IP Library Granted Patent US 12690876
Granted Patent B2
US 12690876 · App. 17/913,912 · Granted Jul 28, 2026

Surgical instrument and tool for a surgical instrument

Inventors: André Buerk (Villingen-Schwenningen, DE); Roland-Alois Hoegerle (Tuttlingen, DE); Frederick Lenzenhuber (Tuttlingen, DE)
Assignee: Aesculap AG
A61B17/1626A61B17/162A61B17/1633A61B90/98A61B2017/00039A61B2017/1602
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12690876
App. No.
17/913,912
Granted
Jul 28, 2026
Kind
B2
Abstract

A surgical instrument, a spacer sleeve for a surgical instrument, and a tool for a surgical instrument. The surgical instrument includes the sleeve, which is designed to receive a part of the tool. The sleeve has signal lines that extend axially along the sleeve. A magnetic memory output device is arranged on the sleeve and is electrically connected to the signal lines. The magnetic memory output device outputs information about the tool based on information contained in a magnetic memory surrounding a circumference of the part of the tool. The magnetic memory output device also transfers information to an analysis unit via the signal lines of the sleeve.

Claims (31)

1 . A surgical instrument comprising:

a connecting portion; and

a spacer sleeve,

the spacer sleeve comprising:

a coupling portion in a proximal region of the spacer sleeve for mechanical coupling to a surgical handpiece for configuring a surgical instrument;

a tool receptacle in a distal region of the spacer sleeve;

one or more signal lines;

a drive power transmission element mounted in the spacer sleeve for transmitting a drive power from a drive to a tool inserted in the tool receptacle; and

a readout device arranged in the spacer sleeve in the distal region of the spacer sleeve,

the readout device being connected to the one or more signal lines,

the one or more signal lines being connected in the proximal region of the spacer sleeve to one or more line couplings configured to be connected to an evaluation unit when the spacer sleeve is coupled to the surgical handpiece,

the readout device comprising at least one magnetometer, and

the spacer sleeve comprising at least one recess in a side wall in which a part of the at least one magnetometer is located.

2 . The surgical instrument according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one magnetometer is a Hall sensor comprising a surface-mounted SMD component.

3 . The surgical instrument according to claim 1 , wherein a readout occurs when the surgical instrument is actuated.

4 . The surgical instrument according to claim 1 , wherein the one or more signal lines extend axially along the spacer sleeve, and wherein the readout device is configured to read out information contained in a magnetic memory about the tool based on a magnetic memory surrounding a periphery of a part of the tool and to transmit said information via the one or more signal lines to an evaluation unit.

5 . The surgical instrument according to claim 1 , wherein the readout device is located within a space defined by an outer sheath of the spacer sleeve.

6 . The surgical instrument according to claim 1 , wherein the one or more signal lines are formed by passages coated with a conducting material.

7 . The surgical instrument according to claim 1 , wherein the readout device is mounted between bearings of the tool in the spacer sleeve.

8 . A surgical system comprising:

the surgical instrument according to claim 1 ; and

a tool configured to be received in the tool receptacle of the spacer sleeve of the surgical instrument,

the tool comprising:

a part configured to be received in the spacer sleeve; and

a magnetic memory comprising a layer that forms or coats a periphery of the part,

wherein the tool is adapted to cooperate with the surgical instrument such that the magnetic memory is read out via the readout device of the surgical instrument.

9 . The surgical system according to claim 8 , wherein the magnetic memory is configured to be slid onto the part of the tool.

10 . The surgical system according to claim 8 , wherein the magnetic memory comprises magnetized wire rings surrounding the periphery of the part, the magnetized wire rings being axially offset from each other along the tool.

11 . The surgical system according to claim 8 , wherein the magnetic memory comprises permanent magnets or wire pieces spaced from each other in a circumferential direction of the tool and in an axial direction along the tool.

12 . The surgical system according to claim 8 , wherein the magnetic memory comprises spherical permanent magnets arranged offset from each other in a circumferential direction of the tool and in an axial direction along the tool.

13 . The surgical system according to claim 8 , wherein the magnetic memory is read out upon rotation of the tool in the spacer sleeve.