Surgical adapter assemblies and wireless detection of surgical loading units
An adapter assembly includes an elongated body configured to couple to a handle assembly and a loading unit assembly. The adapter assembly includes an oscillator configured to output a voltage signal. A sensor determines a connection status of the loading unit assembly coupled to the adapter assembly based on a change in the voltage signal. The voltage signal includes a rectified voltage output and an induced voltage output and changes in response to the approximation of a winding disposed within a loading unit assembly to the oscillator.
1. An adapter assembly, comprising:
an elongated body having a proximal portion and a distal portion, wherein the proximal portion is configured to couple to a robotic arm and the distal portion is configured to couple to a loading unit assembly;
an oscillator disposed within the elongated body and configured to output a voltage signal; and
a sensor disposed within the elongated body and configured to determine a connection status of a loading unit assembly coupled to the elongated body based on a change in the voltage signal.
2. The adapter assembly according to claim 1 , wherein the voltage signal includes a rectified voltage output and an induced voltage output.
3. The adapter assembly according to claim 1 , wherein the oscillator is a Colpitts Oscillator.
4. The adapter assembly according to claim 1 , wherein the voltage signal changes in response to approximation of a winding disposed within a loading unit assembly to the oscillator.
5. The adapter assembly according to claim 1 , wherein the voltage signal changes in response to a wireless interaction with a winding disposed within a loading unit.
6. The adapter assembly according to claim 1 , wherein the sensor is further configured to determine a parameter of a loading unit assembly based on the change in the voltage signal.
7. The adapter assembly according to claim 6 , wherein the parameter is selected from the group consisting of a serial number of a loading unit assembly, a type of a loading unit assembly, a size of a loading unit assembly, a fastener size, a fastener type, prior use information, and maximum number of uses of a loading unit assembly.
8. A surgical system comprising:
a robotic arm including a processor and a memory, wherein the processor is configured to control a motor;
a surgical loading unit including:
a memory configured to store a parameter of the surgical loading unit; and
a winding; and
an adapter assembly configured to couple to the robotic arm and the surgical loading unit, the adapter assembly including:
an oscillator configured to wirelessly couple to the winding and to output a voltage signal; and
a sensor configured to determine a connection status of the surgical loading unit based on a change in the voltage signal due to wireless coupling of the winding and the oscillator.
9. The surgical system according to claim 8 , wherein the parameter of the surgical loading unit is an identifier of the surgical loading unit.
10. The surgical system according to claim 8 , wherein the oscillator is a Colpitts Oscillator.
11. The surgical system according to claim 8 , wherein the change in the voltage signal is a change in frequency.
12. The surgical system according to claim 8 , wherein the sensor is further configured to determine a parameter of the surgical loading unit based on the change in the voltage signal.
13. The surgical system according to claim 12 , wherein the parameter is selected from the group consisting of a serial number of the surgical loading unit, a type of the surgical loading unit, a size of the surgical loading unit, a faster size, a fastener type, prior use information, and maximum number of uses of the surgical loading unit.
14. The surgical system according to claim 8 , wherein the voltage signal includes a rectified voltage output and an induced voltage output.
15. A method for wireless detection of a surgical loading unit being coupled to an adapter assembly, the method comprising:
generating a signal at an oscillator circuit disposed within an adapter assembly;
measuring a parameter of the oscillator circuit;
inserting a surgical loading unit including a winding into the adapter assembly, thereby altering the parameter to generate an altered parameter;
measuring the altered parameter;
determining a difference between the parameter and the altered parameter; and
determining presence of the surgical loading unit based on the difference.
16. The method according to claim 15 , wherein the parameter is a voltage or a frequency of the signal.
17. The method according to claim 15 , wherein altering the parameter is based on a wireless connection between the winding of the surgical loading unit and the oscillator circuit of the adapter assembly.
18. The method according to claim 15 , further comprising determining at least one operational parameter of the surgical loading unit based on the difference.
19. The method according to claim 18 , wherein determining the at least one operational parameter of the surgical loading unit includes identifying the surgical loading unit.