Quick-action coupling

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9629640-B2
Application number	US-201314399120-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 3, 2013
Priority date	May 8, 2012
Publication date	Apr 25, 2017
Grant date	Apr 25, 2017

Abstract

The present application discloses a quick-action coupling ( 100 ) for a rotary surgical tool having a rotary shaft ( 20 ), in the distal end surface of which there is formed a tool receptacle ( 24 ) which is adapted to receive a rotary surgical tool for conjoint rotation. The rotary shaft ( 20 ) has, in the region of its distal end ( 21 ), at least one radial protrusion ( 22 ) and at least one radial aperture, wherein a locking body is arranged in the at least one aperture, said locking body being movable in the radial direction with respect to the rotary shaft ( 20 ). A sleeve ( 10 ), the proximal end of which is pushable over the distal end ( 21 ) of the rotary shaft ( 20 ), is additionally provided in the quick-action coupling. The inner surface of the sleeve ( 10 ) contains a region in which the inside diameter of the distal section ( 102 ) is enlarged compared with the inside diameter of the proximal section ( 101 ), and the sleeve ( 10 ) has at least one slot ( 11, 11′, 12, 12′, 13, 13′, 13″, 14, 15, 16, 17 ) which has a first slot section ( 11, 11 ′) and at least one further slot section ( 12, 12′, 13, 13′, 13″, 14, 15, 16, 17 ), wherein the first slot section ( 11, 11 ′) extends from the proximal end of the sleeve ( 10 ) and the further slot section ( 12, 12′, 13, 13′, 13″, 14, 15, 16, 17 ) is connected to the first slot section ( 11, 11 ′). An elastic element ( 30 ) urges the sleeve ( 10 ) in the distal direction relative to the rotary shaft ( 20 ).

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A quick-action coupling for a rotary surgical tool comprising:
a rotary shaft, in the distal end surface of which there is formed a tool receptacle which is configured to receive a rotary surgical tool for conjoint rotation therewith, wherein the rotary shaft has, in the area of its distal end, at least one radial projection and at least one radial aperture,
a locking body is arranged in the at least one aperture, said locking body being movable in the radial direction with respect to the rotary shaft,
a sleeve, the proximal end of which is able to be pushed over the distal end of the rotary shaft, wherein
the inner surface of the sleeve has an area in which the internal diameter of the proximal portion is smaller than the internal diameter of the distal portion, and
the sleeve has at least one slot which has a first slot portion and at least one further slot portion, wherein the first slot portion extends from the proximal end of the sleeve, and the further slot portion is connected to the first slot portion, and
an elastic element which urges the sleeve in the distal direction relative to the rotary shaft.

2. The quick-action coupling as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the elastic element is a helical spring which is arranged about the rotary shaft.

3. The quick-action coupling as claimed in claim 1 , wherein a bearing surface for the elastic element is formed on the sleeve and/or on the rotary shaft.

4. The quick-action coupling as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the locking body is a ball, and the aperture has, on both sides, a diameter that is smaller compared to a portion lying between said sides.

5. The quick-action coupling as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the first slot portion extends substantially in the distal direction and, at its distal end, is connected to the second slot portion, which extends substantially in the radial direction.

6. The quick-action coupling as claimed in claim 5 , wherein the first slot portion is connected via the second slot portion to a third slot portion, which extends from the second slot portion substantially in the distal and/or proximal direction.

7. The quick-action coupling as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the first slot portion extends obliquely in the distal and radial direction and, at its distal end, is connected to the second slot portion.

8. The quick-action coupling as claimed in claim 7 , wherein one end of the third slot portion is connected to a fourth slot portion, which extends substantially in the radial direction, wherein the other end of the third slot portion is connected to a fifth slot portion, which extends substantially in the radial or contra-radial direction.

9. The quick-action coupling as claimed in claim 7 , wherein the second slot portion extends in the proximal direction and extends in the proximal and radial direction.

10. The quick-action coupling as claimed in claim 1 , wherein a radial step is formed in the first slot portion, near the proximal edge of the sleeve.

11. The quick-action coupling as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the slot portions can also have a bent or curved shape.

12. The quick-action coupling as claimed in claim 1 , wherein two or three slots are provided which are arranged at uniform angular intervals along the circumferential direction of the sleeve, and wherein an equal number of radial projections are formed on the rotary shaft and are arranged correspondingly.

13. The quick-action coupling as claimed in claim 1 , wherein two or three radial apertures are formed in the side wall of the tool receptacle and a ball is arranged as a locking body in each aperture, said ball being held in the aperture by means of at least one part of at least one edge of the aperture being plastically deformed toward the hole center.

14. The quick-action coupling as claimed in claim 1 , wherein a step or an inclined surface is provided in the area of the inner surface of the sleeve between the proximal portion and the distal portion.

15. The quick-action coupling as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the slot is configured in such a way that it extends through the entire wall thickness of the sleeve.

16. The quick-action coupling as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the sleeve is movable distally from a release position to a locking position, the proximal end of the sleeve is pushed over the distal end of the rotary shaft as the sleeve moves between the release position and the locking position, the inner surface of the proximal portion of the sleeve urges the locking body toward the axis of the rotary shaft if the sleeve is in the locking position, and the inner surface of the distal portion of the sleeve permits radially outward movement of the locking body if the sleeve is in the release position.

17. The quick-action coupling as claimed in claim 16 , wherein the sleeve remains connected to the rotary shaft when the sleeve is in the release position and when the sleeve is in the locking position.

Assignees

• Aesculap Ag

Inventors

• Stern Andreas

Classifications

• F04C2270/0421

  Controlled or regulated · CPC title

• Y10T279/17811

  Reciprocating sleeve · CPC title

• Y10T279/17777

  Sleeved · CPC title

• A61B17/162 Primary

  Chucks or tool parts which are to be held in a chuck · CPC title

• Y10T279/17752

  Ball or roller jaws · CPC title