US5163947A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Biopsy needle spacer
Assignee: CR Bard Inc
•
Filing: 1991-08-30
•
Granted: 1992-11-17
•
Expires: 2011-08-30
Abstract
Abstract A needle spacer is disclosed for use with a biopsy needle assembly of the type which is coupled to a driving unit to effect movement of the needle assembly. The needle spacer maintains the biopsy needle assembly in a predetermined operational relationship until after the needle assembly is coupled to the driving unit. In the preferred embodiment, the needle spacer prevents the lid of the driving unit from being closed while the needle spacer is still in place on the needle assembly, thereby eliminating the possibility that the physician will forget to remove the spacer prior to firing the instrument. In a first alternate embodiment, the needle spacer is configured to interfere with movement of the needles within the driving unit while the spacer is still in place so that if the physician attempts to fire the instrument with the needle spacer still in place, the needles will not advance. In a second alternate embodiment, the needle spacer includes a readily visible flag which, even with the lid of the driving unit closed, will alert the physician that the needle spacer is still in place, thus reducing the possibility that the physician will forget to remove the spacer.
Inventors
- 👤 Michael L. Kvalo
- 👤 Larry A. Roberts
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-23 09:14
CPC Classifications
A; A61; A61B; A61B10/00; A61B10/02; A61B10/0233; A61B10/0266; A61B10/0275; A61B2010/0208; Y; Y10; Y10T; Y10T24/00; Y10T24/44; Y10T24/44017
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 20
Claim 1
Independent Claim
243 words
A needle spacer apparatus for use with a needle assembly and a driving unit, said needle assembly comprising a hollow first needle having a forward end and having a first needle head at the rearward end thereof, said needle assembly further comprising a second needle telescopically received within said hollow first needle and having a sharpened tip at the forward end thereof and a second needle head at the rearward end thereof, said first and second needle heads being relatively movable to an operational relationship wherein said sharpened tip of said second needle projects slightly beyond said forward end of said hollow first needle, said needle assembly being capable of being selectively coupled to said driving unit for effecting relative movement of said needles, and said driving unit comprising a housing having a lid which can be selectively opened to permit said needle assembly to be coupled to said driving unit, said needle spacer apparatus comprising: means selectively mountable to said needle assembly for maintaining said needle heads in said operational relationship, said means being configured to permit said needle assembly to be coupled to said driving unit with said means mounted thereto, and said means further being configured to prevent said lid of said housing of said driving unit from being closed while said means is mounted to said needle assembly; whereby a user will not attempt to actuate said driving unit with said needle spacer apparatus mounted to said needle assembly.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
243 words
A needle spacer apparatus for use with a needle assembly and a driving unit, said needle assembly comprising a hollow first needle having a forward end and having a first needle head at the rearward end thereof, said needle assembly further comprising a second needle telescopically received within said hollow first needle and having a sharpened tip at the forward end thereof and a second needle head at the rearward end thereof, said first and second needle heads being relatively movable to an operational relationship wherein said sharpened tip of said second needle projects slightly beyond said forward end of said hollow first needle, said needle assembly being capable of being selectively coupled to said driving unit for effecting relative movement of said needles, and said driving unit comprising a housing having a lid which can be selectively opened to permit said needle assembly to be coupled to said driving unit, said needle spacer apparatus comprising: means selectively mountable to said needle assembly for maintaining said needle heads in said operational relationship, said means being configured to permit said needle assembly to be coupled to said driving unit with said means mounted thereto, and said means further being configured to prevent said lid of said housing of said driving unit from being closed while said means is mounted to said needle assembly; whereby a user will not attempt to actuate said driving unit with said needle spacer apparatus mounted to said needle assembly.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
36 words
The needle spacer apparatus of claim 1, wherein said means for maintaining said needle heads in said operational relationship comprises a body member selectively mountable to said needle assembly between said first and second needle heads.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
48 words
The needle spacer apparatus of claim 2, wherein said body member comprises a longitudinal slot formed therein so as to receive therewithin a portion of said second needle lying between said first and second needle heads when said first and second needle heads are in said operative relationship.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
35 words
The needle spacer apparatus of claim 2, wherein said body member comprises means at the forward end thereof for engaging said first needle head to mechanically couple said body member to said first needle head.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
50 words
The needle spacer apparatus of claim 2, wherein said body member comprises an upwardly projecting fin which, when said needle assembly is coupled to said driving unit, engages said lid of said housing to prevent said lid from being closed while said body member is mounted to said needle assembly.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
224 words
A needle spacer apparatus for use with a needle assembly and a driving unit, said needle assembly comprising a hollow first needle having a forward end and having a first needle head at the rearward end thereof, said needle assembly further comprising a second needle telescopically received within said hollow first needle and having a sharpened tip at the forward end thereof and a second needle head at the rearward end thereof, said first and second needle heads being relatively movable to an operational relationship wherein said sharpened tip of said second needle projects slightly beyond said forward end of said hollow first needle, said needle assembly being capable of being selectively coupled to said driving unit for effecting relative movement of said needles, said needle spacer apparatus comprising: means selectively mountable to said needle assembly for maintaining said needle heads in said operational relationship, said means being configured to permit said needle assembly to be coupled to said driving unit with said means mounted thereto, and said means further being configured to interferingly engage said driving unit to prevent said driving unit from effecting movement of said needles while said means is mounted to said needle assembly; whereby if a user attempts to actuate said driving unit with said needle spacer apparatus mounted to said needle assembly, said driving unit will not operate.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
224 words
A needle spacer apparatus for use with a needle assembly and a driving unit, said needle assembly comprising a hollow first needle having a forward end and having a first needle head at the rearward end thereof, said needle assembly further comprising a second needle telescopically received within said hollow first needle and having a sharpened tip at the forward end thereof and a second needle head at the rearward end thereof, said first and second needle heads being relatively movable to an operational relationship wherein said sharpened tip of said second needle projects slightly beyond said forward end of said hollow first needle, said needle assembly being capable of being selectively coupled to said driving unit for effecting relative movement of said needles, said needle spacer apparatus comprising: means selectively mountable to said needle assembly for maintaining said needle heads in said operational relationship, said means being configured to permit said needle assembly to be coupled to said driving unit with said means mounted thereto, and said means further being configured to interferingly engage said driving unit to prevent said driving unit from effecting movement of said needles while said means is mounted to said needle assembly; whereby if a user attempts to actuate said driving unit with said needle spacer apparatus mounted to said needle assembly, said driving unit will not operate.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
36 words
The needle spacer apparatus of claim 6, wherein said means for maintaining said needle heads in said operational relationship comprises a body member selectively mountable to said needle assembly between said first and second needle heads.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
48 words
The needle spacer apparatus of claim 7, wherein said body member comprises a longitudinal slot formed therein so as to receive therewithin a portion of said second needle lying between said first and second needle heads when said first and second needle heads are in said operative relationship.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
35 words
The needle spacer apparatus of claim 7, wherein said body member comprises means at the forward end thereof for engaging said first needle head to mechanically couple said body member to said first needle head.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
52 words
The needle spacer apparatus of claim 7, wherein said body member comprises a downwardly projecting fin which, when said needle assembly is coupled to said driving unit, engages an intermediate wall of said driving unit to prevent said needles from being advanced while said body member is mounted to said needle assembly.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
260 words
A needle spacer apparatus for use with a needle assembly and a driving unit, said needle assembly comprising a hollow first needle having a forward end and having a first needle head at the rearward end thereof, said needle assembly further comprising a second needle telescopically received within said hollow first needle and having a sharpened tip at the forward end thereof and a second needle head at the rearward end thereof, said first and second needle heads being relatively movable to an operational relationship wherein said sharpened tip of said second needle projects slightly beyond said forward end of said hollow first needle, said needle assembly being capable of being selectively coupled to said driving unit for effecting relative movement of said needles, and said driving unit comprising a housing having a lid which can be selectively opened to permit said needle assembly to be coupled to said driving unit, said needle spacer apparatus comprising: means selectively mountable to said needle assembly for maintaining said needle heads in said operational relationship, said means being configured to permit said needle assembly to be coupled to said driving unit with said means mounted thereto, and said means further being configured to be visible from outside said housing while said means is mounted to said needle assembly even when said lid of said housing is closed; whereby said means being visible from outside said housing provides a readily visible indicator to a user even when said lid of said housing is closed that said means is still mounted to said needle assembly.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
260 words
A needle spacer apparatus for use with a needle assembly and a driving unit, said needle assembly comprising a hollow first needle having a forward end and having a first needle head at the rearward end thereof, said needle assembly further comprising a second needle telescopically received within said hollow first needle and having a sharpened tip at the forward end thereof and a second needle head at the rearward end thereof, said first and second needle heads being relatively movable to an operational relationship wherein said sharpened tip of said second needle projects slightly beyond said forward end of said hollow first needle, said needle assembly being capable of being selectively coupled to said driving unit for effecting relative movement of said needles, and said driving unit comprising a housing having a lid which can be selectively opened to permit said needle assembly to be coupled to said driving unit, said needle spacer apparatus comprising: means selectively mountable to said needle assembly for maintaining said needle heads in said operational relationship, said means being configured to permit said needle assembly to be coupled to said driving unit with said means mounted thereto, and said means further being configured to be visible from outside said housing while said means is mounted to said needle assembly even when said lid of said housing is closed; whereby said means being visible from outside said housing provides a readily visible indicator to a user even when said lid of said housing is closed that said means is still mounted to said needle assembly.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
47 words
The needle spacer apparatus of claim 11, wherein said means for maintaining said needle heads in said operational relationship comprises a flag attached thereto which will hang outside said housing when said means is mounted to said needle assembly and said lid of said housing is closed.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
15 words
The needle spacer apparatus of claim 12, wherein said flag comprises a length of ribbon.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
17 words
The needle spacer apparatus of claim 13, wherein said flag is brightly colored to enhance its visibility.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
36 words
The needle spacer apparatus of claim 11, wherein said means for maintaining said needle heads in said operational relationship comprises a body member selectively mountable to said needle assembly between said first and second needle heads.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
48 words
The needle spacer apparatus of claim 15, wherein said body member comprises a longitudinal slot formed therein so as to receive therewithin a portion of said second needle lying between said first and second needle heads when said first and second needle heads are in said operative relationship.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
35 words
The needle spacer apparatus of claim 15, wherein said body member comprises means at the forward end thereof for engaging said first needle head to mechanically couple said body member to said first needle head.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1995-11-17 | 1996-05-18 | 1996-11-17 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1999-11-17 | 2000-05-18 | 2000-11-17 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2003-11-17 | 2004-05-18 | 2004-11-17 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |