Redundant safety lock mechanism
US5989257A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Mar 11, 1998 |
| Grant date | Nov 23, 1999 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Mar 11, 2018 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
- CPC primaryY10T279/17752
- WIPO fieldMedical technology
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
A surgical instrument has a motor which rotates a tubular shaft about an axis. The shaft drives an implement and has an aperture which contains a ball. When the implement is installed, the ball extends through the aperture to engage the implement and lock it in. The tool has an actuation sleeve which is axially movable between locked and released positions for engaging and disengaging the ball to the implement. The actuation sleeve has an axial slot and a safety sleeve located radially outward from the actuation sleeve. The safety sleeve has a pin which extends radially inward and a cylinder extending radially outward. The cylinder contains a ball which is biased inward. The outer surface of the tool has a pair of detents for receiving the ball. The safety sleeve has locked and unlocked positions. In the unlocked position, the pin is aligned with the slot and the ball engages the first detent to permit the actuation sleeve to move between the locked and released positions. In the locked position, the safety sleeve is rotated so that the pin is misaligned with the slot and the ball engages the second detent to prevent the actuation sleeve from moving to the released position.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.