Side activated safety scalpel for left and right hand users with blade removal system
Inventors
Assignees
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Publication Number
US-10292729-B2
Publication Date
2019-05-21
Expiration Date
Abstract
A surgical scalpel is presented which combines the attributes of cost-effectiveness in design while being ambidextrous and autoclavable. The design of the device affords left handed or right handed medical personnel with the feel, weight and balance of the original metal unguarded scalpel, while maintaining safety through the shielding of the blade during non-use and the ability to dispose of the blade in a safe controlled manner without having to place one's hands near the unguarded sharp. Surgeons of either dexterity are able to learn and operate using similar techniques and instruments heretofore not available to them. No longer must a left handed surgeon be forced into the right handed world to perform surgery. The device is designed to use existing styles of blades currently available without needing costly inventories of specially created blades for the multitude of other such devices on the market.
Core Innovation
The invention relates to an ambidextrous, autoclavable side-activated safety scalpel in which a shield is retained on a scalpel handle and is slideable along the handle between a retracted position and an ejectment position. The shield covers the blade during non-use, and blade ejection is controlled by a side thumb-accessible button. During movement of the shield into the ejectment position, the shield includes a first ejectment arm that extends inwardly within the interior of the shield and is at least partially aligned with a portion of the sharps mounting post so the shield passes the first end of the body and a rearward end of the sharps mounting post.
The handle includes a sharps mounting post disposed at and extending away from a first end of the body in a proximal-distal first direction, and the shield is configured to pass the mounting post during ejectment movement. The shield also includes a guidance pin extending into and traversing a recessed channel of the handle during movement of the shield between a retracted position away from the sharps mounting post and an extended position in which the shield extends over the sharps mounting post. The channel and shield cooperation provides guided, position-dependent motion for the shield.
Engagement and restriction of shield movement is provided by detents within the channel that interact with the guidance pin in the extended position to restrict movement of the shield into either the ejectment position or the retracted position. A positioning release button is on an exterior portion of the shield and is connected to an outwardly biased flange carrying the guidance pin, where inward movement of the release button disengages the guidance pin from the detent. Ejectment is further supported by integral ejector structures within the shield that include ejector windows and guide rails to guide the blade tang into a container during forward movement.
Claims Coverage
The document provides two independent claim sets, centered on a shield retained on a scalpel handle and slideable between retracted and ejectment positions while passing a sharps mounting post, with guided, detent-restricted movement using a guidance pin and side release actuation.
Slideable shield passing the sharps mounting post for ejectment
A scalpel handle having a sharps mounting post disposed at and extending away from a first end of the body, and a shield retained on the body and slideable between a retracted position and an ejectment position, where the shield includes a first ejectment arm extending inwardly within an interior of the shield and at least partially aligned with a portion of the sharps mounting post to pass the first end of the body and a rearward end of the sharps mounting post during movement into the ejectment position.
Guidance pin traversing a recessed channel with detent-restricted shield positioning
A scalpel handle in which the body includes a first channel recessed into a first short surface and a sharps mounting post extending away from the channel in the first direction, and a shield retained on the body slideable therealong in the first direction, the shield including a guidance pin extending into and traversing the channel during movement between a retracted position away from the sharps mounting post and an extended position extending over the sharps mounting post, with a first ejectment arm positioned to pass the sharps mounting post during movement into an ejectment position.
Across the independent claims, the main inventive coverage centers on a shield that slides between retracted and ejectment positions while passing a sharps mounting post via an inwardly extending ejectment arm. The claims further cover guided shield travel using a recessed channel and guidance pin, with detent-based positioning restriction in the extended position and actuation via a positioning release button.
Stated Advantages
The safety scalpel is autoclavable.
The scalpel provides ambidextrous left- or right-handed use.
The shield covers the blade during non-use.
The blade is ejected via a side thumb-accessible button while requiring a deliberate positional transition with detent restriction.
The design uses industry-standard blades without special inventories.
Documented Applications
Use as an ambidextrous, autoclavable side-activated safety scalpel for blade ejection and sharps container disposal/collection using a shield-guided ejectment into a container.
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