Method of switching a cordless hand-held ultrasonic cautery cutting device
A method for operating an ultrasonic, self-powered surgical device, includes the steps of connecting a self-contained power supply to a surgical device handle, providing a control circuit within at least one of the handle and the power supply, the control circuit being operable to carry out at least two operational conditions of the surgical device, and effecting the at least two operational conditions with a two-stage switch electrically connected to the control circuit, a first stage of the switch effecting a first of the at least two operational conditions and a second stage of the switch effecting a second of the at least two operational conditions different from the first operational condition.
1. A method for operating a surgical device, comprising:
providing
a control circuit operable to carry out at least two operational conditions of the surgical device; and
effecting the at least two operational conditions with a two-stage switch electrically connected to the control circuit, a first stage of the switch effecting a first of the at least two operational conditions and a second stage of the switch effecting a second of the at least two operational conditions different from the first operational condition, the two-stage switch having a variable resistance such that:
the first stage occurs when a first depression force is applied to the switch;
the second stage occurs when a second depression force greater than the first depression force is applied to the switch; and
a holding force lower than at least the second depression force is required to maintain the switch in the second stage.
2. The method according to claim 1 , which further comprises:
providing a handle of the surgical device with a self-contained power supply; and
controlling an amount of power delivered from the power supply with the control circuit.
3. The method according to claim 2 , wherein the first operational condition is a first amount of power delivered from the power supply and the second operational condition is a second amount of power delivered from the power supply.
4. The method according to claim 2 , which further comprises delivering a first amount of power from the power supply in the first operational condition and delivering a second amount of power different from the first amount from the power supply in the second operational condition.
5. The method according to claim 4 , wherein the first amount of power is less than the second amount.
6. The method according to claim 1 , which further comprises:
effecting the first and second operational conditions using at least one electrical contact of the two-stage switch to electrically close the control circuit.
7. The method according to claim 1 , which further comprises:
effecting the first and second operational conditions using at least one electrical contact of the two-stage switch to electrically break the control circuit.
8. The method according to claim 1 , which further comprises:
switching between the first and second stages by changing a position of the two-stage switch.
9. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the two-stage switch is in the first stage when placed in a first position by applying the first depression force.
10. The method according to claim 9 , wherein the two-stage switch is in the second stage when placed in a second position by applying the second depression force.
11. The method according to claim 10 , wherein the first and second positions are operably connected in a stacked configuration.
12. The method according to claim 1 , which further comprises: switching to the first stage by applying the first depression force to partially depress the two-stage switch.
13. The method according to claim 12 , which further comprises: switching to the second stage by applying the second depression force to fully depress the two-stage switch.
14. The method according to claim 8 , which further comprises:
coupling a plunger to the two-stage switch; and
changing the position of the two-stage switch by applying pressure to the plunger.
15. The method according to claim 14 , wherein the plunger is spring-biased.
16. The method according to claim 14 , which further comprises:
applying a variable amount of pressure to the plunger to cause the two-stage switch to change position.
17. The method according to claim 16 , wherein an amount of pressure needed to position the two-stage switch in the first stage is less than the amount of pressure needed to position the two-stage switch in the second stage.
18. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the two-stage switch is comprised of at least a first sub-switch and a second sub-switch, the first sub-switch effecting the first stage and the second sub-switch effecting the second stage.