Ethicon Endo-surgery, Inc.

Ethicon, Gmbh

Battelle Memorial Institute

Mark T Byrne

Anthony A Boiarski

Warren P Williamson, Iv

James E Dvorsky

John T Stropki

Kenneth L Kimes

Julie B Swick

A device is provided for identifying certain characteristics of an end piece or end effector of a surgical instrument. A preferred embodiment provides a surgical stapling instrument having an electrical circuit contained on the stapling cartridge which is capable of indicating cartridge type and/or status (i.e., with or without staples) when a voltage or current is applied to the circuit. Other identification means are provided including an optical identification means.

Identification device for surgical instrument

A device is provided for sensing the firing of a staple cartridge inserted into an end piece or end effector of a surgical instrument. The stapling instrument includes a magnetic sensing device arranged to sense the advancement of a knife or staple driver.

A device is provided for identifying certain characteristics of an end piece or end effector of a surgical instrument. A preferred embodiment provides a surgical stapling instrument having an electrical circuit contained on the stapling cartridge which is capable of indicating cartridge type and/or status (i.e., with or without staples) when a voltage or current is applied to the circuit.

A device is provided for identifying certain characteristics of an end piece or end effector of a surgical instrument. A preferred embodiment provides a surgical stapling instrument having an electrical circuit contained on the stapling cartridge which is capable of indicating cartridge type and/or status (i.e., with or without staples) when a voltage or current is applied to the circuit. Other identification devices are provided including an optical identification device

The corrosion monitor system facilitates the detection and monitoring of material corrosion in remote areas. Sensors, which react to a corrosive environment similar to the material to be monitored, are placed in isolated areas and connected to a central control system via shielded cables. The system consists of a controller board, multiple dual preamp boards, a battery pack, sensors, and corresponding cables. The controller board consists of a microcontroller, memory, data conversion, and other control circuits. The dual preamp boards contain multiple precision instrumentation amplifiers, filtering, and voltage conversion circuits. The system operates on the principal that corrosion of a metallic conductor will cause a corresponding increase in the cross-sectional electrical resistance of that conductor. This change in resistance can be detected and monitored by passing a known constant current through the conductor and comparing the voltage across the conductor with that of a controlled reference conductor. The reference conductor is not exposed to the corrosive environment. As the sample conductor corrodes, small increases in the voltage across the element are measured with respect to the reference material. The resultant signals are multiplied and filtered to a detectable level and processed by the controller as data points stored in memory.

Continuous, automatic and remote monitoring of corrosion

An endoscopic surgical instrument including a pair of jaws. An electromagnetic sensor disposed in said jaws to determine the relative position of said jaws.

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Loveland, OH, United States of America

Mark T Byrne