Apparatus for implementing a standardized skin incision
First Claim
1. Apparatus for implementing a standardized skin incision, comprising:
- a housing having an internal hollow and having located on a surface an elongated slot, with said slotted surface adapted to be placed flush against the skin,an arcuate cam surface having a series of convolutions located within said hollow, a movable arm having a first pivotal end and a second end having means adapted to engage with the cam surface, with said pivotable and end coupled to a surface of said housing to allow said arm to pivot at a location apart from said cam surface, means associated with said arm to allow said arm to move in a transverse direction to said slot while pivoting along said slot, said arm further including a cutting edge coupled thereto which cutting edge extends through said slot when said arm is pivoted, andspring biasing means coupled to said arm to bias said arm in a first position where said cutting edge is within said housing and an activatable trigger means coupled to said arm to hold said arm in said first position and to release said arm when activated to cause said edge to traverse through and along said slot in a path according to said cam surface to provide an incision in the skin of a given length and substantially of a uniform depth.
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Accused Products
Abstract
There is disclosed apparatus for implementing a standardized skin incision which apparatus includes a housing having a base containing an elongated slot. The base is adapted to be held flush against a patient'"'"'s skin prior to making an incision. The housing has an internal hollow which contains a movable pivot arm having a first pivotal end and a second end having a cam follower. Located within the housing is a cam surface upon which the cam follower of the pivot arm rides. The pivot end of the arm contains a cutting edge and is coupled to the housing such that it is enabled to move transversely while pivoting. The cam which has a given surface configuration controls the path of the pivot arm and therefore controls the path of the cutting edge as it enters the slot when triggered. The device produces a standard incision of a given length and a given depth as controlled by the reciprocating pivot arm and the cam surface. The device is completely disposable and further possesses the advantage that the cutting edge is always located within the housing except when the unit is triggered where the edge transverses and projects through the slot in the housing for an extremely short period of time. The unit can be fabricated from molded plastic and simple metal parts and is ordinarily sterilized prior to use. Its economy of materials and assembly permit marketing as a completely disposable device.
273 Citations
27 Claims
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1. Apparatus for implementing a standardized skin incision, comprising:
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a housing having an internal hollow and having located on a surface an elongated slot, with said slotted surface adapted to be placed flush against the skin, an arcuate cam surface having a series of convolutions located within said hollow, a movable arm having a first pivotal end and a second end having means adapted to engage with the cam surface, with said pivotable and end coupled to a surface of said housing to allow said arm to pivot at a location apart from said cam surface, means associated with said arm to allow said arm to move in a transverse direction to said slot while pivoting along said slot, said arm further including a cutting edge coupled thereto which cutting edge extends through said slot when said arm is pivoted, and spring biasing means coupled to said arm to bias said arm in a first position where said cutting edge is within said housing and an activatable trigger means coupled to said arm to hold said arm in said first position and to release said arm when activated to cause said edge to traverse through and along said slot in a path according to said cam surface to provide an incision in the skin of a given length and substantially of a uniform depth. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. Apparatus for implementing a standardized skin incision comprising:
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a housing having an internal hollow and having located on a surface an elongated slot with said surface configured to be placed flush against the skin of a patient, cam means coupled within the hollow of said housing and having a given arcuate surface having a series of convolutions and directed above said housing surface and positioned above said slot, a movable arm pivotally secured to said housing on a surface within said hollow and having a pivot point on a surface and having a cam coacting means whereby said arm can pivot along a path traversing said slot, and means coupled to said arm to allow said arm to also move transverse to said slot while pivoting along said slot, cutting edge means coupled to said arm and positioned within said housing in a first position of said arm and adapted to extend through said slot when said arm is moving, spring bias means coupled to said arm to exert a spring force on said arm in said first position, activatable releasing means coupled to said housing and coacting with said arm when activated whereby said arm due to said spring energy traverses said slot causing said cutting edge means to enter said slot and perform an incision according to the movement of said arm as controlled by said cam surface. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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20. An improved device for forming a skin incision, said device of the type including a cutting edge which is caused to traverse a path upon the pivotal movement of an arm member coupled to said cutting edge, the improvement for causing said edge to traverse a relatively linear path when said member is pivoted, comprising in combination:
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a single cam member including a single slotted cam surface taking the form of a cross section of an inverted trough, said cam surface including first and second slotted sides of opposite slope and of equal length forming sides of said trough, said first and second slotted sides converging in a direction away from said edge, a central slotted straight line portion joining opposing ends of said first and second sides to define a closed portion of said trough to compensate for an arcuate path movement, and cam follower means coupled to said arm member to control movement of said arm and means coupled to said arm to allow said arm to move in directions transverse to said arcuate path while pivoting to thereby cause said cutting edge to provide an incision in the skin of a patient of a given length and substantially of a predetermined depth along said given length with the first side of said cam surface constraining said cutting edge to move in a direction to penetrate said patient'"'"'s skin at a given depth and to travel a given distance at said depth due to said central portion and then to withdraw as constrained by said second side.
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21. An apparatus for implementing a standardized skin incision comprising:
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a housing having an internal hollow and having located on a surface an opening, with said surface adapted to be placed flush against a patient'"'"'s skin, a movable member within said hollow, a blade coupled to said movable member having a cutting edge and a sharpened apex, a single cam including a single slotted cam surface taking the form of a cross-section of an inverted trough, said slotted cam surface having first and second sides of equal length and opposite slope forming sides of said trough, said first and second sides diverging with respect to said opening and converging toward a closed portion of said trough, a central slotted atraight line portion joining opposing ends of said first and second sides to define said closed portion of said trough to define a controlled path including cam follower means associated with said housing and said movable member to allow said movable member to move within constraints imposed by said cam and follower means and causing said apex of said blade to trace a controlled path through said opening with the first side of said cam surface constraining said blade to move through said opening and out of said hollow to penetrate said patient'"'"'s skin at a given depth and to travel a given distance at said depth due to said central portion and then to withdraw back into said hollow constrained by said second side to cause said cutting edge to incise said patient'"'"'s skin, activatable trigger means coupled to said movable member to hold said movable member in a first position where said cutting edge and sharpened apex are within said housing and to release said movable member to cause said apex to traverse said controlled path when activated, biasing means coupled to said movable member to bias said movable member in said first position and to provide a motivating force to move said movable member when said trigger means is activated. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27)
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Specification