting the amplitude of the cancellation signal having maximum cancelling effect on the harmonic signal relative to other amplitudes.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1 further including:
driving the ultrasonic surgical tool with the second drive signal;
acquiring a characteristic of a second harmonic signal resulting from driving the ultrasonic surgical tool with the second drive signal;
generating a second cancellation signal based on the acquired characteristic of the second harmonic signal;
combining the second drive signal and the second cancellation signal to produce a third drive signal, the third drive signal being sinusoidal; and
driving the ultrasonic surgical tool with the third drive signal such that presence of the second harmonic signal resulting from driving the ultrasonic surgical tool with the third drive signal is reduced relative to presence of the second harmonic signal resulting from driving the ultrasonic surgical tool with the second drive signal.

### Claim 10

A console for controlling an ultrasonic surgical tool to reduce presence of a harmonic signal, the console comprising:
a controller configured to:
drive the ultrasonic surgical tool with a first drive signal;
increase a mechanical current of the ultrasonic surgical tool;
determine whether the increased mechanical current causes the harmonic signal to reach a predetermined level;
responsive to determining that the increased mechanical current does not cause the harmonic signal to reach the predetermined level, continue driving the ultrasonic surgical tool with the first drive signal; and
responsive to determining that the increased mechanical current causes the harmonic signal to reach the predetermined level:
acquire characteristics of the harmonic signal resulting from the increased mechanical current, the characteristics being at least a frequency and a phase of the harmonic signal;
generate a cancellation signal with a frequency similar to the frequency of the harmonic signal and a phase that is shifted in relation to the phase of the harmonic signal;
combine the first drive signal and the cancellation signal to produce a second drive signal, the second drive signal being sinusoidal; and
drive the ultrasonic surgical tool with the second drive signal such that presence of the harmonic signal resulting from application of the second drive signal is reduced relative to presence of the harmonic signal resulting from application of the first drive signal.

### Claim 11 (depends on 10)

The console of claim 10 wherein the controller is configured to acquire the characteristics of the harmonic signal by generating current and voltage samples relating to the first drive signal, wherein the characteristics of the harmonic signal are present in the generated current and voltage samples.

### Claim 12 (depends on 11)

The console of claim 11 wherein the controller is configured to acquire the characteristics of the harmonic signal by analyzing a fast-Fourier transform of the generated current and voltage samples to determine the characteristics of the harmonic signal.

### Claim 13 (depends on 10)

The console of claim 10 wherein the predetermined level is based on an amplitude of a fundamental frequency component of the first drive signal.

### Claim 14 (depends on 10)

The console of claim 10 wherein the controller is configured to generate the cancellation signal with the phase being shifted by any odd multiple of 180 degrees in relation to the phase of the harmonic signal.

### Claim 15 (depends on 10)

The console of claim 10 wherein the characteristics further include an amplitude of the harmonic signal, and the controller is further configured to generate the cancellation signal with an amplitude being equal to or greater than the amplitude of the harmonic signal.

### Claim 16 (depends on 15)

The console of claim 15 wherein the controller is configured to generate the cancellation signal with the amplitude being twice the amplitude of the harmonic signal.

### Claim 17 (depends on 15)

The console of claim 15 wherein the controller is configured to generate the cancellation signal by adjusting the amplitude of the cancellation signal and monitoring how adjusting the amplitude of the cancellation signal affects the harmonic signal and selecting the amplitude of the cancellation signal having maximum cancelling effect on the harmonic signal relative to other amplitudes.

### Claim 18 (depends on 10)

The console of claim 10 wherein the controller is configured to:
drive the ultrasonic surgical tool with the second drive signal;
acquire a characteristic of a second harmonic signal resulting from application of the second drive signal to the ultrasonic surgical tool;
generate a second cancellation signal based on the characteristic of the second harmonic signal;
combine the second drive signal and the second cancellation signal to produce a third drive signal, the third drive signal being sinusoidal; and
apply the third drive signal to the ultrasonic surgical tool such that presence of the second harmonic signal resulting from application of the third drive signal is reduced relative to presence of the second harmonic signal resulting from application of the second drive signal.
