Tissue-collecting apparatus
First Claim
1. In an apparatus for collecting animal or human tissue, said apparatus including a housing having an interior and an exterior, a curette having a tissue-scraping end and a passageway communicating with the housing interior and extending from said housing and terminating at a front end of the curette in a tissue-receiving opening, said housing acting as a handle for manipulating the apparatus, said housing having an outlet opening communicating with the interior of said housing and adapted to be connected to a source of vacuum for sucking tissue through said tissue-receiving opening of said curette and into said housing, the improvement wherein said housing is transparent along at least a portion of one longitudinally extending side thereof, and said housing having a substantially planar tissue collection screen inside said housing in the path of flow of said tissue to be drawn through said curette and into the housing, said screen extending longitudinally and obliquely of said housing for substantially the full length thereof, the screen having a multiplicity of tissue-screening apertures with inlet and outlet sides forming a communication between opposite laterally facing sides of the screen, said apertures being of such a size to catch the tissue being drawn through the housing and screen, the inlet side of the apertures on the side of said screen facing said longitudinally transparent portion of said one side of said housing, and the length of said housing being substantially greater than the lateral dimension thereof so that the obliquely extending screen which extends for substantially the full length of the housing has such a substantial longitudinal component that any tissue collected thereon is readily visible to the user looking laterally into the housing as he grasps the housing to manipulate the apparatus.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Apparatus for collecting animal or human tissue includes a curette having a passageway therein terminating at the front end of the curette in a tissue-receiving opening formed in a tissue-scraping spoon. The rear end of said curette extends from a housing forming a handle or gripping surface for manipulating the apparatus. The curette passageway communicates with the interior of said housing and to be connected to a source of vacuum for sucking tissue through the tissue-receiving inlet opening of the curette and into the housing. A substantially flat tissue collecting screen is placed at an angle obliquely across the inside of the housing in the path of tissue flow through the housing to form a large tissue collecting area. The screen has a multiplicity of tissue-screening apertures communicating between the curette passageway on one side of the screen and the outlet opening on the other side of the screen. The tissue is collected on the passageway side of the screen and the collected tissue may be observed through the housing which is substantially transparent. The curette housing or handle is manipulated in one hand of the user and a suction regulator is coupled between the housing and the source of vacuum which is adjusted by the second hand of the user.
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Citations
13 Claims
- 1. In an apparatus for collecting animal or human tissue, said apparatus including a housing having an interior and an exterior, a curette having a tissue-scraping end and a passageway communicating with the housing interior and extending from said housing and terminating at a front end of the curette in a tissue-receiving opening, said housing acting as a handle for manipulating the apparatus, said housing having an outlet opening communicating with the interior of said housing and adapted to be connected to a source of vacuum for sucking tissue through said tissue-receiving opening of said curette and into said housing, the improvement wherein said housing is transparent along at least a portion of one longitudinally extending side thereof, and said housing having a substantially planar tissue collection screen inside said housing in the path of flow of said tissue to be drawn through said curette and into the housing, said screen extending longitudinally and obliquely of said housing for substantially the full length thereof, the screen having a multiplicity of tissue-screening apertures with inlet and outlet sides forming a communication between opposite laterally facing sides of the screen, said apertures being of such a size to catch the tissue being drawn through the housing and screen, the inlet side of the apertures on the side of said screen facing said longitudinally transparent portion of said one side of said housing, and the length of said housing being substantially greater than the lateral dimension thereof so that the obliquely extending screen which extends for substantially the full length of the housing has such a substantial longitudinal component that any tissue collected thereon is readily visible to the user looking laterally into the housing as he grasps the housing to manipulate the apparatus.
Specification