Search

EP-4740832-A1 - ELECTRONICS MODULE FOR INTEGRATION INTO A HANDGRIP OF A MEDICAL INSTRUMENT, HANDGRIP AND MEDICAL INSTRUMENT

EP4740832A1EP 4740832 A1EP4740832 A1EP 4740832A1EP-4740832-A1

Abstract

The present invention relates to an electronics module (20), in particular sensor data logger, for integration into a handgrip (10) of a medical instrument, comprising a two-part printed circuit board (24), PCB, wherein a first part (24a) of the PCB (24) is at least as wide as a second part (24b) of the PCB (24), the two parts (24a, 24b) are arranged in such a manner that the second part (24b) is positioned in a plane different from the plane of the first part (24a), in a top view onto the first part (24a), the second part (24b) at least concerning a width direction (W) is contained within the width of the first part (24a), and the two parts (14a, 24b) are interconnected, electronic components (22) provided to the PCB (24); and an encapsulation material (26) encapsulating the PCB (24), wherein the encapsulation material (26) is resilient to sterilization processes. The invention also relates to a handgrip (10) for a medical instrument comprising such an electronics module (20) and a medical instrument comprising such a handgrip.

Inventors

  • JUNGBAUER, SEBASTIAN
  • Mückner, Andreas

Assignees

  • Olympus Surgical Technologies Europe

Dates

Publication Date
20260513
Application Date
20241106

Claims (15)

  1. Electronics module (20), in particular sensor data logger, for integration into a handgrip (10) of a medical instrument, comprising: - a two-part printed circuit board (24), PCB, wherein: ∘ a first part (24a) of the PCB (24) is at least as wide as a second part (24b) of the PCB (24), ∘ the two parts (24a, 24b) are arranged in such a manner that the second part (24b) is positioned in a plane different from the plane of the first part (24a), ∘ in a top view onto the first part (24a), the second part (24b) at least concerning a width direction (W) is contained within the width of the first part (24a), and ∘ the two parts (14a, 24b) are interconnected, - electronic components (22) provided to the PCB (24); and - an encapsulation material (26) encapsulating the PCB (24), wherein the encapsulation material (26) is resilient to sterilization processes.
  2. Electronics module (20) according to claim 1, further comprising at least one energy storage unit, in particular a battery, for example a primary coin cell, for powering the electronic components (22).
  3. Electronics module (20) according to claim 2, wherein the at least one energy storage unit is also encapsulated by the encapsulation material (26).
  4. Electronics module (20) according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the encapsulation material (26) is a silicone compound or a duromer plastic compound.
  5. Electronics module (20) according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the encapsulation material (26) is applied in a low-temperature process.
  6. Electronics module (20) according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the electronic components (22) comprise an antenna system and a radio function for wireless communication with an external communication unit.
  7. Electronics module (20) according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the electronic components (22) are adapted for a regular collection of sensor data by means of a sensor unit, in particular concerning temperature, pressure, humidity, acceleration, bending forces, mechanical forces and/or the presence of chemical substances.
  8. Electronics module (20) according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the plane of the first part (24a) of the PCB (24) is parallel to the plane of the second part (24b) of the PCB (24).
  9. Electronics module (20) according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the first part (24a) and the second part (24b) of the PCB (24) are interconnected at a longitudinal end region thereof, in particular by means of a flexible PCB connection (24c).
  10. Handgrip (10) of a medical instrument, comprising: - an outer shell part (12) delimiting an inner space (14) of the handgrip (10); and - an electronics module (20) according to any of the preceding claims positioned in the inner space (14) of the handgrip (12).
  11. Handgrip (10) according to the preceding claim, further comprising a partitioning wall (16) inside the inner space (14) of the handgrip (10), which together with the outer shell part (12) defines a compartment (14b) of the inner space (14), in which the electronics module (20) is housed.
  12. Handgrip (10) according to the preceding claim, wherein the encapsulation material (26) substantially fills the entire compartment (14b) for at least a longitudinal section of the inner space (14) of the handgrip (10).
  13. Handgrip (10) according to any of claims 10 to 12, wherein the partitioning wall (16) is positioned inside the inner space (14) of the handgrip (10) in such a manner that in a cross-section view, the compartment (14b) accounts for less than half of the cross-section area of the inner space (14).
  14. Handgrip (10) according to any of claims 10 to 13, wherein the outer shell part (12) has a substantially circular cross-section.
  15. Medical instrument, in particular video laparoscope, comprising a handgrip (10) according to any of claims 10 to 14.

Description

The present invention relates to an electronics module, in particular a sensor data logger, for integration into a handgrip of a medical instrument, a handgrip of a medical instrument comprising such an electronics module, and a medical instrument, comprising such a handgrip. Recently, electronics modules have been developed, which are to be integrated into handgrips of medical instruments, such as for example sensor data logger devices, which are adapted to record usage data of the corresponding medical devices and to store and/or transmit said data for further processing. One particular example for such a device concerns the integration of accelerometers into respective handgrips, which can detect drops and impacts on medical instruments, in order to monitor their usage and predict possible damages thereof. However, other types of sensors may also be employed to ensure that the corresponding device has not been subjected to potentially harmful conditions. Electronics modules of these types are preferably capable of standalone operation, such that they can perform their functionality even if the handgrip itself is not mechanically and electrically connected to a superordinate structure of the medical instrument, which requires the integration of an independent power source. It also has to be kept in mind that over their lifetime, such handgrips regularly have to be subjected to sterilization processes, such as steam sterilization, plasma sterilization or treatment in an automated washer disinfector, which might damage electronic components if they are not protected in a suitable manner. There is therefore the need for electronics modules for integration into handgrips of medical instruments, which on the one hand fulfil the requirements on size and geometry to be able to be integrated into the small inner spaces of such handgrips, while on the other hand it is necessary that the electronics modules will not be impaired or damaged during sterilization processes of the handgrips themselves. It is therefore the object of the present invention to provide such an electronics module which has geometrical dimensions that make it suitable for integration into the handgrip of a medical instrument where it can perform its intended functionality and at the same time is resistant to frequent sterilization processes which are performed on the handgrip over its lifespan. For this purpose, the present invention provides an electronics module, in particular a sensor data logger, for integration into a handgrip of a medical instrument, comprising a two-part printed circuit board, PCB, wherein a first part of the PCB is at least as wide as the second part of the PCB, the two parts are arranged in such a manner that the second part is positioned in a plane different from the plane of the first part, in a top view onto the first part the second part at least concerning a width direction is contained within the width of the first part and the two parts are interconnected, wherein the electronics module further comprises electronic components provided to the PCB, and an encapsulation material encapsulating the PCB, wherein the encapsulation material is resilient to sterilization processes. By thus distributing the PCB with its electronic components onto two different planes, which may for example be stacked on top of one another with respect to the width direction of the first part, and by furthermore encapsulating the entire PCB into a suitable encapsulation material, both a compact design thereof and a high resiliency to external influences and in particular sterilization processes can be achieved. It shall be pointed out that in certain embodiments, selected electronic components may project out of the encapsulation material, such as for example antennas for a communication with external communication devices, which may extend beyond the PCBs and are as such not as sensitive to sterilization processes as other electronics components. In order to be able to achieve the above-mentioned standalone operation of the electronics module according to the present invention, said module may further comprise at least one energy storage unit, in particular a battery, for example a primary coin cell, for powering the electronic components. In different embodiments, other types of energy storage units may also be provided, such as for example rechargeable batteries and/or supercapacitors. By providing such energy storage units, no electrical coupling between the PCB of the electronics module and an external power source or the main medical instrument is required. Independent of the concrete type of energy storage unit employed in the electronics module, said at least one energy storage unit may also be encapsulated by the encapsulation material, such that in the case of rechargeable energy storage units, either a charging interface has to extend out of the encapsulation material or the capability for contactless charging has to be provide