Uterine manipulator and manipulator tip assembly

A uterine manipulator, comprising:

• an elongated insertion rod defining a longitudinal axis, having a proximal end and a distal end, and including a longitudinal cavity extending substantially from said proximal end to said distal end;
• tip support means disposed in said rod cavity and pivotally mounted to said distal end of said insertion rod about an axis substantially perpendicular to said insertion rod axis and including means for carrying a manipulator tip assembly thereon, said tip support means including slave gear means mounted for rotation about said pivot axis;
• tip drive means mounted for rotation about an axis substantially perpendicular to said rod axis and secured to said proximal end of said insertion rod for manual movement by a user of said uterine manipulator, said tip drive means including a knob portion exterior to said rod for grasping by said user to effect said rotation and drive gear means disposed within said rod cavity for rotation responsive to said knob rotation;
• and
• drive linkage means for transmitting said manual movement of said tip drive means to said tip support means to effect rotation of the latter about said pivot axis over a range of motion of at least about 90.degree. anteverted and at least about 30.degree. retroverted with respect to said insertion rod axis, said drive linkage means including a drive belt means run about said drive gear means and extending through said longitudinal cavity to said slave gear means and run thereabout.

A uterine manipulator, comprising:

• an elongated insertion rod defining a longitudinal axis, having a proximal end and a distal end, and including a longitudinal cavity extending substantially from said proximal end to said distal end;
• tip support means disposed in said rod cavity and pivotally mounted to said distal end of said insertion rod about an axis substantially perpendicular to said insertion rod axis and including means for carrying a manipulator tip assembly thereon, said tip support means including slave gear means mounted for rotation about said pivot axis;
• tip drive means mounted for rotation and secured to said proximal end of said insertion rod for manual movement by a user of said uterine manipulator, said tip drive means including a knob portion exterior to said rod for grasping by said user to effect said rotation of said tip drive means;
• and
• drive linkage means for transmitting said manual movement of said tip drive means to said tip support means to effect rotation of the latter about said pivot axis over a range of motion of at least about 90.degree. anteverted and at least about 30.degree. retroverted with respect to said insertion rod axis, said drive linkage means including a drive axle extending longitudinally through said rod cavity from said proximal end to said distal end of said insertion rod and operatively connected to said tip drive means for rotation thereby, and drive gear means at said distal end of said drive axle engaging said tip support means slave gear means.

A uterine manipulator, comprising:

• an elongated insertion rod defining a longitudinal axis and having a proximal and a distal end;
• tip support means pivotally mounted to said distal end of said insertion rod about an axis substantially perpendicular to said insertion rod axis and including means for carrying a manipulator tip assembly thereon;
• tip drive means secured to said proximal end of said insertion rod for manual movement by a user of said uterine manipulator, said tip drive means including a handle extending substantially transverse to said insertion rod and a retractor lever adjacent said handle and pivotally mounted at one end with respect thereto;
• and
• drive linkage means for transmitting said manual movement of said tip drive means to said tip support means to effect rotation of the latter about said pivot axis over a range of motion of at least about 90.degree. anteverted and at least about 30.degree. retroverted with respect to said insertion red axis, said drive linkage means including a drive rod pivotally mounted at one end to said retractor lever between said pivotally mounted end of said retractor lever and a free end thereof, the other end of said drive rod being pivotally secured to said tip support means at a location offset from said pivot axis and about an axis substantially parallel thereto.

A uterine manipulator, comprising:

• an elongated insertion rod defining a longitudinal axis and having a proximal end and a distal end;
• tip support means pivotally mounted to said distal end of said insertion rod about an axis substantially perpendicular to said insertion rod axis and including means for carrying a manipulator tip assembly thereon;
• tip drive means secured to said proximal end of said insertion rod for manual movement by a user of said uterine manipulator;
• drive linkage means for transmitting said manual movement of said tip drive means to said tip support means to effect rotation of the latter about said pivot axis over a range of motion of about 120.degree. anteverted and about 70.degree. retroverted with respect to said insertion rod axis;
• and
• a manipulator tip assembly secured to said tip support, extending therefrom and including a substantially rigid tubular element having an inflatable balloon proximate a free end thereof and lumen means for inflating said balloon.