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:
Oct. 22, 1991
Filed:
Feb. 12, 1990
Frank B Gray, Knoxville, TN (US);
Other;
Abstract
An improved manual instrument for use in performing surgical procedures with the tool portion of the instrument being readily detachable from the handle portion. This instrument has a coupling between the handle portion and the tool portion that permits a full transfer of all forces, including axial, transverse and rotational, from the handle portion to the tool portion during use of the instrument. The primary portions of the coupling are mating (complementary) conical nondeformable surfaces on one end of the tool member and one end of the handle member. In the preferred form, the two mating surfaces are also provided with flat portions that prevent relative rotation of the components. Further, these mating flat portions permit a selected orientation between external portions of the handle member and the work portion of the tools member. The structure described permits the rapid exchange of tool members with respect to a given handle member when, for example, the work portion of the tool member becomes damaged or when a tool member with a work portion of a different configuration is required during the surgical procedure. A transfixing rod that passes axially through the handle member is treadably engaged with the tool member when the parts are to be joined. In the preferred embodiment, this rod has a knurled knob at an opposite end to permit rapid rotation of the rod by a user of the instrument. Several embodiments of mating surfaces of the coupling are described.