Surgical instruments comprising button circuits
A surgical instrument is disclosed comprising an actuator and circuitry mounted on and/or embedded in the actuator.
1. A surgical instrument handle, comprising:
a housing;
a control circuit positioned in said housing;
a button shell; and
a flex circuit at least partially embedded in said button shell, wherein said flex circuit is in electrical communication with said control circuit.
2. The surgical instrument handle of claim 1 , wherein said button shell has been etched to expose at least a portion of said flex circuit.
3. The surgical instrument handle of claim 1 , wherein said button shell is molded over at least a portion of said flex circuit.
4. The surgical instrument handle of claim 1 , wherein said button shell and said housing comprise an assembly.
5. The surgical instrument handle of claim 1 , wherein said button shell is integrally-formed with said housing.
6. The surgical instrument handle of claim 1 , wherein said flex circuit comprises a capacitive switch element.
7. The surgical instrument handle of claim 6 , wherein said button shell comprises an outer surface accessible by a user of the surgical instrument handle, wherein said capacitive switch element is mounted to said outer surface.
8. The surgical instrument handle of claim 1 , wherein said flex circuit comprises a force-sensitive piezoelectric switch element.
9. The surgical instrument handle of claim 8 , wherein said button shell comprises an outer surface accessible by a user of the surgical instrument handle, wherein said force-sensitive piezoelectric switch element is mounted to said outer surface.
10. The surgical instrument handle of claim 1 , wherein said flex circuit comprises a strain gage.
11. The surgical instrument handle of claim 10 , wherein said strain gage is contained within said button shell.
12. The surgical instrument handle of claim 1 , wherein said button shell comprises a compliant section configured to permit said button shell to observably deflect when depressed by a user of said surgical instrument handle.
13. The surgical instrument handle of claim 12 , wherein said flex circuit comprises a switch positioned adjacent said button shell such that said button shell contacts said switch when said button shell is deflected by the user.
14. The surgical instrument handle of claim 12 , wherein said button shell comprises a living hinge.
15. The surgical instrument handle of claim 12 , wherein said button shell comprises scoring configured to permit said button shell to observably deflect.
16. The surgical instrument handle of claim 1 , wherein said button shell is constructed to resist observable deflection when depressed by the user of the surgical instrument handle.
17. The surgical instrument handle of claim 16 , wherein said control circuit comprises a haptic feedback generator, and wherein said control circuit actuates said haptic feedback generator when said button shell is depressed.
18. The surgical instrument handle of claim 1 , wherein said housing and said button shell are comprised of the same material.
19. The surgical instrument handle of claim 1 , wherein said housing and said button shell are comprised of different materials.
20. The surgical instrument handle of claim 1 , wherein said button shell defines an external surface of a push button control.
21. The surgical instrument handle of claim 1 , further comprising an articulation drive motor, and wherein said button shell is actuatable to operate said articulation drive motor.
22. A surgical instrument, comprising:
a housing;
a control circuit positioned in said housing;
a button shell; and
an actuation circuit formed with said button shell, wherein said actuation circuit is at least partially embedded in said button shell, and wherein said actuation circuit is in electrical communication with said control circuit.
23. The surgical instrument of claim 22 , wherein said actuation circuit is at least partially attached to said button shell.
24. The surgical instrument of claim 22 , wherein said actuation circuit is at least partially printed on said button shell.
25. The surgical instrument of claim 24 , wherein said actuation circuit comprises electrical traces and surface mount components connected to said electrical traces.
26. A surgical instrument, comprising:
a housing;
a control circuit; and
a button wall, wherein said control circuit is at least partially formed with said button wall, and wherein said control circuit is at least partially embedded in said button wall.
27. The surgical instrument of claim 26 , wherein said control circuit is at least partially attached to said button wall.
28. The surgical instrument of claim 26 , wherein said control circuit is at least partially printed on said button wall.
29. The surgical instrument of claim 28 , wherein said control circuit comprises electrical traces and surface mount components connected to said electrical traces.