Retraction Mechanism For Medical Device

• US 20170265883A1
• Filed: 03/21/2017
• Published: 09/21/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 03/21/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Gyrus ACMI, Inc. (Olympus Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Gyrus ACMI, Inc. (Olympus Corporation)
• Inventors: O'Connor, Michael, Morici, John, DeRossi, Michael, Gaynes, Steve
• Granted Patent: US 10,456,163 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/32093 for skin incisions
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/3415 for introducing tubes or catheters, e.g. gastrostomy tubes, drain catheters A61B17/3417 takes precedence; body piercing catheter guide needles A61M25/06
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/3476 Powered trocars, e.g. electrosurgical cutting, lasers, powered knives
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/3496 Protecting sleeves or inner probes; Retractable tips for protecting body piercing guide needles A61M25/0612
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00876 magnetic
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/320028 with reciprocating movements
• CPC Class Codes: H01F 7/0242 Magnetic drives, magnetic coupling devices

Abstract

A device comprises a retractable shaft; a shaft biasing spring; and an actuator button. The retractable shaft is biased away from the actuator button by the shaft biasing spring. A magnetic attracting force is created between the retractable shaft and the actuator button upon actuation of the actuator button. Before actuation, a distance between the actuator button and the retractable shaft is great enough that the magnetic attracting force is less than a biasing force of the shaft biasing spring such that the retractable shaft is biased away from the actuator button. Upon actuation, the actuator button is depressed to make the distance between the actuator button and the retractable shaft sufficiently small such that the magnetic attracting force is greater than the biasing force of the shaft biasing spring to allow the retractable shaft to be biased towards the actuator button.

Claims

1. A device, comprising:

a retractable shaft;

a shaft biasing spring; and

an actuator button;

wherein the retractable shaft is biased away from the actuator button by the shaft biasing spring;

wherein a magnetic attracting force is created between the retractable shaft and the actuator button upon actuation of the actuator button;

wherein before actuation, a distance between the actuator button and the retractable shaft is great enough that the magnetic attracting force is less than a biasing force of the shaft biasing spring such that the retractable shaft is biased away from the actuator button; and

wherein upon actuation, the actuator button is depressed to make the distance between the actuator button and the retractable shaft sufficiently small such that the magnetic attracting force is greater than the biasing force of the shaft biasing spring to allow the retractable shaft to be biased towards the actuator button.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein the actuator button comprises a button return spring that biases the actuator button away from the retractable shaft.

3. The device of claim 1, further comprising a first magnet on the retractable shaft and a second magnet on the actuator button, the first magnet and the second magnet being of opposite polarities to create the magnetic attracting force.

4. The device of claim 1, further comprising a first magnet on one of the retractable shaft and the actuator button and a ferromagnetic material on the other of the retractable shaft and the actuator button.

5. The device of claim 1, further comprising a housing in which the retractable shaft and the actuator button are slidably arranged.

6. The device of claim 5, wherein the retractable shaft comprises a collar positioned thereon, and wherein the housing comprises a shoulder positioned therein, and wherein the shaft biasing spring is compressibly positioned between the collar and the shoulder.

7. The device of claim 1, wherein the retractable shaft includes a medical tool.

8. A device, comprising:

a retractable shaft; and

an actuator button;

wherein a first end of the retractable shaft includes a first magnet having a polarity and a first end of the actuator button includes a second magnet having the same polarity as the first magnet such that the first end of the retractable shaft is repelled from the first end of the actuator button; and

wherein when the actuator button is pressed the first end of the actuator button travels past the first end of the retractable shaft such that the first magnet and the second magnet drive the retractable shaft towards the actuator button.

9. The device of claim 8, further comprising a housing in which the retractable shaft and the actuator button are slidably arranged.

10. The device of claim 9, wherein the actuator button comprises a button return spring positioned in the housing, the button return spring being configured to bias the actuator button away from the retractable shaft.

11. The device of claim 8, wherein the first end of the actuator button comprises a plunger on which the second magnet is one of coupled to or integral with the plunger having a cavity for receiving the first magnet.

12. The device of claim 11, wherein upon receiving the first magnet in a mouth portion of the cavity, the retractable shaft is repelled farther into the cavity.

13. The device of claim 12, wherein upon the retractable shaft being repelled farther into the cavity, an attractive force between the second magnet and a distal portion of the retractable shaft draws the distal portion of the retractable shaft to the second magnet.

14. The device of claim 12, wherein upon the retractable shaft being repelled farther into the cavity, an attractive force between the first magnet and a bottom of the cavity draws the first magnet to the bottom of the cavity.

15. The device of claim 8, wherein the retractable shaft includes a medical tool.

16. A method, comprising:

providing a housing;

providing a shaft having a medical tool located thereon, the shaft being slidably positioned in the housing and biased to extend from a distal end of the housing;

providing an actuator button slidably positioned in the housing, the actuator button extending from a proximal end of the housing;

providing a magnetic attracting force between the shaft and the actuator button upon actuation of the actuator button;

wherein before actuation, a distance between the actuator button and the shaft is great enough that the magnetic attracting force is less than a biasing force acting on the shaft such that the shaft is biased away from the actuator button; and

wherein upon actuation, the actuator button is depressed to make the distance between the actuator button and the shaft sufficiently small such that the magnetic attracting force is greater than the biasing force acting on the shaft to allow the shaft to be biased towards the actuator button.

17. The method of claim 16, further comprising providing a button return spring cooperably associated with the actuator button to bias the actuator button away from the shaft.

18. The method of claim 16, further comprising providing a first magnet on the shaft and a second magnet on the actuator button, the first magnet and the second magnet being of opposite polarities to create the magnetic attracting force.

19. A method, comprising:

maneuvering a medical device to contact a tissue surface of a patient, the medical device having a shaft biased to extend from a distal end of a housing and further having an actuator button disposed at a proximal end of the housing, the shaft further having a medical tool associated therewith for contacting the tissue surface of the patient; and

actuating the actuator button to retract the shaft into the housing.