Abstract:
The present invention discloses a rongeur type bone and cartilage removal device incorporating a pistol shaped body exhibiting a forward extending barrel terminating in a powered saw drive including a plurality of blades. A passageway extends through an interior of the barrel and communicates the forward chain drive with a rearward positioned debris collection chamber. A power supply is incorporated into the body and, upon actuating a trigger, closes a circuit with the saw drive and a separate vacuum inducing drive in order to successively excise increments of bone for evacuation through the passageway and into the collection chamber. Another variant of the rongeur type bone removal device includes first and second pivotally secured handles, the first handle terminating at a forward end in a first jaw exhibiting a plurality of extending teeth, with second handle terminating in a second jaw opposing the first jaw and exhibiting a continuous blade edge against which the teeth seats during pivotal motion of the jaws.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application 61/607,219 filed on Mar. 6, 2012, the contents of which are incorporated herein in its entirety. 
     
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    The present invention is directed to a bone and tissue removal device, such as is known as a rongeur type instrument (French for rodent or gnawer) which is used for opening a window in a bone for any number of purposes not limited to neurosurgery (skull) or orthopedic (musculoskeletal) surgery, as well as oral maxillofacial, hand or other surgical procedures. The removal device according to the present invention improves upon prior art “rongeur” type instruments and provides a first pistol shaped variant incorporating a powered and continuous chain scoop saw drive with enclosed collection chamber for retaining incised bone and tissue debris. A second manual pliers type variant is also disclosed with alligator type gnawing teeth incorporated into a first jaw which aligns with an opposing and depth defining collection chamber exhibiting an upper razor edge associated with a second jaw, an ejection mechanism including an elongated and pivotally actuated scoop which is operable to eject previously collected debris from within the collection chamber of the second jaw. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0003]    Rongeur surgical cutting instruments are known in the art for removing sections of bone or cartilage. Notable examples of these include the surgical rongeurs depicted in each of U.S. Pat. No. 5,653,73 and U.S. Pat. No. 6,142,997 and which disclose two shaft members capable of reciprocating motion relative to each other wherein one shaft member terminates in a foot plate and the other shaft member includes a combined cutting element and disposable storage chamber. The rongeur may be manually activated or solenoid powered by a battery. 
         [0004]    A further example of an adjustable powered rongeur is depicted in US 2010/0179557 to Husted and which teaches an adaptable deburring bit and independent nerve sensors that facilitate positioning of the instrument to a proximate surgery site. The medical instrument has a hand piece on a proximal end of a shaft and a hollow tip portion on a distal end of the shaft. The hand piece includes a handgrip and a squeezable trigger portion, whereby the trigger portion is independently compressible of the handgrip. The trigger portion controls a rotatable surgical tool bit which is housed in the tip portion and powered by a connecting drive system. A safety apparatus is provided on the grip portion, capable of locking the instrument and a monitoring system disposed on the tip portion, in order to identify proximity of nerve endings. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0005]    The present invention discloses a rongeur type bone and cartilage removal device incorporating a pistol shaped body exhibiting a forward extending barrel terminating in a powered saw drive including a plurality of blades. A passageway extends through an interior of the barrel and communicates the forward chain drive with a rearward positioned debris collection chamber. A power supply is incorporated into the body and, upon actuating a trigger, closes a circuit with the saw drive and a separate vacuum inducing drive in order to successively excise increments of bone for evacuation through the passageway and into the collection chamber. 
         [0006]    A video monitor is mounted to a rear location of the body and is communicable with a processor/controller for imaging a target area. The power supply can further be incorporated into a handle portion of the body. 
         [0007]    The chain drive may further incorporate at least one of an elongated conveyor drive or a rotary drive, with the blades each further exhibiting an arcuate scoop shape with an outer extending blade edge. Alternatively, the forward chain drive may include an attachment which is removably engageable to the forward barrel end and substitutable with other configured chain drives. 
         [0008]    Another variant of the rongeur type bone removal device includes first and second pivotally secured handles, the first handle terminating at a forward end in a first jaw exhibiting a plurality of extending teeth, with second handle terminating in a second jaw opposing the first jaw and exhibiting a continuous blade edge against which the teeth seats during pivotal motion of the jaws in order to successively excise increments of bone for evacuation through the passageway and into the collection chamber. The first and second jaws each exhibit an elongated and depth defining shape, with the first jaw being an upper and downwardly open jaw and the second jaw being a lower and upwardly open jaw. 
         [0009]    A pivotally actuated scoop can be associated with the second lower jaw for removing previously stored debris. A finger projection extends from a pivotal washer shaped portion in a direction opposite a forward projecting direction of the scoop, a tab extending from the finger and seating in a first position within an underside of the second handle in engagement with a forward end location of an embedded stem. 
         [0010]    Yet additional features include a coil spring seating within the second handle and biasing against the finger. A push button being incorporated into a remote location of the second handle and, upon being depressed, permitting a second coil spring embedded in a rear location of the second handle to cause a linear retraction of the embedded stem resulting in release of the tab and subsequent upward pivoting of the scoop. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0011]    Reference will now be made to the attached drawings, when read in combination with the following detailed description, wherein like reference numerals refer to like parts throughout the several views, and in which: 
           [0012]      FIG. 1  is an illustration of a pistol styled powered tissue and bone graft removal device according to a first embodiment including continuous chain scoop saw drive with enclosed collection chamber for retaining incised bone and tissue debris; 
           [0013]      FIG. 2  is a rotated perspective of the powered removal device of claim  1  and better illustrating the features of the sealed debris collection chamber, such as designed as a removable cylindrical component capable of quick replacement with an identical component when filled so as to permit continuous use, as well as a mini video screen built into a handle proximate rear location, this interfacing with a processor for providing enhanced or magnified three dimensional imaging of a target area; 
           [0014]      FIG. 3  is an enlarged forward end perspective better illustrating the configuration of the chain scoop drive in relation to the video imaging (and optionally light illuminating) lens for providing effective, targeted and efficient bone and tissue removal; 
           [0015]      FIG. 4  is an inverted/rotated illustrating of the forward and chain scoop drive defining end and which illustrates from another perspective the manner in which the tool can be repositioned in order to section bone and tissue, such as without loss of efficiency and as a result of the vacuum inducing aspect incorporated into the device for suctioning the incised or section bone/tissue debris; 
           [0016]      FIG. 5  is an illustration similar to  FIG. 3  of an alternately configured “paddle wheel” style scoop for providing more target incising and removal of bone and/or tissue debris, such further contemplating a forward end attachment operable with a standard gearing construction built into the body of the trigger style pistol shaped body, such capable of being interchangeably engaged with the pistol style device along with any number of separate end attachments exhibiting different powered collection scoops and/or sectioning configurations; 
           [0017]      FIG. 6  is a side line art depiction of the chain scoop variant depicted in  FIG. 3  and depicting both the interchangeable nature of the end attachment incorporating the chain scoop, as well as the suction inducing conduit built into the barrel for inducing removal and collection of debris within the rear located collection chamber; 
           [0018]      FIG. 7  is a side view of a manual pliers type variant is also disclosed with alligator type gnawing teeth incorporated into a first jaw which aligns with an opposing and depth defining collection chamber exhibiting an upper razor edge associated with a second jaw; 
           [0019]      FIG. 8  is a rotated perspective of the manual pliers type variant of  FIG. 7  and which better depicts the pivotally opposing and incising nature of the upper alligator teeth and opposing elongated collection chamber with upper facing and continuous razor edge; 
           [0020]      FIG. 9  is a rotated rear facing view of the pliers type variant of  FIG. 7  and better illustrating an external depiction of a trigger ejection mechanism for removing debris from the collection chamber via a pivotally actuated scoop; and 
           [0021]      FIG. 10  is a similar view to that shown in  FIG. 9  and illustrating the selected trigger mechanism incorporating handle and integrally extending jaw in lengthwise cutaway in order to better depict inner working mechanism operable upon depressing the handle located button for pivotally actuating the coaxially supported and elongated scoop from within the collection chamber interior of the jaw for ejecting previously collected debris from. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
       [0022]    Referring now to  FIG. 1 , an illustration is generally shown at  10  of a pistol styled powered tissue and bone graft removal device according to a first non-limiting embodiment. As is also depicted in succeeding  FIGS. 2-6 , the device includes a generally elongated barrel  12  terminating at a forward end in a continuous chain scoop saw drive, this being configured as either an integrally formed or separable forward attachment  14 . 
         [0023]    As better shown in  FIG. 3 , the forward scoop saw drive  14  exhibits an open region defined by an exposed upper surface  16  which extends to a forward edge surface  18  of the main barrel  12 , such as in order to mount the forward attachment  14 . Dashed line  19  in  FIGS. 3-4  can represent a separating location established between a removable variant of the forward drive attachment  14  and the forward edge surface  18  of the barrel  12 . 
         [0024]    The scoop drive includes an elongated conveyor support  20  which supports a belt  22  in continuous loop fashion upon the support  20 , this as best depicted by forward located drive pin  24  ( FIGS. 2-3 ) as well as identical rear drive pin  25  in the line art view of  FIG. 6 . The conveyor support  20 , along with the body of the pistol device  12 , can be construed of a durable plastic, such as exhibiting sanitized or antimicrobial properties. The construction of the belt  22  is further such that it exhibits a durable and flexible consistency (such as including a varying durometer graded plastic or other synthetic material) and which is either keyed or frictionally driven along the outer contours of the conveyor supported elongated body  20 . 
         [0025]    A plurality of individual scoop shaped blades  26  are depicted, such as each exhibiting a generally paddle type body with an outer incising edge for scraping or abrading the surface desired to be excised or eroded. As further shown, the blades  26  are depicted in an outwardly extending and closely spaced apart fashion and at linearly spaced intervals along the closed belt  22  and so that, upon activating a power source for driving the belt (such as located in an associated handle or stock portion of the pistol), the scoop shaped blades  26  are caused to rapidly translate in successive abrading fashion. 
         [0026]    As a result, and upon being positioned in contact with a bone, cartilage, tissue or other growth such as existing within a body cavity of a patient, the rapid linear movement of the scoops mounted to the belt conveyor supported results in the configured blades  26  successively abrading or sectioning along the target zone, the result of which is that the excess bone or cartilage material is to be rapidly and successively abraded or removed. Although not shown, it is envisioned that any type of bevel, screw or other drive or gearing arrangement, as well as other variants not limited to such as electromagnetic type drive outputs, can be incorporated into the pistol type rongeur device and which is activated in order to drive the conveyor supported belt  22  and, thereby, the individual scoop shaped projections  26  in the direction depicted by arrow  28  in  FIG. 3  in order to quickly abrade or erode away the undesirable material. 
         [0027]    The construction of the scoop drive can be further reconfigured to that shown by three dimensional forward portion  30  (which again can be either integrally formed to the main barrel  12  or alternately separably attachable, such as along a separation line  31 ) and as a substitute attachment to the chain scoop of  FIG. 3 .  FIG. 5  depicts an alternately configured “paddle wheel” style scoop in which a reconfigured support element  32  is provided in rotatably supported fashion, at  33  to the forward exposed location of the barrel, and upon which is exhibited an outer surface  34  mounting a rotary extending and driven pattern of scoop type blades  36  located at a forward mounted edge of the attachment housing  30  and which is exposed by an inwardly arcuately recessed or tapered forward edge  38  of the housing  30 . 
         [0028]    The direction of the rotating scoop type blades  36  (see arrow  39  in  FIG. 5 ) results in excised or abradingly removed debris being withdrawn into the interior of the attachment  30  and, by virtue of a vacuum collection inlet  40  (see  FIG. 6 ) is positioned at an interior entrance location of the main barrel  12 . This causes the debris and other particles to be conveyed rearwardly along an interconnecting vacuum passageway  42  for collection within the rear collection chamber. Although not shown, it is understood that any suitable design or variant of a vacuum inducing element, such as inner positioned and rotating element, can be incorporated into the barrel  12  at a location between its forward edge and a rear delivery location associated with the attachable debris reservoir, and which also draws power from the power supply (such as located within the handle or stock). 
         [0029]    As previously described, any number of different attachments, such as representatively shown at  14  and  30  in  FIGS. 3 and 5 , respectively, can be provided for assisting in scraping, gouging or other suitable abrading removal of bone, tissue or other types of growth. As previously indicated, additional variants can include the forward scoop shaped blades such as depicted in either of the attachments  14  and  30  being incorporated into a one-piece integrally formed pistol body and so that a kit of pistol (or other handheld or carryable) devices are provided, each with a variously configured forward end incising/excavating subassembly. 
         [0030]    Referring again to  FIGS. 1-2 , additional features associated with the powered rongeur type removal device  10  include an enclosed collection chamber, such as is depicted by a cylindrical shaped enclosure  44  exhibiting a transparent wall and which seats within a mating recess profile defined in a rear location of the main pistol body proximate to an activating trigger  46  and a rear handle or stock  48  (such as further retaining any type of alkaline, Lithium ion or other disposable/rechargeable battery or like power supply which may be accessible through a battery door such as located in a bottom of the handle, as well as a charging port likewise accessible through a stock or handle proximate location in order to recharge certain types of battery power supplies). An associated wiring protocol according to any known construction ensures that, upon the trigger  46  being depressed, a circuit is closed between the power supply and the gearing or drive components for activating the blade scoop assembly in the manner previously described. 
         [0031]    As best shown in  FIG. 2 , the collection chamber  44  includes a forward nipple or like apertured location  50  (see also replacement collection chamber  44  shown in  FIG. 2 ) which aligns with a similar aperture formed in a forward disk or annular shaped wall, see at  52 , defining a corresponding forward end of the receiving location associated with a rear end location of the barrel  12  (it further noted that the cylindrical collection chamber  44  shown in  FIG. 2  being rotated in the direction of arrow  53  in order to align the nipple location  50  with the aperture  52  in the rear interior of the barrel  12 ). This design permits a first collection chamber  44  to be quickly detached and removed or otherwise ejected from the exposed top of the pistol body, such as upon visual notification of it having been filled with bone or other aggregating debris which passes from the vacuum passageway  42  into the transparent walled and three dimensional cylindrical receptacle. It is further envisioned that the nipple location  50  and seating aperture  52  can incorporate additional structure (not shown) which, during removal and replacement of a first cylindrical chamber defining component  44  with an identical second component, prevents spillage of debris within the interior vacuum passageway  42  of the barrel  12 , such a port being reestablished upon attachment/reattachment with a succeeding collection component  44 . 
         [0032]    Additional features include a video display  54  supported within an integral rear portion  56  of the pistol above the hand grip  48 , the video display interfacing with an associated processor or controller (not shown but understood to be incorporated into a suitable location of the pistol body such as in proximity to the hand grip and contained power source). A lens  58  is positioned at a forward facing end of the barrel  12  (see as best shown in  FIGS. 3-6 ) and communicates, via an upper edge extending passageway  60  integrated into the main barrel along with any suitable fiber optic or other type wiring, extending to the embedded processor/controller and the video screen  54  to assist with imaging the interior of the cavity within which the forward attachments  14  or  30  are positioned and to better calibrate and control the parameters surrounding removal of the excess bone, tissue or other typically hardened growths. 
         [0033]    Additional features can include an additional light illuminating source, such as an LED type element, which is integrated into the pistol body and assists in the imaging aspects of the design. The associated controller can also be designed to provide varying resolutions and/or (three dimensional) magnification to ensure that as detailed an image of the target area is provided as possible in order to ensure proper abrading or excising of the location. Depending upon the target area being illuminated, it is further envisioned that the controller can further provide different imaging patterns (thermal, nuclear, other luminescent or the like) depending upon the removal application being employed for providing effective, targeted and efficient bone and tissue removal. Additional controller features can include, without limitation, the ability to determine mass, type, and density of the material being removed and retained within the collection chamber  44 . 
         [0034]      FIG. 4  depicts an inverted/rotated illustrating of the forward and chain scoop drive defining end attachment  14 , and which illustrates from another perspective the manner in which the tool can be repositioned in order to section bone and tissue. The purpose of this view is to highlight that the barrel end of the tool can be positioned at any angle during use, without loss of efficiency, such as which is maintained by the vacuum inducing aspects previously described for suctioning the incised or section bone/tissue debris. 
         [0035]    Referring to  FIGS. 7-10 , a series of side, perspective and cutaway views are generally shown at  62  of a further manual pliers type variant. The pliers type rongeur device operates under a similar principle as the powered variant (with the exception that it incises or removes a small volume of bone or the like with each iteration or bite) and includes a first handle  64  and a second handle  66 . Each of the handles  64  and  66  are contoured along their rear extending grasping portions and each includes a circular overlapping and pivotally joined portions  68  and  70 , respectively (see as best shown in  FIG. 10  perspective). 
         [0036]    The first handle  64  terminates forwardly of its pivotally overlapping portion  68  in an integrally formed upper jaw  72  exhibiting an elongated depth defining and downwardly open profile integrating a continuous plurality of alligator type gnawing teeth  74 . 
         [0037]    The second handle  66  likewise terminates forwardly of its pivotally overlapping portion  70  in a like integrally formed and upwardly open facing and depth defining lower jaw  76  which exhibits a substantially identically configured contour as the upper jaw  72 . The lower jaw  76  exhibits an upper continuous blade edge  78  and which matches the profile of the downwardly facing teeth  74  so that that, upon positioning the jaws  72  and  76  on opposite sides of a section of bone to be removed, inward compression on the handles results in the jaws pivoting together and the teeth  74  abut the opposite continuous razor or blade edge  78  concurrent with a volume of bone or like debris being excised or “bitten off” and deposited within an interior chamber  80  (see  FIGS. 8 and 10 ) defined in the lower jaw  76 . 
         [0038]    With reference to  FIGS. 8-10 , additionally illustrated is a trigger ejection mechanism for assisting in easy ejection of previously deposited bone and like debris from within the lower jaw collection chamber  80 . The ejection mechanism includes an elongated scoop  82  extending from a pivotally supported washer shaped portion  84  (see as best shown in  FIG. 10  and in which the scoop  82  is connected to the washer  84  via a stepped location  85 ) which is mounted upon coaxial pin or hub  86  so that the elongated scoop  82  (exhibiting an arcuate profile in cross section) pivots from a first recessed seating location ( FIG. 8 ) in which the scoop seats within a recessed matching base inner profile  88  ( FIG. 10 ) to a second upwardly pivoted location ( FIGS. 9 and 10 ) in which the scoop  82  upwardly ejects the debris from within the chamber. 
         [0039]    As again best shown in  FIG. 10 , additional features incorporated into the trigger ejection mechanism include an integral rearwardly projecting finger  90  extending from the coaxially supported washer shaped  84 . A coil spring  92  seats within an inner elongated and recessed profile, at  94 , defined in depth extending fashion from an underside accessible location of the second handle  66  proximate the overlapping portions  68 / 70  of the jaws  64 / 66 , with a base mounting location  96  of the spring  92  engaging the finger projection  90  offset from its pivot fulcrum provided by the coaxial mounting hub  86 . 
         [0040]    A tab  98  extends upwardly from a rearward proximate end of the finger  90  rearwardly of the coil spring  92  and seats within a mating recess profile  100  defined in a rearwardly spaced and downwardly communicating location of the upper handle  66  which is proximate to the inner seating location of the spring  92  as again shown in  FIG. 10 . A push button  102  is spring biased at a mounted at a rearward location of the upper handle  66  and exhibits an inner slot  104  through which is received a rearward extending end of an elongated stem  106  embedded within an elongated recess defined in the handle  66 , with a second coil spring  108  extending linearly on a rear side of the button  102 . 
         [0041]    According to this configuration, and upon the button  102  being inwardly depressed in the direction of arrow  110 , a clearance is established between the internally configured slot  104  and the stem  106 . At this point, a pulling or withdrawing force exerted by the coil spring  108  on the elongated stem  106 , see arrow  112 , with an opposite forward end  114  of the stem  106  being retracted from an engaging location with a downwardly angled abutment location of the tab  98 . 
         [0042]    It is noted that the spring  108  in the position of  FIG. 10  is tensioned such that its bias is to pull the stem  106  along the direction of arrow  112 . Releasing of the tab  98  from the forward edge abutment  114  of the stem  106  results in the coil spring  92  exerting a downward pivoting force causing the washer  84  to rotate about the hub  86  with the scoop  82  being caused to pivot upwardly as shown in  FIG. 10 . The construction of the button  102  is further such that it can be reset in order to reverse engage the stem  114  (in a direction opposite to arrow  112 ) to the tab  98 . 
         [0043]    Having described my invention, other and additional preferred embodiments will become apparent to those skilled in the art to which it pertains, and without deviating from the scope of the appended claims.