US 5,417,704 A · Disposable surgical scalpel with safety guard

Abstract

A scalpel including an elongated handle having an engaging surface located on the handle, a blade carried by the handle adjacent one end thereof and a guard movably mounted to the handle for sliding movement relative to the handle between a protective position covering the blade and a retracted position exposing the blade for use. The guard includes side members extending downwardly from an upper surface. The side members are positioned adjacent opposite sides of the handle and the resiliency of the guard forces the inner surfaces of the side members into engagement with the engaging surface of the handle. The guard is movably along the engaging surface in response to sliding movement of the guard relative to the handle. In a further form, the guard is slidable into a permanently locked position relative to the handle, thereby preventing reuse of the scalpel and inadvertent exposure of the blade. In yet a further form, a locking means requires a force substantially perpendicular to the axis of motion of the guard to release the guard from the temporary protective position.

Claims18

Dependent claims

A scalpel comprising:

a handle comprising exposed surfaces so as to facilitate gripping the handle during use;
a blade carried by said handle proximate to one end thereof;
a guard movably mounted to said handle for sliding movement relative to said handle between a protective position covering said blade and a retracted position exposing said blade for use;
and
a lock for releasably securing said guard to said handle in the retracted position and in the protective position, said lock requiring a force substantially perpendicularly to the axis of motion of said guard to disengage said guard from said protective position;
said lock comprising a stepped surface and a retaining wedge disposed on said handle, wherein said stepped surface is substantially parallel to an upper surface of said handle, and said retaining wedge is disposed surface;
and said lock further comprising a retaining latch disposed on a side member of said guard, said retaining latch having an upper surface substantially parallel to said stepped surface.

4 more elements

A scalpel comprising:

a handle comprising exposed surfaces so as to facilitate gripping the handle during use;
a blade carried by said handle proximate to one end thereof;
a guard movably mounted to said handle for sliding movement relative to said handle between a retracted position exposing said blade for use, a temporary protective position covering said blade, and a permanently locked position covering the blade;
and
a lock for releasably securing said guard to said handle in the retracted position and in the protective position and for permanently securing the guard in the permanently locked position, said lock requiring a force substantially perpendicularly to the axis of motion of said guard to disengage said guard from said temporary protective position and transition said guard to the retracted position;
said lock comprising a stepped surface and a retaining wedge disposed on said handle, wherein said stepped surface is substantially parallel to an upper surface of said handle, and said retaining wedge is disposed on said stepped surface;
and said lock further comprising a retaining latch disposed on a side member of said guard, said retaining latch having an upper surface substantially parallel to said stepped surface.

4 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Disposable surgical scalpel with safety guard

Life of this patent

Disposable surgical scalpel with safety guard

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims18