Battery Assembly for Battery-Powered Surgical Instruments

In combination with a battery-powered surgical instrument having:

• a signal generation assembly;
• different handle types with the handles each having a battery chamber, the signal generation assembly connected to the handle;
• and
• the battery chamber having connectors therewithin electrically connected to the signal generation assembly,
• the improvement comprising:
• a battery assembly having:
• a housing having an exterior shape formed to removably connect with the battery chamber of the handles, the housing having:
• at least one energy storage cell operable to power the signal generation assembly of the surgical instruments;
• and
• a battery/handle interface having a plurality of connectors shaped to mate with the connectors within each battery chamber;
• and
• a voltage-control circuit operable to:
• communicatively couple with and provide power to the signal generation assembly;
• detect which one of the handle types is connected to the housing;
• provide a first output in response to a detection of a first handle type;
• and
• provide at least a second output in response to a detection of at least a second handle type.

A cordless, hand-held, ultrasonic cautery cutting device, comprising:

• an ultrasonic signal generation assembly;
• at least one handle selected from a set of different handle types each having a battery chamber, the battery chamber having connectors therewithin and electrically connected to the ultrasonic signal generation assembly;
• and
• a removable battery assembly having:
• a housing with an exterior shape formed to removably connect with the battery chamber of each of the handles, the housing having:
• at least one energy storage cell operable to power the ultrasonic signal generation assembly;
• and
• a battery/handle interface having a plurality of connectors shaped to mate with the connectors within the battery chamber;
• and
• a voltage-control circuit operable to:
• communicatively couple with and provide power to the ultrasonic signal generation assembly;
• detect which one of the handle types is connected to the housing;
• provide a first output in response to a detection of a first handle type;
• and
• provide at least a second output in response to a detection of at least a second handle type.