Surgical instrument having force feedback capabilities
AssigneeCilag GmbH International
InventorsFrederick E. Shelton, IV, Jerome R. Morgan, Richard L. Leimbach, Mark D. Overmyer
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A surgical instrument. The surgical instrument has a force delivery system which communicates a changing force to a user of the surgical instrument when a limit of a surgical function is reached. A sensor senses position of a moving element to communicate a signal to the force delivery system. In various embodiments, the system generates a vibratory force to signal the user.
Claims15
A surgical instrument configured to deliver a surgical function, the surgical instrument comprising:
- a handle comprising a force delivery system, wherein the force delivery system is configured to operably delivery a changing force to a user holding the handle;
- a shaft;
- an end effector extending from the shaft;
- a moving element configured to move between a plurality of positions within the end effector, wherein the plurality of positions comprises a position indicative of a limit position of the surgical function;
- and
- a sensor configured to detect when the moving element reaches the position indicative of the limit of the surgical function, wherein the sensor operably communicates with the force delivery system, and wherein the sensor signals the force delivery system to deliver the changing force when the moving element reaches the position indicative of the limit position of the surgical function.
A surgical instrument configured to deliver a surgical function, the surgical instrument comprising:
- a handle comprising a tactile feedback generator, wherein the tactile feedback generator is configured to deliver tactile feedback to a user;
- an end effector operably linked to the handle;
- an actuation element configured to move between a plurality of positions within the end effector, wherein the plurality of positions comprises a position indicative of an articulation limit of the end effector;
- and
- a sensor configured to detect the position of the actuation element, wherein the sensor operably communicates with the tactile feedback generator, and wherein the tactile feedback generator delivers the tactile feedback to the user when the actuation element reaches the position indicative of the articulation limit of the end effector.
(canceled)
A method for delivering a surgical function, said method comprising the steps of:
- holding a device comprising a handle having a tactile feedback generator, wherein the tactile feedback generator is configured to deliver tactile feedback to a user, an end effector operably linked to the handle, an actuation element configured to move between a plurality of positions within the end effector, wherein the plurality of positions comprises a position indicative of an articulation limit of the end effector;
- inserting said end effector into a patient and actuating said actuation element;
- and
- sensing a position of the actuation element and delivering tactile feedback to a user when the actuation element reaches the position indicative of a limit of the end effector.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.