Patent ID: 11925342
Assignee: HOWMEDICA OSTEONICS CORP.
Field: Medical technology (Instruments)
Classification: CPC A | IPC A

Claim 7:
8. A dilation device comprising:
a frame having a central opening and a plurality of slots circumferentially defined in a closed perimeter;
a first, second, third and fourth arm clamp, each arm clamp slidably received within a slot so as to be attached to the frame in circumferentially spaced relation to one another;
a first arm received in a dovetail slot defined by the first arm clamp, the first arm toeable relative to the frame and the first arm clamp translatable relative to the frame wherein translation of the first arm clamp is at least partially within one of the slots of the frame; and
a second, a third and a fourth arm, attached to the second, third and fourth arm clamps, respectively,
an arm retention clip including a plurality of circumferentially located, spaced-apart short prongs and a plurality of circumferentially located, spaced apart intermediate length prongs, wherein the short prongs are positioned where adjacent arm clamps touch, and wherein the intermediate length prongs that are positioned through the central opening so as to be partially located in between the first, second and third arms to thereby aid in holding the dilation device closed during insertion into a tissue or a natural passageway, the arm retention clip including a stylus that projects outwardly from a central disk so as to be spaced-away and circumscribed by the intermediate length prongs with one or more laterally projecting tabs positioned away from the frame when the arm retention clip is positioned within the central opening, the tabs being sized and shaped so as to engage a complementary correspondingly positioned groove on each arm,
wherein the stylus defines a cannulation sized to receive a small diameter shaft, and
wherein the first arm includes a surface facing a center of the frame, the surface including a groove along a length thereof.