Modular battery powered handheld surgical instrument containing elongated multi-layered shaft
Provided is a system including a surgical instrument comprising a handle assembly comprising a handle; a shaft assembly coupled to the handle assembly; and a flexible circuit. The handle assembly comprises a proximal portion of the flexible circuit and the shaft assembly comprises a distal portion of the flexible circuit; the shaft assembly further comprising: an exterior shaft positioned around the distal portion of the flexible circuit and configured to change position while a sub-portion of the distal portion of the flexible circuit remains stationary; and shaft control electronics comprising a stationary portion and a non-stationary portion, the stationary portion coupled to the distal portion of the flexible circuit and the non-stationary portion coupled to the exterior shaft; wherein the stationary portion of the shaft control electronics is configured to measure a distance to the non-stationary portion of the shaft control electronics as the exterior shaft changes position.
1. A system comprising:
a generator configured to deliver power to a surgical instrument; and
the surgical instrument electrically coupled to the generator and comprising:
a handle assembly comprising a handle;
a shaft assembly coupled to the handle assembly; and
a flexible circuit comprising a resistor, a capacitor, an inductor, and a series of substrate layers that are flexible enough to bend or twist, the series of substrate layers spanning the entirety of the flexible circuit, wherein the handle assembly comprises a proximal portion of the flexible circuit and the shaft assembly comprises a distal portion of the flexible circuit;
the shaft assembly further comprising:
an exterior shaft positioned around the distal portion of the flexible circuit and configured to change position while at least a sub-portion of the distal portion of the flexible circuit remains stationary;
shaft control electronics comprising a stationary portion and a non-stationary portion, the stationary portion coupled to the distal portion of the flexible circuit and the non-stationary portion coupled to the exterior shaft; and
a sensor and a magnet defining a sensor-magnet pair; the stationary portion of the shaft control electronics comprises one of the sensor and the magnet and the non-stationary portion of the shaft control electronics comprises the other of the sensor and the magnet; wherein the sensor is configured to measure a distance away from the magnet as the exterior shaft changes position, using the sensor-magnet pair.
2. The system of claim 1 , further comprising a processor coupled to the flexible circuit and configured to determine a three dimensional change in position of the exterior shaft by computing a three dimensional change in position of the non-stationary portion of the shaft control electronics, based on a change in the distance between the sensor and the magnet, using the sensor-magnet pair.
3. The system of claim 2 , wherein the processor is further configured to determine an error condition of the surgical instrument by measuring whether the change in the distance determined by the sensor fails to satisfy at least one predetermined threshold.
4. The system of claim 1 , wherein the handle assembly comprises:
a first module comprising the proximal portion of the flexible circuit; and
a second module comprising the handle;
the first module configured to be decoupled from the second module.
5. The system of claim 4 , wherein the first module comprises a first set of contacts communicatively coupled to the proximal portion of the flexible circuit, and the second module comprises a second set of contacts communicatively coupled to the handle.
6. The system of claim 5 , wherein the first set of contacts is configured to be fixably interlocked to the second set of contacts while the first module is coupled to the second module.
7. The system of claim 6 , wherein the handle is configured to transmit electronic signals to the flexible circuit through the first and second set of contacts.
8. The system of claim 1 , wherein:
the shaft assembly comprises an articulation joint, a first component and a second component of the shaft assembly, the first and the second components coupled about the articulation joint;
the second component of the shaft assembly is configured to articulate about the articulation joint;
the flexible circuit is configured to articulate within the articulation joint;
the non-stationary portion of the shaft control electronics is fixedly coupled to the second component of the shaft assembly; and
the sensor is configured to measure a change in the distance away from the magnet as the second component of the shaft assembly is articulated about the articulation joint, using the sensor-magnet pair.
9. The system of claim 1 , wherein:
the exterior shaft is configured to rotate about the flexible circuit; and
the sensor is configured to measure a change in the distance away from the magnet as the exterior shaft is rotated about the flexible circuit, using the sensor-magnet pair.
10. The system of claim 1 , wherein:
the surgical instrument further comprises an end effector coupled to a distal end of the shaft assembly, the end effector comprising a pair of surgical jaws;
the shaft assembly comprises a clamp arm driver coupled to the pair of surgical jaws that is configured to translate proximally and distally to manipulate movement of the pair of surgical jaws;
the non-stationary portion of the shaft control electronics is fixedly coupled to the clamp arm driver; and
the sensor is configured to measure a change in the distance away from the magnet as the clamp arm driver translates, using the sensor-magnet pair.
11. The system of claim 1 , wherein the surgical instrument further comprises a rotary driver communicatively coupled to the handle assembly and configured to cause rotation of at least a portion of the shaft assembly.
12. A surgical instrument comprising:
a handle assembly comprising a handle;
a shaft assembly coupled to the handle assembly; and
a flexible circuit comprising a resistor, a capacitor, an inductor, and a series of substrate layers that are flexible enough to bend or twist, the series of substrate layers spanning the entirety of the flexible circuit, wherein the handle assembly comprises a proximal portion of the flexible circuit and the shaft assembly comprises a distal portion of the flexible circuit;
the shaft assembly further comprising:
an exterior shaft positioned around the distal portion of the flexible circuit and configured to change position while at least a sub-portion of the distal portion of the flexible circuit remains stationary;
shaft control electronics comprising a stationary portion and a non-stationary portion, the stationary portion coupled to the distal portion of the flexible circuit and the non-stationary portion coupled to the exterior shaft; and
a sensor and a magnet defining a sensor-magnet pair; the stationary portion of the shaft control electronics comprises one of the sensor and the magnet and the non-stationary portion of the shaft control electronics comprises the other of the sensor and the magnet; wherein the sensor is configured to measure a distance away from the magnet as the exterior shaft changes position, using the sensor-magnet pair.
13. The surgical instrument of claim 12 , further comprising a processor coupled to the flexible circuit and configured to determine a three dimensional change in position of the exterior shaft by computing a three dimensional change in position of the non-stationary portion of the shaft control electronics, based on a change in distance between the stationary portion and the nonstationary portion.
14. The surgical instrument of claim 12 , wherein the handle assembly comprises:
a first module comprising the proximal portion of the flexible circuit; and
a second module comprising the handle;
the first module configured to be decoupled from the second module.
15. The surgical instrument of claim 14 , wherein the first module comprises a first set of contacts communicatively coupled to the proximal portion of the flexible circuit, and the second module comprises a second set of contacts communicatively coupled to the handle.
16. The surgical instrument of claim 15 , wherein the first set of contacts is configured to be fixably interlocked to the second set of contacts while the first module is coupled to the second module; and the handle is configured to transmit electronic signals to the flexible circuit through the first and second set of contacts.
17. The surgical instrument of claim 12 , wherein:
the shaft assembly comprises an articulation joint, a first component and a second component of the shaft assembly, the first and the second components coupled about the articulation joint;
the second component of the shaft assembly is configured to articulate about the articulation joint;
the flexible circuit is configured to articulate within the articulation joint;
the non-stationary portion of the shaft control electronics is fixedly coupled to the second component of the shaft assembly; and
the sensor is configured to measure a change in the distance away from the magnet as the second component of the shaft assembly is articulated about the articulation joint, using the sensor-magnet pair.
18. The surgical instrument of claim 12 , wherein:
the exterior shaft is configured to rotate about the flexible circuit; and
the sensor is configured to measure a change in the distance away from the magnet as the exterior shaft is rotated about the flexible circuit, using the sensor-magnet pair.
19. The surgical instrument of claim 12 , wherein:
the surgical instrument further comprises an end effector coupled to a distal end of the shaft assembly, the end effector comprising a pair of surgical jaws;
the shaft assembly comprises a clamp arm driver coupled to the pair of surgical jaws that is configured to translate proximally and distally to manipulate movement of the pair of surgical jaws;
the non-stationary portion of the shaft control electronics is fixedly coupled to the clamp arm driver; and
the sensor is configured to measure a change in the distance away from the magnet as the clamp arm driver translates, using the sensor-magnet pair.