SUPPORT MEANS FOR A GRIPPING DEVICE AS A PAIR OF TWEEZERS

Abstract: A gripping device in form of a pair of tweezers comprises a cylindrical member (3; 13) for rotational support relative to a cross piece (19; 20; 27) which carries a support leg (6; 23; 26). The latter extends substantially in parallel with the legs (1, 2; 11, 12) of the tweezers and is provided with a support foot (25; 29) for contact with the work piece. At its rear end the support leg (23; 26) is adjustably connected to the cross piece (20; 27). A maneuver sleeve (8; 19) surrounds and is displaceably guided along the gripping legs (1, 2; 11, 12) of the tweezers for accomplishing compression and opening, respectively, of the latters at longitudinal movement.

Description: Support means -for a gripping device as a pair of tweezers This invention concerns a support means for a pair of tweezers or like gripping devices comprising one or more support legs associated with the tweezers or gripping means, which support leg or legs are intended to stabilize and support the tweezers for a more precise handling of the latters ' when picking objects and for enable rotation of the picked objects at maintained support. Previously known tweezers or like gripping means lack such a support means, and for elderly people with a bit shaky hands who have difficulty in holding the tweezers steady in a correct position there is a problem to, for example, remove a splinter from a wound without hurting themselves with the tweezers tips. Also for surgical and veterinary purposes, tweezers and other like gripping devices are difficult to handle with precision, and in electronic industry mounting of chips and other small size components demands a very precise handling of tweezers. A specific application for tweezers is within the veterinary field, namely for removal of ticks from animals like dogs and cats. Ticks are removed by gripping and rotation. Not until they have been rotated about one and half revolution they loose their grip and can be lifted away. If not rotated, there is a risk the head of the tick is left when a lifting force is applied on the tick. This increases the risk for infections on the treated animal. To perform a combined gripping and rotating movement with a prior art pair of tweezers is very difficult or almost impossible. Usually the handling of the tweezers has to be performed with one hand only since the other hand is occupie holding the dog or cat. The main purpose of the invention is to accomplish a suppor means for a gripping device, as a pair of tweezers, by which a stabilizing support of the tweezers relative to the working obje is obtained for facilitating gripping, locating or removal of objects, and which enables rotation of the objects with the stabilizing support maintained. Preferred embodiments of the invention are below described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. On the drawings: Fig 1 shows a side view, partly in section, of a pair of tweezers provided with a support device according to the invention. Fig 2 shows a side view of a pair of tweezers according t another embodiment of the invention. J * Fig 3 shows a cross section along line A-A in Fig 2. Fig 4 shows a cross section along line B-B in Fig 2. Fig 5 shows a side view of a pair of tweezers according to still another embodiment of the invention. Fig 6 shows an end view of the tweezers in Fig 5. Fig 7 shows a side view partly in section, of a pair of tweezers provided with a support means according to a further embodiment of the invention. The tweezers shown in Fig 1 comprises two legs 1, 2 which are formed in one piece with a cylindrical member or spindle 3. At its rear end, this spindle has an outer thread and is provi with an extension 4 with a smaller diameter. A support leg 6 i connected to the spindle 3 via a cross piece 9 and a sleeve 5 for enabling rotation as well as axial displacement. On the thread of the spindle 3, there is mounted a nut 7 of instance a fibre material for increased friction. This nut 7 acts as an ax stop for the sleeve 5. Accordingly, the axial stop is adjustabl and enables the axial position of the sleeve 5 and the support leg 6 to be varied. Around the rear ends of the tweezers legs 1, 2, there is mounted a sleeve 8 which is displaceable along the legs 1, 2. Since the rear ends of the legs 1, 2 diverge in the forward direction, a forward directed movement of the sleeve 8 accomplishes a compression of the legs 1, 2. At retraction of the sleeve 8 to the position illustrated in Fig 1, the tweezers is opened by the elastic forces stored in the material as in conventional tweezers. The details may consist of metal or plastics. To bring down the manufacturing costs, the tweezers and the sleeve 8 may be formed by injection moulded plastics. In Figs 2 and 3, there is shown a pair of tweezers provide with a support means according to the invention in and which th tweezers comprises two legs 11, 12 which are joined by mounting in a cylindrical member 13. The latter is formed with a collar 14 and two axially directed and each other opposed grooves on t member 13. In these grooves there are received two legs 15, 16 which are axially displaceable relative to the cylindrical member 13 and which integral with a spindle 17. The latter has a threaded axial bore for cooperation with an adjustment screw 18. A nut 18a is employed to lock the screw 18 relative t the spindle 17. The legs 15, 16 are locked against radial outwa movement by a sleeve 19. The cylindrical member 13 is rotativel joumalled in a bore in a cross member 20 and is axially locked between the collar 14 and a lock ring 21 mounted in a periphera groove on the cylindrical member 13. The cross member 20 has a transverse rectangular aperture 22 adapted to receive a support leg 23. The latter has a threaded upper end engaged by two nuts 24 for enabling longitudinal as well as lateral adjustment. At its lower end, the support leg 23 is provided with a foot 25. The design of the latter appears from Fig 4. The above described support means is particularly suitable for a one-hand operation, for instance at removal of ticks from a dog or cat. The adjustment screw 18 is grasped between your thumb and forefinger to locate the support foot 25 on the dogs or cats skin in such a way that the tick to be removed falls between the tweezers legs 11, 12. Thereafter, the screw 18 is forced downwards to make the legs 15, 16 move along the tweezer legs 11, 12, whereby the latters, due to their diverging upper parts, are forced together grasping the tick. When the tweezers is secured to the tick, the screw 18 is rotated as is the spindle 17, the legs 15, 16, the cylindrical member 13 and the legs 11, 12. The tick is rotated and forced to let go from the dogs or cats skin. This rotation may be carried out without moving your finger and thumb from the screw 18, and because of the fact that the diameter of the screw 18 is small it may be rotated, several full revolutions. Finally, the tweezers ' inclusive of the support leg is lifted away from dog or cat together with the tick. The downward movement of the screw 18 i limited by the abutment of the lower end screw 18 against the cylindrical member 13, and since the longth of the downward movement of the screw 18 determines the compression force exerted on the legs 11, 12 by the sleeve 19, the setting of screw 18 is decisive for the gripping force executed on the tick. In Figs 5 and 6, there is shown a third embodiment of the invention wherein a support leg 26 is adjustably secured to a cross piece 27 by means of a lock screw 28. The support leg is bent in a right angle at its lower end to form a support foot 29. In paralled with the support leg 26, the tweezers is rotatively joumalled in the cross piece 27 via a sleeve 30. T latter is axially locked relative to the cross piece 27 by mea of a nut 31, and around the upper parts of the tweezers legs there is a maneuver sleeve 39 for actuating the tweezers legs a in the above described embodiments. In Fig 7, there is shown a fourth embodiment of the invention wherein two legs 31 are formed in one piece with a cylindrical portion 32, which at its upper end comprises an external thread. A support leg 33 is rotatively jou alled as well as axially displaceable relative to the portion 32 by means of a cross piece 34 and a aleeve 35. A nut 38, preferrabl of a fibre material for increased friction, engages the thread the portion 32, thereby serving as an axial stop for the sleeve 35 and the support leg 33. Around the legs 31, there is maneuve sleeve 36 for actuating the legs 31 when longitudinally moved along the latters by means of a maneuver rod 37 extending throu an axial bore in the cylindrical portion 32. The maneuver rod 37 is coupled to the sleeve 36 by means of a transverse pin 39. Due to the diverging upper parts of the legs 31, a downward movement of the maneuver sleeve 36 causes a compression of the legs 31. At retraction of the sleev 36 to the position illustrated in Fig 7, the tweezers legs are opened.

Claims: AMENDED CLAIMS [received by the International Bureau on 9 March 1990 (09.03.90) new claims 5 and 6 added ; original claims 1 -4 unchanged (2 pages ) ] 1 . S upport means for a gripping device as a pair tweezers com p rising two compressible gripping legs supported at their rear en d s on a common member (3 ; 13 ) , a support member ( 6 ; 23 ; 26 ) connecte d to said member ( 3 ; 13 ) and extending substantially .in para ll el with said gripping legs ( 1 , 2 ; 1 1 ; 12 ) and being intended to b e in contact with the work, piece , c . - h - a r a c t e r i z e d in that a cross piece ( 9 ; 20 ; 27 ) is arranged to interconnect said support member (6;23;26) and said member (13) , said member (13) is rotatively joumalled relative to said cross piece (9;20;27) and comprises a rearwardl extending maneuver means (18) for operating the tweezers. 2. Support means according to claim 1, wherein said cross piece ( 9) is formed with a laterally offset sleeve portion (5) which surrounds said member (3) and provides for rotational as well as longitudinal adjustment of said member (3) relative to said support member (6) . 3. S upport means according to claim 1 , wherein said maneuver means (18) is telescopically displaceable relative to said member (13) , and a sleeve shaped means (19) which encompasses said gripping legs (11,12) and is coupled to said maneuver mean (18) for axial displacement together with the latter, thereby accomplishing gripping and releasing movements, respectively, of said gripping legs (11,12) at axial displacement of said maneuver means (18). 4. Support means according to anyone of claims 1-3, wherein said support member (23;26) is provided at its forward end with a contact foot (25;29), and at its rear end the support member(23;26) is adjustably connected to said cross piece (20;2 5. Support means according to claims 1 or 2 , wherein said support member (6) and said cross piece (9) are formed in one ϋiece. 6. Support means according to claims (1-5), wherein said support member (6;23;26) comprises two or more legs extending substan¬ tially in parallel.

Inventors: LOHMAN OSKAR RUNE, LOHMAN, OSKAR, RUNE
Applicants: TRAMA AB, AB TRAMA
Application year: 1989
Main classification: A61B17
IPC codes: A61B17, B25B5, B25B9, B25B11, F16M13