Apparatus for inking a surgical instrument
AssigneeViscot Medical, LLC
InventorsGary Pieringer, Matthew Levine
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An apparatus for inking a surgical instrument includes an inking capsule, which comprises a base and a vertical wall extending from the base to define a cavity. The inking capsule has a first opening opposite the base, an ink reservoir disposed within the cavity, where the ink reservoir has ink disposed therein. The ink reservoir comprises a second opening proximate a top portion of the ink reservoir, and a penetrable seal covering the second opening to seal the ink in the ink reservoir when the seal is in an unbroken state.
Claims21
An apparatus for inking a surgical instrument, comprising:
- an inking capsule, comprising a base and a vertical wall extending from the base to define a cavity, the inking capsule having a first opening opposite the base;
- an ink reservoir disposed within the cavity, the ink reservoir having ink disposed therein and comprising a second opening proximate a top portion of the ink reservoir;
- and
- a penetrable seal covering the second opening to seal the ink in the ink reservoir when the seal is in an unbroken state, wherein the seal is destroyed when punctured.
An apparatus for inking a surgical instrument, comprising:
- an inking capsule, comprising a base and a vertical wall extending from the base to define a cavity, the inking capsule having a first opening opposite the base;
- an ink reservoir disposed within the cavity, the ink reservoir having ink disposed therein and comprising a second opening proximate a top portion of the ink reservoir;
- a penetrable seal covering the second opening to seal the ink in the ink reservoir when the seal is in an unbroken state;
- and
- a cap shaped to cover the first opening of the inking capsule and the seal thereon, the cap made from rigid material, wherein the cap includes a third opening that is aligned with the first and the second openings when the cap is disposed on the inking capsule.
An apparatus for inking a surgical instrument, comprising:
- an inking capsule, comprising a base and a vertical wall extending from the base to define a cavity, the inking capsule having a first opening opposite the base;
- an ink reservoir disposed within the cavity, the ink reservoir having ink disposed therein, and comprising a second opening proximate a top portion of the ink reservoir;
- a holder positioned immovably in the cavity of the inking capsule, the holder comprising a body dimensioned to receive the ink reservoir such that the ink reservoir is substantially immovable with respect to the holder, and at least one protrusion extending from the body and engaged with the inking capsule to prevent lateral movement of the holder within the inking capsule;
- a seal made from an impermeable and penetrable material, the seal affixed to the first opening of the inking capsule and extending over the second opening of the ink reservoir and sealing the ink in the ink reservoir, the seal comprising an insertion region overlying the second opening, the insertion region defined by a visible indicating boundary, wherein the seal is penetrable by the surgical instrument allow a portion of the surgical instrument to break through the seal within an insertion region and contact the ink;
- and
- a cap made from rigid material for removably covering the inking capsule, wherein the cap covers the seal when the cap is positioned to cover the inking capsule.
A method of inking a portion of a surgical instrument, the method comprising:
- aligning the surgical instrument with an apparatus for inking the surgical instrument, the apparatus comprising:
- an inking capsule having a cavity disposed therein and a first opening disposed over the cavity,
- an ink reservoir disposed within the cavity and having ink disposed therein, the ink reservoir comprising a second opening proximate the first opening of the ink reservoir, and
- a penetrable seal covering the second opening to seal the ink in the ink reservoir when the seal is in an unbroken state;
- breaking the seal with the surgical instrument, wherein the seal is destroyed when punctured;
- and
- contacting the portion of the surgical instrument with the ink disposed in the ink reservoir, causing the ink to be disposed on the portion of the surgical instrument.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.