Flexible shaft
DCFirst Claim
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1. A flexible shaft comprising an elongated tubular member of substantial wall thickness, said tubular member having:
- (i) a first end;
(ii) a second end; and
(iii) a center section, said center section being positioned between said first end and said second end, said center section having a slot extending in a generally helical serpentine path around and along said tubular member center section, said helical path having from about 1 to about 4 cycles per revolution, said slot having a substantial length and width of up to about 0.075 of an inch, said tubular member having a diameter in the range from about 0.15 to four inches, a helical angle of up to about 20 degrees, and a ratio of amplitude of said serpentine path to pitch in the range from greater than 0.1 to 0.5.
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Abstract
An improved flexible shaft used in the reaming of the medullary space in bones is described. The shaft is comprised of a solid element with a longitudinal bore the entire length and an appropriately formed slot which extends spirally around the shaft either continuously or segmentally. Attached to the shaft'"'"'s opposite ends respectively, are a cutting head and a means of connecting the shaft to a driving mechanism.
1583 Citations
21 Claims
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1. A flexible shaft comprising an elongated tubular member of substantial wall thickness, said tubular member having:
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(i) a first end; (ii) a second end; and (iii) a center section, said center section being positioned between said first end and said second end, said center section having a slot extending in a generally helical serpentine path around and along said tubular member center section, said helical path having from about 1 to about 4 cycles per revolution, said slot having a substantial length and width of up to about 0.075 of an inch, said tubular member having a diameter in the range from about 0.15 to four inches, a helical angle of up to about 20 degrees, and a ratio of amplitude of said serpentine path to pitch in the range from greater than 0.1 to 0.5.
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2. A flexible shaft comprising an elongated tubular member of substantial wall thickness, said tubular member having:
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(i) a first end; (ii) a second end; and (iii) a center section, said center section being positioned between said first end and said second end, said center section having a slot extending in a generally helical serpentine path around and along said tubular member center section, said slot having a substantial length and width said tubular member having a diameter in the range from about 0.15 to four inches and said helical path having from about 1 to about 4 cycles per revolution. - View Dependent Claims (3, 4)
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5. A flexible shaft comprising an elongated tubular member of substantial wall thickness, said tubular member having:
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(i) a first end; (ii) a second end; and (iii) a center section, said center section being positioned between said first end and said second end, said center section having a slot extending in a generally helical serpentine path around and along said tubular member center section, said slot having a substantial length and width, said tubular member having a diameter in the range from about 0.15 to four inches and a ratio of amplitude of said serpentine path to pitch in the range from greater than 0.1 to 0.5. - View Dependent Claims (6)
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7. A flexible shaft comprising an elongated tubular member of substantial wall thickness, said tubular member having:
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(i) a first end; (ii) a second end; and (iii) a center section, said center section being positioned between said first end and said second end, said center section having a slot extending in a generally helical serpentine path around and along said tubular member center section, said slot having a substantial length and width, said tubular member having a diameter in the range from about 0.15 to four inches and the ratio of the diameter of the inside diameter of said shaft to the outside diameter of said shaft is in the range from about 1;
1.2 to about 1;
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8. A flexible shaft comprising an elongated tubular member of substantial wall thickness, said tubular member having:
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(i) a first end; (ii) a second end; and (iii) a center section, said center section being positioned between said first end and said second end, said center section having a slot extending in a generally helical serpentine path around and along said tubular member center section, said slot having a substantial length and width and said helical path having from about 1 to about 4 cycles per revolution.
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9. A flexible shaft comprising an elongated tubular member of substantial wall thickness, said tubular member having:
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(i) a first connecting section at a first end of said tubular member; (ii) a second connecting section at a second end of said tubular member; and (iv) a center section, said center section having a plurality of slots along a serpentine path, said plurality of slots having a substantial length and width extending within a region around said tubular member, wherein at least one of said plurality of slots follows a generally helical path around and along said tubular member.
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10. A flexible shaft comprising an elongated tubular member of substantial wall thickness, said tubular member having:
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(i) a first connecting section at a first end of said tubular member; (ii) a second connecting section at a second end of said tubular member; and (iii) a center section, said center section having a slot along a serpentine path, said slot having a substantial length and width extending in a generally helical path within a region around and along the tubular member and being at least partially filled with a resilient material; wherein said serpentine path forms a plurality of teeth and complimentary recesses on opposite sides of said slot, said slot having sufficient width to form an unbound joint, said slot width and serpentine path permitting limited movement in all directions between the teeth and the recesses, thereby providing limited flexibility in all directions upon application of tensile, compressive, or torsion forces to said shaft. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. A flexible shaft comprising an elongated tubular member of substantial wall thickness, said tubular member having:
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(i) a first connecting section at a first end of said tubular member; (ii) a second connecting section at a second end of said tubular member; and (iii) a center section, said center section having a slot along a serpentine path, said slot having a substantial length and width extending in a generally helical path within a region around and along the tubular member, said center section being covered with a resilient elastomer material of sufficient thickness to encapsulate substantially the entire shaft to form an enclosed member, wherein said serpentine path forms a plurality of teeth and complimentary recesses on opposite sides of said slot, said slot having sufficient width form an unbound joint, said slot width and serpentine path permitting limited movement in all direction between the teeth and the recesses, thereby providing limited flexibility in all directions upon application of tensile, compressive, or torsion forces to said shaft. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20, 21)
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Specification