Granted Patent B2

US 12,636,062 · App. 17/742,516 · Granted May 26, 2026

Inventors: Mark A. Johnston (Boulder, CO); Lewis R. Puterbaugh (Longmont, CO)

Assignee: Covidien LP

A61B18/1206A61B18/1445A61B2018/0063A61B2018/00696A61B2018/00922A61B2018/00958A61B2018/1266

Abstract

Claims (41)

1 . An electrosurgical system comprising:

an electrosurgical device including a pair of opposing jaw members movable between an open jaw position and a closed jaw position, and a multiplexer circuit for outputting a voltage signal, the multiplexer circuit comprising:

a main switch for activating a supply of electrosurgical energy;

a second switch configured to actuate when the pair of opposing jaw members is in the closed jaw position;

a third switch configured to activate based on a position of a movable component on the electrosurgical device;

one or more resistors coupled to the main switch, the second switch, and the third switch to at least partially define the voltage signal; and

a signal processor configured to determine, based on the voltage signal, a switch combination comprising a switch state for each of the main switch, the second switch, and the third switch; and

an electrosurgical generator coupled to the electrosurgical device, the electrosurgical generator configured to generate an electrosurgical output in response to the switch combination.

2 . The electrosurgical system according to claim 1 , wherein the second switch is disposed on one jaw member of the pair of opposing jaw members for actuation when the pair of opposing jaw members are in the closed jaw position.

3 . The electrosurgical system according to claim 1 , wherein the movable component comprises a lever movable between an open lever position and a closed lever position to move the pair of opposing jaw members between the open jaw position and the closed jaw position, respectively.

4 . The electrosurgical system according to claim 3 , wherein the electrosurgical device includes a handle, and the third switch is disposed on the handle and is actuated by the lever being in the closed lever position.

5 . The electrosurgical system according to claim 1 , wherein the signal processor is further configured to output an activation signal for the electrosurgical generator based on the voltage signal.

6 . The electrosurgical system according to claim 5 , wherein the signal processor includes a voltage comparator.

7 . The electrosurgical system according to claim 5 , wherein the signal processor includes an analog-to-digital converter and a digital processor configured to process an output signal from the converter.

8 . The electrosurgical system according to claim 5 , wherein the electrosurgical generator further includes a controller coupled to the signal processor, the controller configured to output a control signal in response to the activation signal.

9 . The electrosurgical system according to claim 8 , wherein the electrosurgical generator further includes:

a power supply configured to output a direct current; and

a radio frequency inverter coupled to the power supply and configured to generate the electrosurgical output by inverting the direct current.

10 . The electrosurgical system according to claim 9 , wherein the controller is further configured to output the control signal to the radio frequency inverter to generate the electrosurgical output.

11 . An electrosurgical system comprising:

an electrosurgical device including a pair of opposing jaw members movable between an open jaw position and a closed jaw position, and a multiplexer circuit for outputting a voltage signal, the multiplexer circuit comprising:

a first switch, a second switch, and a third switch, wherein the voltage signal is at least partially defined by a switch combination comprising a switch state for each of the first switch, the second switch, and the third switch;

a lever coupled to the third switch and movable between an open lever position and a closed lever position, wherein the lever is configured to actuate the third switch in the closed lever position; and

a signal processor configured to:

determine the switch combination based on the voltage signal; and

output an activation signal for an electrosurgical generator based on the switch combination.

12 . The electrosurgical system according to claim 11 , further comprising:

an electrosurgical generator coupled to the electrosurgical device, the electrosurgical generator configured to generate an electrosurgical output in response to the switch combination.

13 . The electrosurgical system according to claim 12 , wherein the electrosurgical generator further includes a controller coupled to the signal processor, the controller configured to output a control signal in response to the activation signal.

14 . The electrosurgical system according to claim 11 , wherein the first switch is configured for activating a supply of electrosurgical energy.

15 . The electrosurgical system according to claim 14 , wherein the lever is operably coupled to the pair of opposing jaw members for moving between the open jaw position and the closed jaw position.

16 . The electrosurgical system according to claim 15 , wherein the lever open position and the lever closed position correspond to the respective open jaw position and closed jaw position.

17 . A method for controlling an electrosurgical generator, the method comprising:

actuating a lever between an open lever position and a closed lever position to move a pair of opposing jaw members between an open jaw position and a closed jaw position;

activating a jaw switch when the pair of opposing jaw members are in the closed jaw position;

activating a lever switch when the lever is in the closed lever position;

activating a main switch by pressing a button;

determining a type of output to be generated by the electrosurgical generator based on activation of the lever switch and the jaw switch; and

activating an electrosurgical generator to output the determined output in response to activation of the main switch.

18 . The method according to claim 17 , further comprising:

determining whether each of the jaw switch, the lever switch, and the main switch is activated based on a voltage signal output by a multiplexer circuit.

Assignments (1)

Continuity (2)

References Cited (400)