Automated biopsy instrument

Claim 2

Support means for a biopsy needle having a cannula and a stylet coaxially receivable within the cannula, the support means comprising a casing, stationary means on the casing for mounting a stylet thereto in fixed relation therewith, guide means carried by the casing for mounting a cannula thereto with the stylet received coaxially within the cannula, the guide means being reciprocally movable relative to the stationary means between a charged position, wherein the cannula is retracted in a direction away from the distal end of the stylet, and a discharged position, wherein the cannula is displaced from the charged position in the direction of the distal end of the stylet, biasing means carried by the casing for urging the guide means toward the discharged position, charging means mounted on the casing, the charging means being manually operable to move the guide means to the charged position against the urging of the biasing means, and manually actuable release means mounted on the casing and adapted to releasably retain the guide means in the charged position against the urging of the biasing means.

Claim 3

Support means according to claim 1, wherein the charging means includes shield means and is movable relative to the casing between a safety position, wherein the shield means is disposed to prevent inadvertent actuation of the release means, and a second position displaced from the safety position to expose the release means for manual actuation thereof.

Claim 4

Support means according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the guide means comprises a forward cylinder and a rear cylinder formed coaxially therewith, and having a greater diameter, the walls of the two cylinders being joined to form an annular external shoulder engageable by the charging means and by the release means, the forward cylinder having means for mounting the cannula thereto.

Claim 5

Support means according to claim 3, wherein the stationary means includes a fixed shaft having a forward end provided with means for mounting the stylet, the rear cylinder of the guide means being slidably received over the forward end of the shaft.

Claim 6

Support means according to any preceding claim, wherein the manually actuable release means includes a manually engageable portion and a projection disposed internally of the casing for releasably engaging the guide means.

Claim 7

Support means according to any preceding claim, constructed entirely of materials free of ferromagnetic substances.

Claim 8

A biopsy instrument comprising an elongate hollow casing, a needle extending outwardly from the casing and having a cannula and a stylet received within the cannula, a stationary support mounted within the casing in fixed relation thereto and having means affixing the stylet thereto, a guide having means affixing the cannula thereto and being carried within the casing for reciprocating movement relative to the stationary support between a charged position, wherein the cannula is retracted in a direction away from the distal end of the stylet, and a discharged position, wherein the cannula is displaced from the charged position in the direction of the distal end of the stylet, biasing means for urging the guide toward the discharged position, a manually operable charging member for moving the guide to the charged position against the urging of the biasing means, and a release means for retaining the guide in the charged position.

Claim 9

A biopsy instrument comprising an elongate hollow casing, a needle extending outwardly from the casing and having a cannula and a stylet received within the cannula, a stationary support mounted within the casing in fixed relation thereto and having means affixing the stylet thereto, a guide having means affixing the cannula thereto and being carried within the casing for reciprocating movement relative to the stationary support between a charged position, wherein the cannula is retracted in a direction away from the distal end of the stylet, and a discharged position, wherein the cannula is displaced from the charged position in the direction of the distal end of the stylet, biasing means for urging the guide toward the discharged position, a manually operable charging member for moving the guide to the charged position against the urging of the biasing means, and a release means for retaining the guide in the charged position.

Claim 10

A biopsy instrument according to claim 7, wherein the stylet and the cannula are detachably mounted such that the stylet and the cannula are interchangeable with stylets and cannulas of alternative design.

Claim 11

A biopsy instrument according to claim 7 or 8, wherein the charging member comprises a safety cap for blocking inadvertent actuation of the release lever.

Claim 12

A biopsy instrument according to claim 9, wherein the charging member is movable to and from a safety position covering the release means.

Claim 13

A biopsy instrument according to any of claims 7 to 10, wherein the biasing means includes a coil spring engaged between the stationary support and the guide.

Claim 14

A biopsy instrument according to any of claims 7 to 11, wherein the manually operable charging member surrounds the casing and is reciprocally slidable relative thereto.

Claim 15

A biopsy instrument according to claim 12, wherein the casing is provided with longitudially extending slot means and the charging member is provided with means extending therefrom internally of the casing by way of the slot means engageable with the guide.

Claim 16

A biopsy instrument according to any of claims 7 to 13, wherein the release means includes a release lever manually actuable from without the casing to release the guide for movement to the discharged position.

Claim 17

A biopsy instrument comprising an elongate hollow casing, a needle extending outwardly from the casing and having a cannula and a stylet received within the cannula, a stationary support mounted within the casing in fixed relation thereto and having means affixing the stylet thereto, a guide having means affixing the cannula thereto and being carried within the casing for reciprocating movement relative to the stationary support between a charged position, wherein the cannula is retracted in a direction away from the distal end of the stylet, and a discharged position, wherein the cannula is displaced from the charged position in the direction of the distal end of the stylet, relative to the charged position, a coil spring engaged between the stationary support and the guide to urge the guide toward the discharged position, a manually operable charging member surrounding the casing and reciprocally slidable relative thereto, the charging member having means engageable with the guide to move the guide to the charged position against the urging of the spring, and a release lever having means engageable with the guide for retaining the guide in the charged position, the release lever being manually actuable from without the casing to release the guide for movement to the discharged position.

Claim 18

A biopsy instrument comprising an elongate hollow casing, a needle extending outwardly from the casing and having a cannula and a stylet received within the cannula, a stationary support mounted within the casing in fixed relation thereto and having means affixing the stylet thereto, a guide having means affixing the cannula thereto and being carried within the casing for reciprocating movement relative to the stationary support between a charged position, wherein the cannula is retracted in a direction away from the distal end of the stylet, and a discharged position, wherein the cannula is displaced from the charged position in the direction of the distal end of the stylet, relative to the charged position, a coil spring engaged between the stationary support and the guide to urge the guide toward the discharged position, a manually operable charging member surrounding the casing and reciprocally slidable relative thereto, the charging member having means engageable with the guide to move the guide to the charged position against the urging of the spring, and a release lever having means engageable with the guide for retaining the guide in the charged position, the release lever being manually actuable from without the casing to release the guide for movement to the discharged position.

Claim 19

A biopsy instrument according to claim 15, wherein the longitudinal axis of the casing is common to the stylet, the cannula, the stationary support, the guide, the spring, and the charging member, the release lever being supported on the casing in a disposition offset from said longitudinal axis.