Autoclavable handle

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11141235-B2
Application number	US-201916422039-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 24, 2019
Priority date	May 28, 2018
Publication date	Oct 12, 2021
Grant date	Oct 12, 2021

Abstract

An autoclavable handle (5) includes a handle housing (9) and with at least one switch element (11) mounted to the handle housing (9). The autoclavable handle (5) is permanently resistant to the effects of machine cleaning and of steam sterilization. The at least one switch element (11) is resiliently pressable into the handle housing (9). The switch element (11) is mounted in the handle housing (9) via at least one web (16) arranged on an underside of the switch element (11). The switch element (11) is sealed off from the handle housing (9) via a circumferential sealing element (12).

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An autoclavable handle comprising:
a handle housing;
at least one switch element mounted to the handle housing;
at least one web arranged on an underside of the at least one switch element, wherein the at least one switch element is mounted to the handle housing via the at least one web with the at least one switch element being resiliently pressable relative to the handle housing;
a circumferential sealing element wherein the at least one switch element is sealed off from the handle housing via the circumferential sealing element;
an axle connected to the handle housing; and
a spring element mounted on the switch element, wherein:
an oblong hole is formed in the at least one web and runs in a longitudinal direction of the web and the web is mounted in the handle housing via the axle passing through the oblong hole; and
the spring element is mounted on the switch element in such a way that the spring element presses the switch element outward from the handle housing, such that a working path of the switch element is defined by a length of the oblong hole.

2. The autoclavable handle as claimed in claim 1 , wherein:
the at least one switch element is arranged in a trough-shaped depression of the handle housing;
an opening, for passage of the at least one web, is formed in the depression; and
the spring element bears with one end on an underside of the switch element and is supported with another end on a bottom of the trough-shaped depression of the handle housing.

3. The autoclavable handle as claimed in claim 1 , further comprising another web arranged on the underside of the at least one switch element and with an oblong hole formed in the other web extending in a longitudinal direction of the other web to provide two webs spaced apart from each other, wherein:
the at least one switch element is mounted in the handle housing via the two webs spaced apart from each other;
the at least one switch element is arranged in a trough-shaped depression of the handle housing;
a separate opening is formed in the trough-shaped depression for each web; and
the webs spaced apart from each other are mounted in the handle housing on the axle as a common axle.

4. The autoclavable handle as claimed in claim 1 , further comprising:
another switch element to provide a plurality of switch elements; and
at least one web arranged on an underside of the other switch element, wherein:
each of the plurality of switch elements is mounted in an associated trough-shaped depression of the handle housing;
a separate opening is formed in each trough-shaped depression for each web; and
the webs of all of the switch elements are mounted on the axle as a common axle in the handle housing.

5. The autoclavable handle as claimed in claim 4 , further comprising another circumferential sealing element to provide a plurality of sealing elements, the other switch element being sealed off from the handle housing via the other circumferential sealing element, each of the plurality of sealing elements mounted with a clamping engagement both on the handle housing and on the respective switch element.

6. The autoclavable handle as claimed in claim 5 , wherein each sealing element comprises two bead-shaped clamping regions which are spaced radially apart from each other and are connected to each other via an elastic connecting web.

7. The autoclavable handle as claimed in claim 5 , wherein:
each switch element is comprised of an upper grip plate and a lower screw plate;
the circumferential sealing element is secured with clamping engagement in a sealing seat between the grip plate and the screw plate.

8. The autoclavable handle as claimed in claim 5 , further comprising a clamping plate wherein, circumferentially around each trough-shaped depression for receiving a switch element, a groove is formed in the handle housing in order to receive the respective sealing element, wherein, with the respective sealing element received, the respective groove is covered by the clamping plate and the clamping plate is fastened to the handle housing.

9. The autoclavable handle as claimed in claim 8 , further comprising a latch connection wherein the clamping plate is fastened to the handle housing via the latch connection.

10. The autoclavable handle as claimed in claim 1 , further comprising at least two other switch elements to provide at least three switch elements, wherein:
the handle housing is triangular in cross section; and
a trough-shaped depression is formed in each of the three side faces of the handle housing; and
one of the three switch elements is arranged in each trough-shaped depression so as to be pressed resiliently into the handle housing.

11. The autoclavable handle as claimed in claim 1 , further comprising at least one electrical contact, wherein:
the at least one electrical contact is arranged underneath the at least one switch element, such that the at least one switch element activates the at least one electrical contact when pressed into the handle housing.

12. The autoclavable handle as claimed in claim 11 , wherein:
the at least one switch element is arranged in a trough-shaped depression of the handle housing; and
the at least one electrical contact is arranged in the trough-shaped depression of the handle housing.

13. The autoclavable handle as claimed in claim 11 , further comprising two electrical contacts arranged underneath the at least one switch element wherein the two electrical contacts are connected in parallel.

14. The autoclavable handle comprising:
a handle housing;
a plurality of switch elements mounted to the handle housing, wherein: the switch elements are respectively arranged in trough-shaped depressions of the handle housing;
a common axle in the handle housing;
webs, wherein each of the webs is arranged on an underside of a respective one of the switch elements, wherein a separate opening is formed in each of the trough-shaped depressions for passage of each of the webs, each of the switch elements is mounted to the handle housing via the respective one of the webs with the switch elements being resiliently pressable relative to the handle housing, and the webs of all of the switch elements are mounted on the common axle in the handle housing; and
circumferential sealing elements, wherein each of the switch elements is sealed off from the handle housing via a respective one of the circumferential sealing elements.

15. The autoclavable handle as claimed in claim 14 , further comprising:
a spring element mounted on the switch elements, wherein:
an oblong hole is formed in the webs and runs in a longitudinal direction of the webs and the webs are mounted in the handle housing via the common axle passing through the oblong hole; and
the spring element is mounted on the switch elements in such a way that the spring element presses the respective switch element outward from the handle housing, such that a working path of the switch elements is defined by a length of the oblong hole.

16. The autoclavable handle as claimed in claim 14 , wherein:
an oblong hole is formed in each of the webs and runs in a longitudinal direction of the webs and the webs are mounted in the handle housing via the common axle passing through the oblong hole; and
the switch elements are resiliently pressable relative to the handle housing such that a working path of the switch elements is defined by a length of the oblong hole.

17. A method for actuating autoclavable handle, the method comprising the steps of:
providing autoclavable handle c

Assignees

• Storz Karl Se & Co Kg

Inventors

• Stefan Jochen
• Kramer Claus
• Grüner Sven
• Fan Chunman
• Behrendt Kay
• Bayer Andreas

Classifications

• A61B34/74 Primary

  Manipulators with manual electric input means · CPC title

• A61B2090/0813

  Accessories designed for easy sterilising, i.e. re-usable · CPC title

• A61B90/08 Primary

  Accessories or related features not otherwise provided for · CPC title

• A61B46/10

  specially adapted for instruments{, e.g. microscopes} · CPC title

• H01H2223/002

  sealed · CPC title