Patent ID: 8357144

Claim:
A surgical instrument for use with an electro-mechanical surgical device, comprising: a coupling provided at a proximal end of the surgical instrument and configured to couple the surgical instrument with the electro-mechanical surgical device; a memory unit provided in the surgical instrument; and at least one rotatable drive shaft provided in the surgical instrument and configured to couple, via the coupling provided at the proximal end of the surgical instrument, with a respective drive shaft of the electro-mechanical surgical device; wherein the coupling provided at the proximal end of the surgical instrument includes a data connector configured to connect the memory unit provided in the surgical instrument with the electro-mechanical surgical device; and wherein the at least one rotatable drive shaft includes a first rotatable drive shaft and a second rotatable drive shaft, each of the drive shafts being (i) configured to couple with a respective drive shaft of the electro-mechanical surgical device, (ii) driven independently by a different motor, and (iii) configured to include a magnet mounted thereon for producing a magnetic field and in operable communication with at least one encoder including at least two sensors disposed approximately 90° apart relative to a longitudinal axis of each of the drive shafts, an output of the at least two sensors adapted to be adjusted as a function of a change of polarity of the magnetic field in a detection range of the at least two sensors, and a pair of additional motors secured on a carriage which carriage is movable to permit selective engagement of a selected one of the pair of additional motors, wherein the pair of additional motors control a steering of the surgical instrument.