AN ADJUSTABLE SKIN MESHER DEVICE AND A SYSTEM FOR USING THE SAME

Abstract: The present invention generally relates to a skin graft preparation device, hereinafter called a mesher. This device is designed to incise and "mesh" a piece of skin usually prior to grafting in order to allow it to expand and cover a larger area than its donor site area. More specifically, the said invention relates to an adjustable mesher device wherein the mesher has an adjustable meshing drum (roller) or drums useful for the meshing of the entire range of meshing ratios thus eliminating the need to keep various meshing devices. Another embodiment of the mesher has two consecutive meshing drums. A further embodiment of the mesher has a rotatable common holder allowing selection from a number of meshing drums. These meshers can mesh skin in both powered and manual modes of operation and may be used with most existing skin graft carriers or may be used without any carrier. The present invention further relates to a system for using the mesher.

Description: AN ADJUSTABLE SKIN MESHER DEVICE AND A SYSTEM FOR USING THE SAME FIELD OF THE INVENTION The present invention generally relates to a skin graft preparation device, hereinafter called a mesher. This device iε designed to incise and "mesh" a piece of skin usually prior to grafting in order to allow it to expand and cover a larger area than its donor site area. More specifically the said invention relates to an adjustable mesher device wherein the mesher has an adjustable meshing drum (roller) or drums useful for the meshing of the entire range of meshing ratios thus eliminating the need to keep various meshing devices. Another embodiment of the mesher has two consecutive meshing drums. A further embodiment of the mesher has a rotatable common holder allowing selection from a number of meshing drums. These meshers can mesh skin in both powered and manual modes of operation and may be used with most existing skin graft carriers or may be used without any carrier. The present invention further relates to a system for using the mesher. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Skin graft meshers are designed to incise and "mesh" a piece of skin prior to grafting in order to allow it to expand and cover a larger area than its donor site area. The large number of incisions offer a good drainage to exudate from the recipient site but may leave, after healing and complete epithelialization, a typical "mesh" pattern that is directly dependent on the incisions size and on the patter . The skin grafts may be meshed into several mesh ratios according to needs, available skin, functional, and aesthetic considerations. The commonest ratios are 1:1.5 and 1:3 , and different cutting devices and systems are available respectively. The length and width of the meshed skin graft is limited to the available carrier's dimensions, usually 30x10 cms. The old type meshing devices (U.S.Patent Number 3,613,242) includes a planar skin graft cutter. The typically modern up-to-date meshing system includes a mesher containing cutting drum (roller) and skin graft carriers. The carriers are compatible only to the specific mesher. Thus, in order to have the entire range of meshing ratios, one should keep "meshing systems" that include stocks of different skin graft carriers with the compatible mesher or different ratio cutting drums or meshers with compatible carriers. (U.S.Patent Numbers 5,004,468 and 5,219,352) Conventionally the meshing work is done by cranking a long ratchet or a crank which demands rather strenuous work by the nurse or the surgeon and interferes with the fine control of the extruded skin graft, as at least two people are needed to operate the mesher and to control the skin graft. The adjustable mesher of the present invention solves the aforementioned disadvantages associated with the meshing of skin. The adjustable mesher offers in a single skin mesher all of the range of skin meshing ratios. The adjustable mesher omits the stocks of different skin graft carrierε. It may accommodate any existing carrier or cutting board or it can be used without a carrier at all. Furthermore the adjustable mesher can mesh skin in both powered and manual modes of operation, and is easy to operate. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention provides an adjustable skin graft preparation device for producing a predetermined pattern of incisions comprising of: an upper or lower meshing drum or drums holding a plurality of pairs of annular cutting disks or holding a plurality of single annular cutting disks and the said cutting disks have adjustable predetermined angular orientation one to the other on the same drum and between drums when there is more than one meshing drum, an upper or lower feeding drum or drums, means for setting and locking the cutting disks on the meshing drum or drums, means for rotating the drums, means for controlling the space between the meshing drum or drums and the feeding drum or drums for feeding variable thickness skin carrier plates or cutting boards or for feeding skin graft samples directly between the drums, and a geared linkage mechanism wherein the synchronous rotation of the meshing drum or drums and the feeding drum or drums is maintained over a range of skin carrier plate acceptance angles for skin graft samples or for skin carrier plates or for cutting boards of thicknesses from 0.0 mm to approximately 15.0 mm. The present invention also provides an adjustable skin graft preparation device wherein the meshing drum or drums can be two or three parallel different ratio meshing drums connected to a common holder wherein the rotation of the holder fixes into operating position the required appropriate drum. The present invention furthermore provides in one of its preferred embodiment an adjustable skin graft preparation device wherein the meshing drum or drums can be two different consecutive parallel meshing drums and wherein the distance between the two different consecutive parallel meshing drums or the relative rotational phase between the two different consecutive parallel meshing drums can be set and locked, thereby determining an incision characteristic of the pattern. In another preferred embodiment, the present invention provideε an adjustable skin graft preparation device comprising of a meshing drum (preferably the upper drum) holding a plurality of pairs of annular cutting disks, a feeding drum (preferably the lower drum) , means for setting and locking the angular orientation of the cutting disks in each pair of cutting disks on the meshing drum, means for rotating the drums, meanε for controlling the space between the two drums for feeding variable thickness skin carrier plates or cutting boards or for feeding skin graft samples directly, a geared linkage mechanism wherein the synchronous rotation of the upper and lower drumε is maintained over a range of skin carrier plate acceptance angles for skin graft samples or for skin carrier plates or for cutting boards of thicknesses from 0.0 mm to approximately 15.0 mm, and a linkage mechanism that may allow connecting extended electric power to the geared rotation mechanism of the drums. The present invention further provides a meshing system comprising of a mesher device, a closed carrying and autoclaving container for the mesher device, an electric motor unit which is adapted to the said container and which may be inserted into and thus located inside said container, and a rotatable drive shaft coupling that is an integral part of said container for aseptically transferring the rotation power from the electric motor unit to the mesher device drums. The electric motor unit contains an electric motor, a means for transferring the rotational energy between the electric motor's rotor and a rotatable drive shaft, and an adequate source of power such as a battery or an AC 220-110V source, or an adequate DC source. In the meshing system the mesher device iε fixed on the container's cover and connected at its bottom to a rotatable drive shaft coupling that is an integral part of said cover providing the rotation power from the electric motor unit to the meεhing device and the rotation power iε tranεferred from the rotatable drive shaft coupling to the meshing device's drums through several toothed wheels. The present invention further provides that the closed carrying and autoclaving container for the mesher device, or for other medical devices, is an autoclavable sealable container for use in sterile operation room environments. On the container's cover there is a rotatable drive shaft 6 coupling for mechanical connection with the electric motor unit for operating mechanical devices placed on the container's cover. The present invention further provides a meshing syεtem wherein sterilization and aseptic techniques are applied to the meshing device and to the container εo that the said syεtem can be used in sterile environments εuch as medical operating rooms and the operating room's aseptic environment is protected by the sterile container from contamination from the non-εterile power unit inεide the container. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The adjuεtable meεher device, according to the present invention, εolveε many of the problemε which are aεsociated with the existing skin meshing deviceε. The adjuεtable meεher devi ce according to the present invention offers, in a single skin meεher, all of the range of skin meshing ratios. Furthermore the adjustable mesher omits the stockε of different skin graft carrierε and can mesh skin in both powered and manual modes of operation. The adjustable mesher device according to the present invention contains one or more meshing drumε which allowε the εkin to be meshed in the entire range of meshing ratios. These drums eliminate the need to keep various meshing deviceε. Alεo the adjustable meshing drum allowε different ratioε to be chosen for the εa e skin graft piece or for consecutive pieces. The present invention provides an adjustable skin graft preparation device for producing a predetermined pattern of incisions comprising of: an upper or lower meshing drum or drums holding a plurality of pairs of annular cutting disks or holding a plurality of single annular cutting disks and the said cutting disks have adjustable predetermined angular orientation one to the other on the same drum and between drums when there iε more than one meshing drum, an upper or lower feeding drum or drums, means for setting and locking the cutting diεks on the meshing drum or drums, means for rotating the drumε, meanε for controlling the space between the meshing drum or drums and the feeding drum or drums for feeding variable thickness skin carrier plates or cutting boards or for feeding skin graft directly between drumε, and a geared linkage mechanism wherein the synchronouε rotation of the meεhing drum or drumε and the feeding drum or drums is maintained over a range of skin carrier plate acceptance angles for skin graft sampleε or for εkin carrier plates or for cutting boards of thicknesseε from 0.0 mm to approximately 15.0 mm. An acceptance angle for a 0.0 mm thick carrier plate indicateε a case where the skin graft sample is feed directly into the meεher device. A thin film diεposable plate or a thin film disposable envelope would be thin enough to paεε through the 0.0 mm setting, sufficiently rigid to paεs through between the rotating drums, and sufficiently soft so as to be incised with the same meshing pattern as the skin graft sample that it carries. Alternately the feeding drum or drumε could each be encloεed in a thin diεposable soft resilient tube to accommodate the direct feeding of skin graft samples. The preεent invention also provides an adjustable skin graft preparation device wherein the meshing drum can be compriεed of two or three parallel different ratio meεhing drumε connected to a common holder wherein the rotation of the holder fixeε into operating position the required appropriate drum. The present invention also provides an adjustable εkin graft preparation device wherein the meεhing drum or drumε can be compriεed of two different conεecutive parallel meεhing drums. For example where the upper drum is comprised of two consecutive parallel drums one after the other for creating a predetermined composite meshing pattern wherein each drum contributes in turn a portion of the requisite incisions. Setting and locking the distance between the two different consecutive parallel meshing drumε determineε an inciεion characteristic of the pattern and/or the relative rotational phaεe between two different consecutive parallel meshing drumε can be set and locked to determine an incision characteristic of the pattern. The present invention alεo provideε an adjuεtable εkin graft preparation device compriεing of an upper meshing drum (hereinafter called the upper drum) holding a plurality of pairs of annular cutting diskε, a lower feeding drum (hereinafter called the lower drum) , means for εetting and locking the angular orientation of the cutting disks in each pair of cutting disks on the upper drum, means for rotating the drumε, means for controlling the space between the two drums for feeding variable thickness skin carrier plateε or cutting boards or for feeding skin graft sampleε directly, a geared linkage echaniεm wherein the εynchronouε rotation of the upper and lower drumε iε maintained over a range of εkin carrier plate acceptance angles for skin graft sampleε or for εkin carrier plateε or for cutting boardε of thicknesses from 0.0 mm to approximately 15.0 mm, and a linkage mechanism that may allow connecting extended electric power to the geared rotation mechanism of the drums. The present invention further provideε a meshing syεtem comprising of a mesher device, a closed carrying and autoclaving container for the meεher device, an electric motor unit which iε adapted to the εaid container and which may be inεerted into and thuε located inεide εaid container, and a rotatable drive shaft coupling that is an integral part of said container for aseptically transferring the rotation power from the electric motor unit to the mesher device drumε. In the meεhing εyεtem the meεher device is fixed on the container's cover and connected at its bottom to a rotatable drive shaft coupling that is an integral part of εaid cover and providing the rotation power from the electric motor unit to the meshing device and the rotation power is transferred from the rotatable drive shaft coupling to the meshing device's drums through several toothed wheels. The present invention further provides that the completely closed carrying and autoclaving container for an adjustable skin graft preparation device, or for other medical devices, is an autoclavable sealable container for use in sterile environ entε such as medical operating rooms. Sterilization techniques are applied to the meεhing device and to the container εo that the said system can be used in sterile environments such as medical operating roomε and the operating room 1 ε aseptic environment is protected by the sterile container from contamination from the non-sterile power unit inεide the container. On the container'ε cover there iε a rotatable drive shaft coupling for mechanical connection with the electric motor unit for operating mechanical devices placed on the container's cover. The adjustable mesher device according to the present invention contains an adjustable meshing drum. This drum holds a plurality of pairs of cutting disks. Each cutting disk in the pair is an annulus, with a flat side and a curved or beveled other side, whose external circumference is comprised of a symmetric series of cutting blades, the flat cutting edge of which is presεed to the flat cutting edge of the reεpective paired diεk. The internal circumference of each cutting disk contains two notche s, one narrow and one wide. There are two differences between the two disks in each pair of cutting disks on the adjustable meshing drum, (a) their flat sideε are placed one againεt the other and (b) the angular orientation between the external blades and the internal notches iε reversed wherein on the one disk the centers of internal notchs are between respective consecutive blades and on the other disk the centers of internal notchs are aligned with the centers of respective blades. The meshing drum maintains the angular orientation between the two disks in each pair of disks by the way that the drum grasps each disk in the pair relative to the other disk. On the entire length on the drum there are two tracks. One track is fixed in its place and cannot move while the other track can pivot along the entire length of the drum. These two tracks fit into the two notches in the internal circumference of the annular cutting diskε. According to the preεent invention a means for setting the angular orientation and locking the plurality of the paired cutting disks are two tracks located along the upper drum wherein one track iε fixed in the drum for locking one disk in every pair of disks in its place and this track cannot move while the other track can pivot along the entire length of the drum and this pivoting slightly rotates one diεk in every pair of diskε and thiε pivoting iε for changing the angular orientation of the other diεk in every pair. Each pair of diskε is placed on the pair of trackε of the meshing drum such that the fixed track passes through the wide notch of one disk and the narrow notch of the other disk in the pair and the pivoting track passes through the other available notch on each disk. Setting the angular orientation between the two diskε in each par of disks is accompliεhed by pivoting the track to a predetermined angle which slightly rotates and thuε changeε the relative poεition of the narrow internal notch on each diεk with reεpect to the wide internal notch on its mate and likewise changes both the length of the paired blades on the external circumference of the cutting disk and the length of the spaces between paired blades. After simultaneously setting the angular orientation of one disk in each pair of diskε for all of the pairs of diskε by changing the track to meεhing drum angle of the entire pivoting track, the angle iε locked in place for use. Thus, setting the pivot angle of the track on the drum modulates the degree of the external circumference of the disk pair which is cutting blade and that which is space between blades . Each incision made on the skin graft sample then comes from an effective cutting blade which haε a blade contribution from one or both of the cutting diεkε in the pair. The rotation of the upper drum over a piece of εkin directly or over the moving carrier plate or over the moving cutting board produces a predetermined incision serieε whoεe inciεion length to incision skip ratio determines the meεh ratio and the fact that the length of the upper drum containε a plurality of εingle matched adjuεtable pairs of cutting diskε produces the actual predetermined pattern of incisionε on the εkin graft sample. Thus a piece of skin directly or on a carrier plate or on a cutting board passing between the upper drum and the lower drum is inciεed by the cutting diεkε in a predetermined pattern of inciεionε according to the angular orientation of the cutting diεks in each pair of cutting diskε or according to the blade distribution on the individual cutting diskε. An adjustable skin graft preparation device according to the present invention can have a fixed comb or a rotating bruεh or a drum or a εerrated drum, being parallel and along εide of the meshing drum or drums, for detaching the meshed skin graft from the meεhing drum before the said εkin becomes wrapped onto the meshing drum and for spreading the said skin onto the carrier plate or cutting board. The adjustable mesher device according to the present invention allows any smooth plate (thickness range from 0.0 mm. to 15 mm. ) to be used as a skin graft carrier or may be used without any carrier. The means controlling the space between the meshing and the feeding drums are micrometric screw or screwε or one or two eccentric axleε or wheelε which allow the raiεing or lowering of the drum or drumε. The longer and wider εize of the adjuεtable meεher'ε εkin graft carrier aperture accommodateε any εize of donated εkin and irregular shapes of the skin for grafting are also accommodated. The device is eliminating the need to keep stockε of different carrierε for different meshing devices for different meshing ratios. The skin graft sample or the carrier plate or the cutting board pasεeε between the upper drum and the lower drum. The present invention further relates to a unique autoclavable closed carrying and autoclaving container for the adjustable mesher. This container offers the option of adding, using sterilization and aseptic techniques, a power pack unit. It is the power pack unit that tranεformε the adjuεtable meεher into a powered adjuεtable skin meshing device. The power pack unit may be located in the container. The power pack unit is an electric motor unit wherein is contained an electric motor, a coupling for the tranεfer of rotational energy between the electric motor'ε rotor and a rotatable drive εhaft, an adequate εource of power such as a battery or an AC 220-110V source, or an adequate DC source. The electric motor unit may be a non-sterile motor unit which may be transferred to and locked into the container uεing aεeptic techniqueε. This unique feature, a power pack unit, allows for a comfortable, accurate, and effortless meshing of any quantity of skin grafts by a single operator. The option of uεing the adjuεtable meεher in a manual mode of operation is preserved for emergency situations, such as power outage s, where the meεher drums are rotated by manually cranking a ratchet. Another embodiment of the present invention provides a device wherein the meanε for εetting the angular orientation and locking the plurality of single cutting disks are two tracks located along each meshing drum wherein one track is fixed in the drum for locking one or more of the disks in its place and this track cannot move while the other track can pivot along the entire length of the drum and this pivoting slightly rotates the remaining disks and this pivoting is for changing the angular orientation of the one or more diskε on the meshing drum or drums with respect to the remaining disks on the upper drum. Each annular cutting disk in the plurality of single cutting diskε has a symmetric serieε of bladeε on the external circumference and a wide notch and a narrow notch are located on the internal circumference for the inεertion of the meshing drum's tracks. A plurality of single diskε is placed on the pair of tracks of the meshing drum such that the fixed track pasεeε through the wide notch of one or more diεkε and the narrow notch of the remaining diεks, and the pivoting track passes through the other available notch on each disk. The relative orientational phase between one or more of the cutting disk in the plurality of εingle disks and the remaining diskε iε fixed by setting the pivoting track on the meshing drum to a predetermined angle. The preεent invention will be further deεcribed by Figureε 1 12. Theεe figureε are εolely intended to illustrate the preferred embodiment of the invention and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention in any manner. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES Figure 1 illustrateε a side view of a type "A" cutting disk. Figure 2 illuεtrateε a εide view of a type "B" cutting diεk. Figure 3 illuεtrates a side view of a type "A" and type "B" cutting disk pair. Figure 4 illustrateε a longitudinal cross section of the upper drum composite axle (without the cutting diskε). Figures 5a and 5b illustrate a transverεe croεs section of the upper drum (without the cutting diskε) at two different angular orientationε. Figure 6 illustrateε a εide view of the upper drum having cutting diεk pairε aligned on the pair of tracks on the composite axle of the upper drum. (Thiε figure iε for illuεtration only becauεe in reality both εides of every disk touch the sides of the adjacent diskε.) Figure 7 illustrateε a tranεverεe croεε εection of the upper drum with the diεkε aε deεcribed in Figure 6. Figure 8 illuεtrateε an isometric view of the adjustable mesher device. Figure 9 illustrates a frontal view of the adjustable mesher device integrated with its container and its power εource. Figure 10 illuεtrateε a profile of a multi-drum type adjuεtable meεher device according to the present invention. Figure 11 illustrates a profile of a consecutive parallel meshing drum type adjustable mesher device according to the present invention. Figures 12a and 12b illustrate two oblique views of the incision contributionε to a compoεite meεhing pattern aε may be produced by a meεher device aε illuεtrated in Figure 11. Figure 13 illustrates a profile of a skin detaching rotating brush or a soft serrated cylinder in juxtaposition to a meshing drum. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES Figure l illustrateε a εide view of a type "A" cutting diεk. The type "A" cutting diεk (la) iε a thin annular diεk whoεe external circumference iε comprised of a symmetric series of cutting blades (2a). The internal circumference of t h e cutting disk contains two diametrically opposed notches, one narrow (3a) and one wide (4a). The cutting disk has a flat side and a curved side. The center of each internal notch (3a) (4a) is between respective consecutive blades. This feature defines this as a type "A" cutting disk. Figure 2 illustrateε a εide view of a type "B" cutting diεk. The type "B" cutting disk (lb) shown is a thin annulus whose external circumference is comprised of a εymmetric series of cutting blades (2b). The internal circumference of t h e cutting diεk containε two diametrically oppoεed notcheε, one narrow (3b) and one wide (4b). The cutting diεk haε a flat εide and a curved side. The angular orientation between the external circumference blades and the internal circumference notches shown has the internal notches ( 3b ) ( 4b ) corresponding to external blades . It is this feature which defines this as a type "B" cutting disk. Figure 3 illuεtrateε a εide view of a type "A" and type "B" cutting disk pair (lab ) , where the dashed line is a type "A" cutting disk (la) and the solid line is a type "B" cutting diεk (lb). The relative angular orientation between the pair of cutting diεkε is determined by the location of the narrow internal notch (3a) on the type "A" disk with respect to the wide internal notch (4b) on its mate. The type "B" diεk, by its rotation with respect to the type "A" disk, changes the length of the paired blades ( 2 ab) on the external circumference of the cutting disk. Thus, the relative positionε of the notcheε in the type "A" diεk with respect to the notches in the type "B" disk in the pair of cutting diskε modulateε the degree of the external diεk pair which is cutting blade (2ab) and that which iε space between blades (5) . Each inciεion made on the skin graft εample then comes from an effective cutting blade (2ab) which has a blade contribution from one or both of the cutting diskε in the pair. The rotation of the disk pair over the moving carrier plate (not εhown in thiε figure) produceε an incision series whoεe inciεion length to incision skip ratio is determined by the relative lengths of the effective cutting blade to the interval space length between effective cutting blades (5). Figure 4 illustrates a longitudinal crosε εection of the upper drum compoεite axle (without the cutting diεkε). The upper drum haε a two part axle. The central axle (6) holdε along its length a track (7) which protrudes through a long opening in a cylindrical external axle (8). This external axle likewise holds a track (9) which protrudes along its length. Setting and locking (not shown in this figure) the relative angular orientation of the central axle with reεpect to the cylindrical external axle modulateε the relative angular orientation of the two trackε with respect to one another. Thus it iε track (7) which can be called the pivoting track and it iε track (9) which can be called the fixed track. Figures 5a and 5b illustrate a transverεe croεε εection of the upper drum (without the cutting diεkε) at two different angular orientationε. In Figure 5a the central axle (6) holdε a track (7) which protrudes through a long opening in a cylindrical external axle (8). This external axle likewise holds a track (9) which protrudes. In Figure 5b the relative angular orientation of the central axle with respect to the cylindrical external axle is shown for the track (7a) which protrudes through aε waε εhown in Figure 5a and in a new relative angular orientation (7b) to the other track Changing the relative angular orientation of the central axle with respect to the cylindrical external axle modulateε the relative angular orientation of the two trackε with respect to one another (before (7a) (9) and after (7b) (9)). Once the relative angular orientation has been set and locked, the axle pair can rotate aε a single composite axle. Figure 6 illustrates a side view of the upper drum having cutting disk pairs aligned on the pair of tracks on the composite axle of the upper drum. (This figure is for illustration only because in reality both sides of every disk touch the sides of the adjacent diskε.) Pairε of cutting disks (la) (lb) are aligned on a pair of trackε (7) (9). These disk pairε can rotate when the composite axle (6) (8) is rotated. Figure 7 illustrates a transverse cross section of the upper drum with the disks as described in Figure 6. A pair ("A" & "B") of cutting disks (lab ), where the dashed line is a type "A" cutting disk (la) and the solid line is a type "B" cutting disk (lb), are shown on the upper drum. This pair of cutting disks is aligned on a pair of tracks (7) (9). This disk pair can rotate when the composite axle (6) (8) iε rotated. Figure 8 illuεtrateε an iεometric view of the adjustable mesher device. The upper feeding and meshing drum (10) rotates with respect to the lower feeding drum (11) in a coordinated and synchronouε faεhion becauεe of the interactions of four toothed wheelε (12a) (12b) (12c) (12d), where (10) and (12a) have a common axle and (11) and (12d) have a common axle. Theεe wheels maintain and control the rotations of the two drums even when the adjustable mesher device is set to accept carrier plates of different thicknesεeε passing between the two drums. Carrier plates can have thicknesεeε from 0.0 mm to approximately 15.0 mm. Setting the device to accept a carrier plate of a predetermined thickneεs is accomplished by turning a control spool (13) which rotates a pair of eccentric diskε (14a) (14b) and theεe diεkε determine the accepted carrier plate thickneεs in that they limit a pair of arms (15a) (15b) from being lowered below this interval thickness. These two arms hold the upper drum and these two arms pivot so as to maintain the coordinated contact between the four toothed wheels. These two arms are connected one to the other by a common handle (not shown in this illustration) . Once the two arms are lowered into place against the pair of eccentric disks, the two armε are locked into place by two pivoting preεsure adjustment εcrewε (16a) (16b). Figure 9 illustrates a frontal view of the adjustable mesher device integrated with its container (18) and its power source (20). There is an adjustable meshing device in which the upper feeding and meshing drum (10) rotateε with reεpect to the lower feeding drum (11) in a coordinated and synchronous fashion because of the interactions of four toothed wheels (12). Setting the device to accept a carrier plate of a predetermined thickness is accompliεhed by turning a micrometric control εcrew (13a) which limits a pair of arms (here shown joined by a common handle (15)) from being lowered below this interval thickness. The center line of the pasεage between the two drumε through which the carrier plate paεseε iε shown (17). The adjustable meshing device is placed and fitted on the container's cover (19) and completely isolated from the sealable container. In the container iε an electric motor unit (20) connected to a rotatable drive εhaft (21). The rotatable drive εhaft passes through an opening, in the container's cover, containing a rotary shaft packing so as to prevent contact between the operational environment and the container's content. The rotatable drive εhaft coupling (21a) is located as an integral part in the container's cover and serves as the means for transferring the rotational power of the motor to the mesher device where the rotational power is divided by the four toothed wheelε which in turn rotate the upper and lower drums. Figure 10 illustrates a profile of a multi-drum type adjustable mesher device according to the present invention. The hereinbefore illustrated single upper meshing and feeding drum has here been replaced with a common holder which holds three parallel meshing drums (10a) (10b) (10c). The meshing drum positioned for operation (10a) is synchronized with the lower feeding drum (11) (partially visible in this illustration) and their rotations are coordinated using four toothed wheels ((12a) (12b) (12c) (12d) not shown) which rotate on the four shown axles where (10a) and (12a) have a common axle and (11) and (12d) have a common axle. Setting the device to accept a carrier plate of a predetermined thicknesε iε accompliεhed in two εtepε. Step one iε by pivoting a preεsure adjuεt ent εcrew aεεembly (16) into the upright poεition where it's upper portion grasps and locks an arm (15) of the upper assembly of the mesher device. The said upper assembly holds the meshing drums and pivots around an axis common to toothed wheel (I2d). Step two is by turning a control spool (13) which rotateε a micrometric εcrew (14c). This micrometric screw determine the accepted carrier plate thickness in that it limits the said upper asεembly from being lowered below this interval thickness. In this embodiment both the control spool and the micrometric screw are part of a single presεure adjuεtment εcrew aεεembly. Figure 11 illuεtrateε a profile of a conεecutive parallel meshing drum type adjustable mesher device according to the present invention. Two different consecutive parallel meshing drums (10a) (10b) are juxtaposed againεt two feeding drumε (Ila) (lib) and their εynchronouε rotationε are coordinated through eight toothed wheelε ( (12a) (12b) (12c) (I2d) (12e) (12f) (12g) (12h) not shown) which rotate on eight shown axleε where (10a) and (12h) have a common axle, (10b) and (12a) have a common axle, (lib) and (12d) have a common axle, and (Ila) and (12f) have a common axle. Figureε 12a and 12b illuεtrate two oblique viewε of the inciεion contributionε to a compoεite meεhing pattern aε may be produced by a meεher device aε illuεtrated in Figure 11. In Figure 12a a piece of εkin (22) paεεeε under two different consecutive parallel meshing drums (10a) (10b). Meshing drum (10a) contributes an incision pattern (23a) to the piece of skin passing under it (10a). Subsequently the sectionε of εkin incised with the (23a) pattern pasεeε under meεhing drum (10b) which contributeε an inciεion pattern (23b) (not εhown separately in this illustration) to the piece of skin pasεing under it (10b). In an exploded view (24a) of the composite meεhing pattern (23ab') the contribution of a single incision (23a 1 ) from the first meshing drum is distinguishable from a εingle incision (23b 1 ) from the second meshing drum. Thus a composite meshing pattern (23ab) is produces from the incision contributions of the two different consecutive parallel meshing drums. In Figure 12b the distance between the two meshing drumε seen in Figure 12a has been shortened changing the relative phase of the contributed incision patterns with reεpect to one another. A piece of εkin (22) pasεes under the two different consecutive parallel meshing drums (10a) (10b). Meshing drum (10a) contributes an incision pattern (23a) to the piece of skin pasεing under it (10a). Subεequently the εectionε of skin incised with the (23a) pattern pasεeε under meεhing drum (10b) which contributeε an inciεion pattern (23b) (not εhown separately in this illustration) to the piece of skin pasεing under it (10b). In an exploded view (24b) of the compoεite meεhing pattern (23ab'*) the contribution of a εingle incision (23a') from the first meshing drum is distinguishable from a single incision (23b') from the second meεhing drum and becauεe the phaεe relation between the inciεion contributionε has changed, the resultant composite incision 23ab'* is longer than the 23ab' incision produced in Figure 12a. Figure 13 illustrates a profile of a skin detaching rotating brush or a soft serrated cylinder in juxtaposition to and being parallel and along side of a meshing drum. A piece of skin (22) on a carrier plate (24) passes between an upper meshing drum (10) and a lower feeding drum (11) and is incised with a meshing pattern. A skin detaching rotating brush or soft serrated cylinder (25) prevents the skin from becoming wrapped onto the meshing drum and spreadε the εaid skin back onto the carrier plate. If the protrusionε of the rotating brush do not extend between the cutting disks but only extend to between the cutting blades on the diεkε then, rather than preventing the skin graft from becoming wrapped onto the meshing drum, the rotating brush or cylinder/drum would detach the skin graft sample which had become wrapped onto the meshing drum.

Claims: CLAIMS 1. An adjustable skin graft preparation device for producing a predetermined pattern of incisions comprising of: (a) an upper or lower meshing drum or drums holding a plurality of pairs of annular cutting disks or holding a plurality of single annular cutting disks and the said cutting disks have adjustable predetermined angular orientation one to the other on the same drum and between drums when there is more than one meshing drum ; (b) an upper or lower feeding drum or drums; (c) first means for εetting and locking the cutting diεkε on the meεhing drum or drumε; (d) second meanε for rotating the drumε; (e) third means for controlling the space between the meshing drum or drumε and the feeding drum or drumε for feeding variable thicknesε skin carrier plates, or cutting boards, or for feeding skin graft directly between drumε; (f) a geared linkage mechaniεm wherein the εynchronouε rotation of the meshing drum or drums and the feeding drum or drums is maintained over a range of skin carrier plate acceptance angles for skin graft samples or for skin carrier plates or for cutting boards of thicknesses from 0.0 mm to approximately 15.0 mm. 2. An adjustable skin graft preparation device according to claim 1 comprising of: (a) a meεhing drum holding a plurality of pairs of annular cutting disks; (b) a feeding drum; (c) first means for setting and locking the angular orientation of the cutting diεkε in each pair of cutting diskε on the meshing drum; (d) second means for rotating the drums; (e) third means for controlling the space between the two drums for feeding variable thicknesε skin carrier plates, or cutting boards, or for feeding skin graft sampleε directly; (f) a geared linkage mechaniεm wherein the εynchronouε rotation of the upper and lower drumε iε maintained over a range of εkin carrier plate acceptance angles for skin graft samples or for skin carrier plates or for cutting boards of thicknesεeε from 0.0 mm to approximately 15.0 mm; (g) a linkage mechanism that may allow connecting extended electric power to the geared rotation mechanism of the drums. 3. A device according to claim 2 wherein the meshing drum is an upper drum and the feeding drum is a lower drum. 4. A device according to claimε 2 and 3 wherein the piece of εkin directly, or on a carrier plate, or on a cutting board paεsing between the upper drum and the lower drum is incised by the cutting disks in a predetermined pattern of incisions according to the angular orientation of the cutting disks in each pair of cutting diskε. 5. A device according to claim 2 wherein each inciεion comes from a blade contribution from one or both cutting diskε in a pair of cutting diskε. 6. A device according to claim 1 wherein the first means for setting the angular orientation and locking the plurality of single cutting diskε are two trackε located along each meεhing drum wherein one track iε fixed in the drum for locking one or more of the diskε in itε place and this track cannot move while the other track can pivot along the entire length of the drum and this pivoting slightly rotates the remaining diskε and thiε pivoting iε for changing the angular orientation of the one or more disks on the meshing drum or drums with respect to the remaining disks on the upper drum. 7. A device according to claims 2 and 3 wherein the first means for setting the angular orientation and locking the plurality of the paired cutting diεkε are two tracks located along the upper drum wherein one track is fixed in the drum for locking one disk in every pair of disks in its place and this track cannot move while the other track can pivot along the entire length of the drum and this pivoting εlightly rotates one diεk in every pair of disks and this pivoting is for changing the angular orientation of the other disk in every pair. 8. A device according to claim 1 wherein the second means for rotating the drums iε an electric motor. 9. A device according to claim 1 wherein the second meanε for rotating the drums is a manually cranked ratchet. 10. A device according to claim 1 wherein the third means for controlling the space between the meshing and the feeding drums are micrometric screw or screws or one or two eccentric axles or wheels which allow the raising or lowering of the drum or drums. 11. A device according to claim 1 wherein each annular cutting disk has a symmetric serieε of bladeε on the external circumference and a wide notch and a narrow notch are located on the internal circumference for the inεertion of the meshing drum's tracks. 12. A device according to claim 2 wherein each annular cutting disk in a pair of annular cutting disks has a flat side and a curved or beveled other εide. 13. A device according to claim 2 wherein in a pair of annular cutting diεkε, on one diεk the centerε of the internal notchs are between respective consecutive blades and on the other disk the centers of the internal notches are aligned with the centers of respective blades. 14. A device according to claims 2 and 3 wherein a pair of annular cutting diεkε are paired on the meεhing drum εuch that the flat εide of one diεk faces the flat side of the other disk in the pair. 15. A device according to claim 14 wherein each pair of diεkε is placed on the pair of tracks of the meshing drum such that the fixed track passeε through the wide notch of one diεk and the narrow notch of the other disk in the pair, and the pivoting track paεεeε through the other available notch on each diεk. 16. A device according to claim 1 wherein a plurality of single diskε iε placed on the pair of tracks of the meshing drum such that the fixed track passeε through the wide notch of one or more diεkε and the narrow notch of the remaining diεkε, and the pivoting track paεεes through the other available notch on each disk. 17. A device according to claims 2 and 3 wherein the angular orientation of the pair of cutting disk is fixed by setting the pivoting track on the meshing drum to a predetermined angle and thus determining the length of the incisionε. 18. A device according to claim 1 wherein the relative orientational phaεe between one or more of the cutting diεk in the plurality of εingle diεkε and the remaining disks is fixed by setting the pivoting track on the meshing drum to a predetermined angle. 19. An adjustable skin graft preparation device according to claim l wherein the meshing drum is compriεed of two or three parallel different ratio meεhing drumε connected to a common holder wherein the rotation of the holder fixes into operating position the required appropriate drum. 20. An adjuεtable εkin graft preparation device according to claim 1 having in addition a fixed comb or a rotating bruεh or a drum or a εerrated drum or a soft serrated cylinder, being parallel and along side of the meshing drum or drums, for detaching the meshed skin graft from the meshing drum before the said skin becomes wrapped onto the meshing drum and for spreading the said skin onto the carrier plate or cutting board. 21. An adjustable εkin graft preparation device according to claim 1 wherein the meεhing drum iε compriεed of two conεecutive parallel meεhing drumε one after the other for creating a predetermined compoεite meshing pattern wherein each meshing drum contributes in turn a portion of the requisite incisions. 22. A device according to claim 21 wherein setting and locking the distance between the two different consecutive parallel meshing drumε determineε an inciεion characteristic of the pattern. 23. A device according to claim 21 wherein the relative rotational phase between two different consecutive parallel meshing drums can be set and locked. 24. A meshing syεtem comprising of a mesher device, a cloεed carrying and autoclaving container for the mesher device, an electric motor unit which iε adapted to the εaid container and which may be inserted into and thus located inside said container, and a rotatable drive shaft coupling that iε an integral part of said container for aseptically tranεferring the rotation power from the electric motor unit to the meεher device drumε. 25. A εyεtem according to claim 24 wherein the electric motor unit iε comprised of an electric motor, a means for transferring the rotational energy between the electric motor's rotor and a rotatable drive shaft, and a power source such as a battery or an AC 220-110V source, or an adequate DC source. 26. A meεhing system according to claim 24 wherein the mesher device is fixed on the container's cover and connected at its bottom to a rotatable drive εhaft coupling that is an integral part of εaid cover providing the rotation power from the electric motor unit to the meshing device. 27. A meshing syεtem according to claim 24 wherein the rotation power is transformed from the rotatable drive shaft coupling to the meshing device's drums through several toothed wheels. 28. A meεhing εyεtem according to claim 24 wherein εterilization and aseptic techniques are applied to the meshing device and to the container so that the said syεtem can be used in sterile environments such as medical operating rooms and the operating room's aseptic environment is protected by the sterile container from contamination from the non-sterile power unit inside the container. 29. A meshing εyεtem according to claim 24 wherein a non sterile motor unit may be tranεferred to and locked into the container by uεing aseptic techniques. 30. An autoclavable sealable container for use in a sterile environment having inside an electric motor unit wherein on the container's cover there is a rotatable drive shaft coupling for mechanical connection with the electric motor unit for operating mechanical devices such as medical deviceε placed on the container'ε cover. 31. An autoclavable sealable container according to claim 30 wherein the medical device is an adjustable skin graft preparation device aε defined in claim 1. 32. A device εubstantially as described and illustrated hereinbefore.

Inventors: ROSENBERG LIOR, ROSENBERG, LIOR
Applicants: L R SURGICAL INSTR LTD, ROSENBERG LIOR, L.R. SURGICAL INSTRUMENTS LTD., ROSENBERG, LIOR
Application year: 1996
Main classification: A61B17
IPC codes: A61B17, A61B19