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US 10,327,828 B2Granted
Multiple fulcrum bender
OwnerJames A. Rinnerinventor
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A surgical bender for use in bending and/or plastically deforming a variety of types and/or shapes of materials in medical and/or surgical applications. Various embodiments include a compact and easily sterilizable multiple fulcrum arrangement that utilizes a series of interlocked actuating lever arms to greatly multiply an actuating force applied to a pair of handles for application to an intended material.
Claims18
An instrument for bending an item comprising:
- a first pair of pivotable engaged opposing lever arms;
- a first pivot interconnecting the first pair of lever arms, the first pivot dividing each of the first pair of lever arms into a handle portion for opening and closing the first pair of lever arms and a second portion operable by the handle portion, the handle portion including a length A and the second portion including a length B, wherein length A is greater than length B;
- a second pair of pivotable engaged opposing lever arms;
- a second pivot interconnecting the second pair of lever arms, the second pivot dividing each of the second pair of lever arms into a driving portion for opening and closing the second pair of lever arms and a bending portion operable by the driving portion, the driving portion including a length C and the bending portion including a length D, wherein length C is greater than length D;
- a proximal portion of each driving portion pivotally mounted to a distal portion of each second portion, wherein opening and closing of the first pair of lever arms actuates closing and opening of the second pair of lever arms;
- a first three post bending assembly mounted on the bending portion, the first three post bending assembly including a first center post mounted on said second pivot and having a peripheral bending surface for contacting a portion of the item, and a pair of outer posts, one of each pair of outer posts mounted on each of the second pair of lever arms and pivotable thereon, the first center post being positioned relative to the pair of outer posts so as to define a channel there between for receiving the item when the first pair of lever arms are open, the outer posts forcing said item to bend about the peripheral bending surface when the first pair of lever arms are forcibly closed, said peripheral bending surface determining in part the shape of said bend;
- and
- a second three post bending assembly mounted on the bending portion, the second three post bending assembly including a second center post mounted on said second pivot on an opposing side from the first center post, the second center post having a second peripheral bending surface for contacting a portion of the item, and a second pair of outer posts, one of each second pair of outer posts mounted on each of the second pair of lever arms and pivotable thereon, the second center post being positioned relative to the second pair of outer posts so as to define a second channel there between for receiving the item when the first pair of lever arms are open, the second pair of outer posts forcing said item to bend about the second peripheral bending surface when the first pair of lever arms are forcibly closed, said second peripheral bending surface determining in part the shape of said bend.
5 more elements
A multiple fulcrum bender comprising:
- a first handle arm and a second handle arm coupled to a first pivot point;
- a third handle arm pivotally connected to the first handle arm at a second pivot point, the second pivot point located proximate to a distal end of the first handle;
- a fourth handle arm pivotally connected to the second handle arm at a third pivot point, the third pivot point located proximate to a distal end of the second handle;
- the third handle arm coupled to the fourth handle arm at a fourth pivot point;
- the first pivot point located between a proximal end of the first handle and the second pivot point, the first pivot point further located between a proximal end of the second handle and the third pivot point;
- a single center post mounted at the fourth pivot point and having a peripheral bending surface for contacting a portion of an item to be bent,
- a first outer post pivotally mounted on a distal portion of the third handle;
- a second outer post pivotally mounted on a distal portion of the fourth handle;
- the single center post and first and second outer posts comprising a three post bending assembly, the center post being positioned relative to the first and second pair of outer posts so as to define a channel there between for receiving the item when the first and second handle arms are in an open position, the first and second outer posts forcing said item to bend about the peripheral bending surface when the first and second handle arms are forcibly closed, the peripheral bending surface determining in part the shape of the bend.
6 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.