Vance Products Inc.

Ingress Technologies, Inc.

Jack Hall

Richard A Terwilliger

Daniell Hebert

John Daniell Hebert

An instrument for removing tissue samples from a tissue mass which automatically penetrates, severs, and removes a tissue portion for examination. The instrument is motor powered, preferably by self-contained rechargeable batteries, and employs electrically actuated stops to control the action of penetration into and retraction from the tissue mass. The tissue penetrating means and severing means includes an inner stylet which penetrates the tissue mass and a hollow outer tube or cannula which surrounds the stylet and serves to sever a sample of tissue. In a preferred form the tissue penetrating end of the stylet is notched so that when the stylet penetrates the tissue mass, a portion of the tissue relaxes in the notched area. After tissue penetration by the stylet, the cannula, having a cutting surface at its distal end, penetrates the tissue and cuts off the tissue portion residing in the notched area of the stylet. The tissue penetrating and severing means are operably connected to a motor powered rotary cam assembly by means of cam followers and the rotary motion of the cam is converted to sequential, linear motion in the tissue penetrating means and severing means. The stylet mount and the cannula mount each have a recess in the backside thereof to receive a respective drive rod. A locking mechanism, such as annular grooves on the drive rods engage radially inward projections in the recess of the mounts to secure the mounts to the drive rods. A lever mechanism is provided to urge the mounts off of the drive rods for removal.

Biopsy instrument stylet and cannula assembly

An instrument for removing tissue samples from a tissue mass which automatically penetrates, severs, and removes a tissue portion for examination. The instrument is motor powered, preferably by self-contained rechargeable batteries, and employs electrically actuated stops to control the action of penetration into and retraction from the tissue mass. The tissue penetrating means and severing means includes an inner stylet which penetrates the tissue mass and a hollow outer tube or cannula which surrounds the stylet and serves to sever a sample of tissue. In a preferred form the tissue penetrating end of the stylet is notched so that when the stylet penetrates the tissue mass, a portion of the tissue relaxes in the notched area. After tissue penetration by the stylet, the cannula, having a cutting surface at its distal end, penetrates the tissue and cuts off the tissue portion residing in the notched area of the stylet. The tissue penetrating and severing means are operably connected to a motor powered rotary cam assembly by means of cam followers and the rotary motion of the cam is converted to sequential, linear motion in the tissue penetrating means and severing means.

Biopsy instrument

An instrument for removing tissue samples from a tissue mass which automatically penetrates, severs, and removes a tissue portion for examination. The instrument is motor powered, preferably by self-contained rechargeable batteries, and employs electrically actuated stops to control the action of penetration into and retraction from the tissue mass. The tissue penetrating means and severing means includes an inner stylet which penetrates the tissue mass and a hollow outer tube or cannula which surrounds the stylet and serves to sever a sample of tissue. In a preferred form the tissue penetrating end of the stylet is notched so that when the stylet penetrates the tissue mass, a portion of the tissue relaxes in the notched area. After tissue penetration by the stylet, the cannula, having a cutting surface at its distal end, penetrates the tissue and cuts off the tissue portion residing in the notched area of the stylet. The tissue penetrating and severing means are operably connected to a motor powered rotary cam assembly by means of cam followers and the rotary motion of the cam is converted to sequential, linear motion in the tissue penetrating means and severing means, the linear motion being of substantially constant force and velocity.

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Portola Valley, CA, United States of America

Jack Hall