US5609607A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Device for modeling or simulating the sense of touch in a surgical instrument
Assignee: Airbus Defence and Space GmbH
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Filing: 1994-09-26
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Granted: 1997-03-11
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Expires: 2014-09-26
Abstract
Abstract Device for modeling or simulating the sense of touch for medical, especially surgical purposes such as operations using medical instruments, characterized in that at least one sensor array which is sensitive to force, pressure, or travel and an actuator array are combined in the instrument to form a "feeling" or "tactile" unit (A, B) in such manner that one controls the other.
Inventors
- 👤 Kurt-Volker Hechtenberg
- 👤 Dieter Bosch
- 👤 Hajo Hermeking
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-25 14:03
CPC Classifications
A; A61; A61B; A61B34/00; A61B34/70; A61B34/76; A61B17/00; A61B17/00234; A61B17/28; A61B17/29; A61B17/2909; A61B90/00; A61B90/06; A61B2090/064; A61B2090/065
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 32
Claim 1
Independent Claim
65 words
A surgical instrument for treating tissue, comprising: a tissue contacting member, a manually engageable handle operatively connected to the tissue contacting member, a sensor array on said tissue contacting member, an actuator array on said handle, and an electric signal circuit connecting the sensor array and the actuator array, wherein the actuator array is formed by a plurality of pressure sensitive cells containing electrorheological fluid.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
65 words
A surgical instrument for treating tissue, comprising: a tissue contacting member, a manually engageable handle operatively connected to the tissue contacting member, a sensor array on said tissue contacting member, an actuator array on said handle, and an electric signal circuit connecting the sensor array and the actuator array, wherein the actuator array is formed by a plurality of pressure sensitive cells containing electrorheological fluid.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
15 words
An instrument according to claim 1, wherein said tissue contacting member is a probe member.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
16 words
An instrument according to claim 1, wherein said tissue contacting member is part of a forceps.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
37 words
An instrument according to claim 1, wherein each of said pressure sensitive cells comprises a pressure chamber and a pressure compensating chamber, the pressure chamber communicating with the pressure compensating chamber via at least one throttle channel.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
41 words
An instrument according to claim 4, wherein the pressure chamber is formed in a first part and is bounded by a first membrane, and the pressure compensating chamber is formed in a second part and is bounded by a second membrane.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
23 words
An instrument according to claim 5, wherein an intermediate layer and an electrode are disposed between the first part and the second part.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
50 words
An instrument according to claim 6, wherein said electric signal circuit produces a voltage corresponding to a pressure applied to said sensor array, said voltage being applied between the electrode and the first part to control a flow resistance of the electrorheological fluid through the at least one throttle channel.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
18 words
An instrument according to claim 1, wherein the sensor array is formed by a plurality of sensing elements.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
33 words
An instrument according to claim 8, wherein each of the sensing elements comprises a membrane having a sensing body, the sensing bodies of adjacent of the sensing elements being laterally separated by spaces.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
15 words
An instrument according to claim 9, wherein the spaces are filled with an elastic material.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
19 words
An instrument according to claim 10, wherein the elastic material is sealed off opposite the membrane by another membrane.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
31 words
An instrument according to claim 1, wherein the electric signal circuit includes an electronic control unit which converts electric signals from the sensor array to electric signals for the actuator array.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
14 words
An instrument according to claim 12, wherein the electronic control unit performs self-testing functions.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
43 words
An instrument according to claim 12, wherein the electronic control unit converts electric signals from the sensor array to sensor data for visual display, and wherein a visual display unit is connected to the electronic control unit which visually displays the sensor data.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
34 words
An instrument according to claim 12, wherein the electronic control unit generates a warning signal when an error occurs in the conversion of the electric signals, said warning signal being visually or acoustically transmitted.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
16 words
An instrument according to claim 1, wherein the electric signal circuit comprises a telemetric transmission line.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
96 words
An instrument for simulating a sense of touch of an object, comprising: a contacting member for engagement with the object, a sensor array arranged on said contacting member to sense a contact pressure, a manually engageable surface operatively connected to the contacting member, an actuator array arranged on the manually engageable surface, and an electric signal circuit connecting the sensor array and the actuator array, wherein the actuator array comprises a plurality of pressure sensitive cells containing electrorheological fluid, said actuator array transmitting a pressure which corresponds to the contact pressure to the manually engageable surface.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
96 words
An instrument for simulating a sense of touch of an object, comprising: a contacting member for engagement with the object, a sensor array arranged on said contacting member to sense a contact pressure, a manually engageable surface operatively connected to the contacting member, an actuator array arranged on the manually engageable surface, and an electric signal circuit connecting the sensor array and the actuator array, wherein the actuator array comprises a plurality of pressure sensitive cells containing electrorheological fluid, said actuator array transmitting a pressure which corresponds to the contact pressure to the manually engageable surface.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
37 words
An instrument according to claim 17, wherein each of said pressure sensitive cells comprises a pressure chamber and a pressure compensating chamber, the pressure chamber communicating with the pressure compensating chamber via at least one throttle channel.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
41 words
An instrument according to claim 18, wherein the pressure chamber is formed in a first part and is bounded by a first membrane, and the pressure compensating chamber is formed in a second part and is bounded by a second membrane.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
23 words
An instrument according to claim 19, wherein an intermediate layer and an electrode are disposed between the first part and the second part.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
46 words
An instrument according to claim 20, wherein said electric signal circuit produces a voltage corresponding to said contact pressure, said voltage being applied between the electrode and the first part to control a flow resistance of the electrorheological fluid through the at least one throttle channel.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
18 words
An instrument according to claim 17, wherein the sensor array is formed by a plurality of sensing elements.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
33 words
An instrument according to claim 22, wherein each of the sensing elements comprises a membrane having a sensing body, the sensing bodies of adjacent of the sensing elements being laterally separated by spaces.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
15 words
An instrument according to claim 23, wherein the spaces are filled with an elastic material.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
19 words
An instrument according to claim 24, wherein the elastic material is sealed off opposite the membrane by another membrane.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
31 words
An instrument according to claim 17, wherein the electric signal circuit includes an electronic control unit which converts electric signals from the sensor array to electric signals for the actuator array.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
14 words
An instrument according to claim 26, wherein the electronic control unit performs self-testing functions.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
43 words
An instrument according to claim 26, wherein the electronic control unit converts electric signals from the sensor array to sensor data for visual display, and wherein a visual display unit is connected to the electronic control unit which visually displays the sensor data.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
34 words
An instrument according to claim 26, wherein the electronic control unit generates a warning signal when an error occurs in the conversion of the electric signals, said warning signal being visually or acoustically transmitted.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
16 words
An instrument according to claim 17, wherein the electric signal circuit comprises a telemetric transmission line.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2000-03-10 | 2000-09-09 | 2001-03-11 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2004-03-10 | 2004-09-09 | 2005-03-11 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2008-03-10 | 2008-09-09 | 2009-03-11 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |