Biopsy apparatus having integrated thumbwheel mechanism for manual rotation of biopsy cannula
First Claim
1. A biopsy apparatus, comprising:
- a driver assembly having a housing configured to be grasped by a user;
a biopsy probe mechanism drivably coupled to said driver assembly, said biopsy probe mechanism including a biopsy cannula having a cylindrical side wall, a proximal end, a distal end and a longitudinal axis extending between said proximal end and said distal end, said cylindrical side wall defining a lumen and having a side port located near said distal end that extends through said side wall to said lumen;
a thumbwheel mechanism including a thumbwheel mounted to said driver assembly and configured to rotate about a first rotational axis, wherein at least a portion of said thumbwheel is exposed external to said housing, and wherein said thumbwheel is configured to be rotated with a single hand to rotatably position said side port of said biopsy cannula at a desired rotational position about said longitudinal axis relative to said driver assembly;
a detent wheel mounted to said biopsy cannula configured for coaxial rotation with said biopsy cannula about said longitudinal axis, said detent wheel having a circumferential surface and a plurality of detent recesses formed through said circumferential surface and extending radially toward said longitudinal axis, said plurality of detent recesses being positioned about said longitudinal axis at predetermined angular positions; and
a lock mechanism mounted to said driver assembly, said lock mechanism including a locking pin biased along a locking axis in constant engagement with said detent wheel, said locking pin including an engagement end having a tapered portion and a non-tapered portion angularly offset from said tapered portion about said locking axis,configured such that when said locking pin is positioned in a first rotational position relative to said locking axis, said engagement end rides along said circumferential surface of said detent wheel and said tapered portion sequentially passes into and out of a respective detent recess of said plurality of detent recesses of said detent wheel as said biopsy cannula is rotated thereby providing at least one of aural, visual and tactile feedback of a progressive rotation of said biopsy cannula, andconfigured such that when said locking pin is positioned in a second rotational position relative to said locking axis, said engagement end rides along said circumferential surface of said detent wheel and said non-tapered portion lockably engages a next detent recess of said plurality of detent recesses of said detent wheel as said biopsy cannula is rotated to lock said biopsy cannula from further rotation.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A biopsy apparatus includes a driver assembly and biopsy probe mechanism drivably coupled to the driver assembly. The biopsy probe mechanism includes a biopsy cannula having a cylindrical side wall that defines a lumen and has a side port located near a distal end that extends through the side wall to the lumen. A thumbwheel mechanism includes a thumbwheel mounted to the driver assembly to rotate about a first rotational axis, the first rotational axis being substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis. A first gear is mounted to the thumbwheel for coaxial rotation with the thumbwheel about the first rotational axis. A second gear is mounted to the biopsy cannula for coaxial rotation with the biopsy cannula about the longitudinal axis, the second gear being located to be drivably engaged by the first gear. The housing is grasped and the thumbwheel rotated with a single hand.
553 Citations
6 Claims
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1. A biopsy apparatus, comprising:
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a driver assembly having a housing configured to be grasped by a user; a biopsy probe mechanism drivably coupled to said driver assembly, said biopsy probe mechanism including a biopsy cannula having a cylindrical side wall, a proximal end, a distal end and a longitudinal axis extending between said proximal end and said distal end, said cylindrical side wall defining a lumen and having a side port located near said distal end that extends through said side wall to said lumen; a thumbwheel mechanism including a thumbwheel mounted to said driver assembly and configured to rotate about a first rotational axis, wherein at least a portion of said thumbwheel is exposed external to said housing, and wherein said thumbwheel is configured to be rotated with a single hand to rotatably position said side port of said biopsy cannula at a desired rotational position about said longitudinal axis relative to said driver assembly; a detent wheel mounted to said biopsy cannula configured for coaxial rotation with said biopsy cannula about said longitudinal axis, said detent wheel having a circumferential surface and a plurality of detent recesses formed through said circumferential surface and extending radially toward said longitudinal axis, said plurality of detent recesses being positioned about said longitudinal axis at predetermined angular positions; and a lock mechanism mounted to said driver assembly, said lock mechanism including a locking pin biased along a locking axis in constant engagement with said detent wheel, said locking pin including an engagement end having a tapered portion and a non-tapered portion angularly offset from said tapered portion about said locking axis, configured such that when said locking pin is positioned in a first rotational position relative to said locking axis, said engagement end rides along said circumferential surface of said detent wheel and said tapered portion sequentially passes into and out of a respective detent recess of said plurality of detent recesses of said detent wheel as said biopsy cannula is rotated thereby providing at least one of aural, visual and tactile feedback of a progressive rotation of said biopsy cannula, and configured such that when said locking pin is positioned in a second rotational position relative to said locking axis, said engagement end rides along said circumferential surface of said detent wheel and said non-tapered portion lockably engages a next detent recess of said plurality of detent recesses of said detent wheel as said biopsy cannula is rotated to lock said biopsy cannula from further rotation. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3)
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4. A biopsy apparatus, comprising:
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a driver assembly having a housing configured to be grasped by a user; a disposable biopsy probe mechanism configured for releasable attachment to said driver assembly, said disposable biopsy probe mechanism being positioned at least partially within said housing when said disposable biopsy probe mechanism is attached to said driver assembly, said disposable biopsy probe mechanism including a biopsy cannula having a cylindrical side wall, a proximal end, a distal end and a longitudinal axis extending between said proximal end and said distal end, said cylindrical side wall defining a lumen and having a side port located near said distal end that extends through said side wall to said lumen; said driver assembly including a thumbwheel mechanism having a thumbwheel configured for rotation about a first rotational axis, wherein at least a portion of said thumbwheel is exposed external to said housing, said thumbwheel configured to be rotated to effect a manual rotation of said biopsy cannula to position said side port of said biopsy cannula at a desired rotational position about said longitudinal axis relative to said driver assembly; a detent wheel mounted to said biopsy cannula configured for coaxial rotation with said biopsy cannula about said longitudinal axis, said detent wheel having a circumferential surface and a plurality of detent recesses formed through said circumferential surface and extending radially toward said longitudinal axis, said plurality of detent recesses being positioned about said longitudinal axis at predetermined angular positions; and a lock mechanism mounted to said driver assembly, said lock mechanism including a locking pin biased along a locking axis in constant engagement with said detent wheel, said locking pin including an engagement end having a tapered portion and a non-tapered portion angularly offset from said tapered portion about said locking axis, configured such that when said locking pin is positioned in a first rotational position relative to said locking axis, said engagement end rides along said circumferential surface of said detent wheel and said tapered portion sequentially passes into and out of a respective detent recess of said plurality of detent recesses of said detent wheel as said biopsy cannula is rotated thereby providing at least one of aural, visual and tactile feedback of a progressive rotation of said biopsy cannula, and configured such that when said locking pin is positioned in a second rotational position relative to said locking axis, said engagement end rides along said circumferential surface of said detent wheel and said non-tapered portion lockably engages a next detent recess of said plurality of detent recesses of said detent wheel as said biopsy cannula is rotated to lock said biopsy cannula from further rotation. - View Dependent Claims (5, 6)
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Specification