The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Mar. 06, 2018
Filed:
Oct. 15, 2014
Ethicon Endo-surgery, Inc., Cincinnati, OH (US);
Jeffrey L. Aldridge, Lebanon, OH (US);
Sean P. Conlon, Loveland, OH (US);
Benjamin M. Boyd, Fairborn, OH (US);
Daniel W. Price, Loveland, OH (US);
James G. Lee, Cincinnati, OH (US);
Eithicon LLC, Guaynabo, PR (US);
Abstract
An ultrasonic instrument comprises a handle assembly or other kind of body configured to receive an ultrasonic transducer and a shaft assembly having an acoustic waveguide and an ultrasonic blade. The ultrasonic blade is in acoustic communication with the acoustic waveguide such that the ultrasonic transducer is operable to drive the ultrasonic blade to vibrate ultrasonically via the acoustic waveguide. The ultrasonic instrument further comprises an actuation assembly disposed within the handle assembly. The actuation assembly includes a plurality of buttons disposed about the handle assembly in an angularly spaced array. Each button may be depressed independently of the rest to thereby actuate a switch assembly such that power is provided to the ultrasonic transducer, the acoustic waveguide, and the ultrasonic blade. The actuation assembly is operable to convert radial movement of the buttons into longitudinal, transverse, and/or pivotal movement that actuates the switch assembly.