Scalpel with retractable blade

• US 5,908,432 A
• Filed: 03/27/1998
• Issued: 06/01/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 03/27/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Huai C. Pan
• Original Assignee: Huai C. Pan
• Inventors: Pan, Huai C.
• Primary Examiner(s): Buiz, Michael
• Application Number:
  US09/049,008
• Time in Patent Office: 431 Days
• Field of Search: 606/167, 606/159, 606/182, 606/185
• US Class Current: 606/167
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/3213 with detachable blades
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/32113 with extendable or retractable guard or blade

Abstract

A scalpel with a retractable blade comprising a handle having a proximal section grasped by the surgeon and a distal section, and a blade holder slidable in a channel defined in the distal section of the handle. The distal section has a hinged flap to provide access to the blade for removal and replacement of the blade when in the retracted position, and can accommodate disposable blades having a variety of sizes and shapes. The scalpel has an ergonomically shaped button mounted on the blade holder providing fingertip control over retraction and extension of the blade.

Claims

1. A scalpel with a retractable blade comprising:

a) a handle having a proximal section and a distal section, the proximal section having a proximal channel defined therein and the distal section having a distal channel defined therein, and a distal end having a slot defined therein, the distal section of said handle having substantially the shape of a parallelepiped, including a top surface, a bottom surface, a lateral surface, and a second lateral surface;

b) a blade holder slidably disposed within said distal channel, said blade holder having a body, the body having a top surface and including mounting means for mounting a disposable scalpel blade on said blade holder;

c) sliding means for sliding said blade holder in the distal channel of said handle;

d) biasing means for retaining the blade holder in a retracted position whereby the scalpel blade is disposed entirely within said distal channel;

e) a locking means for retaining the blade holder in a cutting position whereby the scalpel blade is extended through the slot in the distal end of said handle and locked in position; and

f) access means for access to the scalpel blade when the blade holder is in the retracted position whereby the blade may be removed and replaced, said access means including a flap door pivotally hinged to the lateral surface of the distal section of said handle, said door having an open position and a closed position, said door and said second lateral surface being convex downwards and defining a slot in the bottom surface of said distal section.

2. The scalpel with a retractable blade according to claim 1, wherein said access means further comprises:

a) a latch means disposed on said lateral surface having an open position for moving said flap door to the open position and having a latched position for latching said flap door in the closed position; and

b) wherein the flap door hinged to said lateral surface is disposed with relation to the mounting means of said blade holder in order to permit access for removal and insertion of the scalpel blade from and to said mounting means when said blade holder is in the retracted position.

3. The scalpel with a retractable blade according to claim 2, wherein:

a) the top surface of said distal section has a slot defined therein extending longitudinally, having a circular aperture at one end of said slot, the diameter of the circular aperture being greater than the width of said slot;

b) the lateral surface, the second lateral surface, and the flap door of said distal section each have an inner surface including a longitudinal groove defined in said inner surfaces;

c) said blade holder includes a vertical wall having a flange extending horizontally on one side of the vertical wall, and a pivoting blade retainer having a flange on the opposite side of the vertical wall, the flanges being slidably engaged in the grooves defined in the lateral surfaces and flap door of said distal section;

d) said sliding means comprises;

(i) a pin mounted vertically on the top surface of the body of said blade holder, said pin extending vertically through the slot in the top surface of said distal section;

(ii) a button having a top surface and a bottom surface, the top surface of said button being concave upwards;

(iii) a stem extending from the bottom surface of said button, said stem being hollow and extending through the slot in the top surface of said distal section, being aligned with the pin on the top surface of the body of said blade holder, said stem having a flange at the end of the stem, whereby the button and the stem slide in the slot of said distal section and are retained in the slot by the flange at the end of the stem.

4. The scalpel with a retractable blade according to claim 3, wherein:

(a) the hollow cylindrical stem extending from the bottom surface of said button has a top section and a bottom section, the top section being slidable within the slot defined in the top surface of said distal section, the bottom section having a diameter greater than the width of the slot defined in the top surface of said distal section and less than the diameter of the circular aperture; and

(b) said locking means comprises a compression spring disposed within the hollow bottom section of said stem and about the pin on the top surface of said blade holder, whereby said bottom section is disposed in the distal channel so the spring is compressed when the blade is retracted, and whereby said spring extends vertically in order to push the bottom section of said stem through said circular aperture to lock the blade in a cutting position when the blade holder slides towards the distal end of the handle to align the bottom section with the circular aperture.

5. The scalpel with a retractable blade according to claim 4, wherein:

a) the height of said blade holder is greater than the diameter of the proximate channel of said proximate section;

b) said blade holder includes a cylinder extending into the proximate channel of said proximate channel, the cylinder having a bore defined therein;

c) said biasing means comprises a tension spring disposed within the proximal channel connected to the proximal section of said handle at one end of the spring and to the cylinder of said blade holder at the opposite end of said tension spring.

6. The scalpel with retractable blade according to claim 5, wherein said mounting means comprises the pivoting blade retainer of said blade holder, a projection from the vertical wall of said blade holder adapted to receive the slot of a disposable scalpel blade, and a clasp on the vertical wall of said blade holder, said blade retainer pivoting into contact with the projection from the vertical wall of said blade holder and locking in the clasp on the vertical wall of said blade holder in order to secure the disposable scalpel blade on said blade holder.

7. The scalpel with retractable blade holder according to claim 6 wherein the proximal section of said handle has the shape of a right circular cylinder.

8. The scalpel with retractable blade holder according to claim 7, further comprising a removable cap at the proximal end of said handle, whereby said tension spring may be removed and replaced.