Bayonet coupling for detachable joining of two tubular shaft instruments or instrument parts

• US 6,126,359 A
• Filed: 02/25/1998
• Issued: 10/03/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 02/25/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Karl Storz Se & Co. Kg
• Original Assignee: Karl Storz Se & Co. Kg
• Inventors: Doll, Frank, Dittrich, Horst
• Primary Examiner(s): Browne, Lynne H.
• Assistant Examiner(s): BOCHNA, DAVID
• Application Number:
  US09/028,978
• Time in Patent Office: 951 Days
• Field of Search: 403/349, 403/348, 403/325, 403/321, 403/353, 403/DIG. 4, 604/22, 604/167, 604/180
• US Class Current: 403/349
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/29 Forceps for use in minimally invasive surgery
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00473 Distal part, e.g. tip or head A61B2017/00464 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/2931 with releasable head
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/0813 Accessories designed for easy sterilising, i.e. re-usable
• CPC Class Codes: B25G 3/04 with detachable or separate socket pieces B25G3/12 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B25G 3/16 comprising bayonet joints
• CPC Class Codes: F16B 7/20 using bayonet connections
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 403/599 Spring biased manipulator
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 403/7007 Bayonet joint

Abstract

A bayonet coupling (10) is used for detachable joining of two tubular-shaft instruments or instrument parts. A bayonet sleeve (12) (female part), having a bayonet guide (14), is provided on the one instrument or instrument part, and a bayonet insert (52) (male part) is provided on the other instrument or instrument part. An interlock system serves to lock the bayonet coupling (10) in the closed state. It is proposed that the interlock system have an interlock piece (28), displaceable along the bayonet sleeve (12), which comes directly into inhibiting engagement with the bayonet insert (52) inserted into the bayonet sleeve (12), in the insert'"'"'s terminal position, and inhibits the bayonet insert (52) from rotating; and which can be moved away from the bayonet insert (52) in order to release the interlock system (FIG. 1).

Claims

1. A bayonet coupling for detachable joining of two tubular-shaft instruments or two instrument parts, comprising

a bayonet sleeve extending along a longitudinal axis and having a bayonet guide which is provided on a first instrument part, said bayonet guide having a distal end formed with an axially extending slot which continues in a transverse slot spaced from a proximal end of the bayonet guide,

a bayonet insert provided on a second instrument part to be coupled with said first instrument part, the bayonet insert having a stud end provided with spaced apart lugs which extend axially from and radially outwardly from the stud to engage the longitudinal slot upon axial displacement of the instrument parts relative each other, the lugs having end walls, and

an interlock piece having a distal end and being resiliently biased toward the second instrument part upon its insertion in said bayonet guide of said bayonet sleeve for locking engagement with said stud end of said bayonet insert to prevent said bayonet insert from rotating, said distal end of the interlock piece having an axial recess defining a floor and two axially extending and radially spaced apart lugs which extend along the longitudinal axis and abut said lugs of the bayonet insert upon axial displacement of the instrument parts so as the interlock piece and the bayonet insert are displaced axially in a terminal end position, wherein the lugs of the bayonet insert are aligned with the transverse slot of said bayonet guide upon angularly displacing of the first and second instrument parts relative to one another to an inhibiting position, wherein said interlock piece is forced toward said bayonet sleeve until the end walls of the lugs of the bayonet insert contact the floor of the axial recess of the interlock piece, wherein the axial lugs of the bayonet insert and the interlock piece are axially engaged and come into inhibiting engagement to arrest relative angular displacement of the instrument parts, said interlock piece being moveable away from said bayonet sleeve to release said bayonet insert.

2. The bayonet coupling of claim 1, wherein said interlock piece is acted upon by the force of a spring which pushes said interlock piece into inhibiting engagement with said bayonet insert.

3. The bayonet coupling of claim 1, wherein said interlock piece is joined to an outer sliding sleeve which can be grasped and displaced manually.

4. The bayonet coupling of claim 1, wherein said interlock piece has a centered continuous bore.

5. The bayonet coupling of claim 4, wherein said first and second instrument parts have a continuous central axial bore upon engagement of said instrument parts.

6. A coupling for detachably joining of two tubular-shaft parts, comprising:

an outer sleeve extending along an axis and having opposite ends,

an interlock piece mounted rotationally fixed with and coaxial with the outer sleeve and having a distal end, the outer sleeve and the interlock piece being axially displaceable relative one another between inner and outer positions, the interlock piece being resiliently biased toward the outer position, the distal end of the interlock piece having two radially spaced apart arms defining an axial recess therebetween, the axial recess having a floor;

a guide sleeve mounted on the distal end of the interlock piece between the outer sleeve and the piece and rotationally fixed with the outer sleeve, the guide sleeve having a proximal end and a distal end provided with an axial slot which terminates in a transverse groove spaced from the proximal end; and

an insert having a proximal end and two radially spaced lugs extending radially outwardly from the proximal end and axially therefrom to be guided in the axial slot until the lugs abut the arms of the interlock piece in the outer position, said lugs having end walls, and said lugs being aligned with the transverse groove upon further displacement of the insert and the interlock piece in the inner position thereof to enable their relative angular displacement relative to one another to an engaging position, wherein the arms are aligned with the recess allowing axial displacement of the interlock piece toward the outer position until the end walls of the lugs contact the floor of the axial recess to have the lugs and the arms come into inhibiting engagement, thus arresting the relative angular displacement.