Obturator assembly

• US 6,544,277 B1
• Filed: 03/03/2000
• Issued: 04/08/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 04/15/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Coopersurgical Incorporated (The Cooper Cos., Inc.)
• Original Assignee: NeoSurg Technologies, Inc. (The Cooper Cos., Inc.)
• Inventors: Moser, Lawrence W., Fortier, Richard C., OʼHeeron, Peter T., Bohannon, Terry L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Milano, Michael J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Baxter, Jessica R
• Application Number:
  US09/517,774
• Time in Patent Office: 1,131 Days
• Field of Search: 606/185, 606/166, 606/167, 606/168, 606/169, 606/170, 606/171, 606/180, 606/183, 606/186
• US Class Current: 606/185
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/3417 Details of tips or shafts, e.g. grooves, expandable, bendable; Multiple coaxial sliding cannulas, e.g. for dilating syringe needles A61M5/32; dilators A61M29/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00455 Orientation indicators, e.g. recess on the handle
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00473 Distal part, e.g. tip or head A61B2017/00464 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/3454 Details of tips

Abstract

An obturator assembly having a removable obturator tip, a first engagement device, an obturator shaft, a second engagement device, and a biased flexible member, whereby the obturator tip may be removed by flexing the flexible member against its bias, and a plurality of different obturator tips may be attached to the obturator shaft.

Claims

1. An obturator assembly comprising;

a removable obturator tip having a sharpened distal end and a proximal end;

a first engagement device disposed on the proximal end of the removable obturator tip;

an obturator shaft having a distal end;

a second engagement device disposed on the distal end of the obturator shaft adapted to lockingly engage the first engagement device, thereby securing the removable obturator tip to the obturator shaft; and

a biased flexible member which functions;

(a) to flexibly engage the first engagement device to the second engagement device, the flexible member being accessible, when said first and second engagement devices are engaged; and

(b) to disengage the first engagement device from the second engagement device by flexing the flexible member against its bias.

2. The obturator assembly of claim 1, wherein the sharpened distal end of the obturator tip has a serrated cutting edge.

3. The obturator assembly of claim 1, wherein the sharpened distal end of the obturator tip has a piercing cutting edge.

4. The obturator assembly of claim 1, wherein the sharpened distal end of the obturator tip has a blunt cutting edge.

5. The obturator assembly of claim 1, wherein the sharpened distal end of the obturator tip has a radial cutting edge.

6. The obturator assembly of claim 1, wherein the sharpened distal end of the obturator tip has a cutting edge that cuts and dilates in two directions.

7. The obturator assembly of claim 1, wherein the sharpened distal end of the obturator tip makes an incision that is linear and easy to close.

8. The obturator assembly of claim 1, wherein the sharpened distal end of the obturator tip has a semi-circular cutting edge.

9. The obturator assembly of claim 1, wherein the sharpened distal end of the obturator tip penetrates at two points.

10. The obturator assembly of claim 1, wherein the sharpened distal end of the obturator tip has a double beveled cutting edge.

11. The obturator assembly of claim 1, wherein the sharpened distal end of the obturator tip has a claw shaped cutting edge.

12. The obturator assembly of claim 1, wherein the sharpened distal end of the obturator tip creates an incision that allows the obturator tip to be rotated as the incision is made.

13. The obturator assembly of claim 1, wherein the sharpened distal end of the obturator tip has a triangular cutting edge.

14. The obturator assembly of claim 1, wherein the sharpened distal end of the obturator tip has a hooked blade cutting edge.

15. The obturator assembly of claim 1, wherein the sharpened distal end of the obturator tip has a sickle shaped cutting edge.

16. The obturator assembly of claim 1, wherein the sharpened distal end of the obturator tip has a flat cutting edge.

17. An obturator assembly comprising:

a removable obturator tip having a sharpened distal end and a proximal end;

a biased flexible leg extending from the proximal end of the tip, the flexible leg having a detent;

an obturator shaft having a stop for engaging the detent on the biased flexible leg to connect the tip to the obturator shaft; and

an access port formed in the obturator shaft to permit movement of the flexible leg against its bias to disengage the detent from the stop.

18. The obturator assembly of claim 17, wherein the sharpened distal end of the obturator tip has a serrated cutting edge.

19. The obturator assembly of claim 17, wherein the sharpened distal end of the obturator tip has a piercing cutting edge.

20. The obturator assembly of claim 17, wherein the sharpened distal end of the obturator tip has a blunt cutting edge.

21. The obturator assembly of claim 17, wherein the sharpened distal end of the obturator tip has a radial cutting edge.

22. The obturator assembly of claim 17, wherein the sharpened distal end of the obturator tip has a cutting edge that cuts and dilates in two directions.

23. The obturator assembly of claim 17, wherein the sharpened distal end of the obturator tip makes an incision that is linear and easy to close.

24. The obturator assembly of claim 17, wherein the sharpened distal end of the obturator tip has a semi-circular cutting edge.

25. The obturator assembly of claim 17, wherein the sharpened distal end of the obturator tip penetrates at two points.

26. The obturator assembly of claim 17, wherein the sharpened distal end of the obturator tip has a double beveled cutting edge.

27. The obturator assembly of claim 17, wherein the sharpened distal end of the obturator tip has a claw shaped cutting edge.

28. The obturator assembly of claim 17, wherein the sharpened distal end of the obturator tip creates an incision that allows the obturator tip to be rotated as the incision is made.

29. The obturator assembly of claim 17, wherein the sharpened distal end of the obturator tip has a triangular cutting edge.

30. The obturator assembly of claim 17, wherein the sharpened distal end of the obturator tip has a hooked blade cutting edge.

31. The obturator assembly of claim 17, wherein the sharpened distal end of the obturator tip has a sickle shaped cutting edge.

32. The obturator assembly of claim 17, wherein the sharpened distal end of the obturator tip has a flat cutting edge.