Surgical puncture access with preload lock
AssigneeMassachusetts Institute of Technology
InventorNikolai David Michael Begg
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A surgical device mitigates over-puncture with a bias spring that biases a leading, cutting edge in the opposite direction of the anticipated over-puncture. An associated locking mechanism is configured to release the force of the bias spring in a direction counter to the direction of insertion when the tension force of tissue against the cutting edge is released. Thus, when an opening in the tissue forms, the tension is released and the cutting edge can move opposite to the direction of insertion of the surgical device at the same time that an applied force drives the instrument in the direction of insertion. In this manner, the spring and locking mechanism cooperate to move the cutting edge opposite to the direction of insertion as soon as an incision is made.
Claims15
A device comprising:
- a housing having an axis;
- an instrument slidably retained within the housing and movable along the axis between a first position wherein a functional tip of the instrument extends outside the housing and a second position wherein the functional tip is disposed within the housing;
- a biasing mechanism that biases the instrument toward the second position;
- a preload lock with one or more features that secure the instrument in the first position against movement by the biasing mechanism;
- and
- a locking mechanism that releases the preload lock and secures the instrument against moving from the first position to the second position by frictionally engaging an interior wall of the housing with a force proportional to a load applied to the functional tip in a direction from the first position to the second position along the axis of the housing.
A method comprising:
- applying a deployment force to spring load a blade in a deployed position exposed outside a housing with a bias force to return to a retracted position within the housing;
- locking the blade with a preload locking force in the deployed position against the bias force;
- releasing the deployment force;
- pressing the blade against a target surface while in the deployed position, thereby creating a force against the blade;
- and
- converting the force against the blade into a first force to release the preload locking force and a second force normal to an interior surface of the housing to establish a friction fit against the interior surface proportional to the force against the blade.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.