Patent ID: 7638958

Claim:
A powered surgical tool including: a housing; a power generating unit disposed in said housing, said power generating unit configured to emit a variable signal representative of the operation said power generating unit, wherein the signal is in the form of: a magnetic field; a RF signal; a light signal; or mechanical energy; an attachment that extends from said housing that is connected to and actuated by said power generating unit for performing a surgical/medical task; a control assembly with an actuatable control member mounted to said housing for regulating actuation of said power generating unit, said control assembly emitting a control signal in response to actuation of said control member; and a control module disposed in the housing, the control module having: a shell formed from at least one structural member, said at least one structural member being formed from material through which the signal from said power generating unit passes therethrough; a sensor disposed in said shell, said sensor configured to monitor the signal transmitted by said power generating unit through the said shell structural member through which the signal can pass and, based on the monitored signal, output a sensor signal the sensor signal being in the form of an electrical signal; and a control circuit in the shell for receiving the control signal from said control assembly and the sensor signal from said sensor that, based on the control signal and the sensor signal, selectively actuates the power generating unit.