Patent ID: 6949109

Claim:
A surgical scalpel having a spring-actuated retractable blade, comprising in combination: (a) an elongated handle having a first side and a second side, a first elongated cavity within said handle extending over a long dimension thereof and opening to the outside at both a forward end and a rearward end, and a tab extending into the first cavity perpendicular to the long dimension thereof and located toward the rearward end of said handle, the first side having an elongated window therethrough along the long dimension of said handle and located toward the forward end thereof and a second window therethrough disposed toward the rearward end of said handle, the first side further having a first tab extending into the first cavity and located in the vicinity of the edge of the elongated window closest to the rearward end of said handle and a second tab extending into the first cavity between the second window and the rearward end of said handle; the second side having an interior elongated slot therein which terminates before reaching the forward end of said handle and which opens to the outside of said handle at the rearward end thereof; (b) a cutting blade; (c) an elongated slide having a first end and a second end adapted to slidably move longitudinally through the first cavity in said handle and to receive said cutting blade in a region of the first end thereof; a digit-engaging portion adapted to be engaged by and actuated by a digit through the elongated window; a raised, deformable latch in a region of the second end on the side thereof of the digit-engaging portion for engaging either of the first or second tabs in said handle; and a tab adapted to move within the slot in the second side of said handle, said slide engaging and being reversibly immobilized by the tab extending into the first cavity of said handle when located in its rearwardmost position in said handle; and (d) a coil spring disposed within the interior elongated slot in the second side of said handle and adapted to continuously contact the tab of said slide, thereby providing a force on said slide directed toward the rearward end of said handle.