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Publication Number
US-10238376-B2
Publication Date
2019-03-26
Expiration Date
Abstract
The wound protector has an annularly collapsible distal ring, an expansion member and a flexible sleeve extending between the distal ring and expansion member. After positioning of the distal ring in a wound, movement of the expansion member into an extended state expands the sleeve while drawing the sleeve tight against the wound and the expansion member against the patient.
Core Innovation
The disclosure describes a wound protector comprising a collapsible distal ring of resiliently flexible material and a flexible sleeve extending from the distal ring, the flexible sleeve having a loop at one end. An expansion member is disposed within the loop for movement between a collapsed state and an extended state, and when the expansion member moves into the extended state, the expansion member expands the loop peripherally while drawing the distal ring and the expansion member towards each other, thereby tightening the sleeve against an incision.
The expansion member includes a pair of U-shaped mutually telescoping units in which one unit includes a pair of parallel arms of solid cross-section and the other unit includes a pair of parallel arms of tubular cross-section. The tubular arms receive the solid arms in telescoping relation, and the telescoping geometry yields a different overall shape for the units when collapsed versus extended, with the collapsed configuration being square and the extended configuration being rectangular.
The disclosure also provides selectable locking of relative movement between the telescoping units using longitudinally spaced grooves and resilient detent fingers. Additional structural arrangements describe interchangeable expansion-member components, including a rectilinear rod and elbows that connect to parallel arms, and use of different rod, elbow, and arm components to accommodate different incision sizes.
Claims Coverage
The partial content provides two independent claim sets. Across the independents, the core claim coverage includes a wound protector with a collapsible distal ring, a flexible sleeve with a loop, and an expansion member that moves between a collapsed state and an extended state to tighten the sleeve against an incision, with additional coverage for locking and interchangeable sub-part structures.
Peripheral loop expansion with distal ring tightening by an internal expansion member
A wound protector including a collapsible distal ring, a flexible sleeve extending from the distal ring and having a loop at one end, and an expansion member disposed within the loop for movement between a collapsed state and an extended state, wherein movement into the extended state expands the loop peripherally while drawing the distal ring and the expansion member towards each other.
U-shaped mutually telescoping expansion units with solid and tubular parallel arms
The expansion member includes a pair of U-shaped mutually telescoping units wherein one unit includes a pair of parallel arms of solid cross-section and the other unit includes a pair of parallel arms of tubular cross-section receiving the arms of the one unit in telescoping relation.
Interchangeable expansion-member parts with rectilinear rod, elbows, and parallel arms
The expansion member comprises separate and interchangeable parts including a rectilinear rod, a pair of elbows, and a pair of parallel arms, with the elbows secured to respective ends of the rod and each parallel arm secured to a corresponding elbow.
Selectable locking between mutually telescoping units via grooves and resilient detent fingers
The wound protector includes locking means for selectively locking one unit against movement relative to the other unit, wherein the locking means includes longitudinally spaced grooves on the arms of a first unit and coaxial rings on the ends of arms of a second unit, each ring having a resilient radially inwardly directed detent finger that selectively engages a selected groove.
Claim coverage is centered on a wound protector in which an internal expansion member moves from a collapsed state to an extended state to expand a loop peripherally and tighten a sleeve by drawing a collapsible distal ring toward the expansion member. The expansion member is built from U-shaped mutually telescoping units that use solid and tubular parallel arms, with further coverage for selectable locking between the telescoping units and for interchangeable expansion-member components using rod, elbow, and parallel-arm sub-parts.
Stated Advantages
Documented Applications
The described wound protector is tightened against an incision by expansion of the loop peripherally and drawing the distal ring and expansion member towards each other.
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