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US 2004/0106947 A1Published application
Surgical instrument with snag free box hinge
AssigneeTri-State Hospital Supply Corporation
InventorsDonald J. Propp, Gary A. Gillis
Life of this patent
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AssigneeTri-State Hospital Supply Corporation
InventorsDonald J. Propp, Gary A. Gillis
Estimating the term…
A surgical instrument includes a pair of elongated members joined together by a box hinge. The box hinge is formed of a slot in the first member and a hinge portion in the second member. The hinge portion of the second member is generally the same width as that of the second member on either side of the box hinge. The width of the first elongated member is larger than the width of the second elongated member at either end of the box hinge portion. The first and second box hinge portions have pivot points that mate to allow the hinge to open and close. The pivot points may be corresponding protrusions and depressions of any preferred shape. The unique construction of the box hinge creates a snag-free surface that allows for the use of the instrument for tasks such as suturing without the suturing thread snagging on the instrument.
A surgical instrument comprising:
An improved surgical instrument of the type having two elongated members, each member having a working tip portion, a handle end portion, and a box hinge portion, wherein the improvement comprises a box hinge defined by a slot located in the box hinge portion of the first elongated member having upper and lower sides for receiving the box hinge portion of the second elongated member therein, the slot having pivot points on each of its upper and lower sides and the second box hinge portion having pivot points on each of its side surfaces, one set of either the first or second box hinge portion pivot points being protrusions and the other being depressions, the pivot points of the first box hinge portion mating with the pivot points of the second box hinge portion such that the box hinge may open and close, and the ends of the second box hinge portion having a width narrower than the width of the ends of the first box hinge portion, such that the side edges of the first elongated member are larger relative to the side edges of the second elongated member at either end of the box hinge.
A method of suturing an opening in tissue including the steps of:
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.