Granted Patent B2

US 12,697,129 · App. 18/501,223 · Granted Aug 4, 2026

Inventors: Wayne Anderson (Malibu, CA); John J. Perry (Malibu, CA); Michael M. Karch (Malibu, CA); Anthony D. Truscott (Las Vegas, NV); Edward J. Dohring (Malibu, CA)

Assignee: Quartus Engineering Incorporated

A61B17/1622A61B17/1624A61B17/1626A61B17/1633A61B17/17G01L3/08G01L3/10G01L3/1478A61B2090/066

Abstract

Claims (31)

1 . An instrument for penetrating tissue, the instrument comprising

a body having a forward end and a rear end;

a working tool connected to the forward end of the body;

one or more motors housed in the body; and

a guide harp, the guide harp comprising one or more rods, wherein the one or more rods of the guide harp extend beyond the rear end of the body, wherein the one or more rods of the guide harp are coupled to the body at the rear end of the body by extending through a rear guide, the rear guide comprising a rear housing cover.

2 . The instrument of claim 1 , further comprising a distal guide element, wherein the distal guide element is withdrawn revealing a length of the working tool extending beyond a distal engagement end of the instrument.

3 . The instrument of claim 1 , wherein the rear guide houses a harp feed guide sub-assembly, the harp feed guide sub-assembly engages the one or more rods via threads or step gear cuts on at least a portion of a length of the one or more rods.

4 . The instrument of claim 1 , wherein the one or more rods of the guide harp extend through the rear guide and extend out the rear housing cover of the rear guide.

5 . The instrument of claim 1 , wherein the guide harp comprises two rods.

6 . The instrument of claim 1 , at least two rods of the one or more rods are telescoping rods and at a first time point are in a first position extending out of the rear housing cover and at a second time point are in a second position not extending out of the rear housing cover.

7 . An instrument for penetrating tissue, the instrument comprising

a body having a first end and a proximal end;

a working tool connected to the first end of the body; and

one or more motors housed in the body wherein the one or more motors comprises a rotational drive motor having a drive shaft wherein the rotational drive motor and drive shaft form a motor sub-assembly, the motor sub-assembly having a sensor and a motor mount wherein one or more motors is mounted to the body by a torque sensor, the torque sensor having a motor mount configured to attach the one or more motors to the body and wherein the motor mount comprises one or more guide pins configured to interface with a harp feed drive sub-assembly.

8 . The instrument of claim 7 , wherein the motor sub-assembly is suspended between a bearing at the first end of the body and the motor mount coupled to the proximal end of the body such that the sensor is positioned between the rotational drive motor and the motor mount and does not contact the body directly.

9 . The instrument of claim 7 , wherein the drive shaft extends through a bushing within the first end of the body.

10 . The instrument of claim 9 , wherein the sensor is an axial force sensor incorporated within the bushing.

11 . The instrument of claim 7 , wherein the drive shaft of the rotational drive motor extends through the first end of the body and couples with a rotatably-driven coupler or rotatably-driven coupler extension.

12 . The instrument of claim 7 , the harp feed drive sub-assembly is coupled to the proximal end of the body by at least one guide bushing the at least one guide bushing coupled with guide pins of a motor mount sub-assembly.

13 . An instrument for penetrating tissue, the instrument comprising

a body;

a working tool connected to the body;

a guide harp, the guide harp comprising one or more rods wherein the one or more rods of the guide harp extend beyond a rear end of the body;

one or more motors housed in the body;

a sensor housed in the body, wherein the one or more motors is mounted to the body by the sensor;

a display displaying a processed signal wherein the processed signal is representative of a combination of torque, energy, and power.

14 . The instrument of claim 13 , wherein the processed signal is accumulated energy.

15 . The instrument of claim 14 , wherein the accumulated energy is displayed as a function of position or as a function of time.

16 . The instrument of claim 13 , wherein the processed signal is power.

17 . The instrument of claim 16 , wherein the power is displayed as a function of time or as a function of depth.

18 . The instrument of claim 13 , wherein the processed signal provides information regarding penetration of the working tool and when to stop penetration of the working tool.

Assignments (3)

Continuity (4)

References Cited (253)