Patent ID: 8277457

Claim:
An inserter for aiding a surgeon in controlling the installation of a prosthesis cup, the inserter comprising: a) a housing comprising a proximal housing end and a distal housing end supporting an impactor head; b) a drive train at least partially housed inside the housing, the drive train comprising: i) a first lever comprising a first lever proximal end spaced apart from a first lever distal end located adjacent to the distal housing end; ii) a first sleeve pivotably connected to the housing, wherein the first lever is in a slidable relationship with a first opening in the first sleeve disposed at an intermediate location between the first lever proximal end and the first lever distal end; iii) a second lever comprising a second lever proximal end located adjacent to the proximal housing end and spaced apart from a second lever distal end, wherein the second lever is pivotably supported by the housing; iv) a drive rod comprising a drive rod proximal end space apart from a drive rod distal end that is configured to be connectable to a prosthesis cup, v) a plunger comprising a plunger proximal region and a plunger distal region; vi) a collet comprising a collet proximal region and a collet distal region surrounding at least the plunger distal region; vii) a Bellville spring biasing the collet in a distal direction, the Belleville spring comprising an opening through which the plunger extends; viii) wherein the second lever distal end is in a universal joint relationship with the first lever proximal end, the first lever distal end is in a universal joint relationship with the drive rod proximal end, and the drive rod distal end is connected to the plunger proximal region; and c) wherein the second lever proximal end is manipulable from a first lever position spaced from the housing to a second lever position spaced closer to the housing than the first lever position to cause the second lever to pivot with respect to the housing and thereby move the second lever distal end away from the distal housing end and to further cause the first lever to move away from the distal housing end along the first opening in the first sleeve as the first sleeve pivots on the housing to thereby cause the plunger having an enlarged head, to move proximally, from a first plunger position spaced from the housing to a second plunger position that is closer to the housing than the first plunger position, and to thereby cause the enlarged plunger head to ram against an internal collet surface of a diameter less than that of the enlarged head to thereby cause the collet to move against the bias of the Belleville spring as the collet expands from a first configuration to a second configuration having a larger cross-section than the first configuration.