Patent ID: 8512349

Claim:
Apparatus for measuring bone depth comprising: an elongated inner bone probe structured to extend through openings in a bone, said inner bone probe terminating in a bone-engaging portion for engaging a distal portion of said bone adjacent an exit opening in said bone, said inner bone probe having a plurality of first manually-engageable elements secured to said inner bone probe for effecting movement of said inner bone probe by a user employing the volar sides of the user's fingers, said inner bone probe being structured to have a distal portion pass through an entry opening in said bone and engage said distal portion adjacent to an exit opening in said bone with said engagement being maintained by manual engagement of said first manually-engageable elements by the volar sides of said user's fingers and a withdrawing force applied thereto by said user's fingers in a direction generally away from said bone and toward the user's hand, an outer sleeve overlying at least a portion of said inner bone probe, said outer sleeve having a second manually-engageable element for engagement and movement of said sleeve by a user employing the volar side of said user's thumb, said outer sleeve being structured to be moved to a position engaging said bone or a fixation plate adjacent an entry opening in said bone by manually engaging said second manually-engageable element by the volar side of said user's thumb and pushing said outer sleeve toward said bone, said user's fingers and said user's thumb being on the same hand of said user, said first engageable elements having openings for receiving said user's fingers, said second manually-engageable element having an opening for receipt of said user's thumb, said first and second manually engageable elements being generally ring-shaped, said apparatus being structured to effect during said measurement movement of said first manually engageable ring shaped elements in the opposite direction of movement from said second manually engageable ring shaped element, said inner bone probe and said outer bone probe being structured to move along a longitudinal axis of said apparatus, whereby said apparatus is structured to permit holding said apparatus while effecting engagement of said first manually-engageable elements by the volar sides of said user's fingers to apply a withdrawing force to said inner bone probe in a direction toward said user's hand to urge said bone engaging portion into intimate contact with said bone adjacent said distal portion of said bone while concurrently with applying said withdrawing force engaging, said second manually-engageable element by the volar side of said user's thumb and pushing said second manually-engageable element to cause said outer sleeve to engage said bone or fixation plate adjacent an entry opening in said bone to permit the bone depth to be determined.