Medical instrument with a tilting distal end

• US 5,772,655 A
• Filed: 05/13/1996
• Issued: 06/30/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 05/19/1995
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Richard Wolf GmbH (Richard & Annemarie Wolf- Stiftung)
• Original Assignee: Richard Wolf GmbH (Richard & Annemarie Wolf- Stiftung)
• Inventors: Bauer, Otmar, Boebel, Manfred
• Primary Examiner(s): PEFFLEY, MICHAEL F
• Application Number:
  US08/648,528
• Time in Patent Office: 778 Days
• Field of Search: 606/1, 606/45-52, 606/205-208, 128/751, 600/201, 600/210, 600/215, 600/226, 600/227
• US Class Current: 606/1
• 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 18/14 Probes or electrodes therefor
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/2927 the angular position of the head being adjustable with respect to the shaft
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 25/0138 having flexible regions as a result of weakened outer material, e.g. slots, slits, cuts, joints or coils

Abstract

The invention relates to a medical instrument with a distal end piece which is connected to a holder running through a shank and on operation of a handle, can be adjusted from a rest position into an operating position by tilting relative to the longitudinal axis of the instrument. The end piece and the holder lie facing one another in a plane running inclined to the longitudinal axis of the instrument as well as perpendicular to it, and are connected with a fastening element which forms an axis perpendicular to said plane, about which the end piece is pivotable relative to the holder.

Claims

1. A medical instrument comprising a distal end piece (2) which is connected to a holder (4) that extends through a shank (3), the shank (3) and the holder (4) having a longitudinal axis (a), a handle (5) is connected to the shank (3) for adjustment of the distal end piece (2) from a rest position to an operating position by tilting relative to the longitudinal axis (a) of the instrument, the end piece (2) and the holder (4) include ends which lie slidably against one another in a plane (x) running inclined to the longitudinal axis (a) as well as to a perpendicular (b) to the longitudinal axis(a), the end piece (2) and the holder (4) are pivotably connected with a fastening element (12) which forms an axis perpendicular to the plane (x), about which the end piece (2) is pivotable relative to the holder (4) upon movement of the handle (5) relative to the holder (4).

2. The instrument according to claim 1, wherein the shank (3) is guidably rotatable and axially adjustable on the holder (4) by movement of the handle (5), the axial component of the adjusting movement is provided by a guide (6, 7) located in a second plane (y) which has an axial travel equivalent to an axial travel of the plane (x), and the shank (3) and the end piece (2) are connected with a rotational positive fit.

3. The instrument according to claim 2, wherein the guide is comprised of a groove (6) formed in the shank (3) and an engaging component (7) attached to the holder (4) which engages in the groove (6), and the groove (6) has the same travel as the inclined plane (x) between the holder (4) and the end piece (2).

4. The instrument according to claim 2, wherein the end piece (2) includes a recess (11) and the shank (3) includes a distal end with a lug (10), and the lug (10) is engaged in the recess (11).

5. The instrument according to claim 2, wherein the holder (4) is formed as a rod which includes a proximal end and a distal end, the shank (3) includes a proximal part, an operating handle (8) having a proximal end and a distal end is attached to the proximal end of the rod and extends over the proximal part of the shank (3), and the handle (5), which is rigidly connected to the shank (3), is located in a region of the distal end of the operating handle (8).

6. The instrument according to claim 1, wherein the end piece (2) includes a recess (11) and the shank (3) includes a distal end with a lug (10), and the lug (10) is engaged in the recess (11).

7. The instrument according to claim 6, wherein the holder (4) is formed as a rod which includes a proximal end and a distal end, the shank (3) includes a proximal part, an operating handle (8) having a proximal end and a distal end is attached to the proximal end of the rod and extends over the proximal part of the shank (3), and the handle (5), which is rigidly connected to the shank (3), is located in a region of the distal end of the operating handle (8).

8. The instrument according to claim 1, wherein the holder (4) is formed as a rod which includes a proximal end and a distal end, the shank (3) includes a proximal part, an operating handle (8) having a proximal end and a distal end is attached to the proximal end of the rod and extends over the proximal part of the shank (3), and the handle (5), which is rigidly connected to the shank (3), is located in a region of the distal end of the operating handle (8).