Surgical instrument holder
AssigneeNabil L. Muhanna
InventorsNabil L. Muhanna, David L Schalliol
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An instrument holder including a releasably lockable adjustable arm for rigidly maintaining a tool or instrument in a pre-selected orientation. The instrument holder also includes a tensioning device pivotally connected by a hinge to the arm. The arm includes a plurality of links longitudinally arranged along a common axis, wherein adjacent links are pivotally connected by a hinge, and a duct. A tensioning cable extending within the duct of the arm attaches to the distal end of the articulated arm and to the tensioning device, and applies a tension force to compress the hinges so as to rigidly lock the arm into the preset position.
Claims37
An instrument holder for rigidly maintaining an instrument in a pre-selected orientation, comprising:
- a tensioning device;
- an arm having a distal end, a proximal end, and a longitudinally arranged duct, wherein the arm is pivotally connected by a joint to the tensioning device;
- and
- a tensioning cable slideably disposed within the duct of the arm and having a distal end attached to the distal end of the arm and a proximal end operably attached to the tensioning device.
A method of releasably positioning an adjustable arm for rigidly maintaining a pre-selected orientation, comprising the steps:
- (a) adjusting the adjustable arm to a pre-selected orientation;
- (b) activating a tensioning device to apply a tension force to a tensioning cable attached to the adjustable arm;
- (c) compressing at least one hinge of the arm to secure the arm in the pre-selected orientation;
- and
- (d) releasing the tension force applied to the tensioning cable to enable the adjustable arm to be repositioned.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.