The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Jun. 05, 1990
Filed:
Mar. 29, 1989
Bruce A LeVahn, New Brighton, MN (US);
Minnesota Scientific, Inc., West St. Paul, MN (US);
Abstract
A retractor system having a plurality of quick release retractor blades. The retractor system includes a shaft cooperating with the retractor system for positioning a selected one of the quick release retractor blades. The quick release attachment mechanism is distributed between the shaft and the blades, the shaft having a first end thereof adapted for attachment to a selected quick release retractor blade. A pair of grooves extending longitudinally from the first end along opposite sides of the outside of the shaft. A retaining groove grids the shaft spaced from the first end. Each retractor blade has a pair of tongues disposed in a plane and oriented inwardly toward one another. A torsion spring is attached to each blade and a flange extends from the torsion spring through the plane of the tongues. An aperture through the flange is sized and positioned to admit the shaft with the longitudinal grooves engaging the tongues. The torsion spring is flexed upon admission of the shaft such that an edge of the aperture is urged into engagement with the retaining groove when the aperture and the retaining groove are adjacent one another. The retractor blade is released by flexing the torsion spring to remove the edge of the aperture from the retaining groove.