SURGICAL CHARGING SYSTEM THAT CHARGES AND/OR CONDITIONS ONE OR MORE BATTERIES

1 . A combination, comprising:

a handle module that is attachable to a detachable shaft module for collectively performing a surgical procedure;

a removable, rechargeable battery pack connectable to the handle module for providing electric power to the handle module during a surgical procedure, wherein the battery pack comprises a memory for storing charging data and discharging data for the battery pack; and

a charging station for at least one of charging and discharging the battery pack when the battery pack is removed from the handle module and inserted into the charging station, wherein the charging station is for at least one of charging and discharging the battery pack based on the charging data and discharging data stored in the memory of the battery pack.

2 . The combination of claim 1 , wherein:

the battery pack comprises a plurality of battery cells;

the charging station comprises a charging station processor circuit that determines when the battery cells should be rebalanced based on the charging data and discharging data stored in the battery pack memory and based on rebalancing criteria; and

the charging station rebalances the battery cells of the battery pack when the charging station processor circuit determines that the battery cells should be rebalanced.

3 . The combination of claim 2 , wherein the charging station processor circuit is programmed to determine that the battery cells should be rebalanced after N charges of the battery pack without rebalancing, where N is an integer greater than zero.

4 . The combination of claim 3 , wherein prior to rebalancing the battery cells, the charging station is configured to top off a charge of the battery cells.

5 . The combination of claim 1 , wherein the charging station comprises a charging station processor circuit that determines whether the battery pack should be discharged based on the charging and discharging data stored in the battery pack memory and based on discharging criteria, and wherein the charging station discharges the battery pack when the charging station processor circuit determines that the battery pack should be discharged.

6 . The combination of claim 5 , wherein the discharging criteria comprise whether a second battery pack installed in the charging station is fully charged and ready for use in the handle module.

7 . The combination of claim 5 , wherein the charging station is programmed to charge the battery pack at a time of day based on surgical procedure schedule data for an organizational user of the charging station, and wherein the surgical procedure schedule data is stored in a memory of the charging station.

8 . The combination of claim 7 , wherein the surgical procedure schedule data comprises a statistical likelihood that the organizational user is performing a surgical procedure with the handle module at the time of day.

9 . The combination of claim 1 , wherein the charging station comprises means for automatically securing the battery pack to the charging station when the battery pack is not ready for use in the handle module for a surgical procedure.

10 . The combination of claim 9 , wherein the means for automatically securing the battery pack to the charging station comprises a screw that, when actuated by insertion of the battery pack into the charging station, screws into the battery pack.

11 . The combination of claim 10 , wherein the means for automatically securing the battery pack to the charging station further comprises a linear actuator for actuating the screw.

12 . The combination of claim 1 , wherein the charging station comprises a display for displaying charge status information about the battery pack.

13 . The combination of claim 1 , wherein the charging station comprises means for rapidly charging the first battery pack when a rapid charge user input for the battery pack is received by the charging station.

14 . The combination of claim 13 , wherein the charging station comprises means for automatically securing the battery pack to the charging station when the battery pack is not ready for use in the handle module for a surgical procedure.

15 . A surgical process, comprising:

performing, by a clinician, a surgical procedure on a patient with a surgical instrument that comprises a handle module connected to a detachable shaft module, wherein the handle module is powered during the surgical procedure by a removable, rechargeable battery pack, and wherein the battery pack comprises a memory for storing charging data and discharging data for the battery pack;

removing the battery pack from the handle module after it has been used during the surgical procedure;

following the removing step, placing the battery pack in a charging station to recharge the battery pack;

following the placement step, downloading by the charging station the charging and discharging data from the memory of the battery pack; and

following the downloading step, at least one of charging and discharging, by the charging station, the battery pack based on the charging data and discharging data stored in the memory of the battery pack.

16 . The surgical process of claim 15 , wherein the battery pack comprises a plurality of battery cells, and wherein the process further comprises:

following the downloading step, determining, by the charging station, whether the battery cells should be rebalanced based on the charging data and discharging data stored in the battery pack memory and based on rebalancing criteria; and

upon determining that rebalancing of the battery cells of the battery pack should be performed, rebalancing the battery cells by the charging station.

17 . The surgical process of claim 15 , following the downloading step, rapidly charging the battery pack in response to receipt of a rapid charge user input.

18 . The surgical process of claim 15 , following the placement step, automatically securing the battery pack to the charging station when the battery pack is not ready for use in the handle module for a surgical procedure.