Patent ID: 7815642

Claim:
An apparatus for penetrating a bone and providing access to associated bone marrow disposed within the bone comprising: a housing having a handle and a trigger mechanism operable to be compressed by an operator to activate a spring-loaded mechanism disposed with the housing; the spring-load mechanism operable to propel portions of a penetrator assembly into the bone to access the associated bone marrow; the spring-loaded mechanism comprising at least one spring disposed on a rod; the rod comprising a first end and a second end with a shaft extending from the second end of the rod; a sleeve slidably disposed over the rod and extending from the first end of the rod; a ratchet mechanism operable to move the sleeve in a forward direction and compress the at least one spring of the spring-loaded assembly in a back-to-front direction; a plurality of teeth disposed on exterior portions of the sleeve; the ratchet mechanism including a first pawl and a second pawl; the first pawl and the second pawl operable to engage the plurality of teeth disposed on the sleeve; the ratchet mechanism including a ratchet lever operably engaged with the first pawl whereby compressing the ratchet lever by an operator when the first pawl is engaged with the plurality of teeth moves the sleeve in the back-to-front direction to compress the at least one spring; the second pawl operable to hold the sleeve and maintain compression of the at least one spring; a connector having a first end operable to releasably attach to the drive shaft and a second end of the connector operable to releasably attach to a first end of a penetrator hub; a penetrator operable to access the bone marrow extending from a second end of the penetrator hub; a longitudinal passageway extending through the length of the penetrator; a trocar extending from the second end of the connector; and the trocar slidably disposed in the longitudinal passageway of the penetrator when the connector is releasably engaged with the penetrator hub.