Surgical instrument constructed by electric discharge machining
Inventors
Scheller, Gregg D. • Poulsen, Michael S.
Assignees
Interested in licensing this patent?
MTEC can help explore whether this patent might be available for licensing for your application.
Publication Number
US-8241321-B2
Publication Date
2012-08-14
Expiration Date
Abstract
A microsurgical instrument is constructed to an extremely small scale with serrations formed on opposed operative microsurgical surfaces of the instrument by electric discharge machining.
Core Innovation
The invention relates to a microsurgical instrument having first and second operative microsurgical surfaces that are manually moved toward and away from each other. At least one operative microsurgical surface includes a series of serrations in which each serration has adjacent peaks and a width dimension between the adjacent peaks that is smaller than 0.007 of an inch, providing operative microsurgical surface features at extremely small dimensions.
In described embodiments, the microsurgical scissors or forceps are made from a one-piece metal blank in which distal slot features form resilient spring arms and carry opposed operative microsurgical surfaces. The operative microsurgical surfaces are provided as scissor blades with serrated cutting edges or as forcep jaws with serrated gripping surfaces.
The slot, spring arms, and operative microsurgical surfaces are formed by electric discharge machining in a single piece of material. The serrations are formed by wire electric discharge machining such that no post-cut grinding is needed, enabling reduced instrument size and fewer manufacturing steps and costs.
Claims Coverage
The independent claims cover three microsurgical instrument configurations with a manually actuated scissor/blade or forcep/jaw arrangement and serrated operative surfaces. Across the independent claims, the coverage contains two core groups of inventive features: serrations having a width dimension between adjacent peaks smaller than 0.007 of an inch, and electric discharge machining in a single piece of material for the rod features and operative surfaces.
Manually moved first and second operative microsurgical surfaces with finely dimensioned serrations
A microsurgical instrument comprising first and second operative microsurgical surfaces and means for manually moving the first and second operative microsurgical surfaces toward and away from each other, wherein at least one operative microsurgical surface has a series of serrations and each serration has adjacent peaks and a width dimension between the adjacent peaks that is smaller than 0.007 of an inch.
Forceps jaws on spring arms formed by electric discharge machining in a single piece with sub-0.007 inch serrations
A microsurgical instrument having an elongate rod with a distal slot forming a pair of resilient spring arms, a pair of opposed operative microsurgical surfaces on the spring arms, the slot, the pair of spring arms, and the pair of operative microsurgical surfaces formed by electric discharge machining in a single piece of material, wherein the operative microsurgical surfaces are a pair of forcep jaws having opposed serrated surfaces with serrations having adjacent peaks and width dimensions between the adjacent peaks smaller than 0.007 of an inch.
Scissor blades on spring arms formed by electric discharge machining in a single piece with sub-0.007 inch serrations
A microsurgical instrument having an elongate rod with a distal slot forming a pair of resilient spring arms, a pair of opposed operative microsurgical surfaces on the spring arms, the slot, the pair of spring arms, and the pair of operative microsurgical surfaces formed by electric discharge machining in a single piece of material, wherein the operative microsurgical surfaces are a pair of scissor blades having opposed serrated edges with serrations having adjacent peaks and width dimensions between the adjacent peaks smaller than 0.007 of an inch.
Overall, the claim set centers on microsurgical instruments with opposed operative surfaces that are serrated with a sub-0.007 inch width dimension between adjacent peaks, combined with electric discharge machining-based formation of the rod slot, resilient spring arms, and operative surfaces in a single piece. The independent claims separately ground the operative surfaces as forcep jaws or scissor blades.
Stated Advantages
Reduced instrument size.
Fewer manufacturing steps.
Reduced cost.
No post-cut grinding is needed.
Documented Applications
No documented applications found
Interested in licensing this patent?