# US 5,702,270 A · Surgical handpiece holder > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 5,702,270 A - Document ID: US5702270A - Status: Granted - Kind: A - Application number: 08/572,486 - Filed: 1995-12-14 - Granted: 1997-12-30 - Earliest claimed: 1995-12-14 - Assignees: Alcon Laboratories, Inc. - Inventors: Peter D. Casica; James Y. Chon - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US5702270A ## CPC - H01R 13/72: Means for accommodating flexible lead within the holder - A61B 50/20: Holders specially adapted for surgical or diagnostic appliances or instruments (drapes with means to hold surgical instruments A61B46/23; for catheters A61M25/02) - A61B 90/50: Supports for surgical instruments, e.g. articulated arms - A61B 18/14: Probes or electrodes therefor - A61B 2090/0813: {Accessories designed for easy sterilising, i.e. re-usable} - A61F 9/00745: {using mechanical vibrations, e.g. ultrasonic} - Y10S 439/909: Medical use or attached to human body - Y10T 24/3444: Circular work engageable - H01R: ELECTRICALLY-CONDUCTIVE CONNECTIONS; STRUCTURAL ASSOCIATIONS OF A PLURALITY OF MUTUALLY-INSULATED ELECTRICAL CONNECTING ELEMENTS; COUPLING DEVICES; CURRENT COLLECTORS - A61B: DIAGNOSIS; SURGERY; IDENTIFICATION (usefulness limited to only animals A61D) - A61F: FILTERS IMPLANTABLE INTO BLOOD VESSELS; PROSTHESES; DEVICES PROVIDING PATENCY TO, OR PREVENTING COLLAPSING OF, TUBULAR STRUCTURES OF THE BODY, e.g. STENTS; ORTHOPAEDIC, NURSING OR CONTRACEPTIVE DEVICES; FOMENTATION; TREATMENT OR PROTECTION OF EYES OR EARS; BANDAGES, DRESSINGS OR ABSORBENT PADS; FIRST-AID KITS (dental prosthetics A61C) - Y10S: TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS - Y10T: TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER US CLASSIFICATION ## Abstract A surgical handpiece holder for use in protecting a surgical handpiece during storage or autoclaving, and providing a template for the storage of excess handpiece wire is disclosed. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A surgical handpiece holder comprising: (a) a scabbard having a first longitudinal bore, the first longitudinal bore being sized and shaped to receive a surgical handpiece; (b) an electrical connector housing having a second longitudinal bore, the second longitudinal bore having at least one annular groove; and (c) a bridge, generally concave in transverse cross-section shorter in length than the scabbard and the electrical connector housing and being longitudinally disposed between the scabbard and the housing. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The handpiece holder of claim 1, wherein the scabbard further comprises an exterior surface having a plurality of holes running from the exterior surface to the bore. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The handpiece holder of claim 1, wherein the holder comprises plastic or rubber. ### Claim 4 (depends on 2) The handpiece holder of claim 2, wherein the holder comprises plastic or rubber. ### Claim 5 A combination surgical handpiece and holder, comprising: (a) a surgical handpiece comprising a body having a cutting tip end and a back wire end, an electrical wire, and an electrical connector having a connector end and a wire end, wherein the wire is disposed between the back wire end of the body and the wire end of the connector; (b) a holder comprising a scabbard having a first longitudinal bore, the first longitudinal bore being sized and shaped to receive the cutting tip end of the surgical handpiece, an electrical connector housing having a large open end, a small open end and a second longitudinal bore communicating with the large and small open ends, and a bridge being longitudinally disposed between the scabbard and housing; wherein the cutting tip end of the handpiece body may be received within the first longitudinal bore of the scabbard, the connector is received at least partially within the large open end of the connector housing, the wire runs from the connector through the second longitudinal bore of the connector housing and out the small open end of the housing, wherein any excess wire may be wrapped longitudinally around the bridge. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the scabbard further comprises an exterior surface having a plurality of holes running from the exterior surface to the first longitudinal bore, and the bridge is generally concave in transverse cross-section. ### Claim 7 (depends on 5) The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the holder comprises plastic or rubber. ### Claim 8 (depends on 6) The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the holder comprises plastic or rubber. ### Claim 9 A method of protecting a surgical handpiece, the handpiece having a body and an electrical connector, the body and the connector communicating through a wire, which comprises the steps of: (a) providing a handpiece holder, the holder comprising a scabbard having a longitudinal bore, the longitudinal bore being sized and shaped to receive a cutting tip end of the body of the handpiece, an electrical connector housing, and a bridge being longitudinally disposed between the scabbard and the housing; (b) inserting the cutting tip end of the handpiece within the longitudinal bore of the scabbard; and (c) inserting the connector at least partially within the connector housing. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The method of claim 9, wherein the holder comprises plastic or rubber. ### Claim 11 (depends on 9) The method of claim 9, wherein the housing further comprises a large open end, a small open end and a longitudinal bore communicating with the large and small open ends. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11, wherein any excess wire from the handpiece is wrapped longitudinally around the bridge. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The method of claim 12, wherein the holder comprises plastic or rubber. ### Claim 14 (depends on 9) The method of claim 9, wherein the scabbard further comprises an exterior surface having a plurality of holes running from the exterior surface to the longitudinal bore, and the bridge is generally concave in transverse cross-section. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The method of claim 14, wherein the holder comprises plastic or rubber.