Surgery – Specula – Retractor
Reexamination Certificate
1999-06-04
2001-08-21
Smith, Jeffrey A. (Department: 3732)
Surgery
Specula
Retractor
C403S391000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06277069
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a clamping device for interconnecting two elongate elements.
The clamping device has been devised particularly, although not necessarily solely, for use with surgical retractors.
In surgical operations requiring access to internal organs and bone structures, it is common to use retractors to hold back tissue about the surgical site, so as to expose the area in which surgery is to be performed. Typically, a retractor includes a retractor blade which engages the tissue, and a retractor shaft onto which the retractor blade is mounted. The retractor is attached to a retractor support structure by some form of clamping device. The retractor support structure typically includes a rail which the clamping device can engage to thereby connect the retractor to the retractor support structure.
It is important that the clamping devices allow the retractors to be conveniently positioned on the retractor support structure and to be conveniently adjusted as necessary to achieve appropriate positioning with respect to the surgical site. Additionally, it is important that the clamping devices should not pose any significant obstruction to access to the surgical site and to movement of personnel about the surgical site, during the surgical procedure.
Various types of clamping devices have been proposed including those disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,727,899 (Dobrovolny), 5,792,046 (Dobrovolny) and 5,888,197 (Mulac). Each of those patents discloses a clamping device which includes a first clamping member for releasably engaging a retractor shaft, a second clamping member for releasably engaging a rail forming part of a retractor support structure, and a shaft which extends between the first and second clamping members and which is operable in association with a camming mechanism to cause the first and second clamping members to move between clamping and non-clamping conditions. Each clamping member includes a mounting section which is mounted on the shaft and a clamping section which is offset from the shaft. Typically, the clamping section includes a clamping aperture in which the component undergoing clamping is received. While such arrangements have proved satisfactory in operation, they do suffer from several deficiencies.
One deficiency is that the clamping device does not lend itself to a compact construction owing to the fact that the clamping section of each clamping member is offset with respect to the shaft on which the clamping members are supported.
Secondly, the offset relationship between the shaft of the clamping device and the retractor shaft renders the retractor vulnerable to deflection in the event of accidental impact during the surgical procedure.
Thirdly, cleaning of and sterilisation of the clamping devices is rendered difficult where they contain large numbers of operational parts. Furthermore, it can sometimes be difficult to insert the retractor shaft of a retractor in the clamping aperture of the appropriate clamping member owing to the close tolerances required for the clamping aperture in order for it to effectively move between clamping and non-clamping conditions upon operation of the clamping device. As a result of the close tolerances, there is little opportunity to accommodate misalignment between the retractor shaft and the clamping aperture when the clamping shaft is being presented to the clamping aperture for insertion therein during the process of setting up the retractor system.
It is against this background, and the problems and deficiencies associated therewith, that the present invention has been developed.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention provides a clamping device for clampingly interconnecting first and second elongate elements, the clamping device comprising a shaft, a first clamping member mounted on the shaft, the first clamping member having first and second clamping sections between which the first elongate element can be slidingly received and clampingly engaged, an aperture in the shaft adjacent the second section of the first clamping member to slidingly receive the second elongate element, a second clamping member mounted on the shaft and being displaceable therealong for clamping the second elongate element between the first clamping member and the second clamping member, and actuation means associated with the shaft for selectively moving the clamping device between clamping and non-clamping conditions.
With this arrangement, the elongate element which is received and clampingly retained in the aperture is generally aligned with the shaft rather than being offset with respect to it.
The actuation means may be adapted to apply a compressive force between the second clamping member and the first section of the first clamping member thereby to cause clamping engagement of the first and second elongate elements.
The actuation means may comprise a cam locking mechanism. The cam locking mechanism may include a cam pivotably connected to the shaft and a handle connected to the cam for pivotally moving the cam between clamping and release positions, wherein during movement towards the clamping position, the cam contacts the second clamping member to cause displacement thereof along the shaft.
Preferably, the first and second sections of the first clamping member are resiliently movable with respect to each other from the clamping condition to the non-clamping condition.
The first clamping member may be of unitary construction whereby the first and second seconds are connected by an integral hinge section.
The second clamping member may comprise a body having an opening through which the shaft is received, the body presenting a clamping face for engagement with the elongate element received in the aperture in the shaft.
The second clamping member may further comprise an abutment member positioned adjacent the body on the side thereof remote from the aperture in the shaft. The abutment member may be formed of a low-friction plastics material. The low-friction material from which the abutment member is formed facilitates sliding contact between the cam and the second mounting member as the cam is moved between the clamping and release positions.
The aperture formed in the shaft is preferably of a size whereby a loose fit is provided between the aperture and the elongate element received therein. Conveniently, the aperture is elongated with the longitudinal axis thereof extending along the longitudinal axis of the shaft. The elongated nature of the aperture contributes to the loose fit and the ease in which the elongate element can be positioned in the aperture.
A stop may be provided on the shaft to limit the extent to which the second mounting member can be displaced along the shaft, so ensuring that the second clamping member does not obstruct the aperture to an extent that it hinders insertion of the elongate member in the aperture.
The end of the shaft remote from the cam locking mechanism is connected to the second section of the first clamping member in any suitable fashion such as by threaded engagement therewith.
The shaft may extend from the first section of the first clamping member and beyond the second clamping member by passing through a hole formed in the second section of the first clamping member.
The present invention further provides a clamping device for clampingly interconnecting first and second elongate elements, the clamping device comprising a shaft, a first clamping member mounted on the shaft, the first clamping member having first and second clamping sections between which the first elongate element can be slidingly received and clampingly engaged, the shaft being connected to the first clamping section and extending beyond the second clamping section, an aperture in the shaft adjacent the second section of the first clamping member to slidingly receive the second elongate element, a second clamping member mounted on the shaft and being displaceable therealong for clamping the second elongate element between the first clamping member and the second cl
Davidson Davidson & Kappel LLC
Pine Ridge Holding Pty. Ltd.
Smith Jeffrey A.
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