Omni-actuatable hand-held surgical instruments
First Claim
1. A hand-held instrument having a handle which includes an actuator assembly for actuating a tool, said actuator assembly comprising:
- a slide ring assembly which defines a generally V-shaped circumferential channel and having at least one slide ring mounted for longitudinal movements relative to the handle; and
a radially flexible actuator band seated within said generally V-shaped channel, wherein radial force applied to said actuator band causes said actuator band to be radially depressed within said generally V-shaped channel to thereby responsively move said at least one slide ring longitudinally relative to the handle.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Hand-held instruments which may be employed to actuate a distally mounted tool by application of radial compressive force about the instrument circumference (i.e., omni-actuatable). In preferred forms, hand-held instruments have a handle which includes an actuator assembly for actuating a tool, wherein the actuator assembly has a generally V-shaped circumferential channel in which an actuator band is seated. A slide ring assembly is provided which defines the generally V-shaped circumferential channel and has at least one slide ring mounted for longitudinal movements relative to the handle. The actuator band is radially flexible. Thus, in response to a compressive force, the actuator band seated within the generally V-shaped channel will be flexed radially inwardly to thereby moves the slide ring longitudinally. The slide ring, in turn, coacts operatively with the distally mounted tool (e.g., through a longitudinally slidable actuator pin). Radial motion of the actuator band is thereby translated into longitudinal motion of the slide ring, which longitudinal motion is then employed to actuate the tool.
53 Citations
35 Claims
-
1. A hand-held instrument having a handle which includes an actuator assembly for actuating a tool, said actuator assembly comprising:
-
a slide ring assembly which defines a generally V-shaped circumferential channel and having at least one slide ring mounted for longitudinal movements relative to the handle; and
a radially flexible actuator band seated within said generally V-shaped channel, wherein radial force applied to said actuator band causes said actuator band to be radially depressed within said generally V-shaped channel to thereby responsively move said at least one slide ring longitudinally relative to the handle. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 22)
-
-
18. A hand-held instrument having a handle which includes actuator means for translating radial forces applied thereto into longitudinal movements of a distally mounted tool element, said actuator means comprising:
-
coaxially opposed first and second rings, said first ring having a fixed-position and said second ring being longitudinally moveable relative to said first ring, wherein said first and second rings have respective converging ramp surfaces to define a generally V-shaped channel therebetween; and
an actuator band seated in said channel and having a cross-sectionally arcuate exterior surface in contact with said ramp surfaces, wherein said radial forces applied to said actuator band causes said actuator band to be radially depressed within said channel and thereby responsively move said second ring longitudinally relative to said first ring. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20, 21)
-
-
23. A hand-held surgical instrument having a handle which includes a actuator assembly, and a surgical tool attached to a distal end of said handle and being operable in response to application of radial force to said actuator assembly, wherein said actuator assembly comprises:
-
a first fixed-position ring;
a second longitudinally moveable ring in coaxial opposition to said first ring;
said first and second rings having respective annular ramp surfaces which define therebetween a generally V-shaped channel in cross-section;
an actuator band seated in said channel, said actuator band being radially depressed within said channel in response to a radial force applied thereto so as to responsively longitudinally move said second ring relative to said first ring and thereby actuate said surgical tool. - View Dependent Claims (24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35)
-
Specification