Modular pneumatic surgical drill

Claim 2

In a pneumatically driven turbine type surgical drill that includes casing means having turbine means rotatably mounted therein, releasable tool holding means operable by said turbine means, and trigger means for controlling supply of compressed air to said turbine means, the improvement wherein said casing means has an air flow passage network including an air inlet located rearwardly of said turbine means, an air supply passage leading from said inlet to a front region of said turbine means for rearward flow through said turbine means to impart rotation thereto and an air exhaust passage leading from a rear region of the turbine means to an exit located rearwardly of said turbine means.

Claim 3

In a drill as defined in claim 1 and wherein said casing means includes concentric telescoping sleeves encircling said turbine means and defining an elongated annular air supply passage region for directing incoming air to an annular front region of said turbine means for directing the air rearwardly in substantially uniformly distributed relation into the turbine means.

Claim 4

In a drill as defined in claim 1 and wherein said exhaust passage includes a sump region communicating in substantially uniformly distributed relation with the rear region of the turbine means, and a substantially straight bore communicating with the sump region and extending through the casing means to exhaust through said exit at the extreme rear region of said casing means.

Claim 5

In a drill as defined in claim 3 and wherein said casing means includes concentric telescoping sleeves encircling said turbine means and defining an elongated annular air supply passage region for directing incoming air to an annular front region of said turbine means for directing the air rearwardly in substantially uniformly distributed relation into the turbine means.

Claim 6

In a pneumatically driven turbine type surgical drill that includes casing means having turbine means rotatably mounted therein, releasable tool holding means operable by said turbine means, and trigger means for controlling supply of compressed air to said turbine means, the improvement wherein said casing means comprises a modular casing assembly that includes a turbine housing having a rear attachment section, a trigger section, a valve section and a valve cylinder section in successive axial alignment, each of said sections having a separate endwise opening air supply passage portion and a separate endwise opening air exhaust passage portion, and means securing said sections in end to end contacting relationship wherein the air supply passage portions are in successive registry to define an air supply passage and the air passage portions are in successive registry to define an air exhaust passage.

Claim 7

In a pneumatically driven turbine type surgical drill that includes casing means having turbine means rotatably mounted therein, releasable tool holding means operable by said turbine means, and trigger means for controlling supply of compressed air to said turbine means, the improvement wherein said casing means comprises a modular casing assembly that includes a turbine housing having a rear attachment section, a trigger section, a valve section and a valve cylinder section in successive axial alignment, each of said sections having a separate endwise opening air supply passage portion and a separate endwise opening air exhaust passage portion, and means securing said sections in end to end contacting relationship wherein the air supply passage portions are in successive registry to define an air supply passage and the air passage portions are in successive registry to define an air exhaust passage.

Claim 8

In a drill as defined in claim 5 and wherein said turbine housing includes concentric telescoping sleeves encircling said turbine means and defining an elongated annular air supply passage region for directing incoming air to an annular front regiOn of said turbine means for directing the air rearwardly in substantially uniformly distributed relation into the turbine means.

Claim 9

In a drill as defined in claim 6 and wherein said exhaust passage includes a sump region communicating in substantially uniformly distributed relation with the rear region of the turbine means, and a substantially straight bore communicating with the sump region and extending through the casing means to exhaust through said exit at the extreme rear region of said casing means.

Claim 10

In a drill as defined in claim 5 and wherein said valve section includes an air supply passage portion having an eccentric valve chamber region opening through its rear face and a jogged passage region opening through its front face, said trigger section includes an eccentric guide bore opening through its rear face and communicating with said valve chamber region to receive a valve actuating rod, an axial guide bore to receive a slide rod for actuating the releasable tool holding means and a transversely opening socket intersecting said eccentric guide bore and said axial guide bore, said trigger means having a stem portion projecting through said socket to engage the valve actuating rod and the slide rod for controlling fore and aft shifting thereof.

Claim 11

In a drill as defined in claim 1 and wherein said casing means comprises a modular casing assembly that includes a turbine housing having a rear attachment section and at least one additional section for supporting said trigger means and for supporting valve means controlled by said trigger means, each of said sections having a separate endwise opening air supply passage portion and a separate endwise opening air exhaust passage portion, and means securing said sections in end-to-end contacting relationship wherein the air supply passage portions are in successive registry to define said air supply passage and the air exhaust passage portions are in successive registry to define said air exhaust passage.

Claim 12

A pneumatic turbine powered surgical motor apparatus for rotating a medical instrument comprising, in combination, an elongated housing having a longitudinal axis, an input end and an output end, a shaft rotatably mounted in said housing concentric with said axis and projecting from said output end adapted to drive a cutting instrument, a pressurized gas connection and an exhaust gas connection defined on said housing at said input end, an axial flow turbine having a rotor rotatably mounted in said housing concentric thereto and drivingly connected to said shaft, said turbine having an inlet disposed toward said housing output end and an exit disposed toward said housing input end, first passage means longitudinally defined in said housing concentrically extending about the periphery of said turbine and communicating with said pressurized gas connection and said turbine inlet, and second passage means defined in said housing communicating with said exhaust gas connection and said turbine exit whereby pressurized gas entering said pressurized gas connection and first passage flows toward said housing output end to said turbine inlet, enters said turbine inlet and reverses its direction of flow to flow through said turbine toward said housing input end and from said turbine exit to said exhaust gas connection.

Claim 13

A pneumatic turbine powered surgical motor apparatus for rotating a medical instrument comprising, in combination, an elongated housing having a longitudinal axis, an input end and an output end, a shaft rotatably mounted in said housing concentric with said axis and projecting from said output end adapted to drive a cutting instrument, a pressurized gas connection and an exhaust gas connection defined on said housing at said input end, an axial flow turbine having a rotor rotatably mounted in said housing concentric thereto and drivingly connected to said shaft, said turbine having an inlet disposed toward said housing output end and an exit disposed toward said housing input end, first passage means longitudinally defined in said housing concentrically extending about the periphery of said turbine and communicating with said pressurized gas connection and said turbine inlet, and second passage means defined in said housing communicating with said exhaust gas connection and said turbine exit whereby pressurized gas entering said pressurized gas connection and first passage flows toward said housing output end to said turbine inlet, enters said turbine inlet and reverses its direction of flow to flow through said turbine toward said housing input end and from said turbine exit to said exhaust gas connection.

Claim 14

In a pneumatic turbine powered surgical motor apparatus as in claim 10 wherein said first passage means comprises an annular chamber concentrically disposed about said turbine and said second passage means comprises a plurality of passages axially defined in said housing extending between said turbine exit and said exhaust gas connection.