Surgical scalpel
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A surgical scalpel comprising:
- an elongated housing having proximal and distal ends;
a substantially planar surgical blade disposed at the distal end of said housing, said blade having a cutting edge extending generally along the length of the housing;
actuating means secured in said housing and extending outwardly therefrom, said actuating means disposed in a position to be engaged by a finger of a user when holding said housing in a position of normal use and mounted for movement generally longitudinally of said housing;
a blade shield disposed in said housing and constructed to cover at least said cutting edge, said blade shield mounted for movement between a blade-guarded position in which said cutting edge is protected and a blade-exposed position in which said blade may be used for cutting;
linkage means disposed in said housing for coupling the movement of said actuating means to said blade shield relative to said blade so as to move said blade shield between the bladeguarded and blade-exposed positions, said linkage means including means for causing the distance of movement of said blade shield relative to said blade to be substantially greater than the distance of movement of said actuating means; and
a blade carrier for supporting said cutting blade and disposed in said housing for longitudinal movement between an extended position wherein said cutting edge of said blade projects forwardly of said housing for use in a cutting procedure, and a retracted position wherein said cutting edge of said blade is at least partially retracted into said housing;
wherein said actuating means comprises an actuable member fixedly secured to one of said blade carrier and blade shield for longitudinal movement therewith relative to said housing;
wherein said linkage means comprises means cooperatively engaged with both said blade carrier and said blade shield for moving said blade carrier and blade shield in opposite longitudinal directions in response to longitudinal movement of said actuable member; and
wherein said blade-guarded position of said blade shield corresponds to said retracted position of said blade carrier, and wherein said blade-exposed position of said blade shield corresponds to said extended position of said blade carrier.
6 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A scalpel includes a blade carrier and blade shield equally movable but in opposite longitudinal directions in response to longitudinal movement of an actuator along the upper edge of the scalpel housing. Equal and opposite motion is achieved using a pinion disposed in the housing and engaged on opposite diametric sides by racks secured to the blade shield and blade carrier. The actuator is compressible to remove stop members secured thereto from respective recesses, thereby permitting movement of the blade carrier and blade shield from defined extreme positions.
200 Citations
13 Claims
-
1. A surgical scalpel comprising:
-
an elongated housing having proximal and distal ends; a substantially planar surgical blade disposed at the distal end of said housing, said blade having a cutting edge extending generally along the length of the housing; actuating means secured in said housing and extending outwardly therefrom, said actuating means disposed in a position to be engaged by a finger of a user when holding said housing in a position of normal use and mounted for movement generally longitudinally of said housing; a blade shield disposed in said housing and constructed to cover at least said cutting edge, said blade shield mounted for movement between a blade-guarded position in which said cutting edge is protected and a blade-exposed position in which said blade may be used for cutting; linkage means disposed in said housing for coupling the movement of said actuating means to said blade shield relative to said blade so as to move said blade shield between the bladeguarded and blade-exposed positions, said linkage means including means for causing the distance of movement of said blade shield relative to said blade to be substantially greater than the distance of movement of said actuating means; and a blade carrier for supporting said cutting blade and disposed in said housing for longitudinal movement between an extended position wherein said cutting edge of said blade projects forwardly of said housing for use in a cutting procedure, and a retracted position wherein said cutting edge of said blade is at least partially retracted into said housing; wherein said actuating means comprises an actuable member fixedly secured to one of said blade carrier and blade shield for longitudinal movement therewith relative to said housing; wherein said linkage means comprises means cooperatively engaged with both said blade carrier and said blade shield for moving said blade carrier and blade shield in opposite longitudinal directions in response to longitudinal movement of said actuable member; and wherein said blade-guarded position of said blade shield corresponds to said retracted position of said blade carrier, and wherein said blade-exposed position of said blade shield corresponds to said extended position of said blade carrier. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
-
-
8. A scalpel comprising:
-
an elongated handle; an elongated cover fixedly secured to said handle to define a housing between said cover and said handle, said housing having an open distal end an upper wall with a longitudinal slot defined therein; an elongated blade carrier disposed in said housing for longitudinal movement relative to said housing; a cutting blade removably secured to said blade carrier for longitudinal movement therewith and having a cutting edge extending along its bottom; an elongated blade shield disposed in said housing for longitudinal movement relative to said housing and to said blade carrier; an actuator fixedly secured to one of said blade carrier and said blade shield and extending out from said housing via said slot, said actuator being movable longitudinally of said housing along said slot between first and second positions; and linkage means responsive to longitudinal movement of said actuator and said one of said blade carrier and blade shield for moving the other of said blade carrier and blade shield longitudinally of said housing in a direction opposite the direction of movement of said actuator; wherein in said first position of said actuator said blade shield protects said cutting edge against inadvertent contact with an external body, and in said second position of said actuator said cutting edge is exposed for use in a surgical procedure. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11)
-
-
12. A method for automatically guarding and exposing the substantially planar blade of a surgical scalpel having an elongated housing and a direction of cut extending along the length of the housing, said method comprising the steps of:
-
(a) providing a blade shield adjacent said blade, mounted so as to be moved between blade-guarded and blade-exposed positions; (b) positioning an actuating member on said scalpel so as to be moved longitudinally and generally parallel to both the plane of the blade and the direction of cut by a finger of a user when the scalpel is grasped for normal use; and (c) coupling the actuator member movement to said blade shield so that the blade shield is moved over a substantially greater distance than said actuating member; wherein stop (c) comprises simultaneously moving said blade and said blade shield in opposite longitudinal directions in response to longitudinal movement of said actuator. - View Dependent Claims (13)
-
Specification