Clamp guard

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11730490-B2
Application number	US-202117318444-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 12, 2021
Priority date	May 12, 2020
Publication date	Aug 22, 2023
Grant date	Aug 22, 2023

Abstract

A blade mounting assembly for coupling a saw blade to a surgical saw. The blade mounting assembly including a blade clamp guard and a blade clamp moveably coupled to a drive hub of the surgical saw. The blade clamp guard defining a recess and a blade clamp at least partially disposed within the recess. The blade clamp further comprising a safety indicator. The blade clamp may be configured to move relative to the blade camp guard, the blade clamp moving between a first position where the safety indicator is exposed and a second position where the safety indicator is concealed by the blade clamp guard. The blade mounting assembly may also comprise a biasing mechanism disposed between the blade clamp guard and the blade clamp. The biasing mechanism configured to urge the blade clamp guard away from the blade clamp.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A blade mounting assembly for a surgical saw assembly, the surgical saw assembly comprising a saw blade, a housing, and a driver disposed within the housing configured to couple to a motor and releasably receive and actuate the saw blade, and the blade mounting assembly configured to be coupled to the housing and being configured to releasably clamp the saw blade to the driver, wherein the blade mounting assembly comprises:
a clamp guard defining a recess;
a blade clamp comprising a safety indicator and being configured to be at least partially disposed within the recess of the clamp guard, the blade clamp moveable relative to the clamp guard between an exposed position whereby the blade clamp protrudes from the clamp guard such that the safety indicator is visibly exposed and a concealed position whereby the blade clamp is retracted within the recess of the clamp guard such that the safety indicator is concealed by the clamp guard; and
a control mechanism configured to move between an open position and a closed position to manipulate position of the blade clamp between the exposed position and the concealed position, whereby:
in the open position, the blade clamp is configured to be in the exposed position such that the safety indicator is exposed, and the blade clamp is spaced apart from the driver by a first distance; and
in the closed position, the blade clamp is configured to be in the concealed position such that the safety indicator is concealed, and the blade clamp is spaced apart from the driver by a second distance, wherein the second distance is less than the first distance.

2. The blade mounting assembly of claim 1 , further comprising a biasing mechanism disposed between the clamp guard and the blade clamp, and wherein:
in the open position, the biasing mechanism is configured to urge the clamp guard away from the blade clamp such that the blade clamp protrudes from the clamp guard to expose the safety indicator; and
in the closed position, the biasing mechanism is configured to be compressed to allow the blade clamp to be retracted within the recess of the clamp guard and conceal the safety indicator.

3. The blade mounting assembly of claim 2 , wherein the driver comprises:
a support surface configured to support an attachment portion of the saw blade; and
at least one drive member adapted to be coupled to the attachment portion of the saw blade and being configured to be actuated by the driver, and wherein the at least one drive member is protruding from a plane of the support surface.

4. The blade mounting assembly of claim 3 , whereby in the open position, the blade mounting assembly is configured to operate in an at-rest state wherein the attachment portion of the saw blade is not inserted into the blade mounting assembly, whereby in the at-rest state, the biasing mechanism is configured to urge the clamp guard away from the blade clamp such that the clamp guard remains proximal the at least one drive member when the blade clamp is spaced the first distance from the driver.

5. The blade mounting assembly of claim 3 , whereby in the open position, the blade mounting assembly is configured to operate in an insertion state wherein the attachment portion of the saw blade is partially inserted into the blade mounting assembly such that the attachment portion of the saw blade is wedged between the clamp guard and the at least one drive member, whereby in the insertion state, the biasing mechanism is configured to be compressed allowing the clamp guard to move from being spaced a third distance from to the driver to a fourth distance from the driver as the attachment portion is wedged between the clamp guard and the at least one drive member.

6. The blade mounting assembly of claim 3 , whereby in the open position, the blade mounting assembly is configured to operate in a secured state wherein the attachment portion of the saw blade is fully inserted into the blade mounting assembly such that the attachment portion of the saw blade is supported by the support surface and coupled to the at least one drive member, whereby in the secured state, the biasing mechanism is configured to urge the clamp guard to directly abut the attachment portion of the saw blade.

7. The blade mounting assembly of claim 3 , whereby in the open position, the blade mounting assembly is configured to operate:
in an at-rest state wherein the attachment portion of the saw blade is not inserted into the blade mounting assembly, whereby in the at-rest state, the biasing mechanism is configured to be compressed to a fifth distance between the clamp guard and the blade clamp;
in an insertion state wherein the attachment portion of the saw blade is partially inserted into the blade mounting assembly such that the attachment portion of the saw blade is wedged between the clamp guard and the at least one drive member, whereby in the insertion state, the biasing mechanism is configured to be compressed to a sixth distance between the clamp guard and the blade clamp, wherein the sixth distance is less than the fifth distance; and
in a secured state wherein the attachment portion of the saw blade is fully inserted into the blade mounting assembly such that the attachment portion of the saw blade is supported by the support surface and coupled to the at least one drive member, whereby in the secured state, the biasing mechanism is configured to be compressed to a seventh distance between the clamp guard and the blade clamp, wherein the seventh distance is less than or equal to the fifth distance.

8. The blade mounting assembly of claim 7 , whereby in the closed position, the biasing mechanism is configured to compress to an eighth distance between the clamp guard and the blade clamp, wherein the eighth distance is less than each of the fifth, sixth, and seventh distances.

9. The blade mounting assembly of claim 3 , wherein:
the blade clamp comprises an upper surface, a lower surface and a clamp side surface disposed between the upper and lower surfaces;
the safety indicator is disposed on the clamp side surface of the blade clamp; and
the clamp guard comprises a primary surface and a guard side surface that define the recess of the clamp guard;
whereby in the exposed position, the lower surface of the blade clamp is configured to be spaced apart from the primary surface of the clamp guard and concealed by the guard side surface of the clamp guard and the clamp side surface of the blade clamp is configured to be exposed; and
whereby in the concealed position, the lower surface of the blade clamp is configured to abut the primary surface of the clamp guard and the guard side surface is configured to conceal the clamp side surface of the blade clamp.

10. The blade mounting assembly of claim 9 , wherein:
the blade clamp comprises at least one notch defined on the clamp side surface between the upper and lower surfaces;
the clamp guard defines at least one opening in the primary surface; and
whereby in the concealed position, the at least one opening is configured to receive a portion of at least one drive member adapted to be coupled to the attachment portion of the saw blade and being configured to be actuated by the driver.

11. A surgical saw assembly comprising:
a saw blade;
a housing;
a driver disposed within the housing and being configured to couple to a motor and releasably receive and actuate the saw blade; and
a blade mounting assembly coupled to the housing and being configured to releasably clamp the saw blade to the driver, wherein the blade mounting assembly comprises:
a clamp guard defining a recess;
a blade clamp comprising a safety indicator and being configured to be

Assignees

• Mako Surgical Corp

Inventors

• Gayle Carl

Classifications

• A61B17/142 Primary

  with reciprocating saw blades, e.g. with cutting edges at the distal end of the saw blades · CPC title

• A61B90/03 Primary

  Automatic limiting or abutting means, e.g. for safety · CPC title

• A61B2017/00477

  Coupling (A61B2017/0046 takes precedence) · CPC title

• A61B17/32002

  with continuously rotating, oscillating or reciprocating cutting instruments · CPC title

• A61B17/14

  Surgical saws ({A61B17/1637 takes precedence;} dental saws for teeth A61C3/12) · CPC title