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EP0192443A2 Expired / Lapsed EP ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

Apparatus for implementing a standardized skin incision

Assignee: Individual
•
Filing: 1986-02-17
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Granted: —
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Expires: 2006-02-17
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Abstract

Abstract An apparatus is provided for implementing a standardized skin incision which apparatus includes a housing (14) having a base containing an elongated slot (21). The base is adapted to be held flush against a patient's skin prior to making an incision. The housing (14) has an internal hollow (30) which contains a pivot arm (60) having a first pivotal end and a second end having a cam follower (61). Located within the housing is a cam surface (50) upon which the cam follower (61) of the pivot arm (60) rides. The pivot end of the arm (60) contains a cutting edge (71) and is coupled to the housing such that it is enabled to move transversely while pivoting. The cam surface (50) which is a convoluted surface controls the path of the pivot arm (60) and therefore controls the path of the cutting edge (71) as it enters the slot (21) when triggered. The device produces a standard incision of a given length and a given depth as controlled by the reciprocating pivot point and the cam surface. The device is completely disposable and further possesses the advantage that the cutting edge (71) is always located within the housing (14) except when the unit is triggered where the edge (71) traverses and projects through the slot (21) in the housing (14) for an extremely short period of time. The unit can be fabricated from plastic and sterilized prior to use and hence it is completely disposable.

Inventors

  • 👤 Michael D. Mintz

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction EP
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-10-23 22:55
CPC Classifications
A; A61; A61B; A61B17/00; A61B17/32; A61B17/3209; A61B17/32093; A61B5/00; A61B5/15; A61B5/150007; A61B5/150015; A61B5/150022; A61B5/150374; A61B5/150381; A61B5/150442; A61B5/150458; A61B5/150465; A61B5/151; A61B5/15101; A61B5/15103; A61B5/15107; A61B5/15113; A61B5/15115; A61B5/15117; A61B5/15126; A61B5/15128; A61B5/15142; A61B5/15144; A61B5/15186; A61B5/15188; A61B5/1519; A61B5/15192; A61B5/15194

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.

References Cited (Backward Citations)

US3902475A Cited
US4078552A Cited

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