Surgical foot pedal control including ribbon switch arrangement
AssigneeAdvanced Medical Optics, Inc.
InventorJerry S. J. Chen
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Apparatus for controlling a handpiece during surgery generally includes a foot pedal pivotally mounted to a base for enabling depression thereof in order to provide control signals for handpiece operation. At least one support surfaces provided adjacent the foot pedal on the base at a position enabling access thereto by a user's foot. A ribbon switch as disposed on the support surface and has a length sufficient enable actuation thereof by a user's foot without visual observation thereof by the user. The ribbon switch is actuable by depression thereof at any point along the length of the ribbon switch in order to provide additional control signals to the handpiece.
Claims20
Apparatus for controlling a handpiece during surgery, said apparatus comprising:
- a foot pedal pivotally mounted to a base for enabling depression thereof in order to provide control signals for handpiece operation;
- at least one support surface disposed adjacent to said foot pedal on said base at a position enabling access thereto by a user's foot;
- and
- a first ribbon switch disposed on said support surface and having a length sufficient to enable actuation thereof by the user's foot without visual observation thereof by the user, said ribbon switch being actuable by depression thereof at any point along a length of said first ribbon switch.
In apparatus having a footpedal for controlling a handpiece during surgery, an improvement comprising:
- at least one shroud disposed adjacent said foot pedal at a position enabling access thereto by a user's foot;
- and
- a first ribbon switch disposed on said support surface and having a length sufficient to enable actuation thereof by the user's foot without visual observation thereof by the user, said ribbon switch being actuable by depression thereof at any point along a length of said first ribbon switch.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.