Patent US2351395A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
← Back to Patent Explorer
US4414974A Expired / Lapsed US ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

Microsurgical knife

Assignee: General Conveyors Ltd
•
Filing: 1981-06-09
•
Granted: 1983-11-15
•
Expires: 2001-06-09
📄 Original PDF 🌐 Google Patents 🔄 Sync Now

Abstract

Abstract A disposable, or one-time-use microsurgical knife has a slidable shroud that can be moved into a forward position to protect the blade, and can be moved rearwardly to allow use of the knife. The shroud, as well as other parts of the knife, are made of plastic, and a phosphorescent material is included to render the knife luminescent during steps taken in a darkened operating room. The extremely sharp razor chip blade includes a shank selectively wedged into the knife body so blades are interchangeable.

Inventors

  • 👤 Robert S. Dotson
  • 👤 W. George Richeson
  • 👤 Herb M. Trenka

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction US
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-10-22 20:38
CPC Classifications
A; A61; A61B; A61B17/00; A61B17/32; A61B17/3209; A61B17/3211; A61B17/3213; A61B2017/0023; A61B90/00; A61B90/39; A61B2090/3937; A61B2090/3941

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 8
Claim 1
Independent Claim 272 words
A disposable microsurgical knife comprising an elongate knife body having a forward end and a rearward end, a cutting blade carried at said forward end and extending therefrom, and a shroud slidably received over said knife body, said shroud being selectively slidable towards and rearward end for exposing said cutting blade and providing a blade using position and slidable over said forward end for covering said cutting blade and providing a blade protecting position, said forward end of said knife body defining a slot therein, said slot having generally parallel side walls, said cutting blade including a cutting portion and a shank carrying said cutting portion, said shank having non-parallel edges, said shank being dimensioned to be received within said blade receiving slot to be locked therein by means of said non-parallel edges with said cutting portion extending from said shank beyond said knife body, said forward end of said knife body having a reduced diameter for allowing better visibility of said cutting blade, said rearward end of said knife body being a generally cylindrical portion and carrying an enlarged cap at the rearmost end thereof, said shroud having a non-circular exterior configuration and defining a circular bore therethrough, said generally cylindrical portion having an external diameter sized to cause said shroud to wedge in place when said shroud is slid to said blade using position, said knife body including means for centering said shroud when said shroud is slid to said blade protecting position, said shroud having a length sufficient to be supported by said cylindrical portion of said knife body and to extend beyond said cutting portion of said blade.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim 272 words
A disposable microsurgical knife comprising an elongate knife body having a forward end and a rearward end, a cutting blade carried at said forward end and extending therefrom, and a shroud slidably received over said knife body, said shroud being selectively slidable towards and rearward end for exposing said cutting blade and providing a blade using position and slidable over said forward end for covering said cutting blade and providing a blade protecting position, said forward end of said knife body defining a slot therein, said slot having generally parallel side walls, said cutting blade including a cutting portion and a shank carrying said cutting portion, said shank having non-parallel edges, said shank being dimensioned to be received within said blade receiving slot to be locked therein by means of said non-parallel edges with said cutting portion extending from said shank beyond said knife body, said forward end of said knife body having a reduced diameter for allowing better visibility of said cutting blade, said rearward end of said knife body being a generally cylindrical portion and carrying an enlarged cap at the rearmost end thereof, said shroud having a non-circular exterior configuration and defining a circular bore therethrough, said generally cylindrical portion having an external diameter sized to cause said shroud to wedge in place when said shroud is slid to said blade using position, said knife body including means for centering said shroud when said shroud is slid to said blade protecting position, said shroud having a length sufficient to be supported by said cylindrical portion of said knife body and to extend beyond said cutting portion of said blade.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim 33 words
A microsurgical knife as claimed in claim 1, said knife body and said shroud being formed of a plastic material, at least a portion of said plastic material including a phosphorescent material therein.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim 20 words
A microsurgical knife as claimed in claim 2, wherein said shroud is formed of plastic material having phosphorescent material therein.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim 58 words
A microsurgical knife as claimed in claim 1, and further including a light pipe extending through said knife body, a connector formed integrally with said cap and extending from said rearward end of said knife body and in light transmitting communication with said light pipe, said light pipe projecting from said knife body adjacent to said cutting blade.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim 56 words
A microsurgical knife as claimed in claim 4, said blade being off-set from the axial centerline of said knife body in a first radial direction, said light pipe being off-set from said centerline in the opposite radial direction, said cylindrical portion of said knife body extending forward sufficiently to constitute said means for centering said shroud.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim 75 words
A microsurgical knife as claimed in claim 1, said forward end of said knife body defining a frustoconical section, said reduced diameter at said forward end being the smaller diameter of said frustoconical section, and a spacer between said cylindrical portion and said frustoconical section, said spacer having a diameter approximately equal to the diameter of said cylindrical section immediately adjacent to said cap, so that said spacer constitutes said means for centering said shroud.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim 33 words
A microsurgical knife as claimed in claim 6, said cap having a diameter larger than said circular bore through said shroud so that said cap acts as a rearward stop for said shroud.

References Cited (Backward Citations)

US868393A Cited
US1356799A Cited
US1548139A Cited
US2390309A Cited
US2512237A Cited
US3001522A Cited
US3039468A Cited
US3688773A Cited
US3840015A Cited
US3905375A Cited

USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows

Annuity Stage Window Opens Payment Deadline Surcharge Period Until Estimated Fee Status
3.5 Years (Year 4) 1986-11-14 1987-05-16 1987-11-15 $2000.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8) 1990-11-14 1991-05-16 1991-11-15 $3760.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12) 1994-11-14 1995-05-16 1995-11-15 $7700.00 Window Closed / Lapsed

Assigned Categories & Tags

No categories assigned to this patent yet.

Assign Category Tag