U.S. patent number 3,877,147 [Application Number 05/373,513] was granted by the patent office on 1975-04-15 for disposable scalpel handle.
This patent grant is currently assigned to Acme United Corporation. Invention is credited to Clinton M. Cummings.
United States Patent |
3,877,147 |
Cummings |
April 15, 1975 |
Disposable scalpel handle
Abstract
A disposable scalpel handle adaptable for use by either right
handed or left handed surgeons is produced in a single press
swaging operation, in which there is no leftover material or
"flash" which has to be removed. Since the disposable scalpel
handle produced is perfectly symmetrical about its central axis, a
blade can be mounted to either side of the blade holding portion of
the scalpel, thereby providing a scalpel adaptable for use by
either right handed or left handed surgeons.
Inventors: |
Cummings; Clinton M.
(Southbury, CT) |
Assignee: |
Acme United Corporation
(Bridgeport, CT)
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Family
ID: |
26975095 |
Appl.
No.: |
05/373,513 |
Filed: |
June 25, 1973 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
Issue Date |
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306322 |
Nov 14, 1972 |
3817077 |
Jun 18, 1974 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
30/329; 30/339;
D24/147; 30/337; 76/104.1 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B21K
5/18 (20130101); A61B 17/3213 (20130101); B21K
11/00 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
A61B
17/32 (20060101); B21K 5/18 (20060101); B21K
11/00 (20060101); B21K 5/00 (20060101); B26b
005/00 () |
Field of
Search: |
;30/337,339,329,338,332,349,351,346.61,317 ;128/305 |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Foreign Patent Documents
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653,728 |
|
Nov 1928 |
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FR |
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397,655 |
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Aug 1933 |
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GB |
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Primary Examiner: Smith; Al Lawrence
Assistant Examiner: Zatarga; J. T.
Attorney, Agent or Firm: Mattern, Ware and Davis
Parent Case Text
This is a division of application Ser. No. 306,322, filed Nov. 14,
1972, now U.S. Pat. No. 3,817,077 dated June 18, 1974.
Claims
Having described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to
secure by Letters Patent is:
1. A scalpel handle comprising:
A. a handle portion completely symmetrical about its longitudinal
axis, wherein said handle portion is substantially flat and
incorporates a plurality of grooves positioned on both sides of
said handle portion with the grooves on one side being offset from
the grooves on the other side, and
B. a blade mounting portion,
a. extending from said handle portion,
b. incorporating two substantially flat parallel blade mounting
surfaces positioned for securement of a blade on either of said
surfaces, and
c. being completely symmetrical about the longitudinal axis of said
handle portion,
whereby a surgical blade can be mounted to said mounting portion on
either side thereof for use by either right handed or left handed
persons.
2. A scalpel handle as defined in claim 1, wherein said handle
portion comprises a substantially constant cross-sectional area
throughout.
3. The scalpel as defined in claim 1, wherein said blade mounting
portion comprises a substantially constant cross-sectional area
throughout.
4. A scalpel as defined in claim 1, comprising a substantially
unitary structure incorporating substantially rounded peripheral
edges throughout.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Most prior art scalpel handles are manufactured with blade holding
arms that require the blade to be inserted by bending and snapping
the blade in place. As a result, the scalpel handle can only have a
blade mounted on one side, and different scalpel handles have to be
manufactured for right handed and left handed surgeons.
Furthermore, these prior art scalpel handles require somewhat
complicated manufacturing processes and are relatively
expensive.
In order to reduce the cost of scalpel handles and the need for
repeated sterilization, some manufacturers make disposable scalpel
handles using plastics. Although the unit cost of each scalpel
handle is substantially reduced, the disposable plastic scalpel
handles have a tendency to flex more than a metal scalpel handle,
and also because of their low weight, are less appealing to many
surgeons.
In an attempt to manufacture metal scalpel handles at a reasonable
cost, some scalpel handles are being manufactured by a press
swaging operation. However, all of these press swaging operations
suffer from the common problem of "flash" or leftover material
which has to be removed in a separate operation. This additional
step is costly, and results in a higher unit cost for the final
product.
It is the principal object of this invention to provide a surgical
scalpel handle adaptable for use by both right handed and left
handed surgeons.
Another object of this invention is to provide a surgical scalpel
handle of the above character which is all metal, and is capable of
being manufactured in a single press swaging operation that
eliminates leftover metal or "flash."
Another object of this invention is to provide a surgical scalpel
handle of the above character which weighs substantially the same
as expensive, nickel-silver scalpel handles.
Another object of this invention is to provide a surgical scalpel
handle of the above character to which all surgical blades can be
quickly and easily secured.
A further object of this invention is to provide a surgical scalpel
handle of the above character to which the surgical blade can be
secured to either side of the scalpel.
Another object of this invention is to provide a surgical scalpel
handle of the above character which is inexpensive to
manufacture.
Other objects of the invention will in part be obvious and will in
part appear hereinafter.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The surgical scalpel handle of this invention comprises a one piece
unit which is completely symmetrical about its central axis,
thereby allowing any surgical blade to be secured to a blade
mounting portion on either side thereof. Consequently, the scalpel
handle can have blades mounted thereon for use by either right
handed or left handed surgeons.
A major aspect of this unique scalpel handle is its method of
manufacture. Initially, an elongated cylindrical rod such as used
for the axles of toy trucks having specially contoured ends is
employed. One end of the cylindrical rod is inserted into a rotary
swaging machine which forms and stretches that end of the rod in a
single operation into a smaller diameter cylindrical portion and a
conical portion interconnecting the smaller diameter cylindrical
portion with the larger diameter cylindrical rod. This operation
also automatically establishes the final length of the scalpel
handle.
The manufacture of the scalpel handle is then substantially
completed by a single press swaging operation. In this step, the
rotary swaged rod is merely placed in a press die and in a single
press operation, the rod is formed into the desired scalpel handle.
Preferably, the die incorporates grooves which provide the scalpel
handle body with a non-slip gripping surface. The smaller diameter
cylindrical portion which is formed in the rotary swaging operation
is formed into the blade mounting portion by the press swaging
operation. Since this mounting arm is flat on both sides and
completely symmetrical about its central axis, the surgical blade
can be mounted to either side of the mounting arm by piercing the
necessary holes therein.
The larger diameter cylindrical rod forms the scalpel handle
portion, while the conical interconnecting portion between the
smaller diameter cylindrical portion and the larger diameter
cylindrical rod forms the interconnecting zone between the mounting
portion and the handle portion. The specially contoured end of the
larger diameter cylindrical rod provides the palm end of the
scalpel handle with a smooth rounded end, without leaving any
"flash."
Since the press die is designed to accommodate all of the material
in the cylindrical rod, the resulting scalpel is manufactured in a
single press swaging operation without any "flash" resulting from
the swaging operation. The elimination of "flash" is a great
advantage for ease of manufacture and cost reduction, since there
is no leftover flash material which needs to be removed in a
separate, costly operation. Consequently, as soon as the press
swaging operation is completed and mounting holes are pierced in
the blade mounting portion, the scalpel handle is ready to have the
blade mounted thereto.
A further advantage of this scalpel and method of manufacture is
the high quality product that results. By using a cylindrical rod
which comprises a uniform diameter and cross-section throughout its
entire length and finish and by using properly designed press dies,
the scalpel produced after the press swaging operation also
comprises a uniform cross-section incorporating the same quantity
of material as in the cylindrical rod, but in a different shape. As
a result, the strength and rigidity of the scalpel produced is
assured. Consequently, the quality of the scalpel handle of this
invention far surpasses plastic scalpel handles and molded type
scalpel handles in which air pockets or similar imperfections may
be unknowingly incorporated into the final product due to
imperfections and the molding operation.
The invention accordingly comprises the several steps and the
relation of one or more of such steps with respect to each of the
others, and the article possessing the features, properties, and
the relation of elements, which are exemplified in the following
detailed disclosure, and the scope of the invention will be
indicated in the claims.
THE DRAWINGS
For a thorough understanding of the nature and objects of the
invention, reference should be had to the following detailed
description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in
which
FIG. 1 is a plan view of a cylindrical rod with specially contoured
ends prior to insertion in a rotary swaging machine;
FIG. 1A is a greatly enlarged plan view of the cylindrical rod of
FIG. 1 showing the specially contoured end in greater detail;
FIG. 2 is a plan view of the cylindrical rod of FIG. 1, after being
withdrawn from the rotary swaging machine;
FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional, side elevation view of the scalpel
handle of this invention in a press swaging die;
FIG. 4 is a top plan view of the scalpel handle of this invention
in a press swaging die taken along line 4--4 of FIG. 3;
FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional side elevation view of a portion of the
scalpel handle of this invention taken along line 5--5 of FIG.
4;
FIG. 6 is a top plan view of the scalpel handle of this
invention;
FIG. 7 is a front end view of the scalpel handle of this invention
taken along line 7--7 of FIG. 6; and
FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional side elevation view of a portion of the
scalpel handle of this invention in the press swaging die taken
along line 8--8 of FIG. 3.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
Scalpel handle 20 of this invention, best seen in FIG. 6,
incorporates a blade mounting portion 22, a handle portion 24, and
an intermediate portion 26 which interconnects mounting portion 22
with a handle portion 24. By referring to FIGS. 6 and 7, it can be
seen that scalpel handle 20 is completely symmetrical about its
central axis. As a result, a surgical blade 28, shown in phantom in
FIG. 6, can be mounted to either side of blade mounting portion 22.
This allows scalpel handle 20 to have a blade mounted thereto which
can be used by either right handled or left handed surgeons.
One of the major advantages of scalpel handle 20 is found in its
unique four-step manufacturing process. This process can best be
understood by referring to FIGS. 1, 1A and 2-4. In FIG. 1A, a
cylindrical rod 30, such as is used as the axle in toy trucks, is
shown after the ends 32 and 34 have been specially contoured. Rod
30 preferably comprises an overall length of 4 3/16 inches and a
diameter of 0.218 inches. Preferably, the overall length is
maintained within 0.010 inches of the preferred length and the
diameter is maintained within 0.005 inches of the preferred
diameter.
Preferably, specially contoured ends 32 and 34 are not perfectly
spherical and, instead, comprise two distinct portions 31 and 33
having different radaii. Portions 31, which include the tips of
ends 32 and 34, comprise a radius equal to one-half the diameter of
rod 30. In the preferred embodiment, this radius is about 0.109
inches. The remaining portions 33 of ends 32 and 34 comprise
between one-half and two-thirds the diameter of rod 30, with a
radius of 0.125 inches in the preferred embodiment. Therefore, the
first step in the manufacturing process of scalpel handle 20 is to
contour both ends 32 and 34 of rod 30 into the desired blended,
double radius ends. As will be more fully described below,
specially contoured ends 32 and 34 are extremely important in order
to provide a rod which is capable of being press swaged into a
scalpel handle without leaving any "flash."
Preferably, rod 30 is a low carbon steel rod having a surface
finish free from pits and gouges. The rod composition is important
since other types of rods tested resulted in cracks at the palm end
of the scalpel handle or "flash" after the swage pressing
operation. The surface finish of the rod is also important to the
production of a smooth scalpel handle since the slightest pit or
gouge in the rod is amplified during swage pressing producing a
poor surface on the scalpel handle.
The second manufacturing step is the rotary swaging of one end of
the rod. In FIG. 1 cylindrical rod 30 with specially contoured ends
32 and 34 is shown prior to insertion in a rotary swaging machine
36. When end 32 of rod 30 is inserted into swaging machine 36, end
32 of rod 30 is stretched and formed, in a single operation, into a
smaller diameter cylindrical portion 38 and an intermediate
conical-shaped portion 40, as shown in FIG. 2. Conical portion 40
provides a uniform transition from the smaller diameter cylindrical
portion 38 to the larger diameter cylindrical body of rod 30, while
the stretching operation establishes the overall length of scalpel
handle 20.
In the third manufacturing step, scalpel handle 20 is substantially
completed in a single operation by swage pressing rod 30 between
press swaging dies 42 and 44 into the desired scalpel shape, as
shown in FIGS. 3 and 4. Dies 42 and 44 cooperate to form a cavity
43, which defines the desired top and bottom surface shape of
scalpel handle 20 while assuring production of scalpel handle 20
with the desired thickness at the various points thereof. Since the
vertical dimension of cavity 43 is carefully controlled to assure
the desired scalpel handle thickness and the raw material of rod 30
is free to flow laterally, no "flash" or leftover material is
produced which needs to be trimmed in a separate operation.
Furthermore, the use of rod 30 with its specially contoured, double
radius ends 32 and 34, assures that scalpel handle 20 will not
contain any "flash" at its terminating ends and instead will be
smoothly rounded throughout.
Palm end 25 of handle portion 24, best seen in FIGS. 3, 6 and 8,
comprises the thinnest portion of scalpel handle 20. The palm end
portion of a scalpel handle is used by the surgeons to spread the
skin of the patient after an incision has been made. Consequently,
it is extremely important, that the palm end portion be
substantially flat, in order to be easily inserted into the
incision, while also being smoothly rounded throughout its end, in
order to prevent any unwanted cutting or puncturing of the
patient's tissue surrounding the incision. Smoothly rounded palm
end portion 25 is provided in scalpel handle 20 directly from the
press swaging operation due to the unique manufacturing process of
scalpel handle 20. The special contouring of end 34, described
above, assures that palm end 25 will be smoothly rounded directly
after the press swaging operation without any burrs or rough areas
which have to be removed. Furthermore, the selection of the
material and surface finish of rod 30 provides assurance that there
will be no cracks, pits or gouges in palm end 25.
The final step in the manufacturing process of scalpel handle 20 is
the piercing of eyelet holes 50, shown in FIG. 6, for the easy
mounting of a scalpel blade. Scalpel handle 20 is now a completed
product ready for the mounting of a surgical blade thereto.
Although the production of scalpels is primarily concerned and
referred to in this application, the scope and breadth of this
manufacturing process is not limited to scalpels, since this "no
flash" manufacturing process has applicability to many varied and
diversed products, such as knife handles, scissors, etc.
Scalpel 20 is constructed to be well balanced and comfortable in
the hands of the surgeon, while also weighing the same as expensive
scalpel handles. By using a cylindrical rod, with double radius
ends, carefully designed press dies, and a press swaging operation
that employs all of the raw material, the peripherally surrounding
edges of the handle portion 24 are rounded throughout. This is
highly advantageous since it provides a smoothly rounded surface
for ease of handling.
Scalpel 20 also has a non-slip gripping surface 46 which
incorporates a plurality of grooves 48 and 49. As best seen in FIG.
5, grooves 48 and 49 are 90.degree. out of phase, thereby having
each groove 48 juxtaposed to the ridges between groove 49, and vice
versa. As will be more fully described below, this arrangement
assures that the raw material will not "flow" longitudinally during
the pressing operation, which would produce "flash." Another
important direct result of the 90.degree. off-set of grooves 48 and
49 is the production of handle portion 24 with a substantially
constant cross-sectional area throughout substantially its entire
length.
Due to the unique manufacturing process described above, scalpel
handle 20 is an extremely high quality product. Since scalpel
handle 20 is produced in a single press swaging operation from a
single rod having two substantially cylindrical portions with
different diameters and also because of die shape, scalpel handle
20 comprises a substantially constant cross-sectional area
throughout those portions formed from the two cylindrical rod
portions. Blade mounting portion 22 comprises a cross-sectional
area which is substantially constant throughout its length, and
which is also substantially equal to the cross-sectional area of
the smaller diameter cylindrical portion 38 of rod 30. Similarly,
the cross-sectional area of handle portion 24 is substantially
constant throughout substantially the entire length of handle
portion 24, and this cross-sectional area is also substantially
equal to the cross-sectional area of the larger diameter
cylindrical body of rod 30. A cross-section of palm portion 25 is
shown in FIG. 8.
The maintenance of a constant cross-sectional area in the
production of scalpel handle 20 is extremely important for assuring
the use of all of the raw material during the press swaging
operation without elongation of the material, thereby preventing
any "flash" from being produced. As a result, both handle portion
24 and blade mounting portion 22 have a uniform cross-sectional
area throughout the respective lengths and incorporate smooth
rounded edges about their entire peripheries without any sharp or
inconsistent portions therein. This controlled metal press swaging
operation produces a high quality product directly from the die
without requiring removal of flash or leftover material. The
elimination of the extra step required in prior art processes for
the removal of "flash" makes this process extremely desirable since
the product of this process is produced considerably less
expensively than prior art products.
In the preferred embodiment of scalpel handle 20, the scalpel
handle incorporates a non-glare finish. This is desirable in order
to prevent glare which may interfere with the surgeon during the
operation. Such a non-glare surface is easily provided by tumbling
and shot processes well known in the art. The resulting scalpel
handle has a non-glare finish, as represented in FIG. 6.
Although the description above is directed specifically to surgical
scalpel handles, manufacturing process described in relation to the
scalpel handle can be efficiently employed for the production of
any unitarily constructed product. As clearly described above, this
process is extremely advantageous since the unitary product can be
produced in a single operation without the expensive additional
step of "flash" removal.
It will thus be seen that the objects set forth above, among those
made apparent from the preceding description, are efficiently
attained, and since certain changes may be made in carrying out the
above method and in the article set forth without departing from
the scope of the invention, it is intended that all matter
contained in the above description and shown in the accompanying
drawings shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting
sense.
It is also to be understood that the following claims are intended
to cover all of the generic and specific features of the invention
herein described, and all statements of the scope of the invention
which, as a matter of language, might be said to fall
therebetween.
* * * * *