GB2271738A

GB2271738A - Releasable grip for a surgical knife

Info

Publication number: GB2271738A
Application number: GB9320948A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Richard Antony Wotton
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1992-10-13
Filing date: 1993-10-12
Publication date: 1994-04-27
Anticipated expiration: 2013-10-12
Also published as: GB9221495D0; GB2271738B; GB9320948D0

Abstract

A releasable grip for a surgical knife has a profiled, releasable gripping portion (Figures 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5) allowing the thumb, index finger and middle finger to be positioned comfortably and accurately enabling controllable and accurate incisions to be made up to the maximum depths of the usable part of the blade. The releasable grip has formations adapted to engage with the ridges and/or grooves of a surgical knife handle therefore allowing the grip to be slid on and off easily and quickly, allowing for easy replacement of blades. The grip allows thicker materials, such as foam board or mounting board, to be cut with a surgical knife with the thumb, index and middle fingers of the user subjected to less pressure. A nose portion (A, fig 6) projects from the front of the grip and provides the blade with increased rigidity and also protects the user from the blade. <IMAGE>

Description

RELEASABLE GRIP FOR A SURGICAL KNIFE This invention relates to a releasable grip for a surgical knife.

Surgical knives are well known, extremely sharp detail knives. They consist of a variety of handles of which a variety of blades slide on to. They are easy to use when cutting thin materials ie: paper, draughting film where one cut is involved.

However when it comes to cutting thicker materials ie: foamboard, mounting board, three or more cuts have to be made to cut through the thickness of material.

Due to the narrowness of the surgical knife handle extreme pressures are put upon specific points of the thumb, index finger and middle finger.

Due to the narrowness of the surgical knife handle, slight rocking occurs between the thumb, index finger and middle finger when pressure is exerted, such required to cut through thick materials, therefore providing unwanted ridging due to the surgical knife handle not being held at exactly the same angle during each cut.

According to the present invention, there is provided a releasable grip with formations adapted to engage the ridges and/or grooves of a surgical knife handle allowing no forward/ backward/ up and down movement of the grip on the surgical knife handle until required ie: blade removal.

A specific embodiment of the invention will now be described by way of an example with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 shows in perspective the releasable grip in place on the surgical knife handle, being held by a right handed user; Figure 2 shows the front elevation of the releasable grip; Figure 3 shows the back elevation of the releasable grip; Figure 4 shows the left elevation of the releasable grip; Figure 5 shows the right elevation of the releasable grip; Figure 6 illustrates the releasable grip in place, showing the protective nose (A); Figure 7 shows the surgical knife handle without the releasable grip in place being used to cut a thick section of material ie: foam board (B)-showing particular pressure points on the thumb (C), index finger (D) and middle finger (E) (shown dotted); Figure 8 shows the surgical knife handle with the releasable grip in place showing the displaced pressures being exerted onto the thumb, index finger and middle finger, (refer to key).

All drawings are referring to the right handed user.

All drawings would be mirrored if they were to apply to the left handed user.

Referring to the drawing, the releasably gripped surgical knife handle comprises of a releasable grip and a surgical knife handle.

In order to remove the releasable grip from the surgical knife handle for blade replacement or any other reason, the releasable grip is required to be pulled upwards away from the surgical knife handle.

To replace the releasable grip onto the surgical knife handle the releasable grip needs to be located with the ridges and/or grooves of the surgical knife handle and then pushed down.

Claims

1 According to the present invention, there is provided a releasable grip with formations adapted to engage the ridges and/or grooves of a surgical knife handle allowing no forward/ backward/up and down movement of the grip on the surgical knife handle until required ie; blade removal.

2 A releasable grip as claimed in Claim 1 wherein the guide means over the handle for the releasable grip is provided by the formation of grooves and/or ridges on the inside of the releasable grip that engage with the ridges and/or grooves on the surgical knive handle.

3 A releasable grip as claimed in Claim 1 and Claim 2 wherein the "nose" as in diagram 6 is extended to restrict the flexibility of the blade when cutting or scribbing as well as allowing for deep incisions.

4 A releasable grip as claimed in Claim 3 wherein the "nose" as in diagram 6 is elongated to provide protection to the user and surrounding persons from flying tips of blades when broken during use.

5 The releasable grip as claimed in Claim 1, Claim 2, and Claim 3 is compatible with all surgical knife handles.

6 A releasable grip substantially as described herein with references to figures 1-8 of the accompanying drawings.