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US 11,304,776 B2Granted
Light carrier and system for mounting same to a surgical instrument
AssigneeSunoptic Technologies LLC
InventorsKim A. Marsh, James M. Davis
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A releasable light carrier mounting frame includes an upper portion having a receptacle for receiving a light carrier. One or more clips are attached to the upper portion and engaged with an underlying surgical instrument to secure the light carrier to the surgical instrument.
Claims20
A light carrier device for attaching to a surgical instrument, said light carrier device comprising:
- a light inlet section composed of a light-conducting material for communicably interconnecting with a source of light;
- an intermediate rod section unitarily and communicably interconnected to said inlet section and composed of said light-conducting material for transmitting light from said inlet section therethrough;
- a distal blade section having generally flat upper and lower surfaces, said blade section being composed of said light-conducting material and including a light-projecting portion;
- and
- a transition section for unitarily and communicably interconnecting said rod section and said blade section and being composed of said light-conducting material, said transition section including a narrowing taper extending between said rod section and said upper and lower surfaces of said blade section such that said blade section has a thickness between said upper and lower surfaces that is less than the diameter of said rod section, said transition section further including a narrowing taper extending between opposing side edges of said blade section and said rod section such that said blade section is wider than the diameter of said rod section, whereby light conducted through said rod section is transmitted through said transition section to said blade section for being projected by said light-projecting portion of said blade section.
2 more elements
A light carrier device for attaching to a surgical instrument, said light carrier device comprising:
- a light inlet section composed of a light-conducting material for communicably interconnecting with a source of light, said light section having a circular cross sectional shape and an annular circumferential groove formed therein;
- an intermediate rod section unitarily and communicably interconnected to said inlet section and composed of said light-conducting material for transmitting light from said inlet section therethrough;
- a distal blade section having generally flat upper and lower surfaces, said blade section being composed of said light-conducting material and including a light-projecting portion;
- and
- a transition section for unitarily and communicably interconnecting said rod section and said blade section and being composed of said light-conducting material, said transition section including a narrowing taper extending between said rod section and said upper and lower surfaces of said blade section such that said blade section has a thickness between said upper and lower surfaces that is less than the diameter of said rod section, said transition section further including a narrowing taper extending between opposing side edges of said blade section and said rod section such that said blade section is wider than the diameter of said rod section, whereby light conducted through said rod section is transmitted through said transition section to said blade section for being projected by said light-projecting portion of said blade section;
- said light projecting portions of said blade section including a matte surface on at least one of said upper and lower surfaces for dispersing at least a portion of the light conducted through said blade portion therefrom, said light projecting portion further including at least one of a convex and generally flat distal tip and a pair of angularly adjoining flat leading edges that converge at an apex proximate a distal tip of said blade section;
- and
- an opaque overlay applied over said rod section to restrict the amount of light dispersed through and projected laterally from said rod section.
5 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.