Abstract
A medical tool, in the form of a rotatably drivable tool, in particular a cutting tool such as a trepanation tool, the tool having a drive portion which can be connected to a medical device for in particular interlockingly transmitting torque, and a cutting portion which can be coupled to the drive portion so as to transmit torque. The tool comprises an electronic assembly which is designed to be activated by the tool being connected to the medical device, preferably by an operation of plugging the tool into the medical device, and/or to be activated by the cutting portion being decoupled from the drive portion.
Claims
1. A medical tool which is in the form of a rotatably drivable tool, in particular a cutting tool, the medical comprising: a drive portion configured to be connected to a medical device for interlockingly transmitting torque; a cutting portion configured to be coupled to the drive portion so as to transmit torque; and an electronic assembly configured to be activated by the medical tool being connected to the medical device.
2. The medical tool according to claim 1, wherein the electronic assembly comprises a storage device storing tool-specific data which are transmitted to a processing unit during activation of the electronic assembly.
3. The medical tool according to claim 1, wherein the electronic assembly comprises a switch configured to be activated mechanically by the connecting of the medical tool such that the switch closes an electric circuit of the electronic assembly in an activated switching position and opens the electric circuit in a non-activated switching position.
4. The medical tool according to claim 3, wherein the electronic assembly comprises a communication device configured to generate a radio communication which transmits, in the case of a closed electric circuit, a radio signal with the tool-specific data.
5. The medical tool according to claim 3, wherein the switch is, by means of the connecting of the medical tool, displaceable in the axial direction or in the radial direction between the activated switching position and the non-activated switching position.
6. The medical tool according to claim 1, wherein the electronic assembly comprises a feedback device and/or can be connected to an external feedback means, and that the feedback device and/or the feedback means is/are configured such that an acoustic and/or visual feedback is output when the electronic assembly is activated or is being activated.
7. The medical tool according to claim 1, further comprising a second electronic assembly configured to be activated by the cutting portion being decoupled from the drive portion.
8. The medical tool according to claim 7, wherein the second electronic assembly comprises a second switch that is configured to be activated manually, by an activating portion which can be rotatably coupled to the cutting portion, such that the second electronic assembly acquires a number of revolutions of the cutting portion after the decoupling of the cutting portion from the drive portion.
9. The medical tool according to claim 8, wherein the activating portion is rotatably coupled to the cutting portion when the cutting portion is decoupled from the drive portion.
10. The medical tool according to claim 7, wherein the second electronic assembly is arranged in a stationary component of the medical tool.
11. The medical tool according to claim 1, wherein the cutting portion is configured as a trepanation tool.
12. The medical tool according to claim 1, wherein the electronic assembly is configured to be activated by plugging the medical tool into the medical device.
13. The medical tool according to claim 2, wherein the processing unit comprises a processing unit external to the medical tool.
14. The medical device according to claim 4, wherein the communication device is arranged in a plastic housing of the medical tool.
15. The medical device according to claim 8, wherein the second switch comprises a push button.
16. A medical tool which is in the form of a rotatably drivable tool, in particular a cutting tool, the medical tool comprising: a drive portion configured to be connected to a medical device for interlockingly transmitting torque; a cutting portion configured to be coupled to the drive portion so as to transmit torque; and an electronic assembly comprising: a switch configured to be moved to a closed position by a portion of the medical device upon connecting the medical tool to the medical device, and moved to an open position when the medical device is not connected to the medical tool; and an electric circuit configured to activate the electronic assembly when the switch is in the closed position and deactivate the electronic assembly when the switch is in the open position.
17. The medical tool according to claim 16, wherein the electronic assembly further comprises a storage device storing tool-specific data which are transmitted to a processing unit during activation of the electronic assembly.
18. The medical tool according to claim 17, wherein the electronic assembly further comprises a communication device configured to generate a radio communication which transmits a radio signal with the tool-specific data upon activation of the electronic assembly.
19. The medical tool according to claim 16, wherein the electronic assembly is configured to generate an acoustic and/or visual output upon activation of the electronic assembly.
20. The medical tool according to claim 16, further comprising a second electronic assembly configured to be activated by the cutting portion being decoupled from the drive portion.
Description
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES
[0026] FIGS. 1a and 1b are perspective illustrations of the connecting of a tool in accordance with the invention to a medical device according to a first embodiment of the invention for activating an electronic assembly.
[0027] FIGS. 2a and 2b show perspective illustrations of the tool with a switch of the electronic assembly in two different embodiments.
[0028] FIGS. 3 and 4 show schematic illustrations of a communication device of the electronic assembly of the tool.
[0029] FIGS. 5 and 6 show perspective illustrations of the tool in the first embodiment.
[0030] FIGS. 7 to 10 show perspective illustrations of a drive portion of the tool and its individual parts.
[0031] FIGS. 11 to 13 are different perspective, partially sectional illustrations of the tool in a second embodiment.
[0032] FIGS. 14 to 16 are perspective illustrations of a cutting portion of the tool in different sizes.
[0033] FIGS. 17 and 18 are perspective illustrations of the tool in a further embodiment.
[0034] In the following, embodiments of the present disclosure will be described on the basis of the associated Figures. The Figures are merely of schematic nature and serve the understanding of the invention. Same elements are marked with the same reference numbers.
[0035] FIG. 1 shows a medical tool 1 connectable to a medical device 2, such as a surgical handpiece. In FIG. 1a the tool 1 is not connected to the medical device 2, i.e., is decoupled from the device 2. In FIG. 1b the tool 1 is connected to the medical device 2, i.e., coupled to the device 2. In the illustrated embodiments the tool 1 is in the form of a rotatably drivable tool. For this purpose, the tool 1 is connected to the device 2 for transmission of a torque for driving the tool 1. The tool 1 may in particular be designed as a cutting tool.
[0036] The tool 1 comprises a drive portion 3 which is partially plugged into the device 2 and engages the device 2 in an interlockingly non-rotatable manner. Furthermore, the tool 1 comprises a cutting portion 4 enlarging the drive portion 3 in the axial direction. Blades for the cutting operation are arranged at the cutting portion 4. The drive portion 3 comprises a coupling portion 5 which forms that part of the drive portion 3 which is plugged completely into the device 2 in the connected state. The coupling portion 5 is, in the illustrated embodiments, formed as a Hudson connection 6 which is used universally as an interface for handpieces.
[0037] The tool 1 comprises an electronic assembly 7 (cf. FIGS. 3 and 4). The electronic assembly 7 is designed to be activated by the tool 1 being connected to the medical device 2, preferably by an operation of plugging the tool 1 into the medical device 2. Preferably, the electronic assembly 7 has a switch 8 which is, by the connecting of the tool 1, mechanically activatable such that the switch 8 closes an electric circuit of the electronic assembly 7 in a first switching position and opens it in a second switching position.
[0038] In FIG. 2a the switch 8 is formed as an axial switch 9 which is displaceable in the axial direction for activation. The axial switch 9 is arranged at an axial abutment face of the coupling portion 5 and projects axially in the direction to the device 2. At the abutment face the device 2 rests in the state connected to the tool 1 and thus activates the axial switch 9. When the tool 1 is connected to the device 2, the axial switch 9 is activated. When the tool 1 is not connected to the device 2, the axial switch 9 is not activated. In FIG. 2b the switch 8 is formed as a radial switch 10 which is displaceable in the radial direction for activation. The radial switch 10 comprises a hemispherical dome shape. The radial switch 10 is arranged at a radial outer circumference of the coupling portion 5 and projects radially outwardly. In the state connected to the tool 1 the device 2 is pushed onto the radial outer circumference and thus activates the radial switch 10. When the tool 1 is connected to the device 2, the radial switch 10 is activated. When the tool 1 is not connected to the device 2, the radial switch 10 is not activated. The switch 8 is thus arranged at the coupling portion 5 such that it is mechanically automatically activated in the connected state by the device 2 and is automatically non-activated in the unconnected state.
[0039] The electronic assembly 7 may have a storage device in which tool-specific data, such as tool operating parameters, tool state data, application parameters, serial number, article number, minimum durability date (MDD), lot number (LOT), and/or further information are stored. The electronic assembly 7 may have a communication device 11 for generating a radio connection. The communication device 11 is arranged such that, during activation of the electronic assembly 7, i.e., during closing of the electric circuit, it transmits a radio signal with the tool-specific data stored in the storage device.
[0040] FIG. 3 shows a possible structure of the communication device 11 which is designed as a Bluetooth Low-Energy unit 12. Alternatively, the communication device 11 may also be designed as another radio module, for instance, as a W-LAN module or a Lo-RA-WAN module (Long Range Wide Area Network module). In the communication device 11 the electric circuit is closed when the switch 8 is activated, and a Bluetooth Low-Energy chip 13 is connected to a battery 14. The Bluetooth Low-Energy unit 12 can transmit a radio signal actively to an associated receiver being in the vicinity of the tool 1 when the electric circuit is closed. When the electric circuit is interrupted by the decoupling of the tool 1 from the device 2, the communication device 11 does no longer send a radio signal. FIG. 4 shows an alternative possible structure of the communication device 11 which is designed as an RFID or NFC unit 15. When the switch 8 is activated, the electric circuit is closed in the communication device 11 and a coil 16 is connected to a storage 17, for instance, an EEPROM (electrically erasable programmable read-only memory). In contrast to the structure shown in FIG. 3, no battery is necessary, so that the lifetime of the electronic assembly 7 is not dependent on the battery lifetime. The RFID or NFC unit 15 can transmit a radio signal passively. The storage 17 can be read out via the coil 16. The radio signal can be transmitted by the NFC unit 15, for instance, to a receiver arranged in the device 2 and be forwarded from there. By the connecting of the tool 1 to the device it is, as schematically shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, possible to forward tool-specific data stored in the storage device to peripheral devices. There in turn the data are further processed and output to the user, stored in the cloud, and/or put online.
[0041] A structure of the tool 1 is explained with reference to FIGS. 5 and 6. The tool 1 may be divided functionally into the drive portion 3, the cutting portion 4, and a sleeve portion 18.
[0042] The drive portion 3 (cf. also FIGS. 7 to 10) comprises a socket 19 at which the coupling portion 5 is formed. The socket 19 is formed as a plastic component. The electronic assembly 7 is accommodated in the socket 19. A connecting portion 20 is formed at a proximal end of the socket 19. The drive portion 3 comprises a follower 21 which is connected in an axially secured and non-rotatable manner to the connecting portion 20. In the connecting portion 20 a spring 22 is accommodated, against the spring force of which the cutting portion 4 is displaceable axially between the first axial position and the second axial position. A pressure button 23 is arranged axially between the follower 21 and the connecting portion 20. The pressure button 23 reaches axially through a central recess in the follower 21.
[0043] The cutting portion 4 comprises a basic portion 24. The basic portion 24 serves for power transmission/torque transmission and comprises a follower 25. The follower 25 of the cutting portion 4 can interlockingly engage the follower 21 of the drive portion 3 in a non-rotatable manner, so that a torque can be transferred from the drive portion 3 to the cutting portion 4. In the first axial position the follower 25 engages in the follower 21. The basic portion 24 comprises a first interface 26. Via the first interface 26 a first engagement portion 27 of the cutting portion 4, here in the form of an internal cutter, can be connected to the basic portion 24 so as to transmit torque. The first interface 26 is formed as a thread on which the first engagement portion 27 can be screwed preferably against the cutting direction/drive direction of the tool 1.
[0044] The first engagement portion 27 is in particular secured by a tightening torque. The basic portion 24 comprises a second interface 28. Via the second interface 28 a second engagement portion 29 of the cutting portion 4, here in the form of an external cutter, can be connected to the basic portion 24 so as to transmit torque. The second interface 28 is formed as a transverse pin onto which the second engagement portion 29 can be pushed. In the second engagement portion 29 a groove 30 is formed which connects the second engagement portion 29 interlockingly with the transverse pin in a non-rotatable manner. The second engagement portion 29 comprises a flange 31 projecting radially outwardly. The flange 31 is formed to be radially circumferential.
[0045] The sleeve portion 18 is preferably formed of plastics. The sleeve portion 18 forms an outer diameter of the tool 1. The sleeve portion 18 rests with its proximal end on the flange 31 of the cutting portion 4. The sleeve portion 18 rests with its distal end at an axial abutment face provided by the socket 19. The sleeve portion 18 comprises a journal 32 projecting radially inwardly and engaging in a circumferential groove 33 in the connecting portion 20 and thus securing the sleeve portion 18 axially.
[0046] In the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 6 the electronic assembly 7 comprises a feedback device 34. The feedback device 34, here in the form of an LED 35, is arranged in the socket 19 and shines when the electronic assembly 7 is activated. The LED 35 can, for instance, emit green light when it is correctly coupled, and red light, when it is incompletely coupled. The LED 35 can also emit a flashing light or a permanently shining light. The LED 35 can also shine in other colours. The feedback device 34 may, for instance, also comprise a plurality of LEDs, one of which renders feedback about the successful coupling and another of which renders feedback about faulty coupling. Alternatively or additionally the feedback device 34 can output an acoustic feedback when the electronic assembly 7 is activated or is being activated. For instance, the frequency/pitch of the acoustic feedback or the interval between several acoustic signals/feedbacks may differ with successful coupling and unsuccessful coupling.
[0047] A structure of the drive portion 3 will be described with reference to FIGS. 7 to 10. The drive portion 3 is formed in particular by the follower 21 designed as a metal component and by the socket 19 designed as a plastic component. Alternatively, the socket 19 and the follower 21 may be designed as metal components. Further alternatively, the socket 19 and the follower 21 might be designed as plastic components. Further alternatively, the socket might be designed as a metal component and the follower 21 as a plastic component. The spring 22 and the press button 23 are irrelevant for the transmission of the forces and the torques.
[0048] The socket 19 and the follower 21 are connected with each other in an axially secured manner. For this purpose, the socket 19 comprises one and/or a plurality of latching indentations 36 into which one and/or a plurality of latching hooks 37 of the follower 21 engage. The follower 21 accordingly engages behind the socket 19 in the axial direction. The latching indentations 36 are arranged symmetrically, i.e., opposing each other in the circumferential direction. The latching hooks 37 are arranged symmetrically, i.e., opposing each other in the circumferential direction. The socket 19 and the follower 21 are connected to each other so as to transmit torque. For this purpose, the socket 19 comprises one and/or a plurality of power transmission indentations 38 in which one and/or a plurality of webs 39 of the follower 21 engage. The power transmission indentations 38 are arranged symmetrically, i.e., opposing each other in the circumferential direction. The webs 39 are arranged symmetrically, i.e., opposing each other in the circumferential direction. The webs 39 are positioned in the circumferential direction between the latching hooks 38. The follower 21 comprises a central recess 40 through which the press button 23 can reach for decoupling, i.e., for disengaging the cutting portion 4.
[0049] In the illustrated embodiments the tool 1 is designed as a trepanation tool. The functioning of a trepanation tool will be explained with reference to FIGS. 11 a and 11b. In the tool 1 the cutting portion 4 is displaceable relative to the drive portion 3 in an axially confined manner between a first axial position (cf. FIG. 11a) in which the cutting portion 4 and the drive portion 3 are torque-coupled, and a second axial position (cf. FIG. 11b) in which the cutting portion 4 is torque-decoupled from the drive portion 3. Thus, the cutting portion 4 can be decoupled from the actual drive. In the cutting engagement the cutting portion 4 is pressed by the cutting forces acting thereon to the first axial position against the spring force of the spring 22. The pressure knob 23 mounted in the drive portion 3 is displaced axially and the spring 22 is biased. If no cutting forces act on the cutting portion 4, the cutting portion 4 is pressed to the second axial position by the spring force of the spring 22. By the spring bias the pressure button 23 is displaced in the direction toward the cutting portion 4, so that it pushes the (output-side/torque-receiving) follower 25 of the cutting portion 4 out of engagement with the (input-side/torque-transmitting) follower 21 of the drive portion 3.
[0050] In FIG. 11b the axial relative movement of a switching path between the first axial position and the second axial position is marked by a dashed circle. This axial relative movement can be used to activate a second electronic assembly 41. In accordance with a further aspect of the invention the tool 1 comprises the second electronic assembly 41 which is designed to be activated by the decoupling of the cutting portion 4 from the drive portion 3.
[0051] This means that the second electronic assembly 41 is designed such that it is deactivated when the cutting portion 4 is in the (coupled) axial position relative to the drive portion 3, and is activated when the cutting portion 4 is in the second (decoupled) axial position relative to the drive portion 3. The second electronic assembly 4 in particular comprises a non-illustrated switch which is activated mechanically by the axial displacement of the cutting portion 4, in particular the pressure button 23.
[0052] In FIGS. 12 and 13 a further embodiment of the tool 1 is illustrated. The second electronic assembly 41 has a second switch 42. The second switch 42 is designed as a push button. The second switch 42 can be activated mechanically by the cutting portion 4 such that it acquires the number of revolutions of the cutting portion 4, in particular after the decoupling of the cutting portion 4 from the drive portion 3. The second switch 42 comprises a hemispherical dome shape. The second switch 42 may also be designed in the form of a ramp. The second switch 42 is arranged on a radial outer circumference of the drive portion 3, here in a region of the connecting portion 20, and projects radially outwardly. The second switch 42 is arranged in the groove 33. The journal 32 at the sleeve portion 18 serves as an activating portion, so that the second switch 42 is actuated by the journal 32 in correspondence with the number of revolutions of the sleeve portion 18. In other words, the number of revolutions corresponds, for instance, to a quotient from the number of activations of the second switch 42 and the number of journals 32 (latching elements). The sleeve portion 18 may, for instance, be of symmetric design, i.e., comprise two journals 32 opposing each other in the circumferential direction. Then, the second switch 42 is activated twice per revolution of the sleeve portion 18. It is thus possible to also acquire half revolutions of the sleeve portion 18. Due to a plurality of journals 32 a mechanical catch mechanism is ensured at the same time. Thus it is possible to acquire a number of revolutions of the sleeve portion 18. The sleeve portion 18 is in particular designed such that it is rotatably decoupled from the cutting portion 4 in the first axial position and rotatably coupled to the cutting portion 4 in the second axial position.
[0053] FIGS. 14 to 16 show the structure of the cutting portion 4 in accordance with a further aspect of the invention. As described above, the cutting portion 4 comprises a basic portion 24 which is connected to the first engagement portion 27 via the first interface 26 and to the second engagement portion 29 via the second interface 28. Preferably, the basic portion 24, the first engagement portion 27, and the second engagement portion 29 are designed as metal components. The basic portion 24 serves as a power transmission single part and is of equal design for cutting portions 4 of different size. Via the first interface 26 it is possible to screw first engagement portions 27, i.e. internal cutters, of different size onto the thread. Via the second interface 28 it is possible to push up second engagement portions 29, i.e., external cutters, of different size (cf. FIGS. 15a to 15c). The outer diameter of the flange 31 of the second engagement portion 29 is of equal design for differently large second engagement portions 29. Thus, it is possible to use the same sleeve portion 18 for cutting portions 4 of different size (cf. FIGS. 16a to 16c).
[0054] FIGS. 17 and 18 show a further embodiment in accordance with a further aspect of the invention. The tool 1 is, apart from its blades, completely designed as a plastic component tool 43. The first engagement portion 27 is designed as a plastic component 44, like a plastic dome. The second engagement portion 29 is designed as a plastic component 49, like a plastic dome. An insert component 46 of metal is connected to the first engagement portion 27 and/or the second engagement portion 29 by thermal punching.
