System and method for driving an ultrasonic handpiece with a linear amplifier

1. A control console for supplying an AC drive signal to a driver of an ultrasonic handpiece to vibrate a tip of the ultrasonic handpiece, the control console comprising:

a transformer including a primary winding having first and second opposed ends and a center tap to which a DC voltage is applied, and including a secondary winding across which the AC drive signal is developed for vibrating the tip of the ultrasonic handpiece;

first and second transistors functioning as first and second active resistors coupled to the first and second opposed ends of the primary winding respectively for developing an AC voltage across the primary winding;

a headroom monitor coupled to the first and second transistors and configured to generate a headroom signal representative of a voltage across the first and second transistors; and

a processor coupled to the headroom monitor and configured to:

adjust a target headroom voltage for the first and second transistors based on a voltage of the AC drive signal; and

regulate the AC voltage developed across the primary winding based on the headroom signal and the adjusted target headroom voltage.

2. The control console of claim 1 , wherein the processor is configured to:

compare the voltage of the AC drive signal to a threshold voltage; and

adjust the target headroom voltage for the first and second transistors based on the comparison.

3. The control console of claim 1 , wherein the processor is configured to:

compare the headroom signal to the adjusted target headroom voltage; and

limit the AC voltage that develops across the transformer primary winding based on the comparison.

4. The control console of claim 1 , comprising:

a first voltage controlled current source that sets a resistance of the first active resistor implemented by the first transistor; and

a second voltage controlled current source that sets a resistance of the second active resistor implemented by the second transistor,

wherein the first and second voltage controlled current sources are DC biased for preventing the first and second transistors from turning fully off when developing the AC voltage across the primary winding.

5. The control console of claim 1 , wherein the headroom monitor is configured to receive as inputs voltages at first ends of the first and second transistors and voltages at second ends of the first and second transistors that are opposite the first ends, and to generate the headroom signal based on a difference between the voltages present at first ends the first and second transistors and the voltages present at second ends of the first and second transistors.

6. The control console of claim 1 , wherein the first and second transistors are FETs, and the headroom monitor is configured to receive as inputs voltages present at the drains and sources of the FETs.

7. The control console of claim 1 , wherein the headroom monitor is constructed so that voltages present between the first and second transistors and the transformer primary winding are applied to separate reverse biased diodes, the anodes of the diodes are connected together, and a constant voltage is applied to the junction of the anodes so that the voltage present at the junction of the anodes of the diodes is the lower of the two voltages present between the first and second transistors and the transformer primary winding, and

wherein the headroom monitor is configured to generate the headroom signal based on the voltage present at the junction of the anodes.

8. The control console of claim 2 , wherein the processor is configured to:

determine a target mechanical current for the ultrasonic handpiece based on a practitioner input; and

determine the threshold voltage based on the target mechanical current.

9. The control console of claim 3 , wherein the processor is configured to:

determine a capacitance of the driver of the ultrasonic handpiece;

determine a maximum voltage for the transformer based on the capacitance of the driver and a frequency of the AC drive signal; and

limit the AC voltage developed across the primary winding based on the maximum voltage.

10. The control console of claim 6 , wherein the headroom monitor is configured to generate the headroom signal based on the difference between the lower of the two voltages at the drains of the first and second transistors and the higher of the two voltages at the sources of the first and second transistors.

11. The control console of claim 7 , wherein the headroom monitor is constructed so that voltages present at ends of the first and second transistors distal to the transformer primary winding are applied to separate forward biased diodes, the cathodes of the diodes are connected at a junction, and the voltage present at the junction of the diodes is the higher of the voltages present at the ends of the first and second transistors, and

wherein the headroom monitor is configured to generate the headroom signal based on the voltage present at the junction of the cathodes.

12. A control console for supplying an AC drive signal to a driver of an ultrasonic handpiece to vibrate a tip of the ultrasonic handpiece, the control console comprising:

a transformer including a primary winding having first and second opposed ends and a center tap to which a DC voltage is applied, and including a secondary winding across which the AC drive signal is developed for vibrating the tip of the ultrasonic handpiece;

first and second transistors functioning as first and second active resistors coupled to the first and second opposed ends of the primary winding respectively for developing an AC voltage across the primary winding; and

a headroom monitor coupled to the first and second transistors and configured to generate a headroom signal representative of a voltage across the first and second transistors; and

a processor coupled to the headroom monitor and configured to limit the AC voltage developed across the primary winding based on the headroom signal and a target headroom voltage for the first and second transistors.

13. The control console of claim 12 , wherein the processor is configured to:

determine a capacitance of the driver of the ultrasonic handpiece;

determine a maximum voltage for the transformer based on the capacitance of the driver and a frequency of the AC drive signal; and

limit the AC voltage developed across the primary winding based on the maximum voltage.

14. The control console of claim 12 , comprising:

a first voltage controlled current source that sets a resistance of the first active resistor implemented by the first transistor; and

a second voltage controlled current source that sets a resistance of the second active resistor implemented by the second transistor,

wherein the first and second voltage controlled current sources are DC biased for preventing the first and second transistors from turning fully off when developing the AC voltage across the primary winding.

15. The control console of claim 12 , wherein the headroom monitor is configured to receive as inputs voltages at first ends of the first and second transistors and voltages at second ends of the first and second transistors that are opposite the first ends, and to generate the headroom signal based on a difference between the voltages present at first ends the first and second transistors and the voltages present at second ends of the first and second transistors.

16. The control console of claim 12 , wherein the first and second transistors are FETs, and the headroom monitor is configured to receive as inputs voltages present at the drains and sources of the FETs.

17. The control console of claim 12 , wherein the headroom monitor is constructed so that voltages present between the first and second transistors and the transformer primary winding are applied to separate reverse biased diodes, the anodes of the diodes are connected together, and a constant voltage is applied to the junction of the anodes so that the voltage present at the junction of the anodes of the diodes is the lower of the two voltages present between the first and second transistors and the transformer primary winding, and

wherein the headroom monitor is configured to generate the headroom signal based on the voltage present at the junction of the anodes.

18. The control console of claim 16 , wherein the headroom monitor is configured to generate the headroom signal based on the difference between the lower of the two voltages at the drains of the first and second transistors and the higher of the two voltages at the sources of the first and second transistors.

19. The control console of claim 17 , wherein the headroom monitor is constructed so that voltages present at ends of the first and second transistors distal to the transformer primary winding are applied to separate forward biased diodes, the cathodes of the diodes are connected at a junction, and the voltage present at the junction of the diodes is the higher of the voltages at the ends of the first and second transistors, and

wherein the headroom monitor is configured to generate the headroom signal based on the voltage present at the junction of the cathodes.

20. A control console for supplying an AC drive signal to a driver of an ultrasonic handpiece to vibrate a tip of the ultrasonic handpiece, the control console comprising:

a transformer including a primary winding having first and second opposed ends and a center tap to which a DC voltage is applied, and including a secondary winding across which the AC drive signal is developed for vibrating the tip of the ultrasonic handpiece;

first and second transistors functioning as first and second active resistors respectively and coupled to the first and second opposed ends of the primary winding respectively for developing an AC voltage across the primary winding; and

a circuit that receives an external control signal for setting the AC voltage developed across the primary winding, the circuit comprising:

a first voltage controlled current source that sets a resistance of the first active resistor implemented by the first transistor based on the external control signal; and

a second voltage controlled current source that sets a resistance of the second active resistor implemented by the second transistor based on the external control signal,

wherein the first and second voltage controlled current sources are DC biased for preventing the first and second transistors from turning fully off when developing the AC voltage across the primary winding.