Drive shaft coupling
AssigneePrecimed S.A.
InventorPatrick M. White
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A flexible torque-transmitting coupling assembly and method is disclosed, as well as flexible surgical reamers having such assemblies. The reamers employ a fitting with radially flexible member, e.g., a split collet or a super-elastic collar that receives an elongated tubular shaft of super-elastic alloy. A compression sleeve is applied to the collet, in one embodiment, while the collar is located within a counter-bore of the fitting in another embodiment. Relative motion between the shaft, fitting and collet (or collar) induces a super-elastic activation in the shaft to form the desired coupling.
Claims21
A torque-transmitting assembly comprising:
- a) a female coupling member with a bore;
- b) a radially flexible member, received within the bore, defining a hollow shape with an opening, the radially flexible member being made of super-elastic alloy;
- and
- c) an elongated shaft member made of a super-elastic alloy, received within the opening, wherein forcing the radially flexible member onto the shaft causes the radially flexible member to contact the shaft, inducing a super-elastic activation in the shaft and further induces a super-elastic activation of the radially flexible member that urges the shaft and radially flexible member into surface-to-surface contact, securing the members together in a fixed relative position.
A torque-transmitting coupling assembly comprising:
- a) a tool fitting member formed with a counter-bore;
- b) a collar member being a series of washers made of super-elastic alloy, having an exterior surface and an opening, the collar being located in the counter-bore;
- and
- c) an elongated shaft member made of a super-elastic alloy, received within the opening,
- whereupon relative motion between the fitting (120) and the collar (125) causes the collar (125) to contact the shaft (105), inducing a super-elastic activation in the shaft (105) that engages the shaft (105) and collar into surface-to-surface contact, securing the members (105, 120, 125) together in a fixed relative position.
An interference fit drive shaft coupling for a rotary surgical tool comprising:
- a tool fitting (20) adapted to receive a rotary surgical cutting tool, the fitting (20) having a fitting cannulation (22);
- a collet (25) in line and integral with the tool fitting (20), the collet having a compression sleeve (10) slid over it, and having a collet cannulation (22) concentric with the fitting cannulation (22) of the tool fitting (20), the collet cannulation (22) having a contact surface (30) with an inner diameter (D2);
- and
- a flexible drive shaft (5) made of a nickel-titanium alloy and having a shaft cannulation (7), the nickel-titanium alloy having metal alloy properties selected from the group consisting of:
- martensitic properties and super-elastic properties and adapted to transfer torque while subjected to bending forces during use, the drive shaft (5) securely receivable in the collet (25) by an interference fit between an outer diameter (D1) of shaft (5) and the inner diameter (D2) of the contact surface (30) of the collet (25), the interference fit induced by a super-elastic activation in the shaft (5) that engages the shaft (5) and collet into surface-to-surface contact, and disposing the shaft (7) cannulation to be substantially concentric with the fitting cannulation (22) to provide said interference fit drive shaft coupling.
A torque-transmitting coupling assembly comprising:
- a) a tool fitting member formed with a counter-bore;
- b) a collar member being a washer made of super-elastic alloy, having an exterior surface and an opening, the collar being located in the counter-bore;
- and
- c) an elongated shaft member made of a super-elastic alloy, received within the opening,
- whereupon relative motion between the fitting (120) and the collar (125) causes the collar (125) to contact the shaft (105), inducing a super-elastic activation in the shaft (105) that engages the shaft (105) and collar into surface-to-surface contact, securing the members (105, 120, 125) together in a fixed relative position.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.