Retractable safety scalpel

• US 6,623,499 B1
• Filed: 02/21/2002
• Issued: 09/23/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 02/21/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Dan Titcomb, Michael Andreini
• Original Assignee: Dan Titcomb, Michael Andreini
• Inventors: Titcomb, Dan, Andreini, Michael
• Primary Examiner(s): Milano, Michael J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Sam, Charles H.
• Application Number:
  US10/081,570
• Time in Patent Office: 579 Days
• Field of Search: 606/167, 606/168, 606/170, 606/172, 303/29, 303/35
• US Class Current: 606/167
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/3211 Surgical scalpels, knives; Accessories therefor
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/32113 with extendable or retractable guard or blade

Abstract

The present invention is a scalpel with a retractable blade which may be advanced or retracted by operation of a slider. The scalpel has multiple operating positions and the physician may conveniently retract the blade by actuating the slider.

Claims

1. A surgical tool comprising:

an elongate body;

a blade;

a blade rail carrying said blade and adapted for reciprocating motion in said body;

a gear rack on said blade rail;

an axle mounted for rotation in said body having a slider pinion and a blade rack pinion;

a slider rack on said slider;

whereby motion of the slider moves the blade in a ratio greater than one to one.

2. The surgical tool of claim 1 further comprising:

a detent formed by a lever feature on said blade rail, cooperating with a boss feature located in said body to hold said blade rail in a fully advanced position.

3. The surgical tool of claim 1 further comprising:

a spring member coupled between said blade rail and said body for retracting said blade rail and retaining said blade rail in a retracted position.

4. The surgical tool of claim 1 further comprising:

a rotable blade for rotation around the central axis of the body member.

5. The device of claim 1 wherein:

said housing is formed from a clear plastic material permitting observation of the blade in the retracted position.

6. The device of claim 1 wherein:

said body member is sufficiently asymmetrical in shape about the central axis that the body member will not roll on a horizontal surface.

7. The device of claim 6 further comprising:

a ballast weight located asymmetrically about the central axis of the body member such that said body member will not roll on a horizontal surface.