Patent GB446404A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US5667509A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Retractable shield apparatus and method for a bone drill
Assignee: Individual
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Filing: 1995-03-02
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Granted: 1997-09-16
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Expires: 2015-03-02
Abstract
Abstract A bone drill enclosed by a retractable sheath, the sheath having bevel points at its distal end for engaging the bone and a spring at its proximal end for resiliently urging the distal end against the surface of the bone while allowing the sheath to be retracted as the drill penetrates the bone. The sheath telescopically shields the bone drill to protect the adjacent tissue from the rotating bone drill. Indicia on the sheath provide a visual indication of the depth to which the drill bit has penetrated into the bone by the degree to which the sheath has been retracted as the bone drill penetrates into the bone. The bone drill is configured with a hollow, tubular shaft having an orifice adjacent the drill bit. Suction is applied to the lumen of the bone drill to remove debris generated by the drilling action, the debris being drawn through the orifice.
Inventors
- 👤 Craig D. Westin
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-23 00:39
CPC Classifications
A; A61; A61B; A61B17/00; A61B17/16; A61B17/1613; A61B17/1633; A61B90/00; A61B90/06; A61B2090/062; A61B90/08; A61B2090/0801; A61B2090/08021; A61B2217/00; A61B2217/002; A61B2217/005; A61B90/05
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 23
Claim 1
Independent Claim
126 words
A bone drill comprising: a shaft having a distal end and a proximal end; a drill bit on said distal end of said shaft; engagement means on said proximal end of said shaft for rotatably engaging said shaft and said drill bit; a sheath for said shaft and said drill bit, said sheath having a proximal end and a distal end, said sheath comprising a hollow tubular body for telescopically enclosing said shaft and said drill bit; retraction means on said sheath for telescopically retracting said sheath to cause said drill bit to become extended beyond said distal end of said sheath; and a spring means on said proximal end of said sheath for resiliently urging said distal end of said sheath over said drill bit.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
126 words
A bone drill comprising: a shaft having a distal end and a proximal end; a drill bit on said distal end of said shaft; engagement means on said proximal end of said shaft for rotatably engaging said shaft and said drill bit; a sheath for said shaft and said drill bit, said sheath having a proximal end and a distal end, said sheath comprising a hollow tubular body for telescopically enclosing said shaft and said drill bit; retraction means on said sheath for telescopically retracting said sheath to cause said drill bit to become extended beyond said distal end of said sheath; and a spring means on said proximal end of said sheath for resiliently urging said distal end of said sheath over said drill bit.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
48 words
The bone drill defined in claim 1 wherein said shaft is hollow having a lumen extending between said distal end of said shaft and said proximal end of said shaft, said shaft including an orifice adjacent said drill bit, said orifice being in fluid communication with said lumen.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
25 words
The bone drill defined in claim 2 wherein said engagement means includes suction means for imposing a negative pressure on said lumen and said orifice.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
26 words
The bone drill defined in claim 1 wherein said sheath includes bone engagement means on said distal end of said sheath for releasably engaging a bone.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
55 words
The bone drill defined in claim 4 wherein said bone engagement means comprises a pair of bevel points formed in said distal end of said sheath, said bevel points providing penetration means for incrementally penetrating bone engaged by said distal end of said sheath to thereby inhibit said drill bit from skidding across the bone.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
30 words
The bone drill defined in claim 5 wherein said pair of bevel points includes a gap means between said bevel points, said gap means admitting fluid flow into said sheath.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
55 words
The bone drill defined in claim 5 wherein said pair of bevel points includes a first bevel point and a second bevel point, said first bevel point extending incrementally further than said second bevel point on said distal end of said sheath, said first bevel point thereby contacting said bone before said second bevel point.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
37 words
The bone drill defined in claim 1 wherein said sheath includes limit means for limiting retraction of said sheath, said limit means thereby limiting the extension of said drill bit beyond said distal end of said sheath.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
23 words
The bone drill defined in claim 8 wherein said sheath includes indicia thereon for visually indicating the extent of retraction of said sheath.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
32 words
The bone drill defined in claim 1 wherein said spring means includes a coiled spring for resiliently urging said sheath against the bone while said drill bit is drilling into the bone.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
130 words
A bone drill with retractable sheath comprising: a drill shaft having a proximal end and a distal end; a drill bit on said distal of said drill shaft, said drill bit extending coaxially from said distal end of said drill shaft; a hollow lumen through said drill shaft; an orifice in said drill shaft, said orifice being located adjacent said drill bit and in fluid communication with said lumen; a rigid, tubular sheath telescopically mounted over said drill shaft and said drill bit; a spring means on said sheath for resiliently urging said sheath over said drill bit into a shielding configuration for said drill bit, said sheath engaging a surface being drilled by said drill bit and being retractable against said spring as said drill bit penetrates said surface.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
130 words
A bone drill with retractable sheath comprising: a drill shaft having a proximal end and a distal end; a drill bit on said distal of said drill shaft, said drill bit extending coaxially from said distal end of said drill shaft; a hollow lumen through said drill shaft; an orifice in said drill shaft, said orifice being located adjacent said drill bit and in fluid communication with said lumen; a rigid, tubular sheath telescopically mounted over said drill shaft and said drill bit; a spring means on said sheath for resiliently urging said sheath over said drill bit into a shielding configuration for said drill bit, said sheath engaging a surface being drilled by said drill bit and being retractable against said spring as said drill bit penetrates said surface.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
47 words
The bone drill defined in claim 11, wherein said spring comprises a coiled spring and a housing for enclosing said coiled spring, said sheath having a proximal end and a distal end with said proximal end extending telescopically inside said housing into engagement with said coiled spring.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
42 words
The bone drill defined in claim 12 wherein said proximal end of said sheath includes a plurality of indicia for providing a visual indication of the extent to which said proximal end of sheath is pushed into said housing against said spring.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
41 words
The bone drill defined in claim 12 wherein said distal end of said sheath includes a pair of bevel points for releasably engaging said distal end of said sheath against a bone to inhibit drill bit from skidding on the bone.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
32 words
The bone drill defined in claim 14 wherein said pair of bevel points comprises a pair of asymmetric bevel points wherein a first bevel point extends incrementally beyond a second bevel point.
Claim 18
Independent Claim
138 words
A method for shielding a bone drill during drilling into bone comprising the steps of: preparing a sheath for said bone drill, said sheath comprising a hollow tubular element having a proximal end and a distal end; mounting said proximal end of said hollow tubular element in a housing in sliding relationship to said housing; incorporating a spring in said housing, said spring resiliently pressing said proxima1 end of said hollow tubular element; inserting said bone drill into said sheath; engaging said distal end of said hollow tubular element against the bone; and drilling the bone with said bone drill while pressing said distal end against the bone thereby forcing said proximal end of said hollow tubular element into said housing against said spring thereby shielding said bone drill as said bone drill is drilling into the bone.
Claim 19
Independent Claim
138 words
A method for shielding a bone drill during drilling into bone comprising the steps of: preparing a sheath for said bone drill, said sheath comprising a hollow tubular element having a proximal end and a distal end; mounting said proximal end of said hollow tubular element in a housing in sliding relationship to said housing; incorporating a spring in said housing, said spring resiliently pressing said proxima1 end of said hollow tubular element; inserting said bone drill into said sheath; engaging said distal end of said hollow tubular element against the bone; and drilling the bone with said bone drill while pressing said distal end against the bone thereby forcing said proximal end of said hollow tubular element into said housing against said spring thereby shielding said bone drill as said bone drill is drilling into the bone.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
30 words
The method defined in claim 16 wherein said preparing step includes placing indicia on said sheath for visually indicating the extent to which said sheath is pushed into said housing.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
38 words
The method defined in claim 16 wherein preparing step includes forming bevel points on said distal end of said hollow tubular element, said bevel points engaging the bone thereby inhibiting said bone drill from skidding on the bone.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
28 words
The method defined in claim 18 wherein said forming step includes preparing said bevel points asymmetrically with a first bevel point extending incrementally beyond a second bevel point.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
55 words
The method defined in claim 16 wherein said drilling step includes forming said bone drill with a hollow shaft having an orifice adjacent a drill bit on a distal end of said shaft and applying a suction to said hollow shaft while drilling thereby removing debris produced while drilling the bone with said bone drill.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2000-09-15 | 2001-03-17 | 2001-09-16 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2004-09-15 | 2005-03-17 | 2005-09-16 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2008-09-15 | 2009-03-17 | 2009-09-16 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |