Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 21
Claim 1
Independent Claim
204 words
A surgical cutting instrument comprising: an outer tube sized for insertion through an opening in a patient, said outer tube having a distal end wall, a peripheral wall, a longitudinal axis and first and second spaced apart openings, said first opening being located at least primarily in said distal end wall and said second opening being located at least primarily in said peripheral wall, each of said openings having a first cutting edge and a second edge defining portions of the periphery of such openings; an inner cutting member rotatable within said outer tube, said inner cutting member having at least one cutting edge cooperable with said first cutting edges of said openings of said outer tube for cutting material from within the patient with a shearing action that progresses along said first cutting edges as said inner cutting member rotates; and each of said openings being elongated in the direction of the first edge thereof, said first opening extending in the direction in which it is elongated toward the longitudinal axis of the outer tube and in part into said peripheral wall of said outer tube and said second opening being elongated in a direction extending circumferentially and longitudinally of the outer tube.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
204 words
A surgical cutting instrument comprising: an outer tube sized for insertion through an opening in a patient, said outer tube having a distal end wall, a peripheral wall, a longitudinal axis and first and second spaced apart openings, said first opening being located at least primarily in said distal end wall and said second opening being located at least primarily in said peripheral wall, each of said openings having a first cutting edge and a second edge defining portions of the periphery of such openings; an inner cutting member rotatable within said outer tube, said inner cutting member having at least one cutting edge cooperable with said first cutting edges of said openings of said outer tube for cutting material from within the patient with a shearing action that progresses along said first cutting edges as said inner cutting member rotates; and each of said openings being elongated in the direction of the first edge thereof, said first opening extending in the direction in which it is elongated toward the longitudinal axis of the outer tube and in part into said peripheral wall of said outer tube and said second opening being elongated in a direction extending circumferentially and longitudinally of the outer tube.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
17 words
An instrument as defined in claim 1 wherein said inner cutting member is a helical cutter blade.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
24 words
An instrument as defined in claim 2 wherein said helical cutter blade extends through a substantial portion of the length of said outer tube.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
22 words
An instrument as defined in claim 2 wherein said helical cutter blade extends through substantially the entire length of said outer tube.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
18 words
An instrument as defined in claim 2 wherein said helical cutter blade includes a plurality of cutting edges.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
23 words
An instrument as defined in claim 1 wherein said second opening extends circumferentially of the outer tube for at least about 90 degrees.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
20 words
An instrument as defined in claim 1 wherein said first opening extends through said longitudinal axis of said outer tube.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
46 words
An instrument as defined in claim 1 wherein the peripheral wall of said outer tube is generally cylindrical and has an outside diameter and the ratio of the length of the periphery of said second opening to said diameter is at least about 1.5 to 1.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
19 words
An instrument as defined in claim 8 wherein said distal end wall of said outer tube is generally hemispherical.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
58 words
An instrument as defined in claim 1 wherein said first edge of the second opening includes a proximal edge and the second opening has a distal edge parallel to the proximal edge, each of the distal and proximal edges is oriented at an acute angle relative to a line perpendicular to said longitudinal axis of said outer tube.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
23 words
An instrument as defined in claim 10 wherein said acute angle is in the range of about 5 degrees to about 60 degrees.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
67 words
An instrument as defined in claim 11 wherein said distal edge and said proximal edge of said second opening are substantially straight as viewed in a particular direction perpendicular to said longitudinal axis of said outer tube and said first edge and said second edge of said first opening are substantially straight as viewed in a particular direction parallel to said longitudinal axis of said outer tube.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
193 words
A surgical cutting instrument comprising: an outer tube sized for insertion through an opening in a patient, said outer tube having a distal end wall, a peripheral wall, a longitudinal axis and first and second spaced apart openings, said first opening being located at least primarily in said distal end wall and said second opening being located at least primarily in said peripheral wall, each of said openings having a first cutting edge and a second edge defining portions of the periphery of such openings; an inner cutting member rotatable within said outer tube, said inner cutting member having at least one cutting edge cooperable with said first cutting edges of said openings of said outer tube for cutting material from within the patient with a shearing action that progresses along said first cutting edges as said inner cutting member rotates; and each of said openings being elongated in the direction of the first edge thereof, said first opening extending completely across said end wall and in part into said peripheral wall of said outer tube and said second opening being elongated in a direction extending circumferentially and longitudinally of the outer tube.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
193 words
A surgical cutting instrument comprising: an outer tube sized for insertion through an opening in a patient, said outer tube having a distal end wall, a peripheral wall, a longitudinal axis and first and second spaced apart openings, said first opening being located at least primarily in said distal end wall and said second opening being located at least primarily in said peripheral wall, each of said openings having a first cutting edge and a second edge defining portions of the periphery of such openings; an inner cutting member rotatable within said outer tube, said inner cutting member having at least one cutting edge cooperable with said first cutting edges of said openings of said outer tube for cutting material from within the patient with a shearing action that progresses along said first cutting edges as said inner cutting member rotates; and each of said openings being elongated in the direction of the first edge thereof, said first opening extending completely across said end wall and in part into said peripheral wall of said outer tube and said second opening being elongated in a direction extending circumferentially and longitudinally of the outer tube.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
30 words
An instrument as defined in claim 13 wherein said first edge of said second opening extends circumferentially of said outer tube at an acute angle relative to a radial plane.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
51 words
An instrument as defined in claim 13 wherein said first edge of said second opening is substantially straight as viewed in a particular direction perpendicular to said longitudinal axis of said outer tube and said second opening has end edges which are generally parallel as viewed in said particular perpendicular direction.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
37 words
An instrument as defined in claim 15 wherein each of said first and second edges of said first opening is substantially straight as viewed in a particular direction parallel to said longitudinal axis of said outer tube.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
55 words
An instrument as defined in claim 13 wherein each of said first and second edges of said first opening is substantially straight as viewed in a particular direction parallel to said longitudinal axis of said outer tube and said first opening has end edges which are generally parallel as viewed in said particular parallel direction.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
48 words
An instrument as defined in claim 13 including a handle, a motor carried by said handle, means for mounting said outer tube on said handle and means for coupling said inner cutting member cutter blade to said motor so that said motor can rotate said inner cutter member.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
26 words
An instrument as defined in claim 13 wherein said first and second edges of said first opening are parallel and said end wall is generally hemispherical.