Surgical instrument handle with adjustable actuator position
Inventors
Scheller, Gregg D. • Auld, Michael D.
Assignees
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Publication Number
US-8197468-B2
Publication Date
2012-06-12
Expiration Date
Abstract
A surgical instrument handle is removably attachable to a surgical instrument head for operation of a microsurgical instrument on the head by manipulation of the instrument handle. The instrument handle has an elongate center rod with a piston mounted on the rod for reciprocating movement. The piston engages with a piston in the attached surgical instrument head for operation of the microsurgical instrument of the head. A tapered ring is mounted on the rod and engages with the piston for reciprocating the piston. A plurality of resilient arms extend along the length of the rod and engage against a sliding surface of the ring. The plurality of resilient arms are alternatively squeezed radially inwardly by the surgeon's hand and released by the surgeon's hand to allow the resilient arms to flex radially outwardly. The inward and outward movement of the plurality of arms reciprocates the piston on the handle rod to cause operation of the surgical instrument head. The radial position of the resilient arms relative to the handle is adjustable as desired by the surgeon.
Core Innovation
The invention provides a surgical instrument handle having an elongate rod with a piston mounted adjacent the rod distal end, wherein the piston is adapted to have axially reciprocating movement toward and away from the rod distal end. Manual movement is applied through a forward grip member that is adapted to have axial movement between first and second positions of the forward grip member relative to the rod. The forward grip member includes a plurality of resilient arms extending along the rod.
The resilient arms have distal ends that operatively engage with the piston, whereby manual movement of the arm distal ends radially inward moves the piston axially toward the rod distal end and movement of the piston axially away from the rod distal end moves the arm distal ends radially outward. The handle defines a first radial spacing between the arm distal ends when the forward grip member is in the first position, and a second radial spacing when the forward grip member is in the second position, with the second radial spacing being larger than the first radial spacing.
In additional configurations, the handle includes a cylindrical base with opposite proximal and distal ends, external and internal screw threading, and a rod with a connector adapted for removably attaching a surgical instrument head. A ring is mounted on the rod for sliding movement and engages with the piston, with a piston stop limiting further sliding of the ring toward the rod proximal end. A rearward grip member having internal screw threading mates with the base threading so that turning the rearward grip member in opposite directions moves the forward grip member axially and moves the resilient arms circumferentially outward or inward relative to the rod.
Claims Coverage
The partial content includes four independent claims (one, two, three, and eleven). Across these claims, the inventive coverage centers on an elongate-rod surgical instrument handle that converts manual resilient-arm radial movement into axially reciprocating piston movement, with adjustable radial spacing tied to axially shifted forward grip positions, and, in some configurations, a sliding ring and a removable instrument-head connector driven by a threaded rearward grip.
Forward grip with resilient arms providing radially inward/outward actuation of an axially reciprocating piston with adjustable radial spacing
A surgical instrument handle with an elongate rod with a piston mounted on the rod adjacent the rod distal end, a forward grip member mounted on the rod with axial movement between first and second positions, and a plurality of resilient arms that extend along the rod such that manual movement of the arm distal ends radially inwardly moves the piston axially toward the rod distal end and movement of the piston axially away from the rod distal end moves the arm distal ends radially outwardly, with a first radial spacing in the first position and a second radial spacing larger than the first radial spacing in the second position.
Removably attachable handle with connector, sliding ring, piston stop, and threaded rearward grip converting rotation into forward grip axial movement
A surgical instrument handle removably attachable to a surgical instrument head including a cylindrical base with external and internal screw threading, an elongate rod with a connector having a center bore and a slot through the rod distal end adjacent the connector, a piston received in the slot with the distal end projecting through the connector center bore, a ring mounted on the rod for sliding movement engaging with the piston, a piston stop mounted on the rod to engage the ring and prevent further sliding toward the rod proximal end, a forward grip member on the base distal end having a plurality of resilient arms circumferentially arranged around the rod with distal ends engaging the ring, and a rearward grip member with internal screw threading that mates with the base threading such that turning in a first direction moves the rearward grip member and pushes the forward grip toward the rod distal end to move the resilient arms over the ring and circumferentially outwardly, and turning in a second direction moves the rearward grip member away and allows the resilient arms to move circumferentially inwardly toward the rod while moving the forward grip away from the rod distal end.
Resilient arms integrally connected to the forward grip producing piston axial reciprocation with first and second radial spacings
A surgical instrument handle with an elongate rod having a piston adapted for axially reciprocating movement toward and away from the rod distal end, a forward grip member operatively connected with the rod having axial movement between first and second positions, and a plurality of resilient arms integrally connected with the forward grip member and operatively connected with the piston such that manual movement of the arms radially inwardly moves the piston axially toward the rod distal end and movement of the piston axially away from the rod distal end moves the arms radially outwardly, with a first radial spacing between the arms when the forward grip member is in the first position and a second radial spacing larger than the first when the forward grip member is in the second position.
Reciprocating ring engaging the piston to drive spacing change with forward grip axial movement and resilient arms
A surgical instrument handle with an elongate rod having a piston adjacent the rod distal end for axially reciprocating movement toward and away from the rod distal end, a forward grip member operatively connected with the rod for axial movement between first and second positions, and a plurality of resilient arms operatively connected with the forward grip member and operatively connected with the piston such that manual movement of the arms radially inwardly moves the piston axially toward the rod distal end and movement of the piston axially away from the rod distal end moves the arms radially outwardly, with a first radial spacing between the arms when the forward grip member is in the first position and a second radial spacing larger than the first when the forward grip member is in the second position, and a ring mounted on the rod adapted to have reciprocating movement toward the rod proximal end and toward the rod distal end with the ring engaging with the piston.
Taken together, the independent claims support a handle architecture in which a forward grip member with a plurality of resilient arms converts manual radial inward/outward movement into axially reciprocating piston movement, and in which the radial spacing between arm distal ends increases when the forward grip is in a second axial position. Further coverage includes a removably attachable arrangement to a surgical instrument head and, in some embodiments, a sliding/reciprocating ring that engages with the piston along with a piston stop and a threaded rearward grip that drives the forward grip’s axial movement.
Stated Advantages
Documented Applications
No documented applications found
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