US 9,283,023 B2 · Hand-held cautery device

Abstract

A disposable cautery device and related methods for making and disassembling a disposable cautery device are disclosed. In one embodiment, the disposable cautery device comprises a housing having a first end and a second end. A cautery tip extends from the housing first end, and the housing second end is configured to receive a removable power source. An actuator is provided to selectively complete an electrical connection between the cautery tip and the removable power source. The actuator is disposed within a recess formed in the housing, and the recess is at least partially circumscribed by a raised rim. A top surface of the actuator is flush with or lower than the rim to inhibit inadvertent actuation of the disposable cautery device. In some embodiments, an end cap is coupled with the second end of the housing to retain the removable power source in the housing, and removal of the end cap from the housing causes the coupling between the end cap and the housing to fracture.

Claims26

Dependent claims

A disposable cautery device, comprising:

a housing having a first end and a second end, said housing comprising an electrical circuit including an actuator and a removable power source;
a cautery tip extending from said first end of said housing, said cautery tip in electrical communication with said electrical circuit;
and
an end cap configured to be received by and attached to said second end of said housing via a fracturable coupling, said end cap configured to retain said power source in said housing during use of the disposable cautery device, said fracturable coupling comprises retaining members and apertures, wherein said retaining members extend from said second end of said housing, wherein said apertures are formed in said end cap and are configured to receive said retaining members;
wherein said actuator is configured to selectively complete said electrical circuit to actuate said cautery device;
wherein said fracturable coupling breaks in a predetermined fashion in response to a predetermined force applied to said end cap;
wherein said fracturable coupling attaches said end cap to said second end of said housing in such a way that disconnection of said end cap from said second end of said housing to remove said removable power source involves breaking said fracturable coupling.

4 more elements

A disposable cautery device, comprising:

a housing having an interior, a first end, and a second end;
a cautery tip extending from the first end of the housing, the second end of the housing being configured to receive a removable power source entirely within the interior of the housing;
an actuator configured to selectively complete an electrical connection between the cautery tip and the removable power source, wherein the actuator is retained in a recess formed in the housing;
and
an end cap configured to be received by the second end of the housing and configured to be connected to the second end of the housing via a coupling during use of the disposable cautery device, the end cap configured to retain the removable power source entirely within the interior of the housing during use of the disposable cautery device;
wherein the recess is at least partially circumscribed by a raised rim;
wherein, when no force is applied to the actuator, a top surface of the actuator is flush with or lower than the raised rim to inhibit inadvertent actuation of the disposable cautery device;
wherein the coupling comprises laterally-opposed retaining members extending from the second end of the housing in a proximal direction, each of the retaining members comprising a tab raised above a surface of the retaining member;
wherein the end cap comprises laterally-opposed apertures configured to receive the tabs of the retaining members to connect the end cap to the second end of the housing;
and
wherein the coupling is configured to connect the end cap to the second end of the housing in such a way that disconnection of the end cap from the second end of the housing to remove the removable power source from the interior of the housing involves breaking the coupling.

8 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Hand-held cautery device

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Hand-held cautery device

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims26