Surgical tool with ambidextrous safety switch
AssigneeStryker Corporation
InventorDavid Hershberger
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A powered surgical tool with a switch for regulating tool operation. A pair of opposed arms extend outwardly from opposed sides of the switch. The arms move between safety and run states. When the arms are in the safety state, the arms engage a static surface to prevent movement of the switch. When in the arms are in the run state the arms are spaced from the static surface so movement is allowed. The arms are connected together so that the movement of one arm results in simultaneous movement of the other arm.
Claims35
A powered surgical tool, the powered surgical tool including:
- a tool body;
- an energy applicator that extends forward from the tool body, the energy applicator adapted to receive energy from a power generating unit and apply the energy to tissue to which the energy applicator is applied;
- and
- a switch assembly attached to the tool body for controlling the actuation of the power generating unit, the switch assembly including:
- a switch that is moveably mounted to the tool body;
- a sensor configured to generate a signal representative of the position of the switch relative to the sensor;
- arms that are pivotally mounted to said switch such that said arms extend outwardly from opposed sides of the switch and each arm is capable of moving from a safety state to a run state;
- and
- a member attached to at least one of said arms such that when said arm is in the safety state, the member engages a fixed surface to prevent movement of said switch and, when said arm is in the run state, is spaced from the fixed surface so that said member does not impede movement of the switch and
- wherein, said switch assembly is further constructed so that each said arm includes a base that is pivotally mounted to said switch and the bases of said arms are formed with components that engage each other, so that the pivoting of either one of the arm bases from the arm run state to the arm safety state, results in the simultaneous pivoting of the other arm base from the arm run state to the arm safety state, and the pivoting of either arm base from the arm safety state to the arm run state results in the simultaneous pivoting of the other arm base from the arm safety state to the arm run state.
A powered surgical tool, the powered surgical tool including:
- a tool body;
- an energy applicator that extends forward from the tool body, the energy applicator adapted to receive energy from a power generating unit and apply the energy to tissue to which the energy applicator is applied;
- and
- a switch assembly attached to the tool body for controlling the actuation of the power generating unit, the switch assembly including:
- a switch that is moveably mounted to the tool body;
- a sensor configured to generate a signal representative of the position of the switch relative to the sensor;
- arms that are pivotally mounted to said switch such that said arms extend outwardly from opposed sides of the switch and each arm is capable of moving from a safety state to a run state wherein said arms are connected together so that the movement of either said arm from the run state to the safety state results in the simultaneous movement of the other said arm from the run state to the safety state and the movement of either said arm from the safety state to the run state results in the simultaneous movement of the other said arm from the safety state to the run state;
- and each said arm has a first tab that, when said arms are in the run state, is concealed by said switch and, when said arms are in the safety state, is exposed;
- and a second section that, when said arms are in the run state, is exposed and, when said arms in the safety state, is concealed by said switch;
- and
- a member attached to at least one of said arms such that when said arm is in the safety state, the member engages a fixed surface to prevent movement of said switch and, when said arm is in the run state, is spaced from the fixed surface so that said member does not impede movement of the switch.
The powered surgical tool of claim 21, wherein each said arm has a said section that engages a fixed surface to prevent movement of said switch.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.