Handheld self-punching device

1 . A device configured to implant a soft tissue anchor into a bone of a patient, the device comprising:

a housing;

an actuator operably coupled to a solenoid valve, at least a portion of the actuator extends outside of the housing, the actuator engageable by a user;

the solenoid valve within the housing, the solenoid valve biased toward a closed position and operable to an open position in response to actuation of the actuator;

an air cartridge removably installed at least partially within the housing, the air cartridge including compressed air;

a piston cylinder within the housing, the piston cylinder comprising:

a first chamber selectively fluidically connected to the air cartridge via the solenoid valve;

a second chamber;

a piston within the piston cylinder and disposed between the first chamber and the second chamber;

a spring within the second chamber, the spring configured to bias the piston toward the first chamber; and

a piston rod attached to the piston opposite the first chamber and extending through the second chamber to outside the housing;

wherein the first chamber includes a bleed valve configured to release compressed air from the first chamber after operation of the device to permit the spring to return the piston toward the first chamber; and

a soft tissue anchor receiver attached to the piston rod outside of the housing and configured to hold the soft tissue anchor during operation of the device to implant the soft tissue anchor into the bone of the patient;

wherein the piston cylinder is configured to deliver a single pneumatic pulse of sufficient force to drive the soft tissue anchor receiver directly into cortical bone tissue in response to engagement of the actuator.

2 . The device of claim 1 , wherein the soft tissue anchor receiver is operable to implant the soft tissue anchor into the bone of the patient when the solenoid valve is in the open position and fluidically connects the air cartridge and the first chamber to fill the first chamber with compressed air, and the soft tissue anchor receiver extends away from the housing via the piston rod.

3 . The device of claim 2 , wherein in the closed position, the solenoid valve fluidically isolates the air cartridge and the first chamber.

4 . The device of claim 1 , comprising a 10:1 compression ratio of a maximum volume of the first chamber to a minimum volume of the first chamber.

5 . The device of claim 1 , wherein the actuator comprises an electronic or pneumatic push button.

6 . The device of claim 1 , wherein the actuator is an electronic push button that, when compressed, sends an electronic signal to the solenoid valve to actuate the solenoid valve from the closed position to the open position.

7 . The device of claim 1 , wherein the actuator is a pneumatic push button that, when compressed, fluidically communicates with the solenoid valve to actuate the solenoid valve from the closed position to the open position.

8 . The device of claim 1 , wherein the compressed air comprises carbon dioxide.

9 . A device configured to implant a soft tissue anchor into a bone of a patient, the device comprising:

a housing;

an actuator, at least a portion of the actuator extending from outside the housing to inside the housing, the actuator is engageable by a user, the actuator biased toward a closed position and operable to an open position in response to engagement by a user;

a power source removably inserted at least partially within the housing, the power source configured to store energy, the power source selectively connected to a converter via the actuator;

a converter within the housing, the converter comprising:

a first chamber selectively connected to the power source via the actuator when the actuator is in the open position;

a second chamber;

a piston within the converter and disposed between the first chamber and the second chamber;

a biasing element within the second chamber, the biasing element configured to bias the piston toward the first chamber; and

a rod coupled to the piston opposite the first chamber and extending through the second chamber and outside of the housing;

wherein the first chamber includes a bleed valve configured to release energy from the first chamber after operation of the device to permit the biasing element to return the piston toward the first chamber; and

a soft tissue anchor receiver attached to the rod outside of the housing and configured to hold the soft tissue anchor during operation of the device to implant the soft tissue anchor into the bone of the patient;

wherein the actuator, when engaged by the user, causes the converter to deliver a single pulse of sufficient force to drive the soft tissue anchor receiver and the soft tissue anchor directly into cortical bone tissue in a single forward stroke, and wherein the rod is retracted after delivery of the single pulse while the soft tissue anchor remains implanted in the cortical bone tissue.

10 . The device of claim 9 , wherein the soft tissue anchor receiver is operable to implant the soft tissue anchor into the bone of the patient when the actuator is in the open position and connects the power source and to the first chamber of the converter, and the soft tissue anchor receiver extends away from the housing via the rod.

11 . The device of claim 9 , wherein the power source is a compressed air cartridge within the housing, the compressed air cartridge is configured to store compressed air and selectively connectable to the first chamber via the actuator.

12 . The device of claim 9 , comprising a 2:1 compression ratio of a maximum volume of the first chamber to a minimum volume of the first chamber.

13 . The device of claim 9 , wherein the actuator is an electronic push button that when compressed operates from the closed position to the open position.

14 . The device of claim 9 , wherein the actuator is a pneumatic push button that when compressed operates from the closed position to the open position.

15 . The device of claim 9 , wherein the power source includes compressed air, and wherein the compressed air comprises carbon dioxide.