Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 13
Claim 1
Independent Claim
224 words
A surgical cutting instrument comprising hub means, an elongate probe extending from said hub means including a tubular outer member having a distal end with an aperture in a side wall thereof, and an inner cutting member slidably disposed in said outer member having a distal end defining a cutting edge positioned at said distal end of said outer member and an elongate body extending from said distal end of said inner cutting member and having a cut away portion running therealong from a position adjacent said cutting edge to said hub means, the cross sectional configuration of said elongate body along said cut away portion being partially cylindrical ranging from 180° to 220°; drive means for reciprocating said inner cutting member and said outer member relative to each other to move said cutting edge of said inner cutting member back and forth past said aperture in said outer member; and suction means communicating with said probe adjacent said hub means to remove sustance cut by relative reciprocation of said inner cutting member and said outer member whereby said cut away portion along said elongate body of said inner cutting member provides increased cross sectional flow area along said probe and causes relative reciprocation of said inner cutting member and said outer member to agitate the cut substance to prevent clogging of said probe.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
224 words
A surgical cutting instrument comprising hub means, an elongate probe extending from said hub means including a tubular outer member having a distal end with an aperture in a side wall thereof, and an inner cutting member slidably disposed in said outer member having a distal end defining a cutting edge positioned at said distal end of said outer member and an elongate body extending from said distal end of said inner cutting member and having a cut away portion running therealong from a position adjacent said cutting edge to said hub means, the cross sectional configuration of said elongate body along said cut away portion being partially cylindrical ranging from 180° to 220°; drive means for reciprocating said inner cutting member and said outer member relative to each other to move said cutting edge of said inner cutting member back and forth past said aperture in said outer member; and suction means communicating with said probe adjacent said hub means to remove sustance cut by relative reciprocation of said inner cutting member and said outer member whereby said cut away portion along said elongate body of said inner cutting member provides increased cross sectional flow area along said probe and causes relative reciprocation of said inner cutting member and said outer member to agitate the cut substance to prevent clogging of said probe.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
58 words
A surgical cutting instrument as recited in claim 1 wherein said hub means mounts said outer member of said probe and has a chamber therein through which said inner member of said probe extends, said inner member carrying piston means movable in said chamber with reciprocation of said inner member to increase and decrease pressure in said probe.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
40 words
A surgical cutting instrument as recited in claim 2 wherein said suction means includes a rigid suction tube communicating with said chamber in said hub means and finger operated valve means for controlling the application of suction to said probe.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
88 words
A surgical cutting instrument as recited in claim 3 wherein said rigid tube has a closed end with an opening formed in a side wall adjacent said closed end, and said valve means includes an elastic tubing having an end stretched over said closed end of said rigid tube to seal said opening when no outside force is applied thereto, said tubing being flexed by pressure applied to said tubing at a position opposite said opening in said rigid tube to move said tubing away from said opening.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
109 words
A surgical cutting instrument as recited in claim 4, wherein said drive means includes motor means rotatably driving a shaft axially aligned with said inner cutting member, cam means rotatably driven by said shaft and having a nib projecting therefrom at a position offset from the axis of said shaft and a ball bearing carried by said nib, and cam follower means having a planar surface contacting said ball bearing and arranged in a plane at an angle other than 90° relative to the axis of said shaft and a member extending from said planar surface and having an end engaging said piston carried by said inner cutting member.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
31 words
A surgical cutting instrument as recited in claim 5 wherein said cam follower means includes a square shaft received in a square passage to prevent rotation of said cam follower means.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
48 words
A surgical cutting instrument as recited in claim 6 wherein said inner cutting member has a stem extending through said chamber and protruding beyond the end of said hub means, and said end of said extending member of said cam follower means is hollow to receive said stem.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
50 words
A surgical cutting instrument as recited in claim 1 wherein said drive means includes means for translating rotary movement to reciprocating movement having a reciprocating member with a hollow end, and said inner cutting member of said elongate probe has a stem received in said hollow end of said member.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
50 words
A surgical cutting instrument as recited in claim 1 wherein said aperture in said tubular outer member includes a surface formed by a part of an imaginary cylinder having an axis extending transverse to the longitudinal axis of said outer member and offset therefrom, and an inwardly tapered conical bore.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
29 words
A surgical cutting instrument as recited in claim 9 wherein said distal end of said inner cutting member has a cylindrical cutting head terminating at a peripheral cutting edge.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
33 words
A surgical cutting instrument as recited in claim 1 wherein said inner cutting member is semi-cylindrical in cross section along the portion of said elongate body along which said cut away portion runs.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
16 words
A surgical cutting instrument as recited in claim 1 wherein said inner cutting member is hollow.