WO2014078879A1

WO2014078879A1 - Precision use enabling forceps

Info

Publication number: WO2014078879A1
Application number: PCT/ZA2013/000086
Authority: WO
Inventors: Pawel Wisniewski
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2012-11-19
Filing date: 2013-11-19
Publication date: 2014-05-22
Anticipated expiration: 2015-05-19

Abstract

A precision hand held and finger manipulable pincer type device in the form of forceps (10) for precision use comprises a pair of inherently sprung pincer arms (12) and finger accomodating seat providing formations (20, 22) in the form of thumb and non-thumb finger channel shaped seat providing formations (24, 26). The overall length of the forceps (10) ensures that its trailing end region (38) passes beyond the inner curve of a hand once the forceps (10) is held for use. Axes passing along the respective seats (24, 26) coincide with the respective direction of finger seating while being slanted off towards the same side of the centre (44). The forceps (10) incorporates a guide pin (50) that is aligned with a bore through the other arm (12) coming into engagement on progressive closure of a pinching gap (18).

Description

(1) TITLE OF THE INVENTION

PRECISION USE ENABLING FORCEPS

(2) FIELD OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to a precision hand held and finger manipulable pincer type device. While not so limited the invention finds particular application when in the form of forceps for precision medical use.

(3) BACKGROUND TO THE INVENTION

During surgical operations forceps are routinely used for handling tissue. Often significant pressure needs to be applied to forceps to handle the tissue. This can result in hand muscle fatigue especially during longer operations. It is also much more difficult to apply force to forceps when the distance between index or/and middle finger on one side of forceps and thumb on the opposite side of the instrument is very short as it is in classical surgical forceps. It is an object of the invention, at least as specifically described, to alleviate muscle fatigue and to allow for the application of adequate force to the forceps with a hand in a more open condition and with increased distance between index and/or middle finger on one side and thumb on the opposite side affording a more natural and stronger grip and control of the forceps.

(4) BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

The invention is now described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings. In the drawings

Figure 1 shows a precision finger manipulable pincer type device in the form of a precision use enabling forceps in three dimensional view,

Figure 2 shows the forceps in end view along arrow A in figure 1 ,

Figure 3 shows the forceps in side elevation along arrow B in figure 1 ,

Figure 4 shows the forceps in side elevation along arrow C in figure 1 ,

Figure 5 shows the forceps in plan view in relation to figure 1 , and

Figure 6 shows the operation of the forceps.

(5) DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

Referring to the drawings, a precision hand held and finger manipulable pincer type device in the form of precision use enabling forceps is generally indicated by reference numeral 10.

The forceps 0 comprises a pair of inherently sprung pincer arms 12 that extends between a common root 14 and facing free ends 16 between which a pinching zone 18 is defined and finger accommodating seat providing formations in the form of thumb and non-thumb finger seat providing formations 20 and 22 as positioned along the outer sides of the arms 12. In promoting the use of the forceps 10 against loss of hold the formations 20 and 22 are each of channel shaped end profile, as more clearly shown in figure 2, in defining channel shaped thumb receiving and a non-thumb finger receiving seats 24 and 26 respectively even though the depth of the channel along the seat 26 is shallower than that along the seat 24.

The formations 20, 22 are spaced from the arms 12 by means of spacers in the form of mounting stubs 28. As shown in figure 6 this has the beneficial effect of accommodating the natural spacing 30 between a thumb 32 and another finger 34 (which is normally the second finger) when positioned to extend generally in parallel which is the most comfortable inter- finger condition of use of the forceps 10 in turn promoting its ease of use while enabling its meticulous control. The thumb accommodating formation 20 is mounted in closer proximity of the trailing end 36 of the forceps 10 than the non-thumb finger accommodating formation 22 thereby accommodating the conventionally shorter thumb length.

While remaining with figure 6 the overall length of the forceps 0 is appropriate to ensure that its trailing end region 38 passes beyond the inner curve 40 of a hand 42 once the forceps 10 is held for use. This has the effect of its centre line 44 extending at a very acute inner angle to the common plane extending intermediate the fingers 32 and 34 if not coinciding there with once the forceps 0 is thus held for use.

To ensure a firm and comfortable grip on the forceps 10 the formations 20, 22 are mounted to cause axes 46 and 48 passing along their respective seats 24, 26 coinciding with the respective direction of finger seating. The axes 46 and 48 along the seats 24, 26 in

respectively being slanted off towards the same side of the centre line 44, as more clearly shown in figure 1 , are not necessarily in parallel with one another though being a specific design feature of the equipment in accommodating the variation between thumb and non- thumb finger positioning once holding the forceps 0 for use. It will be appreciated that the design of the forceps 10 is unique for a specific hand being left or right.

To further promote a precision pinching action the forceps 10 incorporates a precision pinching action attaining facility in the form of a guide pin 50 extending from an inside position along one arm 12 at a location of non-interference in relation to the exertion of a pinching action. The pin 50 is aligned with a bore (not shown) through the other arm 12. Once the arms 2 are progressively urged into a pinching relationship the guide pin 50 comes into sliding engagement with the bore limiting the possibility of a lateral slip between the free ends 16 that may otherwise arise once they pinchingly engage one another during use of the forceps 0.

In use and referring to figure 6(a) the forceps is simply taken up by the appropriate hand by positioning the thumb 32 and the second finger 34 along their seats 24 and 26 in the process passing its trailing end region 38 along the part of the hand beyond the inner curve 40 of a hand 42. The forceps 10 is thus appropriately positioned to cause an object to be pinched to be located within the pinching zone 18. The exertion of a pinching force by the fingers 32, 34 has the effect of progressively and with accurate control closing and pinching zone 18 until the desired pinching effect is attained in performing the desired task.

While the forceps of the invention is of particular use in the medical environment it is application is not so limited.

It is an advantage of the invention at least as specifically described, that it permits a stronger tissue grip that involves less effort than is conventionally required having the effect of reducing muscle fatigue while improving control of the force applied to the arms of the forceps.

Claims

(6) CLAIMS

(1 ) A precision hand held and finger manipulate pincer type device (10) comprising

pincer arms (12) that extend between a trailing end (36) forming a common root (14) and facing free ends (16) and which arms are biased away from one another into defining a pinching zone (18) between its facing free ends (16) that is closed when the arms (12) are exposed to the exertion of a force along their outer sides into causing their free ends (16) to perform a pinching action, and finger accommodating seat providing formations (20, 22) that are each situated along an outer side of a different and thus relevant formation associated arm (12) intermediate its opposite ends;

characterised in that the seat providing formations (20, 22) are suitably interrelatedly positioned along the arms (12) to accommodate proper holding of the device (10) with the one formation being formed to against loss of hold seat a thumb of a device user in providing a thumb accommodating seat providing formation (20) that defines a thumb receiving seat (24) and the other to seat a conventionally used pinching action exerting non-thumb finger in forming a non-thumb finger accommodating seat providing formation (22) that defines a non- thumb finger receiving seat (26) for performing a precision pinching action during use of the device.

(2) A precision finger manipulable pincer type device as claimed in claim 1 in which the arms (20, 22) are biased away from one another into defining the pinching zone by being of at least partly resilient character.

(3) A precision finger manipulable pincer type device as claimed in claim 2 in which the thumb accommodating seat providing formation (20) is of curved channel shaped end profile as forming a channel extending in the direction of thumb receipt there along in defining the channel shaped thumb receiving seat (24).

(4) A precision finger manipulable pincer type device as claimed in any one of claims to 3 in which the non-thumb finger accommodating seat providing formation (22) is also formed to against loss of hold seat a non-thumb finger once the device is held for use.

(5) A precision finger manipulable pincer type device as claimed in claim 4 in which the non- thumb finger accommodating seat providing formation (22) is of at least marginally curved channel shaped end profile as forming an at least shallow channel (26) extending in the direction of non-thumb finger receipt there along in defining the channel shaped no-thumb finger receiving seat (24).

(6) A precision finger manipulate pincer type device as claimed in any one of claim 3 to 5 in which in at least the case of the device being of a length that causes its trailing end region (38) to extend beyond the inner curvature formed between a thumb and an appropriate non- thumb finger once holding the device with the region (38) thus passing in proximity of if not resting on the hand of a user once held for use, the axial direction along at least the channel shaped thumb accommodating seat providing formation (20) in defining a thumb

accommodating seat providing formation axis (46), is non-parallel to the centre line (44) of the pincer arms (12) to the effect of promoting the comfortable seating of a thumb while in the case of the non-thumb finger accommodating seat providing formation (22) also being channel shaped the axial direction there along in defining a non-thumb finger accommodating seat providing formation axis (48) also being adequately non-parallel to the centre line of the pincer arms (12) to the effect of promoting the comfortable seating of a non-thumb finger, both axes (46, 48) thus extending slantingly off towards the same side in relation to the centre line (44) though not necessarily in parallel to one another while the side of the centre line (44) of axis slanting being determined whether the device is for either right or left hand use.

(7) A precision finger manipulate pincer type device as claimed in any one of the preceding claims in which the finger accommodating seat providing formations (20, 22) are suitably interrelatedly positioned along the outer sides of the arms ( 2) by the thumb accommodating seat providing formation (20) being at least marginally situated nearer the trailing end (26) of the device than the non-thumb finger accommodating seat providing formation (22) to the effect of accommodating the conventionally shorter thumb length.

(8) A precision finger manipulable pincer type device as claimed in any one of the preceding claims in which the finger accommodating seat providing formations (20, 22) are spaced away from their respective pincer arms by way of spacers (28) in facilitating use of the device (10) by accommodating the natural spacing between a thumb and another finger when positioned to extending generally in parallel.

(9) A precision finger manipulable pincer type device as claimed in any one of the preceding claims that incorporates a precision pinching action attaining facility (50) for attaining a precision pinching effect between the pinching ends (16) of the arms ( 2) on the exertion of a pinching force that can otherwise be caused to fail by an inter-arm pinching end lateral slipping effect.

(10) A precision finger manipuiable pincer type device as claimed in claim 9 in which the precision pinching action attaining facility is in the form of a guide pin (50) extending from an inside position along the one arm (12) at a location of pinching action performance noninterference that is aligned with an aperture through the other arm in coming into progressive engagement once the arms (12) are progressively urged into a pinching end pinching relationship.