Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 8
Claim 1
Independent Claim
235 words
An apparatus for implementing a standardized skin incision comprising a housing (14) having an internal hollow (30) and an opening (21) located on a surface thereof, the surface being adapted to be placed flush against a patient's skin, a movable member (60) being provided within the hollow (30) and a blade (86), coupled to the movable member (60), having a cutting edge (71) and a sharpened apex (83), characterized in that a single cam (50), having a continuous surface configuration, defines a controlled path, a cam follower (61), associated with the housing (14) and the movable member (60), allows the movable member (60) to move within constraints imposed by the cam (50) and follower (61) whereby the apex (83) of the blade (86) traces a controlled path through the opening (21) to cause the cutting edge (71) to incise the patient's skin, an activatable trigger (12) is coupled to the movable member (60) to hold it in a first position where the cutting edge (71) and sharpened apex (83) are within the housing (14) and to release the movable member (60) to cause the apex (83) to traverse the controlled path when activated, a biasing device (90) being coupled to the movable member (60) which is adapted to bias the movable member (60) in the first position and to provide a motivating force to move the movable member (60) when the trigger (12) is activated.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
235 words
An apparatus for implementing a standardized skin incision comprising a housing (14) having an internal hollow (30) and an opening (21) located on a surface thereof, the surface being adapted to be placed flush against a patient's skin, a movable member (60) being provided within the hollow (30) and a blade (86), coupled to the movable member (60), having a cutting edge (71) and a sharpened apex (83), characterized in that a single cam (50), having a continuous surface configuration, defines a controlled path, a cam follower (61), associated with the housing (14) and the movable member (60), allows the movable member (60) to move within constraints imposed by the cam (50) and follower (61) whereby the apex (83) of the blade (86) traces a controlled path through the opening (21) to cause the cutting edge (71) to incise the patient's skin, an activatable trigger (12) is coupled to the movable member (60) to hold it in a first position where the cutting edge (71) and sharpened apex (83) are within the housing (14) and to release the movable member (60) to cause the apex (83) to traverse the controlled path when activated, a biasing device (90) being coupled to the movable member (60) which is adapted to bias the movable member (60) in the first position and to provide a motivating force to move the movable member (60) when the trigger (12) is activated.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
102 words
An apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that the controlled path comprises essentially three segments, a first segment comprising essentially a line, normal to the housing surface and extending from the apex in the first position to a second position below the surface of the patient's skin, a second segment comprising essentially a line, parallel to the housing surface and extending from the second position to a third position below the surface -of the patient's skin, a third segment comprising essentially a line, normal to the housing surface and extending from the third position to a final position within the housing.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
35 words
An apparatus according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the opening (21) is a slit through which the blade (86) is adapted to pass without interference when the apex (83) traces its path.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
45 words
An apparatus according to claim 1, 2 or 3, characterized in that a pivot (41) is associated with a wall of the internal hollow (30) and the movable member (60) whereby the movable member (60) is adapted to move with both translational and rotational motion.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
57 words
An apparatus according to claim 1, 2, 3 or 4, characterized in that the movable member (60) is a pivot arm having a pivotable end (97) including means for allowing the arm to reciprocate transversely with respect to the opening (21) and having a cam follower (61) at the other end for coacting with the cam (50).
Claim 7
Independent Claim
57 words
An apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the movable member (102) includes the cam comprising a slot (103) in the movable member of a configuration for defining the controlled path and follower (104) coupled to the housing to cause the movable member (102) to follow the controlled path when moving.
Claim 8
Independent Claim
88 words
An apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that the movable member (132) comprises an elongated bar having the cutting edge (125) coupled to one end with the bar adapted to move parallel to the slot (126) and having located on the bar a cam surface aperture to allow the bar when moving to pivot transversely to the opening, with the follower coupled to the housing and coacting with the cam surface aperture to thereby cause the bar to follow the controlled path.