Patent ID: 8052614

Claim:
A biopsy device, comprising: a housing; a drive contained in said housing; a biopsy needle assembly including a biopsy needle carrier, a biopsy needle and a cutting sheath, said biopsy needle carrier coupled to both said biopsy needle and said cutting sheath, said biopsy needle carrier positioned in said housing; and a vacuum pump positioned in said housing, said vacuum pump having an elongate cylinder and a piston movable inside said elongate cylinder, said piston being drivably coupled to said drive, said elongate cylinder coupled to said biopsy needle to generate a vacuum in said biopsy needle when said piston is driven by said drive, said elongate cylinder and said biopsy needle being arranged in parallel in said housing, wherein said elongate cylinder is coupled to said biopsy needle by a U-shaped length of flexible tube to communicate a vacuum from said elongate cylinder to said biopsy needle.