Pencil-grip wire driver operated with distally located actuator

Inventors

Sieh, John K. • McGarvey, James

Assignees

Conmed Corp

Abstract

A wire driver for inserting a wire into bone. The wire driver includes a housing having proximal and distal ends, with a handpiece extending to the proximal end. The handpiece is connected to a gripping portion, which extends to the distal end. A channel extends through the gripping portion and is connected to a gripping mechanism. A drive mechanism within the handpiece is connected to the channel. The drive mechanism is configured to rotate the channel when actuated by a first actuator positioned on the handpiece (which can be on the distal end of the handpiece). A second actuator is connected to the gripping portion and the gripping mechanism. The second actuator is movable between a relaxed position and a compressed position. The user can operate both first and second actuators with the same handpiece grip. The gripping portion and second actuator are rotatable relative to the housing and first actuator.

Core Innovation

The invention describes a wire driver including a housing having a proximal end and a distal end. The housing comprises a handpiece extending from the proximal end to a gripping portion, wherein the gripping portion extends to the distal end. A channel extends through the gripping portion, and a gripping mechanism is connected to the channel.

The wire driver further includes a first actuator connected to the proximal end of the housing and extending to a position above a portion of the gripping mechanism. The first actuator is movable between a relaxed position and a compressed position. The gripping portion extends along a first central longitudinal axis that extends through the gripping portion.

The handpiece extends along a second central longitudinal axis that is parallel to the first central longitudinal axis. The disclosed arrangement provides parallel alignment between the gripping portion and the handpiece central longitudinal axes while the actuator is movable between relaxed and compressed positions.

In embodiments summarized in the provided description, the wire driver includes an internal drive mechanism that rotates the channel and wire in response to actuation. A second actuator and a spring-biased gripping mechanism move between relaxed and compressed/open-gripping states to grip and release the wire, and the gripping portion and second actuator can be rotatable/indexable relative to the housing to adjust a wire plane for user comfort and to reduce hazards when using an overhand grip.

Claims Coverage

The provided independent claim is clm-00001. It includes 4 main inventive features: a specific housing/handpiece/gripping portion/channel/gripping mechanism configuration; a first actuator movable between relaxed and compressed positions; a first central longitudinal axis through the gripping portion; and a parallel second central longitudinal axis for the handpiece.

Across the provided claims guidance, the core inventive structure centers on a wire driver with a channel and gripping mechanism at a distal gripping portion, actuation by a first actuator that moves between relaxed and compressed positions, and parallel central longitudinal axis alignment between the gripping portion and the handpiece.

Stated Advantages

Documented Applications