Inductively powered end of life indicators for robotic surgical instruments

Abstract

A surgical tool for a robotic surgical system includes a tool housing having a mounting portion for releasably securing the surgical tool to a carriage of the robotic surgical system, tool circuity included in the tool housing and configured to communicate with corresponding circuitry of the robotic surgical system, and an indicator provided on the tool housing and electrically connected to the tool circuitry. The indicator is activatable upon communicably coupling the tool circuitry with the corresponding circuitry of the robotic surgical system, and the indicator provides a visual indication of remaining useful life of the surgical tool.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A surgical tool for a robotic surgical system, the surgical tool comprising:
 a tool housing having a mounting portion for releasably securing the surgical tool to a carriage of the robotic surgical system;   tool circuity included in the tool housing and configured to communicate with corresponding circuitry of the robotic surgical system; and   an indicator provided on the tool housing and electrically connected to the tool circuitry, wherein the indicator is activatable upon communicably coupling the tool circuitry with the corresponding circuitry of the robotic surgical system, and   wherein the indicator provides a visual indication of remaining useful life of the surgical tool.   
     
     
         2 . The surgical tool of  claim 1 , wherein the mounting portion includes a mounting surface that abuts a sterile barrier separating the surgical tool and the robotic surgical system when the tool housing is mounted in the carriage and, when the tool housing is mounted in the carriage, an inductor of the robotic surgical system couples with an inductor of the surgical tool wirelessly through the mounting surface of the tool housing. 
     
     
         3 . The surgical tool of  claim 1 , wherein the indicator is selected from the group consisting of an LED light source, an electro-chromic material, a photo-chromic material, and a thermo-chromic material, and any combination thereof. 
     
     
         4 . The surgical tool of  claim 1 , wherein the tool circuitry includes a capacitor that is inductively charged by coupling the tool circuitry to the corresponding circuitry. 
     
     
         5 . The surgical tool of  claim 4 , wherein power induced via coupling of the tool circuitry and corresponding circuitry charges the capacitor during a final use of the surgical tool. 
     
     
         6 . The surgical tool of  claim 5 , wherein uncoupling the tool circuitry and the corresponding circuitry discharges the capacitor of the surgical tool to illuminate the indicator. 
     
     
         7 . The surgical tool of  claim 5 , wherein the tool circuitry discharges the capacitor to illuminate the indicator when coupled to the corresponding circuitry of the robotic surgical system. 
     
     
         8 . The surgical tool of  claim 7 , wherein the indicator is obstructed from view when the tool housing is mounted within the carriage. 
     
     
         9 . The surgical tool of  claim 4 , wherein power induced via coupling of the tool circuitry and the corresponding circuitry of the robotic surgical system charges the capacitor during a final use of the surgical tool and during at least one preceding use of the surgical tool before the final use. 
     
     
         10 . The surgical tool of  claim 1 , wherein the tool circuitry further includes a capacitor and a first inductor connected to the indicator, wherein power induced via coupling of the first inductor and a second inductor associated with the corresponding circuit of the robotic surgical system charges the capacitor during a final use of the surgical tool. 
     
     
         11 . The surgical tool of  claim 10 , wherein power induced via coupling of the first inductor and the second inductor builds charge in the capacitor during at least one preceding use of the surgical tool before the final use. 
     
     
         12 . The surgical tool of  claim 1 , wherein the indicator includes an electro-chromic material that changes state when exposed to voltage, wherein the tool circuitry includes a controller that directs voltage to the electro-chromic material based on instructions indicative of the remaining useful life of the surgical tool. 
     
     
         13 . The surgical tool of  claim 12 , wherein the controller directs voltage to the electro-chromic material during or after a final use of the surgical tool. 
     
     
         14 . The surgical tool of  claim 12 , wherein coupling of the tool circuitry and the corresponding circuitry of the robotic surgical system induces power in the tool circuitry that powers the controller. 
     
     
         15 . The surgical tool of  claim 1 , wherein the indicator comprises a photo-chromic material that changes state when activated by a light source, wherein the light source emits a light that interacts with the photo-chromic material and thereby causes the photo-chromic material to change state. 
     
     
         16 . The surgical tool of  claim 15 , wherein the tool circuitry includes a controller that triggers the light source to emit light on the electro-chromic material when the remaining useful life of the surgical tool is reached or exhausted. 
     
     
         17 . The surgical tool of  claim 15 , wherein the light source is provided within the carriage of the robotic surgical system or within the tool housing of the surgical tool; and
 wherein, when the light source is provided within the carriage of the robotic surgical system, the robotic surgical system supplies power to the light source.   
     
     
         18 . A method of indicating tool life of a surgical tool utilizable with a robotic surgical system, the method comprising:
 mounting a tool housing of the surgical tool to a carriage of the robotic surgical system;   inductively coupling a tool circuitry of the surgical tool with a corresponding circuitry of the robotic surgical system to thereby generate power in the tool circuitry, wherein the surgical tool includes an indicator provided on the tool housing and connected to the tool circuitry;   harvesting power from the robotic surgical system with the tool circuitry when the tool housing is mounted to the carriage, and thereby powering the indicator; and   activating the indicator to provide a visual indication of remaining useful life of the surgical tool.   
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein the circuitry includes a capacitor that is connected to the indicator, the method further comprising the charging the capacitor when the tool circuitry and the corresponding circuitry are inductively coupled. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein activating the indicator includes discharging the capacitor to power the indicator.