# US 10,245,042 B2 · Check valve vented sterilizable powered surgical handpiece > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,245,042 B2 - Document ID: US10245042B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 13/419,129 - Filed: 2012-03-13 - Published: 2013-09-19 - Granted: 2019-04-02 - Earliest claimed: 2012-03-13 - Assignees: Medtronic Xomed, Inc. - Applicants: Michael L. Koltz - Inventors: Michael L. Koltz - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10245042B2 ## CPC - A61B 17/1622: {Drill handpieces (A61B17/1626, A61B17/1628 take precedence)} - A61B 17/1628: {Motors; Power supplies} - A61L 2/07: Steam - A61B 17/32002: {with continuously rotating, oscillating or reciprocating cutting instruments} - A61B 2090/0813: {Accessories designed for easy sterilising, i.e. re-usable} - A61B: DIAGNOSIS; SURGERY; IDENTIFICATION (usefulness limited to only animals A61D) - A61L: METHODS OR APPARATUS FOR STERILISING MATERIALS OR OBJECTS IN GENERAL; DISINFECTION, STERILISATION OR DEODORISATION OF AIR; CHEMICAL ASPECTS OF BANDAGES, DRESSINGS, ABSORBENT PADS OR SURGICAL ARTICLES; MATERIALS FOR BANDAGES, DRESSINGS, ABSORBENT PADS OR SURGICAL ARTICLES (preservation of bodies or disinfecting characterised by the agents employed A01N; preserving, e.g. sterilising, food or foodstuffs A23; preparations for medical, dental or toiletry purposes A61K) ## Abstract A steam-sterilizable powered surgical handpiece provided with a check valve for venting of an interior cavity of the handpiece. The check valve may be configured to vent steam, steam condensate or contaminants from the interior cavity during a steam sterilization cycle. The check valve may be configured to open when subjected to steam sterilization parameters to prevent gas, liquid or contaminants from potentially degrading interior components of the handpiece. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A surgical handpiece comprising: a housing defining an interior cavity and defining a handle configured to be grasped by a user; a motor assembly disposed within the handle, the motor assembly including a motor not rated for steam sterilization; a drive shaft disposed through the housing; an adapter coupled to the drive shaft and the housing, the adapter configured to couple a surgical tool to the handpiece; and a check valve assembly including a check valve cartridge and a check valve, the check valve cartridge having walls extending into the interior cavity and defining a valve cavity, the check valve cartridge coupled to the housing and disposed internal to the housing, the check valve cartridge sealed to the housing via a press fit and including a seal disposed circumferentially about the check valve cartridge, the check valve disposed within the check valve cartridge, the check valve having an open state and a closed state, the check valve configured to provide fluid communication between the interior cavity and ambient air outside of the housing in the open state and prevent fluid communication between the interior cavity and ambient air outside of the housing in the closed state, wherein the housing defines an open channel extending between the valve cavity and an exterior surface of the housing, and wherein the housing, the motor assembly, the drive shaft adapter, and the sterilization check valve assembly are configured to be sterilizable and withstand steam sterilization in an assembled state of the surgical handpiece, and the sterilization check valve assembly is configured to be in an open state during steam sterilization. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The surgical handpiece of claim 1 wherein the check valve comprises a valve mechanism. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The surgical handpiece of claim 2 wherein the valve mechanism comprises at least one of the group consisting of: a ball, a spring, an umbrella, a duckbill, a diaphragm, a swing, a tilting disc, a lift, and a stop-check mechanism. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The surgical handpiece of claim 3 wherein the check valve in the open state includes the interior cavity fluidly open to ambient air and an evacuative flow of air is permitted to travel through the check valve in a direction from the interior cavity to ambient air outside of the housing. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The surgical handpiece of claim 1 wherein the handpiece comprises a steam-sterilizable handpiece and further wherein the check valve is disposed adjacent the housing such that when subject to sterilization conditions, the check valve is configured to assume the open state to provide a vent for egress of a condensate from the interior cavity. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The surgical handpiece of claim 1 wherein the drive shaft extends from an exterior of the housing to the interior cavity, the drive shaft configured to supply a rotational force to the surgical tool. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The surgical handpiece of claim 1 wherein the surgical tool comprises one of: a cutting member, a tap, a drill, a screw driver and a set screw break-off instrument. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The surgical handpiece of claim 1 wherein the adapter is a quick-connect adapter. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The surgical handpiece of claim 1 wherein the check valve cartridge is integral with the housing. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The surgical handpiece of claim 1 wherein the check valve is replaceable. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The surgical handpiece of claim 1 wherein the handpiece comprises a power cable configured to couple the motor assembly to an external power source. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The surgical handpiece of claim 1 wherein the handpiece comprises a battery-powered device. ### Claim 13 A powered surgical driver comprising: a housing comprising a housing wall, the housing wall defining an interior cavity and defining a handle; a drive shaft disposed through the housing wall, the drive shaft configured to receive a surgical tool; a motor assembly disposed in the housing, the motor assembly including a motor not rated for steam sterilization coupled to the drive shaft to provide rotational force thereto; an end cap assembled to the housing wall, the end cap defining a channel fluidly open to air external to the housing and the end cap; and a check valve assembly disposed within the channel and extending into the interior cavity, the check valve assembly comprising a check valve and a check valve housing including walls and defining a passageway fluidly coupled with the channel, the check valve configured to form a releasable seal at one of the walls of the check valve housing, the check valve housing sealed to the end cap via a press fit and including a seal disposed circumferentially about the check valve housing; wherein the housing, the drive shaft, the motor assembly, the end cap, and the check valve assembly are configured to be sterilizable and withstand steam sterilization in an assembled state of the powered surgical driver, and wherein the check valve is configured such that when the check valve is in the open state, the interior cavity is in fluid communication with the passageway and is open to air external to the housing during steam sterilization. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The powered surgical driver of claim 13 wherein the check valve is configured to assume the open state when subjected to an interior cavity pressure exceeding an exterior pressure. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The powered surgical driver of claim 14 wherein the check valve in the open state is configured to allow an evacuative flow of air comprising an array of contaminants to travel through the passageway in a direction out of the interior cavity. ### Claim 16 (depends on 14) The powered surgical driver of claim 14 wherein the check valve is configured to assume a closed state when the external pressure is greater than the interior cavity pressure. ### Claim 17 (depends on 13) The powered surgical driver of claim 13 further comprising at least one seal for sealingly engaging the drive shaft with the housing wall.