Surgical adapter assemblies and wireless detection of surgical loading units

Abstract

An adapter assembly includes an elongated body configured to couple to a handle assembly and a loading unit assembly. The adapter assembly includes an oscillator configured to output a voltage signal. A sensor determines a connection status of the loading unit assembly coupled to the adapter assembly based on a change in the voltage signal. The voltage signal includes a rectified voltage output and an induced voltage output and changes in response to the approximation of a winding disposed within a loading unit assembly to the oscillator.

1 - 20 . (canceled) 
     
     
         21 . A surgical instrument, comprising:
 an elongated body having a proximal portion and a distal portion, wherein the distal portion is configured to couple to a loading unit assembly;   an oscillator disposed within the elongated body and configured to output a voltage signal; and   a sensor disposed within the elongated body and configured to determine a connection status of a loading unit assembly coupled to the elongated body based on a change in the voltage signal.   
     
     
         22 . The surgical instrument according to  claim 21 , wherein the voltage signal includes a rectified voltage output and an induced voltage output. 
     
     
         23 . The surgical instrument according to  claim 21 , wherein the oscillator is a Colpitts Oscillator. 
     
     
         24 . The surgical instrument according to  claim 21 , wherein the voltage signal changes in response to approximation of a winding disposed within a loading unit assembly to the oscillator. 
     
     
         25 . The surgical instrument according to  claim 21 , wherein the voltage signal changes in response to a wireless interaction with a winding disposed within a loading unit. 
     
     
         26 . The surgical instrument according to  claim 21 , wherein the sensor is further configured to determine a parameter of a loading unit assembly based on the change in the voltage signal. 
     
     
         27 . The surgical instrument according to  claim 26 , wherein the parameter is selected from the group consisting of a serial number of a loading unit assembly, a type of a loading unit assembly, a size of a loading unit assembly, a fastener size, a fastener type, prior use information, and maximum number of uses of a loading unit assembly. 
     
     
         28 . The surgical instrument according to  claim 21 , wherein the proximal portion is configured to couple to a robotic arm. 
     
     
         29 . A surgical system comprising:
 a surgical loading unit including:
 a memory configured to store a parameter of the surgical loading unit; and 
 a winding; and 
   a surgical instrument configured to couple to the surgical loading unit, the surgical instrument including:
 an oscillator configured to wirelessly couple to the winding and to output a voltage signal; and 
 a sensor configured to determine a connection status of the surgical loading unit based on a change in the voltage signal due to wireless coupling of the winding and the oscillator. 
   
     
     
         30 . The surgical system according to  claim 29 , wherein the parameter of the surgical loading unit is an identifier of the surgical loading unit. 
     
     
         31 . The surgical system according to  claim 29 , wherein the oscillator is a Colpitts Oscillator. 
     
     
         32 . The surgical system according to  claim 29 , wherein the change in the voltage signal is a change in frequency. 
     
     
         33 . The surgical system according to  claim 29 , wherein the sensor is further configured to determine a parameter of the surgical loading unit based on the change in the voltage signal. 
     
     
         34 . The surgical system according to  claim 33 , wherein the parameter is selected from the group consisting of a serial number of the surgical loading unit, a type of the surgical loading unit, a size of the surgical loading unit, a faster size, a fastener type, prior use information, and maximum number of uses of the surgical loading unit. 
     
     
         35 . The surgical system according to  claim 29 , wherein the voltage signal includes a rectified voltage output and an induced voltage output. 
     
     
         36 . A method for wireless detection of a surgical loading unit being coupled to a surgical instrument, the method comprising:
 generating a signal at an oscillator circuit disposed within a surgical instrument;   measuring a parameter of the oscillator circuit;   inserting a surgical loading unit including a winding into the surgical instrument, thereby altering the parameter to generate an altered parameter;   measuring the altered parameter;   determining a difference between the parameter and the altered parameter; and   determining presence of the surgical loading unit based on the difference.   
     
     
         37 . The method according to  claim 36 , wherein the parameter is a voltage or a frequency of the signal. 
     
     
         38 . The method according to  claim 36 , wherein altering the parameter is based on a wireless connection between the winding of the surgical loading unit and the oscillator circuit of the surgical instrument. 
     
     
         39 . The method according to  claim 36 , further comprising determining at least one operational parameter of the surgical loading unit based on the difference. 
     
     
         40 . The method according to  claim 39 , wherein determining the at least one operational parameter of the surgical loading unit includes identifying the surgical loading unit.