Holder and actuator means for surgical instruments

Claim 2

In an actuator and holder means for a cutting instrument useful in microsurgery and including a cutting member, the combination of: holder means including a housing having a chamber therein; actuator means for imparting cutting motion to said cutting member including a pin adapted to be operably connected at one end with said cutting member, a transversely disposed element connected to said pin in spaced relation to said one end and located within said chamber and movable with the pin, said transversely disposed element being mounted for pivotal movment about an axis spaced from the axis of the pin, said transversely disposed element comprising a disc-like element, one face of said disc-like element being beveled from a chord line spaced from the center of the element and spaced from the axis of the pin member to provide clearance for said pivotal movement, said disc-like element including a planar face opposite to said face having said bevel, spring means in contact with said planar face biasing said disclike element in the direction of said pin, and means carried by the housing and cooperable with said transversely disposed element to impart forward and backward motion to said pin and element whereby a cutting edge on said cutting member is imparted cutting motion of restricted scope.

Claim 3

In a means as stated in claim 1 wherein said motion imparting means includes an electrically actuated core exerting a force field on said disc-like element.

Claim 4

In an actuator and holder means for a cutting instrument useful in microsurgery and including a cutting member, the combination of: holder means including a housing having a chamber therein; actuator means for imparting cutting motion to said cutting member including a pin adapted to be operably connected at one end with said cutting member, a transversely disposed element connected to said pin in spaced relation to said one end and located within said chamber and movable with the pin, means carried by the housing and cooperable with said transversely disposed element to impart forward and backward motion to said pin and element whereby a cutting edge on said cutting member is imparted cutting motion of restricted scope, and means on said actuator means and on said transversely disposed element to restrain rotation of said element and said pin; said transversely disposed element being mounted for pivotal movement about an axis spaced from the axis of the pin and perpendicular to the pin axis; said transversely disposed element comprising a disc-like element, one face of the disc-like element being beveled from a chord line spaced from the center of the element and spaced from the axis of the pin member to provide clearance for said pivotal movement, said chord line locating said pivotal axis for said element.

Claim 5

In an actuator and holder means for a cutting instrument useful in microsurgery and including a cutting member, the combination of: holder means including a housing having a chamber therein; actuator means for imparting cutting motion to said cutting member including a pin adapted to be operably connected at one end with said cutting member, a transversely disposed element connected to said pin in spaced relation to said one end and located within said chamber and movable with the pin, means carried by the housing and cooperable with said transversely disposed element to impart forward and backward motion to said pin and element whereby a cutting edge on said cutting member is imparted cutting motion of restricted scope, and means on said actuator means and on said transversely disposed element to restrain rotation of said element and said pin; said transversely disposed element being mounted for pivotal movement about an axis spaced from the axis of the pin and perpendicular to the pin axis; said transversely disposed element comprising a disc-like element, one face of the disc-like element being beveled from a chord line spaced from the center of the element and spaced from the axis of the pin member to provide clearance for said pivotal movement, said chord line locating said pivotal axis for said element.

Claim 6

In an actuator and holder means for a cutting instrument useful in microsurgerY and including a cutting member, the combination of: holder means including a housing having a chamber therein; actuator means for imparting cutting motion to said cutting member including a pin adapted to be operably connected at one end with said cutting member, a transversely disposed element connected to said pin in spaced relation to said one end and located within said chamber and movable with the pin, means carried by the housing and cooperable with said transversely disposed element to impart forward and backward motion to said pin and element whereby a cutting edge on said cutting member is imparted cutting motion of restricted scope, and means on said actuator means and on said transversely disposed element to restrain rotation of said element and said pin; said holder means including an end cap having a recessed opening through which said pin extends, a flexible seal means seated in said recessed opening and having a cylindrical flange in said recess and a conical portion extending outwardly of the opening along said pin whereby external pressure is transmitted to said pin and cap for sealing thereof, and means on said end cap for securing one member of a scissors type cutting member.

Claim 7

In an actuator and holder means for a cutting instrument useful in microsurgerY and including a cutting member, the combination of: holder means including a housing having a chamber therein; actuator means for imparting cutting motion to said cutting member including a pin adapted to be operably connected at one end with said cutting member, a transversely disposed element connected to said pin in spaced relation to said one end and located within said chamber and movable with the pin, means carried by the housing and cooperable with said transversely disposed element to impart forward and backward motion to said pin and element whereby a cutting edge on said cutting member is imparted cutting motion of restricted scope, and means on said actuator means and on said transversely disposed element to restrain rotation of said element and said pin; said holder means including an end cap having a recessed opening through which said pin extends, a flexible seal means seated in said recessed opening and having a cylindrical flange in said recess and a conical portion extending outwardly of the opening along said pin whereby external pressure is transmitted to said pin and cap for sealing thereof, and means on said end cap for securing one member of a scissors type cutting member.

Claim 8

In an actuator and holder means for a cutting instrument useful in microsurgery and including a cutting member, the combination of: holder means including a housing having a chamber therein; actuator means for imparting cutting motion to said cutting member including a pin adapted to be operably connected at one end with said cutting member, a transversely disposed element connected to said pin in spaced relation to said one end and located within said chamber and movable with the pin, means carried by the housing and cooperable with said transversely disposed element to impart forward and backward motion to said pin and element whereby a cutting edge on said cutting member is imparted cutting motion of restricted scope, and means on said actuator means and on said transversely disposed element to restrain rotation of said element and said pin; said holder means including, means providing a first stop surface to contact one face of said transverse member, means providing a second stop surface to contact a face of said transverse member opposite to said one face, and wherein said means to impart back and forth motion to said pin and transverse element is restricted to the precise distance between said stop surfaces and at a selected number of cycles per second, one of said stop surfaces including a hinge line for rocking of said transverse member thereon.

Claim 9

In an actuator and holder means for a cutting instrument useful in microsurgery and including a cutting member, the combination of: holder means including a housing having a chamber therein; actuator means for imparting cutting motion to said cutting member including a pin adapted to be operably connected at one end with said cutting member, a transversely disposed element connected to said pin in spaced relation to said one end and located within said chamber and movable with the pin, means carried by the housing and cooperable with said transversely disposed element to impart forward and backward motion to said pin and element whereby a cutting edge on said cutting member is imparted cutting motion of restricted scope, and means on said actuator means and on said transversely disposed element to restrain rotation of said element and said pin; said holder means including, means providing a first stop surface to contact one face of said transverse member, means providing a second stop surface to contact a face of said transverse member opposite to said one face, and wherein said means to impart back and forth motion to said pin and transverse element is restricted to the precise distance between said stop surfaces and at a selected number of cycles per second, one of said stop surfaces including a hinge line for rocking of said transverse member thereon.

Claim 10

In an actuator and holder means for a cutting instrument useful in microsurgery and including a cutting member, the combination of: holder means including a housing having a chamber therein; actuator means for imparting cutting motion to said cutting member including a pin adapted to be operably connected at one end with said cutting member, a transversely disposed element connected to said pin in spaced relation to said one end and located within said chamber and movable with the pin, means carried by the housing and cooperable with said transversely disposed element to impart forward and backward motion to said pin and element whereby a cutting edge on said cutting member is imparted cutting motion of restricted scope, and means on said actuator means and on said transversely disposed element to restrain rotation of said element and said pin; said holder means including a housing comprising an elongated cylinder having open ends, end caps partially receivable in said open ends in sealing relation therewith, one end cap having an opening for entry of electrical conduit, fluid tight pressure seal means for said conduit in said end cap, said other end cap having an opening for said pin, a seal means between said pin and said end cap, and means on the latter enD cap for mounting a fixed part of an instrument.

Claim 11

In an actuator and holder means for a cutting instrument useful in microsurgery and including a cutting member, the combination of: holder means including a housing having a chamber therein; actuator means for imparting cutting motion to said cutting member including a pin adapted to be operably connected at one end with said cutting member, a transversely disposed element connected to said pin in spaced relation to said one end and located within said chamber and movable with the pin, means carried by the housing and cooperable with said transversely disposed element to impart forward and backward motion to said pin and element whereby a cutting edge on said cutting member is imparted cutting motion of restricted scope, and means on said actuator means and on said transversely disposed element to restrain rotation of said element and said pin; said holder means including a housing comprising an elongated cylinder having open ends, end caps partially receivable in said open ends in sealing relation therewith, one end cap having an opening for entry of electrical conduit, fluid tight pressure seal means for said conduit in said end cap, said other end cap having an opening for said pin, a seal means between said pin and said end cap, and means on the latter enD cap for mounting a fixed part of an instrument.

Claim 12

In an actuator and holder means for a cutting instrument useful in microsurgery and including a cutting member, the combination of: holder means including a housing having a chamber therein and a longitudinal axis; actuator means for imparting cutting motion to said cutting member including a pin laterally offset from said axis and adapted to be operably connected at one end with said cutting member, a transversely disposed element rigidly connected to said pin in spaced relation to said one end and located within said chamber in coaxial relation with said housing and movable with said pin, means carried by the housing at said longitudinal axis and cooperable with said transversely disposed element to impart forward and backward motion to said pin and element whereby a cutting edge on said cutting member is imparted cutting motion of restricted scope; and means on said actuator means and on said transversely disposed element to restrain rotation of said element and said pin; said holder means including means providing a first stop surface to contact one face of said transverse member, means providing a second stop surface to contact a face of said transverse member opposite to said one face, said means carried by said housing at said longitudinal axis to impart back and forth motion to said pin and transverse element being restricted to the precise distance between said stop surfaces and to a selected number of cycles per second.

Claim 13

In an actuator and holder means for a cutting instrument useful in microsurgery and including a cutting member, the combination of: holder means including a housing having a chamber therein and a longitudinal axis; actuator means for imparting cutting motion to said cutting member including a pin laterally offset from said axis and adapted to be operably connected at one end with said cutting member, a transversely disposed element rigidly connected to said pin in spaced relation to said one end and located within said chamber in coaxial relation with said housing and movable with said pin, means carried by the housing at said longitudinal axis and cooperable with said transversely disposed element to impart forward and backward motion to said pin and element whereby a cutting edge on said cutting member is imparted cutting motion of restricted scope; and means on said actuator means and on said transversely disposed element to restrain rotation of said element and said pin; said holder means including means providing a first stop surface to contact one face of said transverse member, means providing a second stop surface to contact a face of said transverse member opposite to said one face, said means carried by said housing at said longitudinal axis to impart back and forth motion to said pin and transverse element being restricted to the precise distance between said stop surfaces and to a selected number of cycles per second.

Claim 14

In a means as stated in claim 7 wherein one of said stop surfaces is movable longitudinally of said axis relative to the other stop surface to provide precise length of travel of said transverse member and said pin.