Special receptacle or package – For a tool – Razor blade
Patent
1995-12-11
1997-09-16
Gehman, Bryon P.
Special receptacle or package
For a tool
Razor blade
29239, 29278, 206359, 211 601, B65D 8310, B23P 1904
Patent
active
056670672
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates generally to the field of surgical instruments and more particularly to disposable devices adapted to remove a blade from a scalpel by simple insertion of the scalpel tang with its blade into the device.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
In the normal course of any surgical procedure, the surgeon may desire to have the blade on his scalpel changed numerous times since the sharpness of the blade is regarded as a prime prerequisite for effective surgery.
Initially, replaceable blades were removed manually, either by the surgeon or one of his assistants. Such manual removal of the blades has always presented the danger of a "slip" during the removal process which slip could result in cutting the flesh of the surgeon or other person undertaking the blade removal and replacement. With the advent of the danger presented by exposure to blood which may be contaminated by the HIV virus, those who may be involved in removing scalpel blades have become particularly sensitive to the possibility of being cut by a blade which may have been subjected to contact with contaminated blood. Consequently, attention has been given to devising means for effective blade removal other than manually. Thus, since at least 1981, a number of devices have been proposed to enable a surgeon to remove a blade from a scalpel without the necessity of digital contact with a possibly contaminated blade. Examples of such prior art efforts may be seen in the following United States patents: U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,168,777, 4,270,416, 4,344,532, 4,395,807, 4,466,539, 4,730,376, 4,903,390 and 5,163,553.
However, despite the teachings of these patents, the present inventor in his work as a surgeon has not found any devices made in accordance with the teachings of these patents commercially available for one reason or another. Whether this is due to complexity, expensive cost of manufacture or ineffectiveness, has not been determined. However, the need exists for an inexpensive effective disposable blade removing device, and that need has not been satisfied prior to the present invention.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention comprises a heavy steel base which may be slotted to receive a plurality of removable vertically projecting disposable plastic blade removing elements. The base is preferably made of a two part steel block, one part of which is milled to receive and securely retain the upper portion of the plastic element, with the second part of the steel block being milled to receive a laterally projecting bottom flange which prevents the element from being moved out of the slots in three of the four possible directions of movement. The two block portions are secured together, preferably by threaded elements.
The disposable blade removing element is formed as a rectangular receptacle comprised of a first elongated half and a second elongated half which are brought together and secured to each other. The two halves define a single recess which extends from the top end of the rectangular receptacle down toward the bottom end. The recess in the first half of the receptacle is configured in cross section closely to conform to a portion of the lower face of the scalpel tang and the blade mounted thereon, and terminates in a wall at which the recess is expanded to form half of a rectangular channel in the center of a portion of which is provided a ramped ridge. The other half of the receptacle defines a registering recess. The recess in the second half of the receptacle is configured to provide an initial rectangular section which extends for a short distance at the end of which a pair of parallel side ramps are provided, being spaced apart from each other by the width of the scalpel tang. A short distance thereafter, the recess in the second half of the receptacle is configured to define with the other half of the receptacle, a rectangular channel into which a removed blade will be deposited.
With the recess and ramps thus described, upon inserting a blade carrying scalpel into the top of the recta
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