US4580567A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Suture needle holder
Assignee: United States Department of the Army
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Filing: 1985-06-03
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Granted: 1986-04-08
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Expires: 2005-06-03
Abstract
Abstract A typical embodiment of the invention enables a surgeon to occupy only oneand in manipulating a suture needle. The instrument thumb handle has, on one end, a freely rotatable short roller. The ring finger handle, moreover, has a long roller that is journalled within that handle. One end of the long roller bears against the short roller to form a nip that engages the suture needle. The other end of the long roller terminates near the ring finger handle grip to enable the surgeon to rotate the long roller with another finger of the same hand and thereby draw the needle through the nip, repositioning the needle for another stitch.
Inventors
- 👤 Eugene J. Schweitzer
- 👤 James R. Bresch
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-22 17:42
CPC Classifications
A; A61; A61B; A61B17/00; A61B17/04; A61B17/06; A61B17/062; A61B17/28
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 5
Claim 1
Independent Claim
179 words
An instrument for manipulating a suture and suture needle comprising, a thumb handle, a thumb grip on one end of said handle, a short roller secured to the opposite end of said handle and freely rotatable relative to the axis of said handle, a ring finger handle pivotally jointed to said thumb handle having a lengthwise journal formed therein and having a bight formed near one end of said handle to expose a portion of said journal, a ring finger grip on the end of said ring finger handle that is closest to said bight, a long roller received in said journal for rotation relative thereto, one end of said long roller exposed in said ring finger handle bight and the other end of said long roller protruding from the opposite end of said ring finger handle to selectively bear against said short roller and to form a nip therewith, and a fulcrum for pivotally joining said thumb and ring finger handles together to clasp the suture needle in said nip and to advance the needle through said nip.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
179 words
An instrument for manipulating a suture and suture needle comprising, a thumb handle, a thumb grip on one end of said handle, a short roller secured to the opposite end of said handle and freely rotatable relative to the axis of said handle, a ring finger handle pivotally jointed to said thumb handle having a lengthwise journal formed therein and having a bight formed near one end of said handle to expose a portion of said journal, a ring finger grip on the end of said ring finger handle that is closest to said bight, a long roller received in said journal for rotation relative thereto, one end of said long roller exposed in said ring finger handle bight and the other end of said long roller protruding from the opposite end of said ring finger handle to selectively bear against said short roller and to form a nip therewith, and a fulcrum for pivotally joining said thumb and ring finger handles together to clasp the suture needle in said nip and to advance the needle through said nip.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
67 words
An instrument according to claim 1 further comprising a plurality of lengthwise oriented teeth formed in said long roller exposed within said bight to promote rotation of said long roller, and a roller locking finger protruding from said thumb handle in alignment with said bight and said exposed long roller teeth, said roller locking finger having teeth formed thereon to mesh selectively with said long roller teeth.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
21 words
An instrument according to claim 1 wherein said short roller and said protruding long roller end each further comprise knurled surfaces.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
50 words
An instrument according to claim 1 further comprising a locking cam protruding from said thumb handle toward said ring finger handle and another locking cam protruding from said ring finger handle toward said thumb handle to selectively mesh together and to prevent said handles from moving relative to each other.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1989-04-07 | 1989-10-07 | 1990-04-08 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1993-04-07 | 1993-10-07 | 1994-04-08 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1997-04-07 | 1997-10-07 | 1998-04-08 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |