Ultrasonic surgical instrument with replaceable blade having identification feature

Abstract

An apparatus includes a body, a shaft assembly, an end effector portion, a data storage component, a reader, and a use control. The shaft assembly extends distally from the body and includes a support portion. The end effector portion is configured to selectively couple with the support portion of the shaft assembly. The data storage component is associated with the end effector portion and contains data uniquely associated with the end effector portion. The reader is adapted to read the data from the data storage component. The use control is adapted to enable operation of the end effector portion if the data meets at least one usage parameter.

1 - 20 . (canceled) 
     
     
         21 . A surgical instrument, comprising:
 (a) a replaceable end effector portion comprising a set of indicia on a surface of the replaceable end effector, wherein the set of indicia are configured to store a unique identifier;   (b) a shaft assembly configured to couple with the replaceable end effector portion;   (c) an optical reader configured to receive the unique identifier from the set of indicia; and   (d) a use control module comprising a processor configured to:
 (i) receive the unique identifier from the optical reader, 
 (ii) determine whether the replaceable end effector portion is usable based on the unique identifier, and 
 (iii) enable operation of the replaceable end effector portion when it is usable. 
   
     
     
         22 . The surgical instrument of  claim 21 , wherein the set of indicia are configured to become unreadable as a result of being subjected to a cleaning process associated with the replaceable end effector. 
     
     
         23 . The surgical instrument of  claim 21 , wherein the replaceable end effector portion is associated with a permitted number of uses, wherein the permitted number of uses is at least two uses, and wherein the set of indicia are configured to become unreadable as a result of being subjected to a number of cleaning processes of at least the permitted number of uses. 
     
     
         24 . The surgical instrument of  claim 21 , wherein the set of indicia comprises at least one of a barcode, a dotcode, or a QR code. 
     
     
         25 . The surgical instrument of  claim 21 , wherein the shaft assembly comprises:
 (i) an attachment portion configured to receive the replaceable end effector portion, and   (ii) a projecting portion positioned relative to the attachment portion in order to contact and render the set of indicia unreadable as a result of the attachment portion receiving the replaceable end effector portion.   
     
     
         26 . The surgical instrument of  claim 25 , wherein the projecting portion comprises a spike configured to deform the set of indicia. 
     
     
         27 . The apparatus of  claim 21 , wherein the optical reader comprises:
 (i) an aperture configured to receive the replaceable end effector portion and position the set of indicia to be received by the optical reader, and   (ii) a projecting portion positioned relative to the aperture in order to contact and render the set of indicia unreadable as a result of the replaceable end effector portion being withdrawn from the aperture.   
     
     
         28 . The surgical instrument of  claim 21 , further comprising a cartridge configured to:
 (i) engage and carry a distal end of the replaceable end effector portion, and   (ii) be gripped while coupling a proximal end of the replaceable end effector portion to the shaft assembly,   wherein the cartridge comprises a projecting portion positioned to render the set of indicia unreadable with the distal end of the replaceable end effector portion withdrawn from the cartridge.   
     
     
         29 . The surgical instrument of  claim 28 , wherein the cartridge further comprises a force limiting feature configured to:
 (i) allow a first amount of force to be applied to the replaceable end effector portion during coupling with the shaft assembly, and   (ii) prevent a second amount of force from being applied to the replaceable end effector portion during coupling with the shaft assembly,   wherein the first amount of force is sufficient to couple the replaceable end effector portion with the shaft assembly and render the set of indicia unreadable, and wherein the second amount of force will damage the replaceable end effector portion.   
     
     
         30 . The surgical instrument of  claim 21 , wherein the processor is further configured to:
 (i) access a set of end effector records, wherein the set of end effector records describe a plurality of end effectors and whether or not they have been previously used; and   (ii) determine that the replaceable end effector portion is not usable when a record associated with the unique identifier indicates that the replaceable end effector portion has been previously used.   
     
     
         31 . The surgical instrument of  claim 30 , wherein the processor is further configured to determine that the replaceable end effector portion is not usable when the record indicates that the replaceable end effector portion is not compatible with the shaft assembly. 
     
     
         32 . The surgical instrument of  claim 31 , wherein the processor is further configured to prevent operation of the shaft assembly with any end effector portion until a valid unique identifier is received from the optical reader. 
     
     
         33 . A method of tracking use of a replaceable end effector portion of a surgical instrument, comprising:
 (a) reading a set of indicia from a surface of the replaceable end effector portion with an optical reader;   (b) determining a unique identifier associated with the replaceable end effector portion based on the set of indicia;   (c) receiving the unique identifier from the optical reader via a use control module having a processor;   (d) determining whether the replaceable end effector portion is usable based on the unique identifier;   (e) when the replaceable end effector portion is usable, enabling operation of a shaft assembly that is configured to couple with and operate the replaceable end effector portion;   (f) coupling the replaceable end effector portion to the shaft assembly; and   (g) rendering the set of indicia unreadable to indicate use of the surgical instrument.   
     
     
         34 . The method of  claim 33 , further comprising rendering the set of indicia unreadable by subjecting the replaceable end effector portion to a post-procedure cleaning process. 
     
     
         35 . The method of  claim 33 , further comprising rendering the set of indicia unreadable by subjecting the replaceable end effector portion to a number of prost-procedure cleaning processes of at least a number of permitted uses associated with the replaceable end effector portion, wherein the number of permitted uses is at least two uses. 
     
     
         36 . The method of  claim 33 , further comprising rendering the set of indicia unreadable by coupling the replaceable end effector portion to an attachment portion of the shaft assembly, and causing a projecting portion of the shaft assembly to contact and render the set of indicia unreadable as a result of the attachment portion receiving the replaceable end effector portion. 
     
     
         37 . The method of  claim 33 , further comprising rendering the set of indicia unreadable by inserting the replaceable end effector portion into an aperture of the optical reader to position the set of indicia to be received by the optical reader, and causing a projecting portion of the optical reader to contact and render the set of indicia unreadable as a result of the replaceable end effector portion being withdrawn from the aperture. 
     
     
         38 . The method of  claim 33 , further comprising rendering the set of indicia unreadable by coupling a proximal end of the replaceable end effector portion to the shaft assembly using a cartridge configured to engage and carry a distal end of the replaceable end effector portion, and causing a projecting portion of the cartridge to contact and render the set of indicia unreadable as a result of the replaceable end effector portion withdrawn from the cartridge. 
     
     
         39 . The method of  claim 38 , further comprising:
 (a) applying a force to the replaceable end effector portion with the cartridge thereby coupling the replaceable end effector portion with the shaft assembly and rendering the set of indicia unreadable; and   (b) activating a force limiting feature of the cartridge thereby ceasing applying the force to the replaceable end effector portion with the cartridge to limit the applied force.   
     
     
         40 . A surgical instrument, comprising:
 (a) a shaft assembly configured to couple with a proximal end of a replaceable end effector portion, wherein the shaft assembly comprises a projecting portion;   (b) a cartridge configured to:
 (i) engage and carry a distal end of the replaceable end effector portion, and 
 (ii) be gripped while coupling the proximal end of the replaceable end effector portion to the shaft assembly, 
 wherein the cartridge comprises a set of indicia configured to store a unique identifier, wherein the cartridge is further configured to contact the projecting portion when the replaceable end effector portion is coupled to the shaft assembly and render the set of indicia unreadable; 
   (c) an optical reader configured to receive the unique identifier from the set of indicia; and   (d) a use control module comprising a processor configured to:
 (i) receive the unique identifier from the optical reader, 
 (ii) determine whether the replaceable end effector portion is usable based on the unique identifier, and 
 (iii) enable operation of the replaceable end effector portion when it is usable.