Apparatus and method to determine end of life of battery powered surgical instrument

Abstract

A surgical instrument includes a handle assembly, a power source coupled with the handle assembly, and a control circuit coupled with the handle assembly and the power source. The handle assembly, the power source, and the control circuit are configured to drive an end effector of a shaft assembly coupled with the handle assembly to perform an operation on tissue. The control circuit is configured to receive life deduction event data. The control circuit is configured to determine an end of life for the power source based on the life deduction event data.

I/We claim: 
     
         1 . A surgical instrument comprising:
 (a) a handle assembly;   (b) a power source coupled with the handle assembly; and   (c) a control circuit coupled with the handle assembly and the power source, wherein the handle assembly, the power source, and the control circuit are configured to drive an end effector of a shaft assembly coupled with the handle assembly to perform an operation on tissue, wherein the control circuit is configured to receive life deduction event data, wherein the control circuit is configured to determine an end of life for the power source based on the life deduction event data.   
     
     
         2 . The instrument of  claim 1 , wherein the control circuit is configured to initiate a self-disposal mode of the power source when the power source reaches the determined end of life. 
     
     
         3 . The instrument of  claim 1 , wherein the control circuit is configured to transition the instrument between a wake mode and a sleep mode, wherein the control circuit is configured to initiate a self-disposal mode of the power source when the power source reaches the determined end of life and the power source is in the sleep mode. 
     
     
         4 . The instrument of  claim 1 , wherein the life deduction event data includes a type of a shaft assembly coupled with the handle assembly. 
     
     
         5 . The instrument of  claim 1 , wherein the life deduction event data includes a power profile of a shaft assembly coupled with the handle assembly. 
     
     
         6 . The instrument of  claim 5 , wherein the control circuit is configured to determine the power profile based at least in part on a first actuation of a user input of the handle assembly. 
     
     
         7 . The instrument of  claim 1 , wherein power source includes a battery having a voltage, wherein the control circuit is configured to monitor the voltage, wherein the life deduction event data includes the voltage of the battery. 
     
     
         8 . The instrument of  claim 1 , wherein the control circuit is configured to monitor a current of the power source while the power source is in a wake mode, wherein the life deduction event data includes the current of the power source. 
     
     
         9 . The instrument of  claim 1 , wherein the control circuit is configured to monitor a current of the power source while the power source is in a sleep mode, wherein the life deduction event data includes the current of the power source. 
     
     
         10 . The instrument of  claim 1 , wherein the control circuit is configured to determine a number of non-use wake cycles associated with the power source, wherein the life deduction event data includes the number of non-use wake cycles. 
     
     
         11 . The instrument of  claim 1 , further comprising a temperature sensor associated with the handle assembly, wherein the life deduction event data includes a temperature provided by the temperature sensor. 
     
     
         12 . The instrument of  claim 1 , wherein the life deduction event data includes a shelf life associated with the power source. 
     
     
         13 . The instrument of  claim 1 , wherein the control circuit is configured to determine an amount of time since the power source was coupled to the handle assembly, wherein the life deduction event data includes the amount of time. 
     
     
         14 . The instrument of  claim 1 , further comprising a manual input clip, wherein the manual input clip is configured to generate a signal, wherein the life deduction event data includes the signal generated by the manual input clip. 
     
     
         15 . The instrument of  claim 1 , further comprising a manual input dial, wherein the manual input dial is configured to generate a signal, wherein the life deduction event data includes the signal generated by the manual input dial. 
     
     
         16 . A method of determining an end of life for a power source of a surgical instrument, the method comprising:
 (a) coupling a power source with a handle assembly of a surgical instrument;   (b) monitoring a life deduction event;   (c) collecting a life deduction event data from the life deduction event; and   (d) calculating an end of life for the power source based at least in part on the life deduction event data.   
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 , further comprising:
 (a) coupling a shaft assembly to the handle assembly;   (b) firing the handle assembly to actuate the shaft assembly; and   (c) collecting a power drain on the power source associated with the firing of the handle assembly, wherein the life deduction event data includes the power drain on the power source associated with the firing of the handle assembly.   
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 16 , further comprising:
 (a) determining whether a shelf life of the power source has expired;   (b) determining whether the instrument is in a sleep mode; and   (c) initiating a self-disposal mode of the power source when the shelf life has expired and the instrument is in the sleep mode.   
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 16 , further comprising:
 (a) transforming the life deduction event data into a life debit amount;   (b) debiting the life debit amount from a life associated with power source;   (c) determining whether the life is beyond a disposal threshold; and   (d) in response to determining the life is beyond the disposal threshold, initiating a self-disposal mode of the power source.   
     
     
         20 . A method of initiating a self-disposal mode of a power source of a surgical instrument, the method comprising:
 (a) receiving a life deduction event data;   (b) in response to receiving the life deduction event data, calculating a life debit amount based on the life deduction event data;   (c) debiting the life debit amount from a life associated with the power source;   (d) determining whether the life is beyond a disposal threshold; and   (e) in response to determining the life is beyond the disposal threshold, initiating a self-disposal mode of the power source.