Granted Patent B1

US 9,078,672 · App. 13/290,202 · Granted Jul 14, 2015

Abstract

Claims (77)

1. A surgical reamer spindle, which comprises:

a) a housing, comprising:

i) a main housing section extending along a first longitudinal axis;

ii) an intermediate housing section connected to a distal end of the main housing section;

iii) a distal housing section connected to a distal end of the intermediate housing section; and

iv) at least two spaced apart openings in the main housing section, the openings residing in a plane aligned perpendicular to the first longitudinal axis;

b) a drive train at least partially housed inside the housing;

c) a reamer connector extending distally from the drive train for releasable connection to a reamer;

d) a handle assembly comprising a handle head portion supporting a handle grip, wherein the handle head portion defines a throughbore that receives the main housing section in a radially rotatable relationship with respect to the first longitudinal axis;

e) a locking mechanism supported by the handle head portion, the locking mechanism comprising:

i) a lever pivotably supported by a pivot pin secured to the handle head portion, wherein the lever extends along a second longitudinal axis from a proximal lever portion to a distal lever portion, and wherein the second longitudinal axis is spaced from the first longitudinal axis of the main housing section;

ii) a lever pin at the distal lever portion, the lever pin extending inwardly toward the first longitudinal axis; and

iii) a spring positioned between the handle head portion and the proximal lever portion,

f) wherein the proximal lever portion is pivotably manipulatable about the pivot pin and against a bias of the spring to register the lever pin in a first one of the at least two openings in the main housing section to thereby provide the handle grip supported by the handle head portion in a first radially locked position with respect to the first longitudinal axis of the main housing section, and

g) wherein the proximal lever portion is further manipulatable about the pivot pin and against the bias of the spring to remove the lever pin from the first opening to thereby permit relative rotational movement of the handle grip connected to the handle head portion about the main housing section until the lever pin is aligned with the second one of the openings and then the proximal lever portion is manipulatable to cause the spring to bias the lever pin into registry with the second opening to thereby provide, with respect to the first longitudinal axis of the main housing section, the handle grip in a second radially locked position different than the first radially locked position.

2. The surgical reamer spindle of claim 1 wherein the lever resides at least partially within a recess in a sidewall of the handle head portion.

3. The surgical reamer spindle of claim 1 wherein there are four openings in the main housing section, the four openings being spaced at 90° intervals from each other in the plane aligned perpendicular to the first longitudinal axis.

4. The surgical reamer spindle of claim 1 wherein the locking mechanism comprises two levers pivotably secured to the handle head section, the levers being diametrically opposed to each other.

5. The surgical reamer spindle of claim 1 wherein the intermediate housing section is angled between the main housing section and the distal neck section.

6. The surgical reamer spindle of claim 5 wherein the intermediate housing section extends along a third longitudinal axis that is at an intermediate housing angle ranging from 20° to 40° with respect to the first longitudinal axis.

7. The surgical reamer spindle of claim 1 wherein the main housing section is offset from the distal neck section by an offset distance that ranges from 2 cm to about 5 cm, the offset distance defined as the distance between the first longitudinal axis extending along the main housing section and a fourth longitudinal axis extending along the distal neck section.

8. The surgical reamer spindle of claim 1 wherein the main housing section comprises a distal main housing portion spaced apart from a proximal main housing portion, a central main housing portion being therebetween.

9. The surgical reamer spindle of claim 8 wherein a first frustro-conical transition portion resides between the distal main housing portion and the central main housing portion.

10. The surgical reamer spindle of claim 8 wherein a second frustro-conical transition portion resides between the central main housing portion and the proximal main housing portion.

11. The surgical reamer spindle of claim 1 wherein the drive train comprises a drive shaft having a proximal drive shaft end spaced from a distal drive shaft end, the proximal drive shaft end being adaptable for releasable connection to a source of rotary motion.

12. The surgical reamer spindle of claim 1 wherein the drive train comprises a drive shaft having a proximal drive shaft end spaced from a distal drive shaft end, the proximal drive shaft end being adaptable for releasable connection to a source of rotary motion, a first, proximal U-joint rigidly connected to the distal drive shaft end and pivotably connected to a second U-joint connected to a proximal end of an intermediary rod residing in the intermediate housing section, wherein the pivotably connected first and second U-joints reside at a transition of the main housing section to the intermediate housing section.

13. The surgical reamer spindle of claim 12 wherein the drive train further comprises an intermediary rod residing in the intermediate housing section and comprising a proximal rod end rigidly connected to the second U-joint opposite the first U-joint, a third U-joint rigidly connected to a distal end of the intermediary rod and pivotably connected to a fourth, distal U-joint connected to the reamer connector, wherein the pivotably connection third and fourth U-joints reside at a transition of the intermediate housing section to the distal housing section.

14. The surgical reamer spindle of claim 1 wherein the handle assembly is at least partially composed of a polymeric material.

15. The surgical reamer spindle of claim 1 wherein the handle assembly is at least partially composed of a carbon fiber material.

16. The surgical reamer spindle of claim 1 wherein the reamer connector extending distally from the drive train comprises a bayonet-type connector.

17. The surgical reamer spindle of claim 1 wherein a proximal portion of the main housing section provided with the at least two openings and supporting the handle assembly is cylindrical.

18. A surgical reamer spindle, which comprises:

a) a housing, comprising:

i) a proximal housing section extending to a distal housing section, wherein at least the proximal housing section extends along a first longitudinal axis; and

ii) at least two spaced apart openings in the proximal housing section, the openings residing in a plane aligned perpendicular to the first longitudinal axis;

b) a drive train at least partially housed inside the housing;

c) a reamer connector extending distally from the drive train for releasable connection to a reamer;

d) a handle assembly comprising a handle head portion supporting a handle grip, wherein the handle head portion defines a throughbore that receives the main housing section in a radially rotatable relationship with respect to the first longitudinal axis;

e) a locking mechanism supported by the handle head portion, the locking mechanism comprising:

i) a lever pivotable supported by a pivot pin secured to the handle head section, wherein the lever extends along a second longitudinal axis from a proximal lever portion to a distal lever portion, and wherein the second longitudinal axis is spaced from the first longitudinal axis of the main housing section;

ii) a lever pin at the distal lever portion, the lever pin extending inwardly toward the first longitudinal axis; and

iii) a spring positioned between the handle head portion and the proximal lever portion,

f) wherein the proximal lever portion is pivotably manipulatable about the pivot pin and against a bias of the spring to register the lever pin in a first one of the at least two openings in the main housing section to thereby provide the handle grip supported by the handle head portion in a first radially locked position with respect to the first longitudinal axis of the main housing section, and

g) wherein the proximal lever portion is further manipulatable about the pivot pin and against the bias of the spring to remove the lever pin from the first opening to thereby permit relative rotational movement of the handle grip connected to the handle head portion about the main housing section until the lever pin is aligned with the second one of the openings and then the proximal lever portion is manipulatable to cause the spring to bias the lever pin into registry with the second opening to thereby provide, with respect to the first longitudinal axis of the main housing section, the handle grip in a second radially locked position different than the first radially locked position.

19. The surgical reamer spindle of claim 18 wherein the lever resides at least partially within a recess in a sidewall of the handle head portion.

20. The surgical reamer spindle of claim 18 wherein there are four openings in the main housing section, the four openings being spaced at 90° intervals from each other in the plane aligned perpendicular to the first longitudinal axis.

21. The surgical reamer spindle of claim 18 wherein the locking mechanism comprises two levers pivotably secured to the handle head section, the levers being diametrically opposed to each other.

22. The surgical reamer spindle of claim 18 wherein the drive train comprises a drive shaft having a proximal drive shaft end spaced from a distal drive shaft end, the proximal drive shaft end being adaptable for releasable connection to a source of rotary motion.

23. The surgical reamer spindle of claim 18 wherein the handle assembly is composed of a polymeric material.

24. The surgical reamer spindle of claim 18 wherein the handle assembly is composed of a carbon fiber material.

25. The surgical reamer spindle of claim 18 wherein the reamer connector extending distally from the drive train comprises a bayonet-type connector.

26. The surgical reamer spindle of claim 18 wherein a proximal portion of the main housing section provided the at least two openings and supporting the handle assembly is cylindrical.

27. A surgical reamer spindle, which comprises:

a) a housing, comprising:

i) a main housing section extending along a first longitudinal axis;

ii) an intermediate housing section connected to a distal end of the main housing section; and

iii) a distal housing section connected to a distal end of the intermediate housing section,

iv) wherein the main housing section comprises a distal main housing portion connected to a cylindrical proximal main housing portion; and

v) at least two spaced apart openings in the cylindrical portion of the main housing section, the openings residing in a plane aligned perpendicular to the first longitudinal axis;

b) a drive train at least partially housed inside the housing, the drive train comprising:

i) a drive shaft having a proximal drive shaft end spaced from a distal drive shaft end, the proximal drive shaft end being adaptable for releasable connection to a source of rotary motion;

ii) a first, proximal U-joint rigidly connected to the distal, drive shaft end;

iii) a second U-joint pivotably connected to the first U-joint;

iv) an intermediary rod residing in the intermediate housing section and comprising a proximal rod end rigidly connected to the second U-joint opposite the first U-joint, wherein the pivotably connected first and second U-joints reside at a transition of the main housing section to the intermediate housing section;

v) a third U-joint rigidly connected to a distal end of the intermediary rod;

vi) a fourth, distal U-joint pivotably connected to the third U-joint; and

vii) a bayonet-type reamer connector rigidly connected to the fourth U-joint opposite the third U-joint, wherein the pivotably connection third and fourth U-joints reside at a transition of the intermediate housing section to the distal housing section;

c) a handle assembly comprising a handle head portion supporting a handle grip, wherein the handle head portion defines a throughbore that receives the main housing section in a radially rotatable relationship with respect to the first longitudinal axis;

d) a locking mechanism supported by the handle head portion, the locking mechanism comprising:

i) a lever pivotably supported by a pivot pin secured to the handle head portion, wherein the lever extends along a second longitudinal axis from a proximal lever portion to a distal lever portion, and wherein the second longitudinal axis is spaced from the first longitudinal axis of the main housing section;

ii) a lever pin at the distal lever portion, the lever pin extending inwardly toward the first longitudinal axis; and

iii) a spring positioned between the handle head portion and the proximal lever portion,

e) wherein the proximal lever portion is pivotably manipulatable about the pivot pin and against a bias of the spring to register the lever pin in a first one of the at least two openings in the main housing section to thereby provide the handle grip supported by the handle head portion in a first radially locked position with respect to the first longitudinal axis of the main housing section, and

f) wherein the proximal lever portion is further manipulatable about the pivot pin and against the bias of the spring to remove the lever pin from the first opening to thereby permit relative rotational movement of the handle grip connected to the handle head portion about the main housing section until the lever pin is aligned with the second one of the openings and then the proximal lever portion is manipulatable to cause the spring to bias the lever pin into registry with the second opening to thereby provide, with respect to the first longitudinal axis of the main housing section, the handle grip in a second radially locked position different than the first radially locked position.

28. The surgical reamer spindle of claim 27 wherein there are four openings in the cylindrical portion of the main housing section, the four openings being spaced at 90° intervals from each other in the plane aligned perpendicular to the first longitudinal axis and wherein the locking mechanism comprises two levers pivotably secured to the handle head section, the levers being diametrically opposed to each other.

29. The surgical reamer spindle of claim 27 wherein the handle assembly is at least partially composed of a carbon fiber material.

30. The surgical reamer spindle of claim 27 wherein the intermediate housing section extends along a third longitudinal axis that is at an intermediate housing angle ranging from 20° to 40° with respect to the first longitudinal axis so that the main housing section is offset from the distal neck section by an offset distance that ranges from 2 cm to about 5 cm, the offset distance defined as the distance between the first longitudinal axis extending along the main housing section and a fourth longitudinal axis extending along the distal neck section.

Assignments (9)