MOTOR-OPERATED MULTIPLE HAIR TRANSPLANT CUTTER TOOL

• US 3,867,942 A
• Filed: 06/08/1972
• Issued: 02/25/1975
• Est. Priority Date: 06/08/1972
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Deceased Bellantoni, John Walter Tucciarone
• Original Assignee: Deceased Bellantoni, John Walter Tucciarone
• Inventors: Bellantoni, deceased, Tucciarone, John Walter
• Primary Examiner(s): Pace, Channing L.
• Application Number:
  US05/260,853
• Time in Patent Office: 992 Days
• Field of Search: 128/305 172/22 173/50 175/108 408/42,53,126,129
• US Class Current: 606/131
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/32053 Punch like cutting instruments, e.g. using a cylindrical or oval knife A61B17/326 takes precedence; trepans A61B17/1695; for use on the cornea A61F9/007
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00973 pedal-operated
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/10 Hair or skin implants
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 408/38 Plural, simultaneously operational tools
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 408/385 Rotatable about parallel axes
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 408/675 including means to move Tool along tool-axis

Abstract

A power operated hair transplant cutting tool for use in removing multiple patches of skin with hair from the hair area of a scalp for insertion into openings formed by the same tool on the bald area of the head, the patches without the hair being removed to allow for the replacement in the openings of the hair patches taken from the hair area of the scalp. This tool has multiple cutter tool elements, each of which having a sharp circular cutting edge provided upon the end of its sleeve formation and extending upwardly into the cutter tool head are shanks having respectively gears connected together as a train for rotation in unison. A handle extends outwardly from the cutter tool head and has an electric motor therein with a shaft that extends into the cutting tool head. This shaft has a driving worm and in mesh therewith is a worm wheel that is carried on a shaft that extends vertically tool head and which further has a wheel gear that meshes with one of the gears on one of the shanks and one of the gears of the train of gears so that all of the cutter tool element shanks will be rotated in unison, certain of the shanks being rotated in one direction while other shanks are rotated in the opposite direction. These cutting tool shanks are arranged in two rows of three shanks each, one row is in the front of the cutter tool head while the other row is in the rear thereof with the individual cutter tool element shanks being respectively staggered with corresponding shanks in the front row, all of the shanks of one row will be operated in one direction while the shanks of the other row are rotated in the opposite direction. In one form of the invention the individual cutter tool element shanks can be adjusted between extended and retracted positions and are grooved at the upper ends of the shanks and latch members carried on the tool head have grooves to hold the individual shank in either of its adjusted positions. In the other form of the invention an adjusting mechanism is provided for adjusting all of the cutter tool element shanks in unison so that the cutting edges can conform to an arc shaped to apply equal cutting pressure and depth upon the curved scalp. This mechanism has a bendable plate to which the upper end of the shanks are rotatably connected and an adjusting mechanism for bending the plate intermediate its length to arc the same. A power cable extends from the handle to a foot switch that in turn may be connected to a wall receptacle.

Claims

1. A motor-operated multiple hair transplant patch cutter tool comprising a handle part and a cutter tool head part having a top and a bottom, and the head part being carried upon the handle part, a plurality of cutter tool element drive shanks extending in a parallel relationship with one another and fully through and from the top and bottom of the cutter tool head part, said cutter tool element drive shanks each having its longitudinal axis extending about vertically to the top and bottom of the cutter tool head part, means for securing each shank alternately in each of extended and retracted positions and axially adjustable in the cutter tool head part between the extended and retracted positions, hair patch tissue circular cutter tool elements being carried respectively upon the respective journaled cutter tool element drive shanks, a gear train including drive gears meshed in succession with one another and respectively carried by the respective cutter tool element drive shanks, an electric motor carried in one of the parts and having pinion and drive gear means connected with one of the drive gears of the cutter tool element drive shafts, whereby all of the cutter tool elements may be driven in unison upon operation of the electric motor, each of said cutter tool elements being in the form of a sleeve with a circular cutting edge adapted to cut a patch of hair tissue from the scalp and means on the head part operable for connection to the drive shanks to secure them in either their extended or retracted positions whereby one or more patches of hair may be taken from a hair area of the scalp for the purpose of being transplanted into openings that may have been provided by the cutter tool element in a bald area of a person'"'"''"'"'s head, said means for securing the cutter tool element shanks including curvatureadjusting mechanism for adjusting the cutting tool elements in unison so that the cutting edges of the cutter tool elements can be aligned with one another to provide more or less contour curvature for adapting the cutting edges of the cutting tool elements to the curved rounded portions of the head part, said curvature adjusting mechanism including a bendable plate slidably secured at ends thereof to the cutting tool head part and rotatably receiving the respective cutter tool element shanks and an adjustable member connected to the bendable plate intermediate its length and carried on the cutting tool head to bow the bendable plate from a flat transversely extendable shape, said cutter tool head part including a transversely extending box member, said bendable plate underlying the box member and said cutter tool head part having a main body, said bendable plate having open slots on the ends thereof, said transverse box member being recessed to receive the slotted ends of the bendable plate to permit the working of its ends within the box member while the bendable plate is being bowed or returned to its straightened condition, fastening screws for securing the box member to the body member extendable through the recesses of the box member and through the slots of the bendable plate to secure the box member in place upon the body member.

2. A motor-operated multiple hair transplant cutter tool as defined in claim 1, said electric motor being provided in the handle part, having said pinion and drive gear means comprising a motor drive shaft and pinion extending from the motor into the cutter tool head part, for the connection of the motor with the train of gears on the cutting tool element shanks and including a worm pinion on the motor drive shaft, a shaft extending vertically relative to the top and the bottom of the head part and the vertically-extending shaft being journaled in the head part in parallel to the shanks, a worm wheel on said vertically-extending shaft connecting said shaft with the motor worm pinion and a gear wheel driven by said vertically-extending shaft engaging with the gear of the one of the drive gears of the one of the train of cutter tool element shanks.

3. A motor-operated multiple hair transplant cutter tool as defined in claim 1, said means to secure the drive shanks in their extended and retracted positions including the provision on each of the cutter tool element shanks at least two stop shoulders spaced in a direction vertical to the top and the bottom of the head part, and latch members slidable in the tool head in the cutter tool head part positioned transversely for engagement with or release from the respective cutter tool shank shoulders.

4. A motor-operated multiple hair transplant cutter tool as defined in clim 3, said shoulders being provided by reduced-diameter portions spaced in a direction vertical to the top and the bottom of the head part and providing grooves in the shanks, each of said latch members having a horizontal portion relative to the top and the bottom of the head part and another portion extending upwardly vertically from the horizontal portion, said horizontal portion having an open end slot on its inner end adapted to be extended into the groove afforded by the reduced diameter portions of the cutter tool element shank and upwardly extending stop projections on the horizontal portion of the latch members each serving for engagement with stop surfaces within the cutter tool head to prevent the disengagement of the latch member when moved to its out of engagement position with the shank so as to allow the axial adjustment of the cutter tool elements shank in the cutter tool head, said cutter tool elements shank in the cutter tool head, said cutter tool element shanks thereby being adjustable when free of the latch member being extended and retracted positions relative to the other cutter tool element shanks.

5. A motor-operated multiple hair transplant cutter tool as defined in claim 4, said cutter tool head part comprising a hollow main body piece open at its top end, transversely extending box piece open on its inner face, the top end face of the main body piece having an elongated raised projection having front and rear ends with a series of guide slots extending across the front thereof and a further series of guide slots extending across the rear thereof, said horizontal portions of the latch members for the cutting tool element shanks being slidable in said slots with the upwardly vertical portions extending from the front end to the rear end of the raised projection of the body part, said box piece extending over the latch member guide slots and secured to the top of the raised projection extending over the body part to retain the latch members in place thereupon and against outward displacement therefrom, said cutter tool element shanks extending upwardly through and in a direction outwardly relative to the top of the head part and to the transverse box piece respectively, said raised projection on the main body part being notched at its rear end and a partial cover piece having its front end extending into the notch and secured to the main body part to further close the top opening thereof.

6. A motor-operated multiple hair transplant cutter tool as defined in claim 1, said bottom and said top each having a face extending between forward and rearward upright sides, said cutter tool element shanks being arranged in at least two groups of substantially parallel shanks grouped at least three per group, one group lying toward the forward side in the cutting head and the other group lying toward the rearward side with the cutting tool element shanks respectively laterally offset from one-another with the respective corresponding cutter tool element shanks of the one group being rotated in opposite direction from the cutting tool element shanks of the other group.

7. A motor operated multiple hair transplant cutter tool as defined in claim 1 and said curvature adjusting mechanism including an adjusting screw threadably contained in said box member and extending outwardly therefrom having a turning knob thereon, and a head member carried on the adjusting screw and grasping opposite forward and rearward edges of the bendable plate to work the bendable member between straight and curved shapes.

8. A motor-operated multiple hair transplant cutter tool as defined in claim 7, said box-like member having opposing hollow bosses at faces thereof positioned toward said forward and rearward sides respectively and providing internal opposing guide slots and said adjustable head having forward and rearward portions operable in the opposing guide slots.

9. A motor operated multiple hair transplant cutter tool as defined in claim 1 and said cutter tool element shanks being arranged in forward and rearward rows of three shanks eAch, the shanks of one row being respectively offset with the shanks of the other row and said cutter tool element shanks being grooved and rotatably contained by their grooved portions in the bendable plate.