Gas-enhanced surgical instrument with mechanism for cylinder puncture

摘要

A surgical instrument for providing an ionized gas to a surgical site includes a receptacle for at least one cylinder of pressurized surgical gas and a frame having a port near the distal end for emitting the surgical gas. A passageway extending between the receptacle and the port delivers the surgical gas to the port. A puncture assembly for rupturing a seal on at least one cylinder to release the surgical gas into the passageway includes at least one bank for storing mechanical energy which may include at least one spring. An actuator is operable to actuate the at least one bank release the mechanical energy. At least one puncture pin is operatively coupled to the at least one bank such that energy released by the at least one bank is effective to move the at least one puncture pin relative to at least one cylinder to rupture the seal.

主权项

1. A surgical instrument for providing a pressurized surgical gas to a surgical site, comprising:
a receptacle for receiving at least one cylinder of a pressurized surgical gas; a frame defining a port for emitting the pressurized surgical gas; a passageway extending between the receptacle and the port defined in the frame; and a puncture assembly for rupturing a seal of the at least one cylinder to release the pressurized surgical gas into the passageway, the puncture assembly comprising:
at least one bank for storing mechanical energy;an actuator responsive to an actuation force to release the mechanical energy from the at least one bank;at least one puncture pin operatively coupled to the at least one bank such that the release of the mechanical energy from the at least one bank moves the at least one puncture pin relative to the at least one cylinder with a puncture force greater than the actuation force; anda rack and pinion gear assembly including a rack and a pinion gear, wherein the at least one puncture pin is operatively coupled to the at least one bank via the rack and pinion gear assembly such that the release of the mechanical energy from the at least one bank induces motion in the rack and pinion gear assembly.