CA1304922C - Blade removal and/or mounting mechanism and dispenser, extractor-disposalapparatus including same - Google Patents

Abstract

ABSTRACT
A mechanism for mounting and removing a blade having an elongated slot mounting means from a blade handle which has a mounting boss for insertion into the elongated slot. The mechanism includes a handle guide forming one side of a passageway for insertion of the handle therethrough, the handle guide having a flexible body which is sufficiently flexible to allow deflection of the handle for withdrawal of the boss out of mating relationship with the elongated slot. The mechanism further includes blade extracting means fixed opposite the handle guide forming a second side of the passageway and having a blade retaining projection arranged adjacent the passageway which can be actuated to prevent withdrawal of a blade from the passageway. Finally, an actuation means is included which is fixed for actuation of the blade extracting means upon deflection of the handle sufficient to disengage the boss from mating relationship with the elongated slot so that a blade mounted on the handle can be removed therefrom when the handle is withdrawn from the passageway. The present invention also includes a device including such mechanism in combination with a blade retaining and/or disposal well which can serve as a blade dispenser and/or disposal device.

Description

1 BLADE XEMOVAL AND/OR MOUN~ING MECHANISM A~D ~ISPENSER, EX~RACTOR-DISPOSA~ ~PPARATUS INCLU~ING SAME

BACKGROU~D 0~ T ~ ElQ~

The p~e~ent lnvention relate~ to t~ art o~
cuttl~g blade di~pens~ng and disposal, and, in particular, to a meohanism fo~ ~lade removal and/or mountlng used to ~0 pro~de convenlent 6torage, di~pen~ing, and di~po~l apparatus for cutting ~lades which can be ~ounted on b7ade handle~ by mean~ of a mating elongated slot and boss.
It 1~ known in the art of cutting to provide dispo~able bl4de~, such as surgical ~calpel ~lades, commercially in several size~ sterile or non-sterile packaging, whlch are adapted to fit conventional metal ~calpel handle~ or ~arlous ~es to form knives use~ for a ~ariety of purpo~es in hospi~al~, ln researc~ laboratori~, and ln ~ciQnce d~pArt~en~ ~ n ~chool~ an~ Uni~ersitie~-Rel4t~e to the ~e in ho~pital~, ~uch bl~de~ are u~ed ln~u~ge~y, pa~hology laborAto~ies, etc. ~ypically, ~ommerci~lly av~ ble surgi~al blade~ havo a ~h~rpened tip and cUttin~ edge portion an~ a 6ha~k por~ion extendlng rear~ardly theref~om. The ~hank portion of the blade i8 ~5 provlded ~ith an elong4ted aperture ~h~ch ~8 ~haped flna adapte~ to receive a mating e~ongated ~08~ formed on the ~orward o~ ~tta~h~ng t~p o~ a scalpel ~andle.

1 G~ner~lly, the elong~ted handle-engaging ~perture of the blade can have ~ wldened rear portion and a narrowed fo~ward portlon, the wldened rear po~tion init~ally ~eceiving the en~aging boss of the gcalpel handle gulding the bo~s forwArd lnto th~ na~rowed forward portion of the apQr~ure. ~he boss ls undercut such that the edges o~ the na~owed forward portion o~ thR apertu~e are engaged between a sc~lpel handle And the undercut sur~ace of the boss. When the bo6s is completely inserted wit~in the bl~de aperture, th~ rear edge o~ the blade aperture can be snapped over the rear of the engaging bosR, thu6 achleving loc~ing enga~ement between t~e blade and the scalpel han~le.
In order to remove a blade of this ~ature from B
scalpel handle, the rear edge o~ the blade must b~ ~epar~ted ~rom the h~ndle to dl~engage the ~ear end o~ the blade ap~rture ~ro~ the rear end of the boss ~o that the blade can ~hen be pushed ~orward until the undercut boss clear~ t~e narrowed ~orw~rd po~tion of the blade aperture permitting the blad~ to be cle~red of thQ handl~.
A ~h~rp ed~e 18 es~nt~al ln conductlng ~ surgical ope~ation. However, ~lades tend to lose theix edge ~ery q~lcXly in ~uch procedures ~o it i6 com~on to use ~e~eral blades dur~ng a single surgical p~ocedure. Thus, removal o~
a u~e~ blade rrom the handle and replacement of the blade ~ith a new sterile blade is a ~requent occu~rence in the cour~e of a s~rg~cal procedur~.
The const~uction and opera~ion of mounting and dlsmounting scalpel blades on blade handles presen~ problems in ~hat the handling o~ such sharp blades for mounting and 3o removal p~rposes can easily cause in~ury to the handler.

1 Accordlngly, ln t~e p~st lt has been Xnown to pro~de dev~ces for removlng the ~lade wit~out the necessi~ of touchlng them with the hand.
For example, ~.S. Patent No. 3,172,316 to Grieshaber ~hows a ~lade ~emoving tool formed ~rom tubing and ha~lng an elongated handle. One end is 21at~ened somQ~hat Yo ~ to provide flat opposed surfac-s in which a~e ~ormed opposed channel-like groove~ ~hich ~unc~ion as gu~de tracX~ for the bo~s portion of the ~calpel when the tool and the ~calpel bo~ poxtion are as~embled. Extending longitudinally from one flat eur~ace of the flattened end po~tion of the handle are two 6paced-apart prong~ which are lnclln~d up~ardly a ~light amount. The space between the prongs ~ ~uch A~ to per~it the ~lender bo~s po~tion of ~he ~calpel handle to pas~ therebetween, the free end cf each p~ong belng o~f~et upwardly. ~he ~lade end of the ~calpel handle ca~ be inltially inserted longitudinally ~hrough t~e open ~l~t end oP the tube between the cha~nel-like groo~es.
The of~et end~ of t~e tool prong ~lldably engaglng t~e under ~ur~ace o~ t~e b~de until they en~a~e ~ehind the ~nnermo~t edg- of the bl~e ad~acen~ the scalpel handle.
~he inclihatlon of ~he prongs caUse the innermost ed~e po~t~on o~ the a~com~odated blade to be ~lexed ~pwardly 50 that each ed~e portlon ~hereo~ w~ll clear the ~lender bos6 p~rtlon of the ~calpel when the scalpel is withdrawn longitudinally from the flattened end of the tool. The blade of the ~calpel i~ held in place by the off~et end~ o~
the prongQ dur~ng withdrawal of the scalpel handle.

3o 1 U.S. P~tent No. ~,180,1~2 to ~agney ~how~ a comb~natlon di~pen~er-disposal cartridge for a su~gicAl blade whic~ lncludeg an elongated open-top box wlth mean~ ~oX re~eiving and positioning ~he blade in ~ curved po~itlon to aocept the mating bos8 0~ a 6calpel handle, The box ~180 includeQ means ~or ~trlpping A u~ed blade ~rom the ~calpel ~andle and retainlng it within the box for dispo~al.
The bl~de 1~ packed in the box 80 that it cur~ingly extends ~r~m the ~orw~rd tlp toward~ the shank tlp t~ facilitate lnse~t~on of a bo~s of a ~calpel handle into the elongated ~lot, whlch i~ then ~oved ~orward and withdrawn with the blade mounted on the handle. Removal of the blade ~rom the 6calpel handlc i~ e~fected by lnserting the scalpel handle into tho aperture end o the box ~ntil t~e tip of the blade i8 cngaged be~ween the side wall and a ~ro~ectlon extending downwardly from the top of the box at ~h~ch point the handle i~ ~oved to t~e r~ht ~o that the reax edge of the bl~de is ~tripped Awa~ ~rom the narro~è~ ~orward portion o~ t~e ~c~lpe~ handl~ by engagement ~g41ng~ an up5tanding blade diGen~aging pro~e~ion ~ormed integra~ly w~th the ~loor of the ~ox. The Magney combination di~pen~e~-dispo~a}
cartridge can p~ove to be ~omewhat lne~fective ~n use, resulting in ~urgeon~ or a~sistant~ xesorting to ~anual ~emo~al o~ the blade ~rom ~calpel handles.
Other devices i~clude the ~calpel blad~ remove~
~hown ln U.S. Patent No. 4,378,h24 ~o Klingenbe~g which include~ a ~ixed block in ~ombination ~ith a ~econd mo~able block ha~ing a 610t between ~uch b~ocks and a tab provided on th~ movable ~lock to engage an end o t~e blade and move 3o 1 lt relative to the b~dy o~ the blade to di~engage it from th- handle. ~he bloc~s are ~ounted on A ~upporting su~face beneath which ~ ~terlle disposal b~x may be disposed.
U.S. P~tent No, 4,318,473 to Sandel ~hows a surglc~l blade ~emoval And di~posal device which operates by lnse~t~ng a h~ndle with a blade mo~nted thereon through a gulde mean~ B0 tha~ the rear o~ the blade is disposed over ~paced apart ~houlder~ a~ter whlch the handle i6 u~ged downward tendlng to bow t~e blade, thu~ disengaging ~he rear of t~e in~erted portion from the rear edge of the blade 810t to 4110w the handle to slide relative to the blade. The blade tend~ to move with the handle ~s a result of frict~on bet~een the blade and the handle until it encounters the ~ront wall of a ~top which prevents further ~ovement of the blade rearwardly. One of the problem~ encounter~d with the S~ndel blado removal de~ice is the ~evere bend imposed on th~ blade when it is fit over the spaced apart 6houlde~s t~
guide the blAde to the rear ~top. ~his cau6es a hig~ degree o~ ~lction betwQen t~ blade slot and the hand~e bo5 zo maklng x~mo~al o~ th~ ~lAde ver~ dir~cult.
U.S. Patent ~o. 4,344,532 to Eldridge, Jr., et al.
dl~clo~e~ a ~ur~ical blade remove~ h~ving ~ wedge 6haped ~upport member which ta~er~ ~rom its front s~de to it~ back side. The support has one or more mu~ally p~rallel latitud~nal slots open at one end and along their length ex~nding from the ~ront ~de of the support to it~
inter$or. ~he ~lots Are ~ized to receive the tang of the blade holder ~hile preventing the blade itself from passing the~et~rough and the surface of each of the ~upport members 3o ~ordering the slot is covereq w~th an adhesive which hold~

-G -1 the blade in place wh~le the handle ls plvoted downw~rd i~
the $10t nw~y from the blade. In certain embodlments, the ~lots are ~hown to h~ve modificat~ons co~toured to compllment the ~hape of the blade and/or to provide a notch to reoeive 4 port~on of the hilt of the blade ~n order to assl~t ln blade removal.
U.~. Patent No. 4,120,~97 to Neum~nn show6 a unit ~o~ accom~o~atlng dl~posable blade-like art~cles in which the underside o~ a blade 6uch a6 A scalpel blade, slidably eng~ge~ a ~esillent tongue-llke element whlch i~ de~lected upwardl~, The tong~e-like element ha~ mounted thereon cam mean~ havlng ~urfaces which c~n be p~shed against the blade to unse~t the ~ear of the blade away fro~ a bo6s on the blade handle. once the tongue-like me~ber 1~ ~ully depressed thereby dePleot~ng the rear of the blade downwardly, the scalpel handle can be re~oved, abutting the ~ear o~ the blade agaln~ the lnside sur~ace o~ a panel, thu~ un~eating the blade ~rom the bos~ and di~a6~embling the blade from tho handl~.
U. 6 . ~tent ~o . 4,106,6~0 to Brlmmer, et al. shows a ~ur~ical ~lade dl~pen~er and dl~posal assembly whi~h ~n~ludes bladeG i~dividually posit~oned and supported wlthin the box between ~ slot in a forward wall and a ~lot in a rearward wall which hold~ ~he blade~ in such a fashion as to ~ htly dc~or~ them ~.n a lateral curve for recelpt oP a boss of a ~urgical blade ~older in the elongated slst formed in the body of the blade. The blades can be rem~ved by lnsertion of the blade bearing handle through the aperture and wedged rea~ward~y against pro~eoting ears. The handle is t~en moved laterally to sepa~ate the rear of the blade from the ~oss and remo~e the handle completel~ ~ff t~e 3~

~304922 1 blnde. Thls de~ice h~s proved to be cumberso~e and the r~movAl app~atus does not pro~ide fox efficient removal of the bl~des.
~ herefo~e an ob~ect of the pre~ent invention to prov~de ~ gcalpel blade dispenser by whlch scalpel blades c~n be q~icXly ~nd easily ~o~nted on~o a ~calpel bl~de handle.
~ t i~ another object of ~he lnvention to pr~vide A
~calpel blade ext~actor whi~h ~acilitate~ easy x~oval of the blade ~ro~ ~ blade handle.
Another ob~ect o~ the invention i6 to provide a ~oalpel ~lade dlspenser holder whlch give~ quick and ea~
acces6 to a v~r~ety o~ scalpel blade~.
~ ommen~ur~te with the p~eviou~ object of the inventlon, it 1~ A ~urther ob~ect ~o p~ovide a device by Which stored blade6 can be easlly iden~lfied.
A further o~ect of the p~esent lnventlon i~ to provlde ~o~ ~afe ~torag~ o~ ~calpol bl~d~s duxing the cour~e 0~ ~U~g~Al operAtiorl~.
Another ob~ect o~ the inven~io~ ls to facilitate the ~afe dis~osal of u~ed and contAminated ~calpel blade~.
Another ob~ect of the in~ention i8 to permit the qui~k and Accurate invento~y of scal~el blades usually conducted at th~ conclusion o~ gu~gical operations.
Other ~nd ~u~her ob~ect~ of the. present lnv-ntion will become Apparent to those skilled in the art in view of th~ disclo~ure of the in~ention as ~et forth herein.

3o The preBent $nvention lnclude~ a ~echan~6m which oan be u~ed ~or both mounting and rem3vl~g a bl~de having an ~longatQd ~lot mounting ~an~ ~rom a ~lAde handle whic~ ha~
a mounting bo~ for ~nsertion lnto the elongated ~lot. The mechanl~m includes a handle guide ~hich forms one side of a pa~ageway for in~ertion o~ the ~lade handle, the handle guide having a flexlble body portion which is su~ficiently ~lex~ble to allow delection o~ the handle ~or withdrawal o~
the bos~ out o~ mating relations~ip with the elon~ated ~lot of the blade. Another element o~ the mechanism is a blade extractlng mean6 ~ixed opposite the handle guide which forms a 6econd si~e of the passage~ay, the extracting mean~
haYing a blade rstaining project~on arranged adjacent the pa~AgewAy w~ch c~n be actuated to prevent wlthdrawal o~ a bl~de from the passageway. The mechan~m further lncludes a actu~tion ~ans fixed or actuation o~ the blAde extracting mean~ upo~ d~rlect~on o~ the ~ndle su~iciently to aisengage the ~0~8 out o~ a ~ting relation~hlp with the 2V ~lcngated slot. A~ a con~equ~nce a ~lade mounted on a hanale c~n be remo~ed there~ro~ when the handle is wlthdrawn from ~he pa~sagew~y w~le the extracting ~ean~ is b~ing actuated.
A deYlce o~ the present invention csn also inc~ude a well ~o~ holdlng a blade in a pos~tlon ~or mountlng on a ha~dle a~ well as for receiving a blade once used.
~lternatively, the wel~ can be u~ed as a disposal receptacle wh~n t~è mechanism is used merely a~ a b~ade disarmer. When it iB contemplated ~o provlde a dispen.~ing/dlsposal 3o ~pparatus, the well can also ~nclude a blade su~port whic~
holds a blade ln a mounting position whil~ p~eserving the blade'~ cutting edge.

1~04922 g 1 ~eferring to the lnd~vldual elements o~ t~e mech~nlsm, the blade extrac~ing means includes a ~lexible arm extending from a point at one end of the passageway and extends along the pac~agewa~ to an operati~e end, the blade re~ain~ng pro~ction belng fixed at the operative end so tbat lt 1~ po~tloned out o~ the pa~ageway ln the unact~ated condition and ~o that it can be drawn over the pa~ageway when actuate~. The actuation mean6, ln turn, includes a latch ~ean~ secured ~o, ~or example, the h~ndle gu~de, the latch mea~ including a yoke extending around the passagsway and ~ ~oke tab extendlng around the blade removal hoo~ Arm whereby t~s tab i~ d~awn into actuating contact with th~ arm when the handle guide i~ d~flected away ~rom the blade extracting mean~. Alternatlvely, the latch means can be ~ecured to the bla~e xemoval arm wh~le the ~oke extends around the pa~sageway and the yoke tab extends around the handle guide. The yoke t~b can extend a~ound el~her the arm or the handle ~uide a di~tanos ~u~fici~nt to permit ln~rtlon o~ tho han~le through the passageway withou~ actuatin~ the actu~ting ~rm.
The mechani~m can ~e lncluded in a housing to provlde A comblnation ~lade di~pen~er and dispo~al device.
The hou~lng can be 4 6teriliz~ble clear contalner whereln the blades can be visibly packag~d and sterilized.
A reclosa~l¢ lid can be formed over the entixe set o~ blade ope~lngs with a weakened portion attaching ~t to the housing on one s~de and an opening on the opposite ~$de for articulable movement over the blade~. ~re~erably, the devioe can ~n~lude at least four blades for use i~ an operating environment.

1 It has been found that t~e devlce can preferably be ~rom about 2" to about 2 3/4" h~gh, from about 3" to abou~ 4" long, and ~rom about 1 3/4ll to about 2 3/4" wide at t~e ba~e, and can be provided with an adhesive on the botto~
5 ~ur~ace fo~ BeCuring the devico ln place dur~nq ~se.
A~ ~ result of th~ prQ~ent ~nven~ion a medical operating team can be provided with guick and easy a~cess to a v~riety o~ scalpel blades ln the devlce which permit ~ha sa~e handl~ng o~ the blade~ by mechanically moun~ing and 10 aismounting a~ ~equired. The blade~ c~n b~ identi~ied as new or u~ed and the devlce pe~mits a blade count at the concluslon o~ the operation to be perfor~ed more quickly and accuxately while all~wing ~or the ~afe storage and d~posal of the used ~calp~l blades.
1~ In another embodiment, the in~ention can be used to provide ~ blade disposa~ con~iner which conta~ns the mechani~ described ~ove ~or disarming a blade from a handl~
For A b~tter under~tandlng o~ the pregent lnv~ntlon, together Wlth other and ~u~the~ objects, referenG~ 1~ made to the following de~cr~p~lon, taken in aon~unction wt~h th~ accompanylng drawings, and it~ 6~0pe will be pointed ~u~ in the appended claims.

BRI~F DES~IPTION OF ~E DRAWINGS
Pre~srred embodiments of t~e invention have been chosen ~or puxposes o~ illu~tration and description and are shown ln the accompanying drawin~ wherein;
Flgure. 1 i~ a per~pective view of a blade 3o d~pen~lng/disposal appa~atus in a~ordance with the present invent~on~

1 Figure 2 ~6 a perspectlve vie~ of a handle wlt~ a blade mounted thereon;
F~ure 3 show~ the ~elationshlp of the blade and the handle ln the disassembled c~ndltion;
~lgure 4 1~ a per~pectivæ view of the operative mechan~sm o~ the present ln~ention with the scalpel blade ~hown ~n ph~ntom ~n order to depict the relati~nship of the blade to the ~ec~anl~m;
Fl~ure 5 iB a slde elevatl~nal cro~g-~ection of the apparatus ~hown ln Figure 1 tak~n along lin~s 5-5:
Fi~ure 6 is an exploded i~o~etric view of a handle guide and latch hooX a6sembly of th~ operative mechanism:
Figure 7 1B an exploded l~ometric o~ a blade ho~k as~embly portion o~ the mechanlsm;
Figure 8 ~hows an alternatlve embodiment of the ope~ative mechanism o~ the p~esent invention:
~ $gure 9 ~6 an end vlew of the apparatu~ ~hown in Figure 1 with part~al cutawa~ ~o dep$ct the o~era~ion of the lld And t~e ~l~d~ u~age indic~tor tab;
~o F~gure~ 10 and 11 ~how the steps.in~olved in moUnting a blade onto A blade hand~e:
~ gure lz ~how~ the oper~tion oP the me~hanism for removal o~ the blado ~rom the handle7 Flgur~ 13 i~ yet another embodiment of the present invention whlch ~ use~l a~ A blade disarming ~nd dispo~al apparatus: ~nd Flgure 14 i~ a cross-~ection o~ the embodiment ~ho~n ~n Figute 13 taken along lines 14-14.

3o 1 ~ETAI~ED DES~RIPT~O~ OF THE ~VENT~ON
~ o the ex~ent pos~lble, the ~a~e numeral~ will b~
~ed throughou~ the f~qures when referring to the ~ame parts. Re~errlng to Figure 1 there can be seen a device con~tructed ln accordance w$th the present lnventlon for p~ckaglng 4 series o~ b~ades, such aQ ~calpel blades, f~r moun~ing o~ a ~calpel blade handle, and ~or dismounting the blade fro~ ~he handle and di~posal after use. In Figure 1 the device is ghown with ~lve blades which can be packaged, 6terilized, and delivered to the operatlng environment ~or ~eleotion and uQe by the operating team. The ~ispen~er can ha~e a transparent housing 11 whereby th~ di~erent size and type o~ blades can be oonvenlently ~iewed by th~ surgeon or a~sl6tant.
Figure ~ and 3 ~how the relationship o~ the lpel blade to the scalpel blade handle in a fully a~e~bled positlon ln Flgure 2, and ln a disassembled conftguratlon ln ~gure 3, ~eferrin~ to these ~igures thcre can be ~een a ~lade 50 having an elongated ~perture 51 with 20 A reduced slzed seatlon 53 and A~ enlarged section 52. It 1G Al~o known that the elongated aperture can have three variatlon~ in aperture ~ze r~ther than merely two AS shown ln Figure 3.
A blade handle 55 is s~own with an elongated forwaxd portion 57 provided with a peripheral mounting slot 5~. ~he peripheral ~lot 59 can be ~ormed by provision ot a ral~ed ~o~s 56 having the undercut perlpheral ~lot 59. ~he boss 56 extend~ outwardly ~rom the forward end portion S7.
Referrin~ ~peoifi~ally to F~gure 3 there i~ ~hown a partial cutaway o~ the boss 56 to show the peripheral mounting slot ~3()4922 1 59 formed ~ ~n underout o~ t~e boss 56. In order to mount the blade S0 onto the handle ~5, ~he ralsed boss portion 56 mu~t be direct~d into the enlarged portion 52 o~
the elongat~d ~perture 51 and thrust forward ~o that the entire body o~ ral~ed bos4 56 i~ ln~erted int~ the elongated apertuxe Sl. The narrowed por~on 53 of the elongated aperture i~ frlctionally engaged by the peripheral ~lot 5~
to secure the blade S0 on the handle S5. It i6 n~ed that the blade ~E secured on the handle when the rear portion 52 o~ aperture Sl drops ~ver the rear portion of th~ ral~ed boss 56 and snap~ into mating relationsbip therewith.
Re~erring to ~igur~ 4, the ope~atlve mechanlsm of the prssent invention 16 shown wi~h a ~lad~ 50 shown in phantom the~e1n. Reference iB also made to Flgu~e 6 and 7 15 to ~how the dl~ferent element~ of the operative pDrtion ~h~wn in ~xploded lsometric view. In particular, the operatlve ~echanism includes a handle gu~de assembly 20 having a lower ~rame 21, whiçh can be part o~ A molded base portlon, and an upper handl~ gui~e 22 havlng a gu~d~ng ~ur~ace 26, ~he handle gu~de assembly is fix~d within housing 11 oppo~lte a blade hook assembly 30 to ~orm on~
side of a p4ssageway ~or the blade and ~lade handle.
~ he blade hoo~ a~sembly 30, in turn, includes a housing ~upp~rt part 31, a~ well a~ ~ le~ portion 32 which extend6 upwardly to a b~ade re~oval hook 37 having a b~ade remo~al surface 34.
A third porti~n o~ the operative mechanl6m of the present invention 1~ a lat~h hook a6sembly 40 whi~h i8 rigid~y ~ixed to the handle guide 22 by means of a latch bar 41 and continues perimetrically around the ~lade passage ~y mean~ sf a latch extenSiQn 42. At the end of the latch 1 exten~ion 42 18 a l~tch ho~ 43, w~lch extend~ around the le~ 32 n ~i~t~nce "f" from the leg 32 to permi~ de1ection of the hAndle gulde as~embly 20 ~ distance su~icient to permlt ln~ertlon of A handle tip ln the pa6~ageway ~or mounting a blade t~ereon.
In Flgure 8, an alternatlve embodimen~ o~ the present inventlon 16 ~hown wlth the latch hook a6~embly rlgldly a~ixed to the ~lade removal hook rather than the handle gulde Assembly. ~hese p~rts o~ the con~iguration ~h~n ln Figure 8 whlch have bee~ rearran~ed ars deQignated with prime4 num~er~ to lndicate tha~ they parts wlth ~i~llar functlon, but with a di~erent con~iguration.
Referxing ~o ~lgure S the~e can be ~ee~ a ~ide elevational view in croQs-section o~ the apparatus ~ 6hown in ~igure 1 take~ alon~ llnes ~-5 wh~c~ show~ the relatlonshlp of the operative portion6 of the mechani~ to thê housing 11. In ~hls view the ~lade i~ ~hown re~ting on A blade ~lat~orm 18, which can ~clude a blade ~upport pro~ e~tlon 19 . IhQ ~uppor~ pr~ection ~g 1~ locsted on the pl~tform 18 at ~ po~l~lo~ wherein the blade rests thereon at location "~ een in Fi~ure 4) which i6 essentially unused durlng a procedure, e.g., usuall~ between the polnt ~nd the cuttl~g "belly" of the blade.
~urthe~ featur~s of the pre~ent ~n~ention inc~ude in the pre~erred mode, a lid ~2 prefer~bly, having a living hinge 13, which can be raised rearwardly (see ~igure 9) to expose a bla~e use indicator tab 14 located ~mmediately a~ove the package~ blade. In operation, when the handle is ~n~erted to mount the blade thereon, the blade indicator t~
14 16 depressed downwardly to ~e ~ptured between co~verging 1 shoulders 15 provlded ~n ~he ~ous~ng, ~o tha~ once depre~ed, u~e of the blade ls memor~lized by the downwardly-~etalned tab.
The oper~t~on by which ~ blade 1~ ~ounted on the handle ~ ~hown in Flgures ~0 and ~1. In part~cular, ln Fl~re 10, the front portlon 57 o~ a blade handle 55 i8 th~u~t downwardly to depress the ~lade ~ndicator tab 14 and to g~ln 4e~e5S lnto the pass~geway ~etween the handle guide assembly 20 and the ho~k removal assembly 30. Referrlng n~w to ~l~ure 11, the handle aan be ~een a~ it ha~ been engaged with the elongated apertur& 51 of the blade 50. ~he tab 14 which has been dspressed iB retained in th~ depressed condition ~y 2rict~onal ~it b~tween converging shoulders 15.
S~nce there i~ a dl~ance ~-fll between the leg 32 and the latch hook 43, the handle gu~de can be de21ected to a certaln eX~ent ~ithout act~vating the ~lade re~o~al asse~bly 30, Once the blade ha~ been ~ecured on the front end 57 of the h~nale 55, the entire as~e~bly c~n be vertically rQmoved ~rom th~ me¢h~nism.
The removal o~ a blade ~rom A handle i6 explalned wi~h re~erence to ~lgure 12. The blade and handle a~sembly c~n be inserted once again through the open~ng pxovided by the pexmanently depre~ed ~ab 14 ~nd lnto the passageway betw~en ths hAndle guide assembly 20 and the bl~de hooX
Asgembly 30. Once the blade i8 ~ully ~nser~ed ~nt~ the pa~a~eway, t~e handle 55 can ~e deflected toward the handle guide a~mbly 20 and away 2rom th~ blade ~emo~al a~embly 30, i~e., to ~he ~igh~ a~. ~hown in Figure 12. A~ a result o this de~lection, the handle ss strikes agains~ the upper handle guide 22 thereby urging the hand~e quide assembly wlth the latch hook assem~ly 40 rigidly ~ixed 3~

l thereto away fro~ the passagQway. ~he latc~ hook 43, thereby traver~es through the dl~tance "f" ~nd ~tri~es the rear of le~ 32 o~ blade removal hook n~embly 30 thereby urg~nq ~t over the paseageway as ~hown in Figure 12. Wher.
tho blade hanale i~ aeflected out of the passageway, the rear portlo" of the rai~ed b~s~ 56 ls simultaneou61~ ~rom the rear portion o~ the elongated aperture 5~ thus, per~ittlng a disengaging move~en~ of the hand~e from the blade.. In the pre~ent mechanlsm the di~en~aging movement is 10 a vertlcally upward pull of the handle out of the passageway, whlch, ln the condition shown in ~i~ure 12 causes the top end o~ the blade 50 to strlke agai~st the blade re~oval ~urface 34 t~ereby preventing the blade ~rom being lifted from the pa~a~eway. I~ shoul~ be no~ed that ~ince only a slight de~lection o~ the handle away from the blade i~ regu~red to di6engage the bo~s 56 fro~ the aperture 51, and to ~imultaneously actuate the blade removal as~embly, there i~ but a mlnlmal lncrease ~n the fric~ion b~t~een the narr~w portion 53 o~ the blAde ape~ture Sl and 20 th- un~er¢~t peri~h~ral slot 59 o~ the bo~s 56. ~hus, as a result o~ the actuatlon o~ the rem4val a~e~ly 30 and the low-~ictional-~it conditlon of the ~lade 50 on the mounting boss 56, the handle can be very easily withdrawn and dlsas~e~led ~rom the blade without touching the blade l~elf.
Referx~n~ ~o Figure 13 t~ere $~ ~hown a furthe~
em~odiment o~ the pre~ent lnventlon which can be used merely a~ a d~sposal apparatus for removal and stora~e of used blades. In particular there ~ 6hown dev~ce 70 with a lid 71 wh~ch can be rotated rearwardly from the top o~ the appa~tus 70 as shown in phantom in Figure 14. Once the lid ~304922 1 i~ opened, ~ ~ully a~sembled blade ~nd handle can ~e ln~e~ted into the mechanlsm And manipulated A~ chown in Figure 13 ~o remove A blade. Add~tlonally, in the con~lguratlon ~h~wn ln ~igure~ 13 and 14 a blade retaining po~t 7Z can be provlde~ ~n receiv~ng wells 74 in order to malnt41n the blades thexein ln ~ coherent ~t~c~.
In elther o~ the preferred embodim~nt~, when the hou~ing $s ~ade of a ~ran~parent ma~erial, the blades ai~posed o~ can be e~sily inv~ntoried after a p~ooedure to fa~ilitate acoountability. Further with regard to the ~re~erred e~odiment~, the compos~te housing unit can have an ~dhesive bottom 16 which holds lt flrmly ~n plac~ ~or both the blade ~ounting and dismounting procedure a~
de~cribed abo~e. The di~penslng device with new blades packaged therein can be optionally covered with a ~terile wrap m~terial and sub~ected to ~terill~ation procedure by u~e o~ ethylene oxide, radiation, etc.
Thus, whlle there have ~een de~crlbed what are pre~ently ~elleved to be th~ prerer~ed em~o~iments o~ the inv~ntion, tho6e ~ki~led in the art wlll realize that changes and modlfica~ion~ may be made thereto without dep~rtln~ ~ro~ th~ 6p~ rit o~ the i~ention, and it is intended to cl~lm all ~uch ~hanges and msdi~ication~ a~ fall wlthin the true ~cope of the inventlon~

3o

Claims (14)

1. A mechanism for mounting and removing a blade having an elongated slot mounting means from a blade handle which has a mounting boss for insertion into said elongated slot, comprising a blade well for holding said blade in a position for mounting on said blade handle and for receipt of said blade upon dismounting from said handle, a handle guide forming one side of a passageway into said well fox insertion of said handle, said handle guide having a flexible body portion being sufficiently flexible to allow deflection of said handle away from said blade for insertion of said boss into mating relationship with said elongated slot and for withdrawal of said boss out of mating relationship with said elongated slot, blade extracting means fixed opposite said handle guide which forms a second side of said passageway opposite said handle guide, said extracting means having a blade retaining projection arranged adjacent said passageway which can be actuated to prevent withdrawal of a blade from said well, and actuation means fixed for actuation of said blade extracting means upon deflection of said handle sufficient to disengage said boss out of mating relationship with said elongated slot, whereby a blade mounted on said handle is engaged by said retaining projection for removal as said handle is withdrawn from said passageway.

2. The mechanism of Claim 1 wherein said blade extracting means further comprises a flexible arm extending from a point adjacent said well along said passageway to an operative end, said blade retaining projection fixed at said operative end so that it is positioned out of said passageway in the unactuated condition and so that it can be drawn over said passageway when actuated whereby said blade is prevented from being removed from said passageway.

3. The mechanism of Claim 2 wherein said actuation means comprises latch means secured to one of said handle guide and said blade extracting means, said latch means including a yoke extending around said passageway and a yoke tab extending around one of said arm and said handle guide whereby said tab is drawn into actuating contact with one of said arm and said handle guide when said handle guide is deflected away from said blade extracting means.

4. The mechanism of Claim 3 wherein said yoke tab extends around one of said arm and said handle guide a distance sufficient to permit insertion of said handle through said passageway without actuating said arm.

5. The mechanism of Claim 1 wherein said well comprises a blade support which bears a blade in an upright position for mounting at a point along said blade which preserves a useable portion of said blade's cutting edge.

6. The mechanism of Claim 1 which is mounted in a housing to provide a combination blade dispenser and disposal device.

7. The mechanism of Claim 5 wherein said housing is transparent and wherein there are more than one said mechanism.

8. The mechanism of Claim 7 wherein the device is wrapped and sterilized.

9. A mechanism for removing a blade having an elongated slot mounting means from a blade handle which has a mounting boss for insertion into said elongated slot, comprising a blade well for receipt of said blade upon dismounting from said handle, a handle guide forming one side of a passageway into said well for insertion of said handle, said handle guide having a flexible body portion being sufficiently flexible to allow deflection of said handle away from said blade for withdrawal of said boss out of mating relationship with said elongated slot, blade extracting means fixed opposite said handle guide which forms a second side of-said passageway opposite said handle guide, said extracting means having a blade retaining projection arranged adjacent said passageway which can be actuated to prevent withdrawal of said blade from said well, and actuation means fixed for actuation of said blade extracting means upon deflection of said handle sufficient to disengage said boss out of mating relationship with said elongated slot, whereby a blade mounted on said handle is engaged by said retaining projection for removal as said handle is withdrawn from said passageway.

10. The mechanism of Claim 9 wherein said blade extracting means further comprises a flexible arm extending from a point adjacent said well along said passageway to an operative end, said blade retaining projection fixed at said operative end so that it is positioned out of said passageway in the unactuated condition and so that it can be drawn over said passageway when actuated whereby said blade is prevented from being removed from said passageway.

11. The mechanism of Claim 10 wherein said actuation means comprises latch means secured to one of said handle guide and said blade extracting means, said latch means including a yoke extending around said passageway and a yoke tab extending around one of said arm and said handle guide whereby said tab is drawn into actuating contact with one of said arm and said handle guide when said handle guide is deflected away from said blade extracting means.

12. The mechanism of Claim 11 wherein said yoke tab extends around one of said arm and said handle guide a distance sufficient to permit insertion of said handle through said passageway without actuating said arm.

13. The mechanism of Claim 9 which is mounted in housing to provide a combination blade dispenser and disposal device.

14. The mechanism of Claim 12 wherein said housing is transparent and wherein there are more than one said mechanism.