Surgical instrument

• US 5,290,302 A
• Filed: 12/02/1991
• Issued: 03/01/1994
• Est. Priority Date: 04/07/1989
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: University of Melbourne
• Original Assignee: University of Melbourne
• Inventors: Pericic, Ljubomir
• Primary Examiner(s): Burr, Edgar S.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Hilten, John S.
• Application Number:
  US07/768,293
• Time in Patent Office: 820 Days
• Field of Search: 606/167, 606/170, 606/171, 606/205, 606/206, 606/208, 606/209, 128/753, 128/754, 128/755
• US Class Current: 606/167
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/320016 Endoscopic cutting instruments, e.g. arthroscopes, resectoscopes A61B10/0233, A61B17/29, A61B17/3207 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/3201 Scissors for biopsy A61B10/02
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/305 Tweezer like handles with tubular extensions, inner slidable actuating members and distal tools, e.g. microsurgical instruments
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 9/00754 for cutting or perforating the anterior lens capsule, e.g. capsulotomes

Abstract

A microsurgical instrument comprising a generally cylindrical handpiece (10) split longitudinally to provide two semi-cylindrical parts (12, 13) which are pivotally mounted at a first end thereof, to a central support member (14), for symmetrical pivotal movement at a second end towards and away from each other. A spring (26) biases the parts (12, 13) away from each other. A spindle (11) extends beyond the second end, comprising a pair co-axial shafts (16, 17) which are connected at the first end with respective levers (23, 24) to respective handpiece parts (12, 13) and at the second end to a functional tip of scissor, forceps, or the like, each jaw member of such a tip being connected to only one of the co-axial shafts (16, 17). Squeezing of the handpiece parts (12, 13) together causes simultaneous and symmetrical rotation of the co-axial shafts (16, 17) in opposite directions whereby the jaws of the functional tips are activated symmetrically and in unison.

Claims

1. A surgical instrument, comprising:

a tapered, generally cylindrical elongated handpiece (10) having a longitidinal axis, and having a narrower first end and a wider second end, said handpiece being split along the direction of elongation to form two elongated parts (12,

     13), said handpiece parts being of hollow, generally semi-cylindrical configuration and being connected at said narrower first end for relative symmetrical pivotal movement toward each other under pressure from a user of the instrument and away from each other responsive to a bias spring provided in said handpiece;

a functional tip comprising a pair of jaw members each of which is symmetrically moveable toward and away from the other jaw member;

a spindle extending from said second end of said handpiece to said functional tip and having a longitudinal axis that is coaxial with said handpiece longitudinal axis, said spindle comprising rotatable coaxial shafts (16,

     17) each of which is connected to a respective jaw member;

a longitudinally extending support member (14) extending centrally along the length of said handpiece, wherein said handpiece parts are each pivotally connected to said support member adjacent said first end, and wherein said coaxial shafts are rotationally mounted on said support member at said second end of said handpiece; and

means connecting each of said handpiece parts to one of said coaxial shafts for converting the relative, symmetrical movement of the handpiece parts toward and away from each other to rotation of each of said shafts in opposite directions relative to each other for causing said symmetrical movement of said jaw members, said connecting means including

first (23) and second (24) levers coupled between said handpiece parts and said coaxial shafts, each lever cooperating with respective ones of said handpiece parts and shafts to cause rotational movement of the respective shaft upon movement of the handpiece part.

2. A surgical instrument as defined in claim 1 wherein said instrument is a micro-surgical scissors instrument, characterized in that said first and second levers are axially arranged with respect to said coaxial shafts, and wherein a compression spring (25) is provided between said levers to bias said levers axially apart so as to maintain a mating force between the respective jaw members so as to provide a scissors type action.

3. A surgical instrument as defined in claim 1, characterized in that each of said levers includes a forked engagement member (31) in the respective handpiece part.