Patent ID: 6629985
Filing Date: 2003-10-07
Classification: A61B

Abstract:
A safety scalpel blade assembly which is able to be attached to a handle of the type which has a blade carrier in the form of a finger, the assembly comprising a scalpel blade which can be of conventional manufacture and which has a profile slot which allows the blade to be attached to the blade carrier on the handle, and a guard which extends at least about the cutting edge of the blade, the guard having attachment means which locks the blade to the guard as the assembly is being attached to the handle thereby preventing the blade from cutting a person, but which releases the blade from the guard when the blade is attached to the blade carrier on the handle, wherein the guard has two opposed side walls defining a space therebetween in which the blade in situated, one said side wall having an elongate slot extending into and along the side wall, the elongate slot adapted to allow the blade carrier to pass through the elongate slot and into engagement with the profile slot in the scalpel blade to attach to the blade while the guard is still in place, and to allow the guard to be retracted from the blade when the blade is attached to the handle.