Patent ID: 7566302

Claim:
An expandable access device, comprising: a first blade having a distal end and proximal end, the first blade comprises a first portion, a second portion and an intermediate portion in between the first and second portions, wherein the intermediate portion is bent such that the first and second portions are angled with respect to each other; a second blade having a distal end and a proximal end, the second blade comprises a first portion, a second portion and an intermediate portion in between the first and second portions of the second blade, the second blade being operably connected to the first blade; a first elongated member having a first end and a second end, wherein the first end is connected to the first blade at a first pivot point and the second end is connected to the second blade at a second pivot point; and a second elongated member having a first end and a second end, wherein the first end is connected to the first blade at a third pivot point and the second end is connected to the second blade at a fourth pivot point, wherein the distal end of the first blade is moveable with respect to the distal end of the second blade; and wherein the device has an opened configuration and closed configuration, wherein the intermediate portions of the first and second blades are closer to each other than the distal most ends of the first and second blades when the device is in the opened configuration.