Patent ID: 8343090

Claim:
A surgical instrument for providing a pressurized surgical gas to a surgical site, comprising: a receptacle for receiving at least one cylinder of the pressurized surgical gas; a frame having a proximal end and a distal end, the frame defining a port near the distal end for emitting a surgical gas; a passageway extending between the receptacle and the port defined in the frame; and a puncture assembly for rupturing a seal defined by the at least one cylinder to release the pressurized surgical gas into the passageway, the puncture assembly comprising: at least one bank for storing mechanical energy; an actuator responsive to an actuation force to release the mechanical energy from the bank; at least one puncture pin operatively coupled to the at least one bank such that the release the mechanical energy from the at least one bank moves the at least one puncture pin relative to the at least one cylinder with a puncture force greater than the actuation force; and a rack and pinion gear assembly including a rack and pinion gear, wherein the at least one puncture pin is operatively coupled to the at least one bank via the rack and pinion gear assembly such that a release of the mechanical energy from the at least one bank induces motion in the rack and pinion gear assembly.