End aligned flexible connection sleeves
AssigneeECA Medical Instruments
InventorsDavid Ivinson, John Nino
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A latch and catch arrangement is disclosed, whereby a sleeve supporting a flexible hinge is oriented over a bearing in guide. An asymmetrical alignment via a latch and catch between the sleeve and tool collar orients a flexible hinge, which may be of reduced thickness, over a bearing in a guide. The bearing moves upward when a tool is inserted into a tool socket, and the flexible hinge, properly oriented by the alignment catch/latch, keeps the bearing in the tool socket while allowing necessary movement to insert and remove a tool.
Claims21
A tool mount with flexible connector comprising:
- a tool collar (201) with a closed back end (15) and an open front (12) and an outer annular wall and an open ended tool socket having an inner annular wall;
- a bearing guide (14) with a fluid connection from the outer annular wall (11) to the inner annular wall (13);
- the bearing fitted within said bearing guide;
- a generally cylindrical sleeve (30) with an outer annular wall (710) and inner annular wall (712) having an open end (708) and a partially closed end (709);
- said sleeve fitted over the tool collar;
- a reduced thickness flexible hinge (37) formed in the sleeve, fluidly connecting the outer and inner annular walls;
- and,
- a shaft (325) attached to the closed back end of the tool collar.
A hand held device comprising:
- a tool collar with a closed back end and an open front and an outer annular wall and an open ended tool socket having an inner annular wall;
- a bearing guide with a fluid connection from the outer annular wall to the inner annular wall;
- a bearing fitted within said bearing guide;
- a shaft extending from said closed back end;
- a positioning catch formed on at least one of the open front end and the back end of the tool collar;
- and,
- a sleeve with an open front end and a partially closed back end having a latch which mates with said positioning catch over the tool collar with a flexible hinge formed therein.
A method of reversibly attaching tools, the method comprising:
- surrounding a tool collar having a tool socket therein with a cylindrical sleeve having and open front end, a partially open back end and a flexible hinge, fluidly connecting the outer and inner walls of the sleeve;
- mating the orientation of the flexible hinge in the sleeve around the tool socket with a first asymmetrical alignment guide on the back end of the sleeve to a second guide on the back end of the tool collar whereby the hinge is positioned over a bearing;
- inserting a tool shaft with shaped proximal end and tool guide formed therein, into the tool socket;
- and,
- using force to move the bearing with the proximal end of the tool whereby the bearing moves away from the tool socket against the flexible hinge and causes the flexible hinge flap to become displaced and allow passage of the tool shaft.
A method of reversibly attaching tools, the method comprising:
- surrounding a tool collar having a tool socket therein with a cylindrical sleeve having and open front end, a partially open back end and a flexible hinge, fluidly connecting the outer and inner walls of the sleeve;
- mating the orientation of the flexible hinge in the sleeve around the tool socket with a first asymmetrical alignment guide on the front end of the sleeve to a second guide on the front end of the tool collar whereby the hinge is positioned over a bearing;
- inserting a tool shaft with shaped proximal end and tool guide formed therein, into the tool socket;
- and,
- using force to move the bearing with the proximal end of the tool whereby the bearing moves away from the tool socket against the flexible hinge and causes the flexible hinge flap to become displaced and allow passage of the tool shaft.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.