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US5160318A Expired / Lapsed US ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

Surgical cutting instrument with ceramic coating on an inner tubular member

Assignee: Linvatec Corp
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Filing: 1991-04-10
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Granted: 1992-11-03
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Expires: 2011-04-10
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Abstract

Abstract A surgical cutting instrument having elongate inner and outer tubular members with distal ends cooperating to cut bodily tissue and aspirate the cut bodily tissue through the inner tubular member includes a ceramic coating formed on the inner tubular member to extend from the distal end to the proximal end thereof such that the ceramic coating forms an elongate bearing surface extending along the length of the surgical cutting instrument to prevent cocking or skewing of the inner tubular member relative to the outer tubular member, to increase the surface hardness of the inner tubular member, to reduce the coefficient of friction of the inner tubular member and to prevent galling and possible seizure of the inner tubular member by distributing or dispersing heat along the surgical cutting instrument while reducing the clearance between the outer diameter of the inner tubular member and the inner diameter of the outer tubular member.

Inventors

  • 👤 Donald K. Shuler

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction US
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-10-23 12:02
CPC Classifications
A; A61; A61B; A61B17/00; A61B17/32; A61B17/320016; A61B17/32002; A61B2017/00831; A61B2017/0084; A61B2017/00845

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 18
Claim 1
Independent Claim 166 words
A surgical cutting instrument comprising an elongate outer tubular member having a distal end and an opening disposed at said distal end; an elongate inner tubular member having a distal end and a cutting edge disposed at said distal end, said inner tubular member being movably received in said outer tubular member to position said distal end of said inner tubular member adjacent said distal end of said outer tubular member and said cutting edge adjacent said opening to permit said cutting edge to engage bodily tissue through said opening; and a ceramic coating formed on said inner tubular member and said cutting edge to form an elongate bearing surface along the length of said inner tubular member, said inner tubular member having an outer diameter substantially the same as the inner diameter of said outer tubular member such that the clearance between the outer diameter of said inner tubular member and the inner diameter of said outer tubular member is approximately 0.0075 inches or less.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim 166 words
A surgical cutting instrument comprising an elongate outer tubular member having a distal end and an opening disposed at said distal end; an elongate inner tubular member having a distal end and a cutting edge disposed at said distal end, said inner tubular member being movably received in said outer tubular member to position said distal end of said inner tubular member adjacent said distal end of said outer tubular member and said cutting edge adjacent said opening to permit said cutting edge to engage bodily tissue through said opening; and a ceramic coating formed on said inner tubular member and said cutting edge to form an elongate bearing surface along the length of said inner tubular member, said inner tubular member having an outer diameter substantially the same as the inner diameter of said outer tubular member such that the clearance between the outer diameter of said inner tubular member and the inner diameter of said outer tubular member is approximately 0.0075 inches or less.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim 20 words
A surgical cutting instrument as recited in claim 1 wherein said ceramic coating has a thickness of substantially 0.0001 inch.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim 27 words
A surgical cutting instrument as recited in claim 1 wherein the outer surface of said inner tubular member has a surface hardness of approximately 80Rc and greater.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim 28 words
A surgical cutting instrument as recited in claim 1 wherein the outer surface of said inner tubular member has a coefficient of friction of approximately 0.5 or less.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim 25 words
A surgical cutting instrument as recited in claim 2 wherein said outer tubular member and said inner tubular member are each made of stainless steel.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim 76 words
A surgical cutting instrument as recited in claim 5 wherein said outer tubular member includes a proximal end with a plastic hub fixed thereto and said inner tubular member includes a proximal end with a plastic hub fixed thereto and having a portion received in said hub of said outer tubular member and a portion having a passage extending therethrough in communication with the lumen of said inner tubular member for aspiration of cut bodily tissue.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim 22 words
A surgical cutting instrument as recited in claim 1 wherein said inner tubular member is rotatably received in said outer tubular member.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim 95 words
A surgical cutting instrument as recited in claim 7 wherein said outer tubular member and said inner tubular member are each made of stainless steel and said outer tubular member includes a proximal end with a plastic hub fixed thereto and said inner tubular member includes a proximal end with a plastic hub fixed thereto over said coating and having a portion received in said hub of said outer tubular member and a portion having a passage extending therethrough in communication with the lumen of said inner tubular member for aspiration of cut bodily tissue.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim 25 words
A surgical cutting instrument as recited in claim 1 wherein said cutting edge is disposed below the longitudinal center line of said inner tubular member.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim 26 words
A surgical cutting instrument as recited in claim 9 wherein said cutting edge defines an acute angle at the outer diameter of said inner tubular member.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim 181 words
A surgical cutting instrument comprising an elongate outer tubular member having a proximal end, a distal end and an opening disposed at said distal end; an elongate inner tubular member having a proximal end, a distal end and a cutting edge disposed at said distal end, said inner tubular member being movably received in said outer tubular member to position said proximal end of said inner tubular member adjacent said proximal end of said outer tubular member, said distal end of said inner tubular member adjacent said distal end of said outer tubular member and said cutting edge adjacent said opening to permit said cutting edge to engage bodily tissue through said opening; and a ceramic coating formed on said inner tubular member by physical vapor deposition and extending from said distal end to said proximal end of said inner tubular member, said inner tubular member having an outer diameter substantially the same as the inner diameter of said outer tubular member such that said ceramic coating forms an elongate bearing surface extending along the length of said surgical cutting instrument.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim 181 words
A surgical cutting instrument comprising an elongate outer tubular member having a proximal end, a distal end and an opening disposed at said distal end; an elongate inner tubular member having a proximal end, a distal end and a cutting edge disposed at said distal end, said inner tubular member being movably received in said outer tubular member to position said proximal end of said inner tubular member adjacent said proximal end of said outer tubular member, said distal end of said inner tubular member adjacent said distal end of said outer tubular member and said cutting edge adjacent said opening to permit said cutting edge to engage bodily tissue through said opening; and a ceramic coating formed on said inner tubular member by physical vapor deposition and extending from said distal end to said proximal end of said inner tubular member, said inner tubular member having an outer diameter substantially the same as the inner diameter of said outer tubular member such that said ceramic coating forms an elongate bearing surface extending along the length of said surgical cutting instrument.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim 20 words
A surgical cutting instrument as recited in claim 11 wherein said ceramic coating has a thickness of substantially 0.0001 inch.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim 25 words
A surgical cutting instrument as recited in claim 12 wherein said outer tubular member and said inner tubular member are each made of stainless steel.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim 84 words
A surgical cutting instrument as recited in claim 13 wherein said outer tubular member includes a plastic hub fixed to said proximal end of said outer tubular member and said inner tubular member includes a plastic hub fixed to said proximal end of said inner tubular member and having a portion received in said hub of said outer tubular member and a portion having a passage extending therethrough in communication with the lumen of said inner tubular member for aspiration of cut bodily tissue.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim 22 words
A surgical cutting instrument as recited in claim 11 wherein said inner tubular member is rotatably received in said outer tubular member.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim 103 words
A surgical cutting instrument as recited in claim 15 wherein said outer tubular member and said inner tubular member are each made of stainless steel and said outer tubular member includes a plastic hub fixed to said proximal end of said outer tubular member and said inner tubular member includes a plastic hub fixed to said proximal end of said inner tubular member over said coating and having a portion received in said hub of said outer tubular member and a portion having a passage extending therethrough in communication with the lumen of said inner tubular member for aspiration of cut bodily tissue.

References Cited (Backward Citations)

US4698958A Cited
US4923441A Cited
US5061238A Cited
US4988534A Cited

USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows

Annuity Stage Window Opens Payment Deadline Surcharge Period Until Estimated Fee Status
3.5 Years (Year 4) 1995-11-03 1996-05-04 1996-11-03 $2000.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8) 1999-11-03 2000-05-04 2000-11-03 $3760.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12) 2003-11-03 2004-05-04 2004-11-03 $7700.00 Window Closed / Lapsed

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