THUMBWHEEL SWITCH ARRANGEMENTS FOR SURGICAL INSTRUMENTS

1 . A surgical instrument, comprising:

a handle assembly;

an elongate shaft assembly operably coupled to the handle assembly and configured for operably attachment to a surgical end effector;

a motor supported by the handle assembly and configured to apply a rotary motion to one of the elongate shaft or the surgical end effector coupled thereto; and

a thumbwheel control assembly operably supported on the handle assembly and communicating with the motor such that when an actuator portion of the thumbwheel control assembly is pivoted in a first direction, the motor applies a rotary motion to one of the elongate shaft assembly and end effector in the first direction and when the actuator portion is pivoted in a second direction, the motor applies the rotary motion to one of the elongate shaft assembly and end effector in the second direction.

2 . The surgical instrument of claim 1 wherein the actuator portion is biased into a neutral position wherein the motor is deactivated.

3 . The surgical instrument of claim 1 wherein the thumbwheel control assembly further comprises:

a first sensor operably communicating with the motor;

a second sensor operably communicating with the motor; and

an actuator sensor on the actuator for movable travel therewith such that the actuator sensor is selectively movable between the first and second sensors.

4 . The surgical instrument of claim 3 wherein the actuator sensor comprises a magnet and wherein each of the first and second sensors are proximity sensors.

5 . The surgical instrument of claim 1 wherein each of the first and second sensors are configured such that a rotational speed of the motor is related to a speed at which the actuator portion is pivoted in the first and second directions.

6 . The surgical instrument of claim 1 wherein the thumbwheel control assembly further comprises:

a first sensor on the actuator for movable travel therewith;

a second sensor on the actuator for movable travel therewith; and

an actuator sensor communicating with the motor and non-movably mounted and centrally located between the first and second sensors and configured to detect the relative positions thereof as the actuator is pivoted relative thereto.

7 . The surgical instrument of claim 1 wherein the actuator portion is biased into a neutral position wherein the actuator sensor is positioned substantially equi-distant between the first and second sensors and the motor is deactivated.

8 . The surgical instrument of claim 6 wherein the actuator sensor is configured relative to the first and second sensors such that a rotational speed of the motor is related to a speed at which the actuator portion is pivoted in the first and second directions.

9 . The surgical instrument of claim 1 wherein the handle assembly comprises a handle housing including a pistol grip portion and wherein the actuator portion is pivotally coupled to the pistol grip portion.

10 . The surgical instrument of claim 7 wherein the actuator portion is biased into the neutral position by a pair of actuator springs.

11 . A surgical instrument, comprising:

a handle assembly;

an elongate shaft assembly rotatably coupled to the handle assembly and configured for operably attachment to a surgical end effector;

a motor supported by the handle assembly and configured to apply a rotary motion to the elongate shaft assembly for selective rotation about a shaft axis; and

a thumbwheel control assembly comprising:

a thumbwheel actuator member pivotally supported relative to the handle assembly;

a first magnet supported on the thumbwheel actuator member;

a second magnet supported on the thumbwheel actuator member; and

a stationary sensor centrally disposed between the first and second magnets when the thumbwheel actuator member is in an unactuated position, the stationary sensor communicating with the motor such that when the thumbwheel actuator is pivoted in a first direction, the motor applies a rotary motion to the elongate shaft assembly in the first direction and when the thumbwheel actuator member is pivoted in a second direction, the motor applies the rotary motion to the elongate shaft assembly in the second direction.

12 . The surgical instrument of claim 11 wherein the thumbwheel actuator member is biased into the unactuated position wherein the motor remains deactivated.

13 . The surgical instrument of claim 11 wherein the stationary sensors is configured such that a rotational speed of the motor is related to a speed at which the actuator portion is pivoted in the first and second directions.

14 . The surgical instrument of claim 11 wherein the handle assembly comprises a handle housing including a pistol grip portion and wherein the thumbwheel actuator portion is pivotally coupled to the pistol grip portion.

15 . The surgical instrument of claim 11 wherein the actuator portion is biased into the unactuated neutral position by a pair of actuator springs.

16 . A surgical instrument, comprising:

a handle assembly;

an elongate shaft assembly rotatably coupled to the handle assembly and configured for operably attachment to a surgical end effector such that the end effector may be selectively rotated about a shaft axis relative to the elongate shaft assembly;

a motor supported by the handle assembly and configured to apply a rotary motion to the end effector or coupler portion of the elongate shaft assembly to which the end effector is coupled for selective rotation thereof about the shaft axis; and

a thumbwheel control assembly comprising:

a thumbwheel actuator member pivotally supported relative to the handle assembly;

a first magnet supported on the thumbwheel actuator member;

a second magnet supported on the thumbwheel actuator member; and

a stationary sensor centrally disposed between the first and second magnets when the thumbwheel actuator member is in an unactuated position, the stationary sensor communicating with the motor such that when the thumbwheel actuator is pivoted in a first direction, the motor applies a rotary motion to the end effector or coupler position in the first direction and when the thumbwheel actuator member is pivoted in a second direction, the motor applies the rotary motion to the end effector or coupler portion in the second direction.

17 . The surgical instrument of claim 16 wherein the thumbwheel actuator member is biased into the unactuated position wherein the motor remains deactivated.

18 . The surgical instrument of claim 16 wherein the stationary sensors is configured such that a rotational speed of the motor is related to a speed at which the actuator portion is pivoted in the first and second directions.

19 . The surgical instrument of claim 16 wherein the handle assembly comprises a handle housing including a pistol grip portion and wherein the thumbwheel actuator portion is pivotally coupled to the pistol grip portion.

20 . The surgical instrument of claim 16 wherein the actuator portion is biased into the unactuated neutral position by a pair of actuator springs.