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US 8,657,808 B2Granted
Surgical apparatus including a hand-activated, cable assembly and method of using same
AssigneeMedtronic, Inc.
InventorsCameron McPherson, Rex W. Shores, Mitchell Sherry
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A surgical apparatus and method according to which a cable assembly is connected to a handpiece and includes a sensing element, and a member adapted to move relative to the sensing element to control the operation of a motor in the handpiece.
Claims26
A surgical apparatus, comprising:
- a handpiece having a first housing to be grasped by a user, wherein the first housing encloses at least a motor that is configured to operate a surgical tool received by the handpiece;
- a control separate and spaced apart from the handpiece, wherein the control is configured to receive a first position signal and generate a second control signal for the motor;
- and
- a cable assembly separate from the handpiece and the control, wherein the cable assembly is configured to be selectively and removably connected to the handpiece, the cable assembly further comprising:
- a sensing element to generate the first position signal;
- at least one electrical conductor configured to transmit the first position signal and the second control signal;
- a second housing having a wall surrounding the at least one electrical conductor and the sensing element, the second housing integrated with the cable assembly while configured to be selectively and removably connected to the handpiece, wherein the at least one conductor extends through the second housing and along a cable body away from the second housing;
- a switch member configured to be connected to and moveable relative the second housing, wherein the switch member is configured to be moved by manual operation of the user;
- and
- a signaling member fixed relative to the switch member and moveable with the switch member relative to the sensing element surrounded by the second housing;
- wherein the sensing element, surrounded by the second housing, is positioned between the motor in the handpiece and the control when the cable assembly is selectively connected to the handpiece and the control, wherein the sensing element is configured to generate the first position signal based at least on a position of the signaling member relative to the sensing element.
8 more elements
A surgical method, comprising:
- connecting a first terminal end of a cable assembly to a handpiece having a first housing to be grasped by a user, wherein the first housing encloses at least a motor that is configured to operate a surgical tool received by the handpiece;
- connecting a second terminal end of the cable assembly to a control separate from the handpiece, wherein the control is configured to receive a first position signal and generate a second control signal for the motor;
- and
- manually moving a switch member moveably connected to a second housing of the cable assembly, wherein the switch member further comprises a signaling member fixed relative to the switch member and moveable with the switch member relative to a sensing element in the second housing, wherein the second housing has a wall surrounding at least a portion of at least a first electrical conductor and the sensing element, the second housing integrated with the cable assembly while configured to be selectively and removably connected to the handpiece;
- wherein manually moving the switch member generates the first position signal that is transmitted to the control via the first electrical conductor extending through the second housing and along a cable body away from the second housing, wherein the first electrical conductor is configured to transmit the first position signal;
- wherein the control generates the second control signal that is transmitted via the first electrical conductor extending through the second housing and along a cable body away from the second housing to the electrical motor within the handpiece.
3 more elements
A surgical apparatus, comprising:
- a handpiece having a first housing to be grasped by a user, wherein the first housing encloses at least a motor that is configured to operate a surgical tool received by the handpiece;
- and
- a cable assembly configured to be selectively connected to the handpiece, the cable assembly further comprising:
- a sensing element to generate a first position signal;
- at least one electrical conductor configured to transmit the first position signal and a second control signal;
- a second housing that houses at least a portion of the at least one electrical conductor and the sensing element, the second housing configured to be selectively and removably connected to the handpiece, wherein the at least one conductor extends through the second housing and along a cable body away from the second housing to a control, wherein the control is configured to receive the first position signal and generate the second control signal for the motor;
- a switch assembly configured to be connected to and moveable relative the second housing to interact with the sensing element;
- wherein the sensing element, surrounded by the second housing, is positioned between the motor in the handpiece and the control when the cable assembly is selectively connected to the handpiece and the control, wherein the sensing element is configured to generate the first position signal based at least on a position of the signaling member relative to the sensing element.
5 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.