Drilling a curved hole
US4541423A · kind A · utility
Inventor
Key dates
| Filing date | Jan 17, 1983 |
| Grant date | Sep 17, 1985 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Jan 17, 2003 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC A)Human Necessities
- CPC primaryA61B2017/320032
- WIPO fieldMedical technology
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
Drilling apparatus for attachment to a rotary motor includes a flexible shaft confined in an elongated tubular sheath. The sheath is formed from a semi-rigid material which is bendable to a desired curvature, at the use site to select the curvature of the drilled hole, and which is rigid enough to retain that curvature in use. A drilling bit is fixed to one end of the flexible shaft, and includes a shank coacting with the distal end of the sheath to rotationally guide the drilling bit. The flexible shaft projects from the sheath at the proximal end so that both components may be secured to a drilling motor which is manipulated to guide the sheath while rotating the cutting bit. The sheath may remain in the drilled hole temporarily as a liner to guide the passage therethrough of a relatively stiff wire or other filamentary member.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.