Battery-powered medical instrument with power booster
AssigneeXomed Surgical Products, Inc.
InventorF. Barry Bays
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A medical instrument, such as a surgical drill, includes a battery-powered handpiece and a booster. The handpiece includes an electrical device, such as a motor, having an operating characteristic responsive to changes in DC voltage and a battery that applies a first DC voltage to the electrical device. The booster is disposed externally of the handpiece body and includes a DC power source and a cable for connecting the DC power source with the battery in the handpiece to apply a second DC voltage to the electrical device. The operating characteristic of the electrical device, e.g., speed, is modified by selectively coupling or decoupling the booster from the handpiece.
Claims16
A medical instrument comprising
- a handpiece including a body, an electrical device disposed within said body and having an operating characteristic responsive to DC voltage, and a first battery disposed within said body for applying a first DC voltage to said electrical device to cause said electrical device to operate in a first mode;
- and
- a booster disposed externally of said body, said booster including a DC power source and means for detachably connecting said DC power source with said first battery to apply a second DC voltage greater than said first DC voltage to said electrical device to cause said electrical device to operate in a second mode;
- wherein said connecting means includes a power cord extending between said booster and said handpiece to permit said booster to be located remotely from said handpiece when said electrical device is operated in said second mode.
A surgical drilling apparatus for driving cutting tips comprising
- a handpiece including a body, an electrical motor disposed within said body and having an operating speed responsive to DC voltage, a collet coupled with said motor and configured to receive a cutting tip, and a first battery disposed within said body for applying a first DC voltage to said motor to cause said motor to drive the cutting tip in said collet at a first speed suitable for delicate aspects of a surgical procedure;
- and
- a booster disposed externally of said handpiece body, said booster including a DC power source and means for detachably connecting said DC power source with said first battery to apply a second DC voltage to said motor to cause said motor to drive the cutting tip in said collet at a second speed greater than said first speed for less delicate aspects of a surgical procedure.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.