Assisted lipectomy device

Claim 2

An assisted lipectomy device, comprising: handle means; an outer tube having distal and proximate ends, and having a longitudinal slot, said outer tube being open at said proximate end, and said proximate end of said outer tube attached to said handle means; an inner tube having distal and proximate ends, and having a spiral slot, said inner tube located within said outer tube, said inner tube being open at said proximate end, and said proximate end of said inner tube attached to said handle means; said spiral and longitudinal slots each having rounded edges; motor means coupled to said inner tube for oscillating said inner tube; and vacuum means for creating suction within said inner tube.

Claim 3

The assisted lipectomy device of claim 1 wherein said motor means comprises: a motor remote from said handle means; a flexible steel cable having a first end and a second end, said first end rotatably connected to said motor; and means coupling said second end of said cable to said inner tube, whereby rotation of said cable causes said inner tube to oscillate.

Claim 4

The assisted lipectomy device of claim 2 wherein said coupling means includes: rack means operatively connected to said second end of said cable; and pinion means operatively connected to said proximate end of said inner tube, said pinion means engaging said rack means, whereby lateral movement of said rack means causes rotational movement of said pinion means.

Claim 5

The assisted lipectomy device of claim 3 wherein said second end of said cable is attached to a cam disk, said cam disk being generally parallel to and in contact with said rack means, and further including means for biasing said rack means toward said cam disk.

Claim 6

The assisted lipectomy device of claim 3 wherein said second end of said cable is attached to an essentially circular disk, said cable being generally perpendicular to said circular disk, and said circular disk being generally parallel to said rack means, said rack means further being pivotally connected to the periphery of said circular disk.

Claim 7

The assisted lipectomy device of claim 1 further comprising: a tube gear surrounding said proximate end of said inner tube; a drive gear for engagement with said tube gear; and a servomechanism coupled to said drive gear for alternately rotating said drive gear clockwise and counterclockwise.

Claim 8

The assisted lipectomy device of claim 1 further comprising means for limiting oscillation of said inner tube.

Claim 9

The assisted lipectomy device of claim 7 wherein said limiting means comprises a tab attached to an outer surface of said inner tube near said proximate end thereof, said tab positioned within a groove in said handle means.

Claim 10

An assisted lipectomy device comprising: a hollow handle having first and second ends, and having means for attaching said handle to a vacuum source; an inner tube having distal and proximate ends, said proximate end of said inner tube passing through said first end of said handle and having a tube gear attached thereto, said inner tube further having a spiral slot with rounded edges; an outer tube having distal and proximate ends and surrounding said inner tube, said proximate end of said outer tube being attached to said first end of said handle and having a longitudinal slot with rounded edges; and motor means coupled to said tube gear for imparting oscillatory motion to said inner tube.

Claim 11

An assisted lipectomy device comprising: a hollow handle having first and second ends, and having means for attaching said handle to a vacuum source; an inner tube having distal and proximate ends, said proximate end of said inner tube passing through said first end of said handle and having a tube gear attached thereto, said inner tube further having a spiral slot with rounded edges; an outer tube having distal and proximate ends and surrounding said inner tube, said proximate end of said outer tube being attached to said first end of said handle and having a longitudinal slot with rounded edges; and motor means coupled to said tube gear for imparting oscillatory motion to said inner tube.

Claim 12

The assisted lipectomy device of claim 9 wherein said motor means comprises: a motor remote from said handle; a flexible steel cable having first and second ends, said first end rotatably connected to said motor; and means for operatively connecting said second end of said cable to said tube gear, whereby rotation of said cable causes said inner tube to oscillate.

Claim 13

The assisted lipectomy device of claim 10 wherein said tube gear forms a pinion, and said means for operatively connecting said second end of said cable to said tube gear includes a rack coupled to said second end of said cable, said rack engaging said pinion whereby lateral movement of said rack causes rotational movement of said pinion.

Claim 14

The assisted lipectomy device of claim 11 wherein said second end of said cable is attached to a cam disk, said cam disk being generally parallel to said rack, said cam disk having a lobe along its periphery, said rack slidably engaging said periphery of said cam disk, and further including means for biasing said rack toward said cam disk whereby, as said rack oscillates laterally, said pinion and said inner tube oscillate rotationally.

Claim 15

The assisted lipectomy device of claim 11 wherein said second end of said cable is attached to an essentially circular disk, said circular disk being generally parallel to said rack, said rack further being pivotally connected to the periphery of said circular disk.

Claim 16

The assisted lipectomy device of claim 13 further comprising means for limiting oscillation of said inner tube.

Claim 17

The assisted lipectomy device of claim 14 wherein said limiting means comprises tab means attached to an outer surface of said inner tube, said tab means positioned within a groove in said handle.

Claim 18

The assisted lipectomy device of claim 9 further comprising: a drive gear for engagement with said tube gear; and a servomechanism coupled to said drive gear for alternately rotating said drive gear clockwise and counterclockwise, said drive gear and said servomechanism located within said handle.

Claim 19

An assisted lipectomy device comprising: a handle having first and second ends and a cavity extending from said first end to said second end, and having a port at said second end for attachment to a vacuum source, said handle further having a groove along an inner surface near said first end; an inner tube having distal and proximate ends and an outer surface, said proximate end of said inner tube being in fluid communication with said cavity of said handle at said first end of said handle, said inner tube further having a spiral slot with rounded edges and a pinion surrounding said proximate end; an outer tube having distal and proximate ends and surrounding said inner tube, said proximate end of said outer tube being attached to said first end of said handle and having a longitudinal slot with rounded edges; a flexible steel cable having first and second ends; a motor remote from said handle, said motor rotatably driving said first end of said cable; a rack coupled to said second end of said cable, said rack engaging said pinion whereby lateral movement of said rack causes rotational movement of said pinion; and a tab attached to said outer surface of said inner tube near said proximate end thereof, said tab slidably mating with said groove in said handle.

Claim 20

An assisted lipectomy device comprising: a handle having first and second ends and a cavity extending from said first end to said second end, and having a port at said second end for attachment to a vacuum source, said handle further having a groove along an inner surface near said first end; an inner tube having distal and proximate ends and an outer surface, said proximate end of said inner tube being in fluid communication with said cavity of said handle at said first end of said handle, said inner tube further having a spiral slot with rounded edges and a pinion surrounding said proximate end; an outer tube having distal and proximate ends and surrounding said inner tube, said proximate end of said outer tube being attached to said first end of said handle and having a longitudinal slot with rounded edges; a flexible steel cable having first and second ends; a motor remote from said handle, said motor rotatably driving said first end of said cable; a rack coupled to said second end of said cable, said rack engaging said pinion whereby lateral movement of said rack causes rotational movement of said pinion; and a tab attached to said outer surface of said inner tube near said proximate end thereof, said tab slidably mating with said groove in said handle.

Claim 21

The assisted lipectomy device of claim 17 wherein said second end of said cable is attached to a cam disk, said second end of said cable being generally perpendicular to said cam disk, said cam disk being generally parallel to said rack, said cam disk having a lobe along its periphery, said rack slidably engaging said periphery of said cam disk, and further including means for biasing said rack toward said cam disk whereby, as said cam disk rotates, said rack oscillates laterally and said pinion and said inner tube oscillate rotationally.

Claim 22

The assisted lipectomy device of claim 17 wherein said second end of said cable is attached to an essentially circular disk, said second end of said cable being generally perpendicular to said circular disk, and said circular disk being generally parallel to said rack, said rack further being pivotally connected to the periphery of said circular disk.