Method of switching a surgical device
Method for operating a self-powered surgical device, comprising providing a handle with a self-contained power supply and control circuit operable to carry out at least two operational conditions of the surgical device and effecting the at least two operational conditions with a two-stage switch electrically connected to the control circuit, a first stage of the switch effecting a first of the two operational conditions and a second stage of the switch effecting a second of the two operational conditions different from the first operational condition, the two-stage switch having a variable resistance such that the first stage occurs when a first depression force is applied to the switch, the second stage occurs when a second depression force greater than the first depression force is applied to the switch, and a holding force lower than the second depression force is required to maintain the switch in the second stage.
1. A method for operating a self-powered surgical device, comprising:
providing a handle with:
a self-contained power supply; and
a control circuit operable to carry out at least two operational conditions of the surgical device; and
effecting the at least two operational conditions with a two-stage switch electrically connected to the control circuit, a first stage of the switch effecting a first of the at least two operational conditions and a second stage of the switch effecting a second of the at least two operational conditions different from the first operational condition, the two-stage switch having a variable resistance such that:
the first stage occurs when a first depression force is applied to the switch;
the second stage occurs when a second depression force greater than the first depression force is applied to the switch; and
a holding force lower than at least the second depression force is required to maintain the switch in the second stage.
2. The method according to claim 1 , which further comprises controlling an amount of power delivered from the power supply with the control circuit.
3. The method according to claim 2 , wherein the first operational condition is a first amount of power delivered from the power supply and the second operational condition is a second amount of power delivered from the power supply.
4. The method according to claim 2 , which further comprises delivering a first amount of power from the power supply in the first operational condition and delivering a second amount of power different from the first amount from the power supply in the second operational condition.
5. The method according to claim 4 , wherein the first amount of power is less than the second amount.
6. The method according to claim 1 , which further comprises effecting the first and second operational conditions using at least one electrical contact of the two-stage switch to electrically close the control circuit.
7. The method according to claim 1 , which further comprises effecting the first and second operational conditions using at least one electrical contact of the two-stage switch to electrically break the control circuit.
8. The method according to claim 1 , which further comprises switching between the first and second stages by changing a position of the two-stage switch.
9. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the two-stage switch is in the first stage when placed in a first position by applying the first depression force.
10. The method according to claim 9 , wherein the two-stage switch is in the second stage when placed in a second position by applying the second depression force.
11. The method according to claim 10 , wherein the first and second positions are operably connected in a stacked configuration.
12. The method according to claim 1 , which further comprises switching to the first stage by applying the first depression force to partially depress the two-stage switch.
13. The method according to claim 12 , which further comprises switching to the second stage by applying the second depression force to fully depress the two-stage switch.
14. The method according to claim 8 , which further comprises:
coupling a plunger to the two-stage switch; and
changing the position of the two-stage switch by applying pressure to the plunger.
15. The method according to claim 14 , wherein the plunger is spring-biased.
16. The method according to claim 14 , which further comprises:
applying a variable amount of pressure to the plunger to cause the two-stage switch to change position.
17. The method according to claim 16 , wherein an amount of pressure needed to position the two-stage switch in the first stage is less than the amount of pressure needed to position the two-stage switch in the second stage.
18. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the two-stage switch is comprised of at least a first sub-switch and a second sub-switch, the first sub-switch effecting the first stage and the second sub-switch effecting the second stage.