Patent ID: 11969185
Assignee: CONMED CORPORATION
Field: Medical technology (Instruments)
Classification: CPC A | IPC A

Claim 6:
7. A retractable surgical cutting device, comprising:
a handle including a handle proximal end, a handle distal end, an outer surface, and an internal space, the handle extending along a central longitudinal axis;
an actuator located and movable in a first direction to a first actuator position and in a second direction to a second actuator position on the outer surface of the handle;
a sheath extending along the central longitudinal axis and including a sheath proximal end and a sheath distal end, wherein the sheath proximal end is positioned within the internal space of the handle, and wherein the proximal end of the sheath is connected to the interior surface of the handle;
a shaft at least partially positioned within the sheath and extending along the central longitudinal axis and including a shaft proximal end and a shaft distal end, wherein the shaft is configured to move in the first direction to a shaft first position, and is configured to move in a second direction to a shaft second position; and
a drive and locking mechanism connected to the actuator and to the shaft within the internal space of the handle, wherein the drive and locking mechanism is configured to move the shaft in the first direction and lock the shaft in the shaft first position in response to movement of the actuator in one of the first direction or the second direction, and wherein the drive and locking mechanism is configured to move the shaft in the second direction and lock the shaft in the shaft second position in response to movement of the actuator in the other one of the first direction or the second direction;
wherein the drive and locking mechanism is configured to translate a continuous linear movement of the actuator into intermittent linear movement of the shaft;
wherein the drive and locking mechanism further comprises a gear rack connected to the actuator and having teeth positioned on a surface opposite a surface connected to the actuator, wherein the gear rack is positioned within the internal space of the handle and the gear rack is configured to move with the actuator.