Surgical bone awl
US5957946A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Mar 30, 1998 |
| Grant date | Sep 28, 1999 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Mar 30, 2018 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC A)Human Necessities
- CPC primaryA61B2017/00477
- WIPO fieldMedical technology
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
A surgical awl is provided for orthopaedic applications that include creating or enlarging holes in bone. The awl has a shaft and a cutting tip that has a working end and an opposite attachment end, which mechanically locks in place into a recess formed in the end of the shaft opposite the handle. A release mechanism is provided to allow the user to selectively disengage the cutting tip from the shaft. The awl has a hole-retention sleeve which surrounds at least part of the awl shaft and the awl tip and could be configured to surround the entire shaft and tip. The retention sleeve has a forward cutting edge. A protective sleeve may be used in place of the retention sleeve to protect the manual awl tip release mechanism from being accidentally activated to release the awl tip.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.