Patent ID: 6402743
Filing Date: 2002-06-11
Classification: A61B,G02B

Abstract:
A surgical instrument having a first connection part for connection to a second connection part of a generator, the generator adapted to apply energy to the surgical instrument and having an identifying circuit associated therewith responsive to modified light communicating through the first and second connection parts to identify the surgical instrument connected to the generator, the second connection part including a light supply and a light receptor wherein the light supply transmits a non-focused light beam to the first connection part and the light receptor receives the modified non-focused light beam from the first connection part, the surgical instrument comprising:a first optical coupling on the first connection part, the first optical coupling including a light modifier in the form of a diffuse surface which modifies the non-focused light beam received from the light supply of the second connection part, the diffuse surface including responsive medium having an identification code indicative of the surgical instrument, the first connection part insertable into the second connection part so that the surgical instrument can be identified in a non-contact manner by the identifying circuit associated with the generator.