Patent ID: 6050989
Filing Date: 2000-04-18
Classification: A61B

Abstract:
A surgical instrument for driving a tool comprising:a handpiece having a proximal end and a distal end, said distal end having a first axis;a tool holding means having a proximal end and a distal end, said proximal end having a second axis, said tool holding means for receiving said tool at its distal end; anda variable orientation coupling means for orienting said second axis relative to said first axis, said coupling means interposed between and connected to said distal end of said handpiece and said proximal end of said tool holding means, said coupling means selectively movable by a user to situate and maintain said second axis in one of a plurality of positions relative to said first axis; said coupling means further comprising:a non-rotatable tubular sleeve having a third axis non-rotatably attached to said distal end of said handpiece, said non-rotatable sleeve having an axial throughbore, a proximal end and a distal end, said distal end having a distally facing annular first surface angularly inclined relative to said third axis by a first predetermined amount;a rotatable tubular sleeve having a fourth axis non-rotatably attached to said tool holding means, said rotatable sleeve being rotatable relative to said non-rotatable sleeve, said rotatable sleeve having an axial throughbore, a distal end and a proximal end, said proximal end having a proximally facing annular second surface angularly inclined relative to said fourth axis by a second predetermined amount;coupling body means for releasably holding said first and second surfaces together in abutting relation said coupling body means comprising:a hollow cylindrical tubular body having a proximal end and a distal end, said tubular body axially aligned within said non-rotatable sleeve; anda generally spherical hollow link means secured to and axially aligned at the distal end of said cylindrical tubular body for joining said rotatable and non-rotatable sleeves together, said link means comprising:a substantially spherical exterior wall surface secured to said distal end of said hollow tubular body for mating engagement with said rotatable sleeve, anda substantially spherical interior wall surface at said proximal end of said rotatable sleeve, said interior wall surface being complementarily shaped spherically to receive said substantially spherical exterior wall surface, said interior wall surface further comprising a proximal-most aperture smaller in size than said exterior wall surface to prevent distal movement of said rotatable sleeve relative to said non-rotatable sleeve.