US6093154A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Biopsy needle
Assignee: Merit Medical Systems Inc
•
Filing: 1998-04-29
•
Granted: 2000-07-25
•
Expires: 2018-04-29
Abstract
Abstract A device for localizing and stabilizing a mass within the breast of a patient. The device has a housing with a sharpened cannula extending therefrom, and a plunger having a barbed wire extending therefrom that is slidably disposed within the housing. The barbed wire is releasable from the cannula housing by sliding the plunger, allowing the barb to engage a mass. A locking position prevents the plunger from unwanted sliding. Indicators alert a user as to the status of the device. The device can be held and used with one hand.
Inventors
- 👤 Paul Burek
- 👤 Bonnie B. Vivian
- 👤 James Edney
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-23 21:11
CPC Classifications
A; A61; A61B; A61B90/00; A61B90/39; A61B10/00; A61B10/02; A61B10/0233; A61B17/00; A61B17/34; A61B2017/348; A61B2017/3482; A61B2017/3484; A61B2090/3904; A61B2090/3908; A61B2090/3987
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 31
Claim 1
Independent Claim
161 words
A device for the localization and stabilization of a mass within a body, comprising: a housing having a cannula fixedly projecting distally therefrom; a plunger having a wire member having a barb fixedly projecting distally therefrom, the plunger being slidably disposed within said housing when the device is in a set position such that the wire member is slidably disposed within the cannula and the barb is contained within the cannula; the plunger being slidable from the device set position to a device deployed position wherein the barb extends beyond the cannula and is capable of grasping the mass; a cap that is linearly fixedly attached to the plunger, and slidably and rotatably attached to the housing; wherein the device has a locking position wherein the cap and plunger cannot slide in relation to the housing when the device is in the locking position; and wherein the cap is rotatable within the housing from the set position to the locking position.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
161 words
A device for the localization and stabilization of a mass within a body, comprising: a housing having a cannula fixedly projecting distally therefrom; a plunger having a wire member having a barb fixedly projecting distally therefrom, the plunger being slidably disposed within said housing when the device is in a set position such that the wire member is slidably disposed within the cannula and the barb is contained within the cannula; the plunger being slidable from the device set position to a device deployed position wherein the barb extends beyond the cannula and is capable of grasping the mass; a cap that is linearly fixedly attached to the plunger, and slidably and rotatably attached to the housing; wherein the device has a locking position wherein the cap and plunger cannot slide in relation to the housing when the device is in the locking position; and wherein the cap is rotatable within the housing from the set position to the locking position.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
58 words
The device of claim 1, wherein the cap has at least one tab that can be aligned with at least one groove in the housing, whereby the device is in the set position when the tab is aligned with the groove and the device is in the locking position when the tab is not aligned with the groove.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
34 words
The device of claim 2, wherein the cap is attached to the housing via a ratchet mechanism, whereby at least a threshold force is required to rotate the cap with respect to the housing.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
25 words
The device of claim 3, wherein the ratchet mechanism comprises a series of bumps on the housing that engage the at least one cap tab.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
17 words
The device of claim 4, wherein the at least one cap tab engaging said bumps is flexible.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
35 words
The device of claim 5, wherein the housing has at least one stop that indicates when the cap is rotated into the set position and prevents further rotation of the cap beyond the set position.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
13 words
The device of claim 2, wherein the cap extends proximally beyond the housing.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
16 words
The device of claim 7 wherein the cap engages the housing at a snap fit interface.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
22 words
The device of claim 8, wherein at least a portion of the cap has a substantially circular cross section encircling the housing.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
17 words
The device of claim 9, wherein the cap includes an inner post that extends into the plunger.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
66 words
The device of claim 1, further comprising a visual indicator to indicate whether the device is in the locking position or the set position; wherein the visual indicator includes two markers on the housing and a marker on the cap, wherein the cap marker aligns with one of the housing markers in the set position and the other of the housing markers in the locking position.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
23 words
The device of claim 11, wherein the housing marker indicating the set position is larger than the housing marker indicating the locking position.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
25 words
The device of claim 11, further comprising a visual indicator to indicate whether the device is in the set position or in the deployed position.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
25 words
The device of claim 13, wherein the visual indicator includes at least one window on the housing and at least one marker on the plunger.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
56 words
The device of claim 14, wherein the at least one window on the housing includes a first window and second window, wherein the plunger marker is visible though the first window when the device is in the set position and the marker is visible through the second window when the device is in the deployed position.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
25 words
The device of claim 15, wherein the plunger includes a plunger body and an engagement member extending from the plunger body that engages the housing.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
25 words
The device of claim 16, wherein the plunger engagement member is a flexible beam and the plunger marker is a portion of the flexible beam.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
25 words
The device of claim 17, wherein the beam provides a tactile detent as the plunger is slid from the set position to the deployed position.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
26 words
The device of claim 18, wherein the tactile detent is provided by a portion the beam fitting into the second indicator window formed on the housing.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
25 words
The device of claim 19, wherein the beam portion fitting into the indicator window is the indicator and is colored whereby its visibility is enhanced.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
18 words
The device of claim 19, wherein the beam fitting into the second indicator window produces an audible click.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
26 words
The device of claim 19, wherein the beam fitting into the second indicator window prevents the plunger from being slid proximally with respect to the housing.
Claim 24
Independent Claim
116 words
A device for the localization and stabilization of a mass within a body, comprising: a housing having a cannula fixedly projecting distally therefrom; a plunger having a wire member having a barb fixedly projecting distally therefrom; means for locking said plunger with respect to said housing wherein said barb is contained within said cannula such that linear force on the device does not affect the position of the barb; means for unlocking said plunger with respect to said housing into a set position wherein linear force on the device deploys the barb from the cannula into a deployed position; and means for preventing the barb from being retracted within the cannula after the barb is deployed.
Claim 25
Independent Claim
116 words
A device for the localization and stabilization of a mass within a body, comprising: a housing having a cannula fixedly projecting distally therefrom; a plunger having a wire member having a barb fixedly projecting distally therefrom; means for locking said plunger with respect to said housing wherein said barb is contained within said cannula such that linear force on the device does not affect the position of the barb; means for unlocking said plunger with respect to said housing into a set position wherein linear force on the device deploys the barb from the cannula into a deployed position; and means for preventing the barb from being retracted within the cannula after the barb is deployed.
Claim 26
Independent Claim
144 words
A method of making a device for the localization and stabilization of a mass within a body, comprising: establishing a housing having a cannula fixedly projecting distally therefrom; slidably disposing a plunger having a wire member having a barb fixedly projecting distally therefrom, such that when the device is in a set position the wire member is slidably disposed within the cannula and the barb is contained within the cannula; wherein the plunger is slidable from the device set position to a device deployed position wherein the barb extends beyond the cannula and is capable of grasping the mass; making the barb flat from a single hollow tube from which the wire member is also made, such that the barb has a first section that extends distally in-line within the cannula and the barb has a second section that angles proximally towards the housing.
Claim 27
Independent Claim
144 words
A method of making a device for the localization and stabilization of a mass within a body, comprising: establishing a housing having a cannula fixedly projecting distally therefrom; slidably disposing a plunger having a wire member having a barb fixedly projecting distally therefrom, such that when the device is in a set position the wire member is slidably disposed within the cannula and the barb is contained within the cannula; wherein the plunger is slidable from the device set position to a device deployed position wherein the barb extends beyond the cannula and is capable of grasping the mass; making the barb flat from a single hollow tube from which the wire member is also made, such that the barb has a first section that extends distally in-line within the cannula and the barb has a second section that angles proximally towards the housing.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
38 words
The method of claim 24, wherein the step of making the barb includes flattening an end of said tube a flattened section, and bending said flattened section to from the first barb section and the second barb section.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
15 words
The method of claim 25, wherein said single tube is substantially a 25 gauge cannula.
Claim 30
Independent Claim
183 words
A method of making a device for the localization and stabilization of a mass within a body, comprising: establishing a housing having a cannula fixedly projecting distally therefrom; slidably disposing a plunger having a wire member having a barb fixedly projecting distally therefrom, such that when the device is in a set position the wire member is slidably disposed within the cannula and the barb is contained within the cannula; wherein the plunger is slidable from the device set position to a device deployed position wherein the barb extends beyond the cannula and is capable of grasping the mass; wherein the barb is a first barb and further comprising a second barb substantially similar to the first barb, the barbs extending from the wire member at 180 degree angle relative to each other; making the barbs by slicing an end of a single hollow tube in a direction along the tube axis, the slicing occurring at two radial positions, flattening the sliced end of the tube into two flattened sections, and bending said two flattened section to form the first and second barbs.
Claim 31
Independent Claim
183 words
A method of making a device for the localization and stabilization of a mass within a body, comprising: establishing a housing having a cannula fixedly projecting distally therefrom; slidably disposing a plunger having a wire member having a barb fixedly projecting distally therefrom, such that when the device is in a set position the wire member is slidably disposed within the cannula and the barb is contained within the cannula; wherein the plunger is slidable from the device set position to a device deployed position wherein the barb extends beyond the cannula and is capable of grasping the mass; wherein the barb is a first barb and further comprising a second barb substantially similar to the first barb, the barbs extending from the wire member at 180 degree angle relative to each other; making the barbs by slicing an end of a single hollow tube in a direction along the tube axis, the slicing occurring at two radial positions, flattening the sliced end of the tube into two flattened sections, and bending said two flattened section to form the first and second barbs.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US3929123A
Cited
US4592356A
Cited
US4931059A
Cited
US4799495A
Cited
US4790329A
Cited
US4953558A
Cited
US4932417A
Cited
US4986279A
Cited
US5158565A
Cited
US5573008A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2003-07-25 | 2004-01-24 | 2004-07-25 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2007-07-25 | 2008-01-24 | 2008-07-25 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2011-07-25 | 2012-01-24 | 2012-07-25 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |