Pellet implanter apparatus

• US 4,988,335 A
• Filed: 08/16/1988
• Issued: 01/29/1991
• Est. Priority Date: 08/16/1988
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Neogen Corporation
• Original Assignee: Ideal Instruments Incorporated (Neogen Corporation)
• Inventors: Kelm, Thomas J., Prindle, Gordon E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Rosenbaum, C. Fred
• Assistant Examiner(s): Lewis, William W.
• Application Number:
  US07/232,693
• Time in Patent Office: 896 Days
• Field of Search: 128/329 R, 128/330, 604/57, 604/59-64, 604/208, 604/209, 604/241, 604/243, 221/78, 221/79, 221/81, 221/88, 221/197, 221/198, 221/279, 206/3, 206/343, 206/528, 206/538, 124/45, 124/51, 606/117, 606/185, 606/188, 227/67
• US Class Current: 604/61
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 37/0069 Devices for implanting pellets, e.g. markers or solid medicaments for introducing of radioactive sources for interstitial radiation therapy, i.e. brachytherapy A61N5/1027

Abstract

An implanting gun apparatus (10) is described. A rod (31) is linearly moveable in a pistol grip (11) so as to move a pellet out a barrel (13). A pivotable linkage (34) between a trigger (36) and a holder (32) for the rod is actuated by the trigger. The gun apparatus is particularly adapted to implant pellets in animals, particularly as medicament pellets.

Claims

1. A hand held gun apparatus for implanting a pellet into an animal which comprises:

(a) a hollow needle defining a barrel for implanting the pellet into the animal;

(b) a head means on the gun apparatus supporting the needle with an opening through the head means into the barrel;

(c) a carrier for a pellet mounted at the opening for holding the pellet in the opening so that the pellet can pass through the barrel;

(d) a pistol grip means supporting the head means;

(e) a drive rod linearly moveable through an opening between the ends of the head means and into the barrel from the pistol grip;

(f) an actuating means mounted in the pistol grip for moving the drive rod into and out of the barrel; and

(g) trigger means mounted on the pistol grip and having opposed sides which slide into the pistol grip and actuatable by the fingers for moving the actuating means and thus drive rod into and out of the barrel, wherein the actuating means is a pivotable linkage means mounted on a pivot means on the pistol grip adjacent the trigger means and between linearly movable holder means for the drive rod and an inside portion of the trigger means, wherein there are arcuate openings on the opposed sides of the trigger means which are movable over the pivot means when the trigger means is moved into the pistol grip, wherein a spring means is mounted between the pistol grip and linkage means to return the linkage means and the trigger means to a rest position after the trigger means is released from being moved into the pistol grip, wherein the linkage means, holder means and drive rod are moved by movement of a surface of the linkage means on a roller bearing mounted on the inside portion of the trigger means and wherein the linearly movable holder means for the rod is mounted in a slot in the pistol grip and the holder means with the rod is moved by the linkage means in the slot and wherein the linkage means passes through and out of an opening in the holder means and pushes the holder means as the trigger means is actuated to move the holder means and rod so that the rod is moved into the barrel of the needle.

2. A hand held gun apparatus for implanting a pellet into an animal which comprises:

(a) a hollow needle defining a barrel for implanting the pellet into the animal;

(b) a head assembly supporting the needle at a first end and having a second end opposite the first end traversed by an opening into the barrel;

(c) a carrier for multiple pellets mounted at the opening for holding the pellet in the opening so that one of the pellets can pass through the barrel;

(d) a pistol grip attached to the head assembly at the second end;

(e) a drive rod linearly movable from the pistol grip through the opening between the ends of the head assembly and into the barrel;

(f) an actuating means mounted inside of the pistol grip for moving the drive rod into and out of the barrel; and

(g) trigger means mounted on the pistol grip and having opposed sides which slide into the pistol grip actuatable by the fingers for moving the actuating means and thus the drive rod into and out of the barrel, wherein the actuating means is a pivotable linkage means mounted on pivot means on the pistol grip adjacent the trigger means and between a linearly moveable holder means for the drive rod and an inside portion of the trigger means, wherein there are arcuate openings on the opposed sides of the trigger means which are movable over the pivot means when the trigger is moved into the pistol grip, wherein a spring means is mounted between the pistol grip and linkage means to return the linkage means and the trigger means to rest position after the trigger means is released from being moved into the pistol grip and wherein the linkage means and drive rod are moved by movement of a surface of the linkage means on a roller bearing mounted on the inside portion of the trigger means and wherein the linearly moveable holder means for the rod is mounted in a slot in the pistol grip and the holder with the rod is moved by the linkage means in the slot and wherein the linkage means passes through and out of an opening in the holder means as the trigger means is actuated to move the holder means and rod so that the rod is moved into the barrel of the needle.

3. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein the head assembly is attached to the pistol grip by means of screws through spaced apart flanges on the head assembly at the second end.

4. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein the trigger means is pivoted on a first pin mounted on the pistol grip adjacent to the head means.

5. A hand held gun apparatus for implanting a pellet into an animal which comprises:

(a) a hollow needle defining a barrel for implanting the pellet into the animal;

(b) a head means on the gun apparatus supporting the needle with an opening through the head means into the barrel;

(c) a carrier for a pellet mounted at the opening for holding the pellet in the opening so that the pellet can pass through the barrel;

(d) a pistol grip means supporting the head means;

(e) a drive rod linearly moveable through an opening between the ends of the head means and into the barrel from the pistol grip;

(f) an actuating means mounted in the pistol grip for moving the drive rod into and out of the barrel; and

(g) trigger means mounted on the pistol grip and having opposed sides which slide into the pistol grip and actuatable by the fingers for moving the actuating means and thus drive rod into and out of the barrel, wherein the actuating means is a pivotable linkage means mounted on a pivot means on the pistol grip adjacent the trigger means and between the drive rod and an inside portion of the trigger means, wherein there are openings on the opposed sides of the trigger means which are movable over the pivot means when the trigger means is moved into the pistol grip, wherein a spring means is mounted between the pistol grip and linkage means to return the linkage means and the trigger means to a rest position after the trigger means is released from being moved into the pistol grip, wherein the linkage means and drive rod are moved by movement of a surface of the linkage means on a roller bearing mounted on the inside portion of the trigger means and wherein a linearly moveable holder means for the rod is mounted in a slot in the pistol grip and the holder means with the rod is moved by the linkage means in the slot, wherein the head means is attached to the pistol grip by means of screws through spaced apart flanges on the head means.

6. A hand held gun apparatus for implanting a pellet into an animal which comprises:

(a) a hollow needle defining a barrel for implanting the pellet into the animal;

(b) a head assembly supporting the needle at a first end and having a second end opposite the first end traversed by an opening into the barrel;

(c) a carrier for multiple pellets mounted at the opening for holding the pellet in the opening so that one of the pellets can pass through the barrel;

(d) a pistol grip attached to the head assembly at the second end;

(e) a drive rod linearly moveable from the pistol grip through the opening between the ends of the head assembly and into the barrel;

(f) an actuating means mounted inside of the pistol grip for moving the drive rod into and out of the barrel; and

(g) trigger means mounted on the pistol grip and having opposed sides which slide into the pistol grip actuatable by the fingers for moving the actuating means and thus the drive rod into and out of the barrel, wherein the actuating means is a pivotable linkage means mounted on pivot means on the pistol grip adjacent the trigger means and between the drive rod and an inside portion of the trigger means, wherein there are openings on the opposed sides of the trigger means which are movable over the pivot means when the trigger means is moved into the pistol grip, wherein a spring means is mounted between the pistol grip and linkage means to return the linkage means and the trigger means to a rest position after the trigger means is released from being moved into the pistol grip and wherein the linkage means and drive rod are moved by movement of a surface of the linkage means on a roller bearing mounted on the inside portion of the trigger means and wherein a linearly moveable holder means for the rod is mounted in a slot in the pistol grip and the holder means with the rod is moved by the linkage means in the slot, wherein the head assembly is attached to the pistol grip by means of screws through spaced apart flanges on the head assembly at the second end.