IP Library › Granted Patent US 11,375,989
Granted Patent B2
US 11,375,989 · App. 16/708,718 · Granted Jul 5, 2022

Retractor system, swivel lock, and surgical retractor blade

Inventor: Steve Nowak (Traverse City, MI)
Assignee: THOMPSON SURGICAL INSTRUMENTS, INC.
A61B17/0206A61B2017/00367
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,375,989
App. No.
16/708,718
Granted
Jul 5, 2022
Kind
B2
Abstract

A retractor system includes a retractor arm and a retractor blade attached to the retractor arm via a swivel gear of a retractor blade connector. The retractor blade includes an attachment post extending through a port of the swivel gear. The retractor blade connector further includes a swivel gear detent and a plunger. The swivel gear detent is positioned to selectively engage the swivel gear and prevent the swivel gear and attached retractor blade from rotating about the rotational axis. The plunger is movable among at least a locked position and an unlocked position. In the locked position, the plunger urges the swivel gear detent into engagement with the swivel gear and prevents rotation of the swivel gear and attached retractor blade about the rotational axis. In the unlocked position, the plunger permits the swivel gear and attached retractor blade to rotate past the swivel gear detent.

Claims (69)

1. A retractor blade connector, comprising:

a swivel gear comprising a swivel gear port and a rotational axis, wherein the swivel gear engages a retractor blade when an attachment post of the retractor blade is inserted into the swivel gear port;

a swivel gear detent positioned to selectively engage the swivel gear and prevent the swivel gear and attached retractor blade from rotating about the rotational axis;

a retractor blade detent positioned to selectively engage the attachment post of the retractor blade when the attachment post is inserted through the swivel gear port,

a first plunger movable among at least:

a locked position in which the first plunger urges the swivel gear detent into engagement with the swivel gear and prevents rotation of the swivel gear and attached retractor blade about the rotational axis, wherein the locked position of the first plunger causes the first plunger to urge the retractor blade detent into engagement with the attachment post of the retractor blade and prevents withdrawal of the attachment post of the retractor blade when the attachment post is inserted through the swivel gear port; and

an unlocked position in which the first plunger permits the swivel gear and attached retractor blade to rotate past the swivel gear detent; and

a swivel position in which the first plunger permits the swivel gear to rotate past the swivel gear detent and the first plunger urges the retractor blade detent into engagement with the attachment post of the retractor blade and prevents withdrawal of the attachment post of the retractor blade when the attachment post is inserted through the swivel gear port; and

a biasing spring that biases the first plunger toward the locked position of the first plunger.

2. The retractor blade connector of claim 1 , wherein the swivel gear comprises teeth that engage teeth of the retractor blade when the attachment post is inserted into the swivel gear port.

3. The retractor blade connector of claim 1 , wherein:

the swivel gear comprises teeth; and

the swivel gear detent engages one or more teeth of the swivel gear when the first plunger is in the locked position.

4. The retractor blade connector of claim 1 , wherein:

the swivel gear comprises a circumferential ring of depressions; and

the swivel gear detent engages one or more depressions of the swivel gear when the first plunger is in the locked position.

5. A retractor blade connector, comprising:

a swivel gear comprising a swivel gear port and a rotational axis, wherein the swivel gear engages a retractor blade when an attachment post of the retractor blade is inserted into the swivel gear port;

a swivel gear detent positioned to selectively engage the swivel gear and prevent the swivel gear and attached retractor blade from rotating about the rotational axis; and

a first plunger movable among at least:

a locked position in which the first plunger urges the swivel gear detent into engagement with the swivel gear and prevents rotation of the swivel gear and attached retractor blade about the rotational axis;

an unlocked position in which the first plunger permits the swivel gear and attached retractor blade to rotate past the swivel gear detent;

a retractor blade detent positioned to selectively engage the attachment post of the retractor blade when the attachment post is inserted through the swivel gear port; and

a second plunger movable between at least a locked position in which the second plunger urges the retractor blade detent into engagement with the attachment post of the retractor blade and prevents withdrawal of the attachment post of the retractor blade when the attachment post is inserted through the swivel gear port.

6. The retractor blade connector of claim 5 , further comprising a biasing spring that biases the second plunger toward the locked position of the second plunger.

7. The retractor blade connector of claim 5 , wherein the swivel gear comprises teeth that engage teeth of the retractor blade when the attachment post is inserted into the swivel gear port.

8. The retractor blade connector of claim 5 , wherein:

the swivel gear comprises teeth; and

the swivel gear detent engages one or more teeth of the swivel gear when the first plunger is in the locked position.

9. The retractor blade connector of claim 5 , wherein:

the swivel gear comprises a circumferential ring of depressions; and

the swivel gear detent engages one or more depressions of the swivel gear when the first plunger is in the locked position.

10. A retractor system, comprising:

a retractor arm comprising an elongated member and a retractor blade connector coupled to an end of the elongated member, the retractor blade connector including a swivel gear comprising a swivel gear port and a rotational axis; and

a retractor blade attached to the retractor arm via the swivel gear, the retractor blade comprising a retractor body, an attachment post extending from the retractor body and through the swivel gear port, and a blade extending from the retractor body;

wherein the retractor blade connector comprises:

a swivel gear detent positioned to selectively engage the swivel gear and prevent the swivel gear and attached retractor blade from rotating about the rotational axis; and

a first plunger movable among at least a locked position in which the first plunger urges the swivel gear detent into engagement with the swivel gear and prevents rotation of the swivel gear and attached retractor blade about the rotational axis, and an unlocked position in which the first plunger permits the swivel gear and attached retractor blade to rotate past the swivel gear detent;

a retractor blade detent positioned to selectively engage a groove in the attachment post of the retractor blade; and

a second plunger movable between at least a locked position in which the second plunger urges the retractor blade detent into the groove in the attachment post of the retractor blade and prevents withdrawal of the attachment post of the retractor blade.

11. The retractor system of claim 10 , wherein the retractor blade connector further comprises a biasing spring that biases the second plunger toward the locked position of the second plunger.

12. The retractor system of claim 11 , wherein the retractor blade connector further comprises a biasing spring that biases the first plunger toward the locked position of the first plunger.

13. A retractor system, comprising:

a retractor arm comprising an elongated member and a retractor blade connector coupled to an end of the elongated member, the retractor blade connector including a swivel gear comprising a swivel gear port and a rotational axis; and

a retractor blade attached to the retractor arm via the swivel gear, the retractor blade comprising a retractor body, an attachment post extending from the retractor body and through the swivel gear port, and a blade extending from the retractor body;

wherein the retractor blade connector comprises:

a swivel gear detent positioned to selectively engage the swivel gear and prevent the swivel gear and attached retractor blade from rotating about the rotational axis; and

a first plunger movable among at least a locked position in which the first plunger urges the swivel gear detent into engagement with the swivel gear and prevents rotation of the swivel gear and attached retractor blade about the rotational axis, and an unlocked position in which the first plunger permits the swivel gear and attached retractor blade to rotate past the swivel gear detent; and

wherein the swivel gear comprises axial teeth that engage teeth of the retractor blade and cause the swivel gear and retractor blade to rotate about the rotation axis in unison.

14. The retractor system of claim 13 , wherein:

the swivel gear comprises teeth that extend radially from the rotation axis; and

the swivel gear detent comprises teeth that engage one or more of the teeth of the swivel gear when the first plunger is in the locked position.

15. The retractor system of claim 13 , wherein the retractor blade connector further comprises a retractor blade detent positioned to selectively engage a groove in the attachment post of the retractor blade and prevent withdrawal of the attachment post of the retractor blade.

16. The retractor system of claim 13 , wherein:

the retractor blade connector further comprises a retractor blade detent positioned to selectively engage a groove in the attachment post of the retractor blade; and

the locked position of the first plunger causes the first plunger to urge the retractor blade detent into the groove of the attachment post of the retractor blade and prevent withdrawal of the attachment post of the retractor blade.

17. The retractor system of claim 13 , wherein the retractor blade connector further comprises a biasing spring that biases the first plunger toward the locked position of the first plunger.

18. A retractor system, comprising:

a retractor arm comprising an elongated member and a retractor blade connector coupled to an end of the elongated member, the retractor blade connector including a swivel gear comprising a swivel gear port and a rotational axis; and

a retractor blade attached to the retractor arm via the swivel gear, the retractor blade comprising a retractor body, an attachment post extending from the retractor body and through the swivel gear port, and a blade extending from the retractor body;

wherein the retractor blade connector comprises:

a swivel gear detent positioned to selectively engage the swivel gear and prevent the swivel gear and attached retractor blade from rotating about the rotational axis; and

a first plunger movable among at least a locked position in which the first plunger urges the swivel gear detent into engagement with the swivel gear and prevents rotation of the swivel gear and attached retractor blade about the rotational axis, and an unlocked position in which the first plunger permits the swivel gear and attached retractor blade to rotate past the swivel gear detent; and

wherein the swivel gear comprises a circumferential ring of depressions; and

wherein the swivel gear detent comprises a ball bearing that engages a depression of the swivel gear when the first plunger is in the locked position.

19. The retractor system of claim 18 , wherein the retractor blade connector further comprises a retractor blade detent positioned to selectively engage a groove in the attachment post of the retractor blade and prevent withdrawal of the attachment post of the retractor blade.

20. The retractor system of claim 19 , wherein the first plunger is further movable to a swivel position in which:

the first plunger permits radial teeth of the swivel gear to rotate past teeth of the swivel gear detent; and

the first plunger urges the retractor blade detent into the groove of the attachment post of the retractor blade and prevents withdrawal of the attachment post of the retractor blade.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Dec 10, 2019
From: NOWAK, STEVE
To: THOMPSON SURGICAL INSTRUMENTS, INC.
Reel/Frame 051227/0969 →
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20210169462A1 · Jun 10, 2021