Patent ID: 7670281
Filing Date: 2010-03-02
Classification: A61B

Abstract:
1. An instrument support apparatus for supporting an instrument having a shaft extending along a shaft axis relative to a patient positioned adjacent to an external frame, comprising: a base fixedly mountable onto the external frame; a pivot assembly mounted relative to the base and including a frame, a first pivot element pivotably mounted to the frame and fixedly mounted to the base, and a second pivot element pivotably mounted to the frame, the frame being configured to pivot relative to the first pivot element and the external frame about a first pivot axis, the second pivot element being configured to pivot relative to the frame about a second pivot axis; an arm assembly extending along a longitudinal axis and having an outer arm mounted to the second pivot element for pivoting relative to the frame, and an inner arm configured to slide within the outer arm and pivot about the longitudinal axis relative to the outer arm; a support assembly mounted to the inner arm and configured to support the instrument on the arm assembly; and a first lock assembly mounted to the frame and configured to be remotely actuated to lock the frame relative to the first pivot element, wherein the first lock assembly includes first and second opposing planar faces intersected by the first pivot axis, a first stop, and a biasing mechanism, wherein the first face is mounted to the first pivot element, wherein the second face is disposed to move normal to the first face, wherein the first stop is configured to prevent pivoting of the second face relative to the frame about the first pivot axis, and wherein the biasing mechanism is configured to selectively bias the second face toward the first face.