US-20260123930-A1 - MONITORING OF AN ACTUATION STROKE WITH A RELOCATABLE MAGNET IN A SURGICAL INSTRUMENT HANDLE

Abstract

A surgical instrument comprising a handle and a reusable housing. The handle comprises a frame supporting a trigger and a magnet. Actuation of the trigger relocates the magnet relative to the frame. The reusable housing supports a circuit and a sensor in signal communication with the circuit. The reusable housing is detachably mounted to the handle and the sensor is configured to detect a signal based on movement of the magnet. The circuit is configured to determine directionality and degree of movement of the trigger based on the signal detected by the sensor.

Inventors

• Matthew D. Cowperthwait
• Frederick E. Shelton, IV
• Thomas A. Stoughton
• Seth D. Holdmeyer
• Shane R. Adams
• Karl W. Mueller
• Nicholas J. Ross

Assignees

• CILAG GMBH INTERNATIONAL

Dates

Publication Date

20260507

Application Date

20241106

Claims (20)

1. 1 - 20 . (canceled)
2. 21 . A surgical instrument, comprising: a handle comprising a frame supporting a trigger and a magnet, wherein an actuation of the trigger relocates the magnet relative to the frame; and a reusable housing supporting a circuit and a sensor in signal communication with the circuit, wherein the reusable housing is detachably mounted to the handle and the sensor is to detect a signal based on relocation of the magnet, and wherein the circuit is to determine directionality and degree of movement of the trigger based on the signal detected by the sensor.
3. 22 . The surgical instrument of claim 21 , wherein the surgical instrument is a surgical stapler and the trigger is a clamp arm.
4. 23 . The surgical instrument of claim 22 , wherein the circuit is to further determine a closure state of the surgical stapler based on the signal detected by the sensor.
5. 24 . The surgical instrument of claim 22 , wherein the surgical stapler further comprises an end effector comprising a first jaw and a second jaw, and wherein the actuation of the clamp arm is configured to move at least one of the first jaw and the second jaw to clamp tissue therebetween.
6. 25 . The surgical instrument of claim 21 , wherein the circuit is to further determine a closure state of the surgical instrument based on the signal detected by the sensor, and wherein the closure state comprises a partially clamped state intermediate an open state and a fully clamped state.
7. 26 . The surgical instrument of claim 21 , wherein the signal comprises a voltage change as the trigger moves through a trigger stroke.
8. 27 . The surgical instrument of claim 26 , wherein the signal comprises a voltage spike upon the magnet being subjected to a perturbance upon relocation of the magnet relative to the frame, and wherein the perturbance is indicative of a change in a closure state of the surgical instrument.
9. 28 . The surgical instrument of claim 27 , wherein the frame of the handle further comprises an arm supporting the magnet, wherein the trigger comprises a cam comprising a step, and wherein the arm slidably engages the step of the cam to generate the perturbance along a path of the magnet.
10. 29 . The surgical instrument of claim 27 , further comprising a closure link movable with the trigger, wherein the closure link comprising a ramp and a spike; the surgical instrument further comprising a closure release actuator supporting the magnet, wherein the closure release actuator slidably engages the ramp and the spike during at least a portion of a trigger stroke, and wherein the perturbance is generated by the closure release actuator sliding across the spike.
11. 30 . The surgical instrument of claim 21 , where the sensor comprises a Hall effect sensor.
12. 31 . A surgical instrument, comprising: a handle comprising a frame supporting a trigger and a magnet, wherein an actuation of the trigger relocates the magnet relative to the frame; and a reusable housing detachably mounted to the handle, the reusable housing supporting a circuit, a first sensor to detect a first signal based on a positional movement of the magnet, and a second sensor to detect a second signal based on a directional movement of the trigger; wherein the first sensor and the second sensor are in signal communication with the circuit, and wherein the circuit is to determine a closure state of the surgical instrument based on the first signal and the second signal.
13. 32 . The surgical instrument of claim 31 , wherein the closure state comprises a partially clamped state intermediate an open state and a fully clamped state.
14. 33 . The surgical instrument of claim 31 , wherein the first signal comprises a voltage change as the trigger moves through a trigger stroke.
15. 34 . The surgical instrument of claim 33 , wherein the first signal comprises a voltage spike upon the magnet being subjected to a perturbance, and wherein the perturbance is indicative of a change in the closure state.
16. 35 . The surgical instrument of claim 34 , further comprises an arm supporting the magnet, wherein the trigger further comprises a cam comprising a step, and wherein the perturbance is generated by the arm traversing the step of the cam.
17. 36 . The surgical instrument of claim 34 , further comprising a closure link movable with the trigger, wherein the closure link comprising a ramp and a spike; the surgical instrument further comprising a closure release actuator supporting the magnet, wherein the closure release actuator slidably engages the ramp and the spike during at least a portion of a trigger stroke, and wherein the perturbance is generated by the closure release actuator sliding across the spike.
18. 37 . A surgical instrument, comprising: a handle comprising a frame supporting a trigger and a magnet, wherein an actuation of the trigger relocates the magnet relative to the frame; a reusable housing supporting a circuit, wherein the reusable housing is detachably mounted to the handle; and a sensor in signal communication with the circuit, wherein the sensor is to detect a signal based on movement of the magnet; wherein the circuit is to determine directionality and degree of movement of the trigger based on the signal detected by the sensor.
19. 38 . The surgical instrument of claim 37 , wherein the circuit is to further determine a closure state of the surgical instrument based on the signal detected by the sensor, and wherein the closure state comprises a partially clamped state intermediate an open state and a fully clamped state.
20. 39 . The surgical instrument of claim 37 , wherein the signal comprises a voltage change as the trigger moves through a trigger stroke.

Description

BACKGROUND Disposable electronic surgical devices offer convenience but generate significant waste. To address this issue, it is desirable to separate the device into disposable components and reusable components. To be viable, the reusable components should be reusable after completion of a sterilization process, for example. For optimal cost efficiency, the electronic components, which are costly to replace, should be reusable. To achieve this, the electronic components should be sealed within a housing that withstands sterilization processes, such as the high temperatures and pressures associates with autoclaving, for example. This approach can reduce waste and enhance cost-effectiveness. A challenge arises because electronic components are often characterized or otherwise tuned to different specifications for each electronic surgical device. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 9,808,244, titled SENSOR ARRANGEMENTS FOR ABSOLUTE POSITIONING SYSTEM FOR SURGICAL INSTRUMENTS, issued Nov. 7, 2017, discloses absolute positioning systems to provide a unique position signal over one revolution of rotary motion. U.S. Pat. No. 9,808,244, titled SENSOR ARRANGEMENTS FOR ABSOLUTE POSITIONING SYSTEM FOR SURGICAL INSTRUMENTS, issued Nov. 7, 2017 is incorporated by reference herein in its entirety. To reuse electronic components, the surgical device should detect threshold parameters and/or discrete states without requiring the electronic component to be calibrated to each disposable component to which it is coupled. SUMMARY In one aspect, the present disclosure provides a surgical instrument comprising a handle comprising a frame supporting a trigger and a magnet, wherein an actuation of the trigger relocates the magnet relative to the frame. The surgical instrument comprises a reusable housing supporting a circuit and a sensor in signal communication with the circuit. The reusable housing is detachably mounted to the handle and the sensor is to detect a signal based on relocation of the magnet. The circuit is to determine directionality and degree of movement of the trigger based on the signal detected by the sensor. In another aspect, the present disclosure provides a surgical instrument comprising a handle comprising a frame supporting a trigger and a magnet. An actuation of the trigger relocates the magnet relative to the frame. The surgical instrument comprises a reusable housing detachably mounted to the handle, the reusable housing supporting a circuit, a first sensor to detect a first signal based on a positional movement of the magnet, and a second sensor to detect a second signal based on a directional movement of the trigger. The first sensor and the second sensor are in signal communication with the circuit. The circuit is to determine a closure state of the surgical instrument based on the first signal and the second signal. In another aspect, the present disclosure provides a surgical instrument comprising a handle comprising a frame supporting a trigger and a magnet. An actuation of the trigger relocates the magnet relative to the frame. The surgical instrument comprises a reusable housing supporting a circuit. The reusable housing is detachably mounted to the handle. The surgical instrument comprises a sensor in signal communication with the circuit. The sensor is to detect a signal based on movement of the magnet. The circuit is to determine directionality and degree of movement of the trigger based on the signal detected by the sensor. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS In the description, for purposes of explanation and not limitation, specific details are set forth, such as particular aspects, procedures, techniques, etc. to provide a thorough understanding of the present technology. However, it will be apparent to one skilled in the art that the present technology may be practiced in other aspects that depart from these specific details. The accompanying drawings, where like reference numerals refer to identical or functionally-similar elements throughout the separate views, together with the detailed description below, are incorporated in and form part of the specification, and serve to further illustrate aspects of concepts that include the claimed disclosure and explain various principles and advantages of those aspects. The surgical devices disclosed herein have been represented where appropriate by conventional symbols in the drawings, showing only those specific details that are pertinent to understanding the various aspects of the present disclosure so as not to obscure the disclosure with details that will be readily apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art having the benefit of the description herein. FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a surgical instrument including a reusable housing separated from a replaceable handle, in accordance with at least one aspect of the present disclosure. FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the surgical instrument of FIG. 1 with a portion of the casing of the replaceab