Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 19
Claim 1
Independent Claim
265 words
A biopsy device having a removable handle for alternatively attaching and removing a handle assembly while a cannula portion of the device is inserted into a patient, without affecting the orientation of the cannula portion within said patient, said biopsy device comprising: an outer cannula having a proximal end, a distal end, and a substantially hollow cross-section between said proximal and distal ends; an inner rod capable of being telescopically inserted into and retracted from said outer cannula, said inner rod having a proximal end and a distal end; a sheath operably associated with said outer cannula, said sheath comprising a locking element, and said sheath surrounding at least a portion of said outer cannula; a handle assembly removably attachable to said sheath, said handle assembly comprising a locking element and an opening for receiving at least a portion of said sheath, whereby said sheath may be at least partially inserted within said handle assembly and attached thereto, thereby retainably, yet releasably, locking said handle assembly to said outer cannula and said inner rod; and a release member for releasing said handle assembly from attachment to said sheath and, in turn, to said outer cannula and said inner rod, by interacting with said locking elements associated with said sheath and said handle assembly; said release member comprising a release element capable of being repositioned by the user between at least two positions in order to alternatively lock and release said handle assembly to said sheath; said release member further being maintainable at each of said at least two positions without further positioning by the user.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
265 words
A biopsy device having a removable handle for alternatively attaching and removing a handle assembly while a cannula portion of the device is inserted into a patient, without affecting the orientation of the cannula portion within said patient, said biopsy device comprising: an outer cannula having a proximal end, a distal end, and a substantially hollow cross-section between said proximal and distal ends; an inner rod capable of being telescopically inserted into and retracted from said outer cannula, said inner rod having a proximal end and a distal end; a sheath operably associated with said outer cannula, said sheath comprising a locking element, and said sheath surrounding at least a portion of said outer cannula; a handle assembly removably attachable to said sheath, said handle assembly comprising a locking element and an opening for receiving at least a portion of said sheath, whereby said sheath may be at least partially inserted within said handle assembly and attached thereto, thereby retainably, yet releasably, locking said handle assembly to said outer cannula and said inner rod; and a release member for releasing said handle assembly from attachment to said sheath and, in turn, to said outer cannula and said inner rod, by interacting with said locking elements associated with said sheath and said handle assembly; said release member comprising a release element capable of being repositioned by the user between at least two positions in order to alternatively lock and release said handle assembly to said sheath; said release member further being maintainable at each of said at least two positions without further positioning by the user.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
54 words
The biopsy device according to claim 1 , in which said locking element associated with said sheath comprises at least one slot on said sheath, said at least one slot capable of interacting with at least a portion of said release member so as to prevent separation of said sheath and said handle assembly.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
56 words
The biopsy device according to claim 2 , in which said locking element associated with said handle assembly comprises at least one aperture in said handle assembly, said at least one aperture capable of interacting with at least a portion of said release member so as to prevent separation of said sheath and said handle assembly.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
139 words
The biopsy device according to claim 3 , in which said release member comprises a rotatable collar associated with at least one of said sheath and said handle assembly, said rotatable collar capable of being rotated at least partially about said sheath and said handle assembly when said sheath and said handle assembly are joined together, said rotatable collar having at least two stationary positions, so that when said rotatable collar is in one of said positions, a portion of said rotatable collar interacts with both of said locking elements associated with said sheath and said handle assembly to prevent separation of said sheath and said handle assembly, said rotatable collar in the other of said stationary positions avoiding interaction with both of said locking elements, thereby permitting separation of said sheath and said handle assembly for release therebetween.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
138 words
The biopsy device according to claim 3 , in which said release member comprises a slide member associated with at least one of said sheath and said handle assembly, said slide member being capable of lateral movement relative to said sheath and said handle assembly when said sheath and said handle assembly are joined together, said slide member having at least two stationary positions, so that when said slide member is in one of said positions, a portion of said slide member interacts with both of said locking elements associated with said sheath and said handle assembly to prevent separation of said sheath and said handle assembly, said slide member in the other of said stationary positions avoiding interaction with both of said locking elements, thereby permitting separation of said sheath and said handle assembly for release therebetween.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
41 words
The biopsy device according to claim 1 , in which said opening in said handle assembly for receipt of said sheath is asymmetrical about at least one axis substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of said opening in said handle assembly.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
87 words
The biopsy device according to claim 6 , wherein at least a portion of said sheath has an asymmetrical cross-section substantially similar to that of said asymmetrical opening in said handle assembly, so as to be insertable into said handle assembly only when said sheath and said handle assembly are aligned in one particular orientation, thereby ensuring that said outer cannula and said inner rod are aligned in said one particular orientation relative to said handle assembly when said sheath and said handle assembly are locked together.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
51 words
The biopsy device according to claim 1 , in which at least a portion of the outer surface of said sheath is threaded to enable the attachment of a comparably threaded component of a separate conduit for attachment to said outer cannula after removal of said handle assembly from said sheath.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
23 words
The biopsy device according to claim 1 , further including an attachment member for securably attaching said inner rod within said outer cannula.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
38 words
The biopsy device according to claim 9 , in which said attachment member comprises at least one prong associated with said inner rod for engaging with said sheath to securably attach said inner rod within said outer cannula.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
35 words
The biopsy device according to claim 1 , further including a locking indicia for readily indicating whether said sheath and said handle assembly are in a locked or an unlocked orientation, relative to one another.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
28 words
The biopsy device according to claim 1 , wherein said inner rod comprises at least one of an inner cannula, a stylet, an obturator and an ejector rod.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
245 words
A biopsy device having a removable handle for alternatively attaching and removing a handle assembly while a cannula portion of the device is inserted into a patient, without affecting the orientation of the cannula portion within said patient, said biopsy device comprising: an outer cannula having a proximal end, a distal end, and a substantially hollow cross-section between said proximal and distal ends; an inner rod capable of being telescopically inserted into and retracted from said outer cannula, said inner rod having a proximal end and a distal end; a sheath operably associated with said outer cannula, said sheath comprising a locking element, and said sheath surrounding at least a portion of said outer cannula; a handle assembly removably attachable to said sheath, said handle assembly comprising a locking element and an opening for receiving at least a portion of said sheath, whereby said sheath may be at least partially inserted within said handle assembly and attached thereto, thereby retainably, yet releasably, locking said handle assembly to said outer cannula and said inner rod; a release member for releasing said handle assembly from attachment to said sheath and, in turn, to said outer cannula and said inner rod, by interacting with said locking elements associated with said sheath and said handle assembly; and wherein said release member is a release element capable of toggling by the user between at least two positions in order to alternatively lock and release said handle assembly to said sheath.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
245 words
A biopsy device having a removable handle for alternatively attaching and removing a handle assembly while a cannula portion of the device is inserted into a patient, without affecting the orientation of the cannula portion within said patient, said biopsy device comprising: an outer cannula having a proximal end, a distal end, and a substantially hollow cross-section between said proximal and distal ends; an inner rod capable of being telescopically inserted into and retracted from said outer cannula, said inner rod having a proximal end and a distal end; a sheath operably associated with said outer cannula, said sheath comprising a locking element, and said sheath surrounding at least a portion of said outer cannula; a handle assembly removably attachable to said sheath, said handle assembly comprising a locking element and an opening for receiving at least a portion of said sheath, whereby said sheath may be at least partially inserted within said handle assembly and attached thereto, thereby retainably, yet releasably, locking said handle assembly to said outer cannula and said inner rod; a release member for releasing said handle assembly from attachment to said sheath and, in turn, to said outer cannula and said inner rod, by interacting with said locking elements associated with said sheath and said handle assembly; and wherein said release member is a release element capable of toggling by the user between at least two positions in order to alternatively lock and release said handle assembly to said sheath.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
255 words
A biopsy device having a removable handle for alternatively attaching and removing a handle assembly while a cannula portion of the device is inserted into a patient, without affecting the orientation of the cannula portion within said patient, said biopsy device comprising: an outer cannula having a proximal end, a distal end, and a substantially hollow cross-section between said proximal and distal ends; an inner rod capable of being telescopically inserted into and retracted from said outer cannula, said inner rod having a proximal end and a distal end; a sheath operably associated with said outer cannula, said sheath comprising a locking element, and said sheath surrounding at least a portion of said outer cannula; a handle assembly removably attachable to said sheath, said handle assembly comprising a locking element and an opening for receiving at least a portion of said sheath, whereby said sheath may be at least partially inserted within said handle assembly and attached thereto, thereby retainably, yet releasably, locking said handle assembly to said outer cannula and said inner rod; a release member for releasing said handle assembly from attachment to said sheath and, in turn, to said outer cannula and said inner rod, by interacting with said locking elements associated with said sheath and said handle assembly; and wherein at least a portion of the outer surface of said sheath is threaded to enable the attachment of a comparably threaded component of a separate conduit for attachment to said outer cannula after removal of said handle assembly from said sheath.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
255 words
A biopsy device having a removable handle for alternatively attaching and removing a handle assembly while a cannula portion of the device is inserted into a patient, without affecting the orientation of the cannula portion within said patient, said biopsy device comprising: an outer cannula having a proximal end, a distal end, and a substantially hollow cross-section between said proximal and distal ends; an inner rod capable of being telescopically inserted into and retracted from said outer cannula, said inner rod having a proximal end and a distal end; a sheath operably associated with said outer cannula, said sheath comprising a locking element, and said sheath surrounding at least a portion of said outer cannula; a handle assembly removably attachable to said sheath, said handle assembly comprising a locking element and an opening for receiving at least a portion of said sheath, whereby said sheath may be at least partially inserted within said handle assembly and attached thereto, thereby retainably, yet releasably, locking said handle assembly to said outer cannula and said inner rod; a release member for releasing said handle assembly from attachment to said sheath and, in turn, to said outer cannula and said inner rod, by interacting with said locking elements associated with said sheath and said handle assembly; and wherein at least a portion of the outer surface of said sheath is threaded to enable the attachment of a comparably threaded component of a separate conduit for attachment to said outer cannula after removal of said handle assembly from said sheath.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
255 words
A biopsy device having a removable handle for alternatively attaching and removing a handle assembly while a cannula portion of the device is inserted into a patient, without affecting the orientation of the cannula portion within said patient, said biopsy device comprising: an outer cannula having a proximal end, a distal end, and a substantially hollow cross-section between said proximal and distal ends; an inner rod capable of being telescopically inserted into and retracted from said outer cannula, said inner rod having a proximal end and a distal end; a sheath operably associated with said outer cannula, said sheath comprising a locking element, and said sheath surrounding at least a portion of said outer cannula; a handle assembly removably attachable to said sheath, said handle assembly comprising a locking element and an opening for receiving at least a portion of said sheath, whereby said sheath may be at least partially inserted within said handle assembly and attached thereto, thereby retainably, yet releasably, locking said handle assembly to said outer cannula and said inner rod; a release member for releasing said handle assembly from attachment to said sheath and, in turn, to said outer cannula and said inner rod, by interacting with said locking elements associated with said sheath and said handle assembly; an attachment member for securably attaching said inner rod within said outer cannula; and wherein said attachment member comprises at least one prong associated with said inner rod for engaging with said sheath to securably attach said inner rod within said outer cannula.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
255 words
A biopsy device having a removable handle for alternatively attaching and removing a handle assembly while a cannula portion of the device is inserted into a patient, without affecting the orientation of the cannula portion within said patient, said biopsy device comprising: an outer cannula having a proximal end, a distal end, and a substantially hollow cross-section between said proximal and distal ends; an inner rod capable of being telescopically inserted into and retracted from said outer cannula, said inner rod having a proximal end and a distal end; a sheath operably associated with said outer cannula, said sheath comprising a locking element, and said sheath surrounding at least a portion of said outer cannula; a handle assembly removably attachable to said sheath, said handle assembly comprising a locking element and an opening for receiving at least a portion of said sheath, whereby said sheath may be at least partially inserted within said handle assembly and attached thereto, thereby retainably, yet releasably, locking said handle assembly to said outer cannula and said inner rod; a release member for releasing said handle assembly from attachment to said sheath and, in turn, to said outer cannula and said inner rod, by interacting with said locking elements associated with said sheath and said handle assembly; an attachment member for securably attaching said inner rod within said outer cannula; and wherein said attachment member comprises at least one prong associated with said inner rod for engaging with said sheath to securably attach said inner rod within said outer cannula.