AO quick connect interface
In one embodiment, a quick connect interface for a surgical instrument includes a body having an inner cavity that includes a flat. Two or more ball bearings are each disposed in a respective hole in the body. A sleeve is slideable along the body. The sleeve includes a camming ramp that urges the two one or more ball bearings to partially extend through the holes into the inner cavity when the sleeve is in a locked position. The two or more ball bearings are positioned to, when the shaft of the replaceable tool is disposed in the inner cavity, urge the shaft to a side of the inner cavity that includes the flat. The ball bearings may be positioned radially about a central axis of the body substantially 90 degrees apart. The camming ramp may include at least one plateau that prevents unintentional release of the shaft.
1. A quick connect interface for a surgical instrument, comprising:
a body having an outer surface, and having an inner surface that defines an inner cavity, the inner cavity shaped to accommodate a generally-cylindrical shaft of a replaceable tool, the inner cavity having a flat portion shaped to engage another flat portion formed by a profile of an end of the shaft;
two or more ball bearings positioned radially about a central axis of the body, each ball bearing disposed in a respective hole in the body that extends from the outer surface to the inner surface of the body, wherein there are no ball bearings positioned radially about the central axis opposing the two or more ball bearings; and
a sleeve that surrounds a portion of the body and is slideable along the body, from an unlocked position to a locked position, the sleeve including a camming ramp that contacts the two or more ball bearings, the camming ramp arranged to urge the two or more ball bearings to partially extend through the holes into the inner cavity when the sleeve is in the locked position,
wherein the two or more ball bearings are positioned to, when the shaft of the replaceable tool is disposed in the inner cavity, urge the shaft more to a side of the inner cavity that includes the flat portion than an opposing side of the inner cavity.
2. The quick connect interface of claim 1 , wherein the two or more ball bearings comprise first and second ball bearings positioned radially about a central axis of the body, substantially 90 degrees apart.
3. The quick connect interface of claim 1 , wherein the camming ramp includes at least one plateau that is oriented substantially parallel to a central axis of the body and interrupts an angle of the camming ramp, the at least one plateau positioned to prevent unintentional release of the shaft of the replaceable tool should force be exerted upon the replaceable tool in a distal direction while the sleeve is in the locked position.
4. The quick connect interface of claim 3 , wherein the at least one plateau comprises a first plateau and a second plateau, the first plateau positioned to receive the two or more ball bearings when the sleeve is in the unlocked position, and the second plateau positioned to prevent unintentional release of the shaft of the replaceable tool should force be exerted upon the replaceable tool in the distal direction while the sleeve is in the locked position.
5. The quick connect interface of claim 1 , wherein the body includes a slot that extends from the outer surface into the inner cavity, the slot having a flat bottom that constitutes the flat portion of the inner cavity.
6. The quick connect interface of claim 5 , wherein the two or more ball bearings comprise first and second ball bearings, and the slot is radially aligned about a central axis of the body with the midpoint between the first and second ball bearings.
7. The quick connect interface of claim 1 , further comprising
a spiral retaining ring disposed about the body that retains the sleeve upon the portion of the body.
8. The quick connect interface of claim 1 , wherein the quick connect interface is an AO quick connect interface.
9. A surgical instrument that includes a quick connect interface, comprising:
a drive mechanism;
a replaceable tool having a shaft, an end of the shaft having a flat portion formed by a profile of the end; and
a quick connect interface coupled to the drive mechanism, and configured to connect to the shaft of the replaceable tool, the quick connect interface including:
a body having an outer surface, and having an inner surface which defines an inner cavity that is shaped to accommodate the shaft of the replaceable tool, the inner cavity having a flat portion shaped to engage another flat portion formed by a profile of an end of the shaft,
two or more ball bearings positioned radially about a central axis of the body, each ball bearing disposed in a respective hole in the body that extends from the outer surface to the inner surface of the body, wherein there are no ball hearings positioned radially about the central axis opposing the two or more ball bearings,
a sleeve that surrounds a portion of the body and is slideable along the body, from an unlocked position to a locked position, the sleeve including a camming ramp that contacts the two or more ball bearings, the camming ramp arranged to urge the two or more ball bearings to partially extend through the holes into the inner cavity when the sleeve is in the locked position,
wherein the two or more ball bearings are positioned to, when the shaft of the replaceable tool is disposed in the inner cavity, urge the shaft more to a side of the inner cavity that includes the flat portion than an opposing side of the inner cavity.
10. The surgical instrument of claim 9 , wherein the two or more ball bearings comprise first and second ball bearings positioned radially about a central axis of the body substantially 90 degrees apart.
11. The surgical instrument of claim 10 , wherein the camming ramp includes at least one plateau that is oriented substantially parallel to a central axis of the body and interrupts an angle of the camming ramp, the at least one plateau positioned to prevent unintentional release of the shaft of the replaceable tool should force be exerted upon the replaceable tool in a distal direction while the sleeve is in the locked position.
12. The surgical instrument of claim 11 , wherein the at least one plateau comprises a first plateau and a second plateau, the first plateau positioned to receive the two or more ball bearings when the sleeve is in the unlocked position, the second plateau positioned to prevent unintentional release of the shaft of the replaceable tool should force be exerted upon the replaceable tool in the distal direction while the sleeve is in the locked position.
13. The surgical instrument of claim 9 , wherein the body includes a slot that extends from the outer surface into the inner cavity, the slot having a flat bottom that constitutes the flat portion of the inner cavity.
14. The surgical instrument of claim 13 , wherein the two or more ball bearings comprise first and second ball bearings, and the slot is radially aligned about a central axis of the body with the midpoint between the first and second ball bearings.
15. The surgical instrument of claim 9 , wherein the quick connect interface further comprises a spiral retaining ring disposed about the body that retains the sleeve upon the portion of the body.
16. The surgical instrument of claim 9 , wherein the quick connect interface is an AO quick connect interface.
17. A quick connect interface for a surgical instrument, comprising:
an inner cavity sized to accommodate a shaft of a replaceable tool, the inner cavity having a flat portion shaped to engage another flat portion formed by a profile of an end of the shaft;
two or more bearings that are each disposed in a respective hole;
a sleeve that is slideable from an unlocked position to a locked position;
means for urging the two or more bearings to partially extend through the holes into the inner cavity when the sleeve is in the locked position,
wherein the two or more bearings are positioned radially about a central axis of the body substantially 90 degrees apart, wherein there are no ball bearings positioned radially about the central axis opposing the two or more ball bearings, and the two or more ball bearings are arranged to, when the shaft of the replaceable tool is disposed in the inner cavity, urge the shaft more to a side of the inner cavity that includes the flat portion than an opposing side of the inner cavity.
18. The quick connect interface of claim 17 , wherein the means for urging comprises a camming ramp having at least one plateau that is oriented substantially parallel to a central axis of the body and interrupts an angle of the camming ramp, the at least one plateau positioned to prevent unintentional release of the shaft of the replaceable tool should force be exerted upon the replaceable tool in a distal direction while the sleeve is in the locked position.
19. The quick connect interface of claim 17 , wherein the body includes a slot that extends from the outer surface into the inner cavity, the slot having a flat bottom that constitutes the flat portion of the inner cavity.
20. The quick connect interface of claim 17 , wherein the quick connect interface is an AO quick connect interface.