Patent ID: 11871900
Assignee: UNIVERSITÀ DEGLI STUDI DI SIENA
Field: Medical technology (Instruments)
Classification: CPC A  B  G | IPC A  B  G

Claim 12:
13. The instrument (5) according to claim 1, wherein said gas-inflatable balloon is a first gas-inflatable balloon (20) and said detection signal is a first detection signal (53), and said contact force sensor device (10) also comprises:
at least one second gas-inflatable balloon (20′) arranged to switch between a deflated state (D), and an inflated state (J), wherein said second gas-inflatable balloon (20′) is arranged to protrude from said support member (11) when in said inflated state (J),
a second feed duct (21′) arranged to feed a gas to said second gas-inflatable balloon (20′) through a second connection member (13) engaged by a second entrance portion (23′) of said second gas-inflatable balloon (20′);, wherein:
said inflation/deflation valve assembly (34) is arranged to selectively connect said second gas-inflatable balloon (20′) with said gas source (30) and with said gas-discharge vent (35) through said second feed duct (21′);
said detector device (43,43′) is configured to output also a second detection signal (53′) according to a force-related value related to a second contact force (F2) acting on said second gas-inflatable balloon (20′);
said processing unit (60) is configured to:
receive said second detection signal (53′);
compute a second contact force signal (54′) according to said predetermined function.