EP0495634A2
Expired / Lapsed
EP
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Trocar
Assignee: Ethicon Inc
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Filing: 1992-01-14
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Granted: —
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Expires: 2012-01-14
Abstract
Abstract A safety trocar (1) is provided which includes a spring-loaded shield (30) that shields the cutting tip (28) of the obturator after the obturator penetrates tissue (T). The distal end of the shield is hemispheric in profile and slides within cutting tip. The rounded distal end enables the shield to spring forward to shield the cutting tip as soon as the tip perforates the tissue. In other embodiments, positive mechanical means effect shielding, using a groove (134) which forms a cam surface to be followed by a pin (126) provided on the obturator. Control means are disclosed whereby the obturator tip is caused to be exposed from the shield by motion relative thereto, when shield and obturator are placed in the cannula.
Inventors
- 👤 Ronald J. Brinkerhoff
- 👤 Harry C. Parkhurst
- 👤 Earl J. Mill
- 👤 Bela Vincze
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-07 22:36
CPC Classifications
A; A61; A61B; A61B17/00; A61B17/34; A61B17/3494; A61B17/3496; A61B17/3474; A61B90/00; A61B90/08; A61B2090/0801; A61B2090/08021
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 19
Claim 1
Independent Claim
77 words
A trocar comprising: a laparoscopic cannula; an obturator having a sharpened tip and insertable into said cannula; a protective shield insertable into said cannula and movable relative to said obturator to enclose said tip; and control means connected to said obturator and cannula and actuable such that said control means cause said obturator tip to be exposed from said shield by motion relative to said shield when said shield and said obturator are placed in said cannula.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
39 words
The trocar of claim 1 wherein said control means further comprise manually operable means connected to said obturator which cause said obturator to slide relative to said shield to an open position to expose said tip from said shield.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
37 words
The trocar of claim 1 or claim 2 wherein said control means are further capable of causing said tip to retract from said open position to a closed position where said tip is enclosed by said shield.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
28 words
The trocar of any one of claims 1 to 3, in which said shield is fixed within said cannula during motion of said trocar relative to said shield.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
67 words
The trocar of any one of claims 1 to 4, further comprising handle means connected to said obturator and said shield, said handle means extending from said cannula when said obturator and shield are inserted within said cannula, and said control means further comprise push button means movable with said handle means and capable of causing said obturator to slide within said cannula relative to said shield.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
55 words
The trocar of any one of claims 1 to 5, in which said control means further comprises sensor means attached to said shield and said obturator, said sensor means being capable of sensing pressure on said obturator or said shield and activating said shield to an open position to expose said tip from said shield.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
29 words
The trocar of claim 6 further comprising latch means connected to said sensor and said shield and activated by said sensor to hold said shield in said open portion.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
35 words
The trocar of claim 6 or claim 7, wherein said control means, said obturator and said shield are contained within a handle, said handle enabling insertion of said obturator and said shield into said cannula.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
27 words
The trocar of any one of claims 6 to 8, wherein said sensor is electromechanical and attached to said obturator tip to sense pressure on said tip.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
37 words
The trocar of any one of claims 1 to 9, in which the obturator tip is exposed from said shield by motion relative to said shield caused by spring means attached to said obturator and said shield.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
69 words
A trocar comprising: an obturator having a sharpened tip; a shield for enclosing said tip, said shield connected to said obturator and movable relative to said obturator; said tip urged outside said shield by spring means connected to said shield; and positive placement means for maintaining said shield in said constantly urged position, comprising a channel in said shield placed in mating relationship with a pin on said obturator.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
61 words
The trocar of claim 11 wherein said channel contains a longitudinal portion for positively urging said pin away from said spring means, and a closure portion connected to said longitudinal portion operable by rotating said shield about said obturator such that said pin is guided within said closure portion to a position restricting longitudinal movement of said shield with said obturator.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
60 words
The trocar of claim 12 wherein said closure portion contains a curved section and a lateral section, said pin being movable from said longitudinal portion into said curved section by rotation of said shield and into said lateral section by further rotation of said shield such that motion is restricted longitudinally when said jaw is seated in said lateral section.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
38 words
A trocar having a cannula with a generally hollow circular cross-section, an obturator with generally hollow circular cross-section insertable within said cannula, and a shield movable with respect to said obturator and insertable within said obturator hollow cross-section.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
13 words
The trocar of claim 14 wherein said shield has a generally blunt end.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
27 words
The trocar of claim 14 or claim 15, wherein said shield is urged away from the top of said obturator by spring means connected to said shield.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
38 words
The trocar of claim 16 wherein said spring means and said obturator are connected to a handle, said handle holding said spring means in place to urge said shield within said obturator and away from said obturator tip.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
27 words
The trocar of any one of claims 14 to 17, wherein said shield is placed inside said obturator on said handle and is insertable into said cannula.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
29 words
The trocar of any one of claims 14 to 18, wherein said shield is capable of being held by latching means to expose said obturator tip from said cannula.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
No citation records indexed.
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