US 5,059,210 AGranted

Apparatus and methods for attaching and detaching an ultrasonic actuated blade/coupler and an acoustical mount therefor

AssigneeUltracision, Inc.

InventorsRichard J. Clark, Alan E. Thomas

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Abstract

A delivery system for attaching and detaching an ultrasonic surgical blade/coupler and an acoustical mount. An adaptor sleeve receives and encapsulates the blade to avoid accidents resulting from the sharp blade edge. A cylindrical member receives the sleeve and a ratcheting mechanism is provided between the adaptor and member to facilitate rotation of the adaptor and coupler upon rotation of the member up to a predetermined torque, ensuring threaded connection between the coupler and acoustical mount sufficient for transmission of ultrasonic energy. To remove the blade/coupler, the member is rotated in the opposite direction, whereby unlimited torque may be applied through the ratchet mechanism to unthread the coupler from the mount.

Claims19

Dependent claims

Apparatus for attaching a surgical device to a mount wherein the surgical device includes a coupler carrying a surgical tool comprising:

an adaptor including a sleeve for receiving the surgical tool;
first means carried by said adaptor and engageable with the coupler when the surgical tool is received by the adaptor for rotating the coupler upon rotation of said adaptor;
second means carried by said adaptor for rotating said adaptor to rotate the coupler;
means cooperable between said second rotating means and said adaptor, and responsive to rotation of said second rotating means in one rotary direction, for limiting the torque applied by said adaptor to the coupler to a predetermined magnitude thereof when the surgical tool is being attached to the mount;
and
means cooperable between said second rotating means and said adaptor, and responsive to rotation of said second rotating means in the opposite rotary direction, for applying substantially unlimited torque to the adaptor and coupler including in excess of said predetermined torque, said second rotating means including a generally cylindrical member disposed on said sleeve, said torque-limiting means including a cam surface carried by one of said adaptor and said cylindrical member and a cam follower carried by the other of said adaptor and said cylindrical member and engageable with said cam surface, said cam follower and said cam surface being cooperable in response to rotation of said cylindrical member to rotate said adaptor and apply a torque thereto,
said adaptor further including a generally radially extending flange adjacent one end, one of said cam surface and said cam follower being carried by said flange on the side thereof from which said sleeve extends, said cylindrical member carrying the other of said cam surface and said cam follower on an end thereof for axial engagement with said one of said cam surface and said cam follower on said flange.

4 more elements

Apparatus for attaching a surgical device to a mount wherein the surgical device includes a coupler carrying a surgical tool comprising:

an adaptor including a sleeve for receiving the surgical tool;
first means carried by said adaptor and engageable with the coupler when the surgical tool is received by the adaptor for rotating the coupler upon rotation of said adaptor;
second means carried by said adaptor for rotating said adaptor to rotate the coupler;
means cooperable between said second rotating means and said adaptor for limiting the torque applied by said adaptor to the coupler when the surgical tool is being attached to the mount;
said second rotating means including a generally cylindrical member disposed on said sleeve, said torque-limiting means including a cam surface carried by one of said adaptor and said cylindrical member and a cam follower carried by the other of said adaptor and said cylindrical member and engageable with said cam surface, said cam follower and said cam surface being cooperable in response to rotation of said cylindrical member to rotate said adaptor and apply a torque thereto;
said cam surface comprising a plurality of circumferentially spaced and extending ramps and said cam follower includes at least a projection for engaging along one of said ramps;
and
said adaptor and said cylindrical member having respective radially extending flanges with faces thereof in axial opposition to one another, one of said flange faces carrying said ramps and the other of said flange faces carrying said projection whereby said projection is in sliding engagement with one of said ramps in response to relative rotation between said adaptor and said member.

5 more elements

Apparatus for attaching a surgical device to a mount wherein the surgical device includes a coupler carrying a surgical tool comprising:

an adaptor including a sleeve for receiving the surgical tool;
first means carried by said adaptor and engageable with the coupler when the surgical tool is received by the adaptor for rotating the coupler upon rotation of said adaptor;
second means carried by said adaptor for rotating said adaptor to rotate the coupler;
and
means cooperable between said second rotating means and said adaptor for limiting the torque applied by said adaptor to the coupler when the surgical tool is being attached to the mount;
said second rotating means including a generally cylindrical member disposed on said sleeve, said torque-limiting means including a cam surface carried by one of said adaptor and said cylindrical member and a cam follower carried by the other of said adaptor and said cylindrical member and engageable with said cam surface, said cam follower and said cam surface being cooperable in response to rotation of said cylindrical member to rotate said adaptor and apply a torque thereto;
and
said adaptor and said cylindrical member having respective radially extending flanges with faces thereof in axial opposition to one another, said cam surface comprising a plurality of circumferentially spaced and extending ramps on one of said flange faces and said cam follower including a pair of projections along the other of said flange faces circumferentially spaced one from the other through an angle of about 180.degree. for engagement along respective ones of said ramps, whereby said projections lie in sliding engagement with said ramps in response to relative rotation between said adaptor and said member, one of said flanges lying in resilient yielding engagement with the other of said flanges at the point of engagement between said projections and said ramps.

5 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.