Patent ID: 8267924
Filing Date: 2012-09-18
Classification: A61B

Abstract:
1. A surgical instrument, comprising: a housing; an endoscopic portion extending distally from the housing and defining a longitudinal axis; a drive tube rotatable about a drive tube axis extending therethrough, the drive tube being disposed at least partially within the housing; a drive motor disposed at least partially within the housing, the drive motor being mechanically engaged with the drive tube and being configured to rotate the drive tube; a rod disposed in mechanical cooperation with the drive tube, at least a portion of the rod being translatable with respect to the drive tube; a removable loading unit configured to mechanically engage a distal portion of the endoscopic portion, the removable loading unit including an end effector arranged to be actuated by the rod so that the rod drives a surgical function of the end effector, the removable loading unit including a sensor for relaying information including a type of end effector that is part of the removable loading unit; and a digital control module for receiving information from the sensor of the removable loading unit relating to the type of end effector that is part of the removable loading unit, the digital control module for controlling the force being applied to the rod by the drive motor depending on the end effector that is part of the removable loading, unit, the digital control module including a storage unit for storing information relating to a force to be applied to the rod for each type of end effector of the removable loading units.