Surgical instrument with snag free box hinge

Abstract

A surgical instrument includes a pair of elongated members joined together by a box hinge. The box hinge is formed of a slot in the first member having substantially flat, generally parallel sides and a hinge portion in the second member. The hinge portion of the second member conforms to the generally flat surfaces of the slot and is generally the same width as that of the second member on either side of the box hinge. The width of the first elongated member is larger than the width of the second elongated member at either end of the box hinge portion. The transitional slope of the side surfaces of the second elongated member is nearly flat between the box hinge portion, the handle end portion, and the working tip portion. The unique construction of the box hinge creates a snag-free surface that allows for the use of the instrument for tasks such as suturing without the suturing thread snagging on the instrument.

1 . A surgical instrument comprising: 
 a first elongated member having a handle end portion, a working tip portion and a box hinge portion between said handle and tip end portions; and    a second elongated member having a handle end portion, a working tip portion and a box hinge portion between said handle and tip end portions;    said first box hinge portion being defined by a slot for receiving said second box hinge portion therein;    said second box hinge portion being generally continuous in width with at least one of said second handle end portion and said second working tip portion;    said second elongated member being pivotally connected to said first elongated member in said box hinge portion.    
     
     
         2 . The surgical instrument of  claim 1 , wherein each of said handle end portions includes a circular handle and a locking mechanism interconnected at the far end of the handle end portion.  
     
     
         3 . The surgical instrument of  claim 1 , wherein an inside surface of said working tip portions include a gripping structure.  
     
     
         4 . The surgical instrument of  claim 1 , wherein the length of said handle end portions is generally longer than the length of said working tip portions.  
     
     
         5 . A surgical instrument comprising: 
 a first elongated member having a handle end portion, a working tip portion and a box hinge portion between said handle and tip end portions; and    a second elongated member having a handle end portion, a working tip portion and a box hinge portion between said handle and tip end portions;    said first box hinge portion being defined by a slot for receiving said second box hinge portion therein;    said second elongated member being pivotally connected to said first elongated member in said box hinge portion;    wherein side surfaces of said second elongated member have a nearly flat transitional slope therebetween at least one of a pair of said second box hinge portion and said second handle end portion and a pair of said second box hinge portion and said second working tip portion.    
     
     
         6 . The surgical instrument of  claim 5 , wherein each of said handle end portions includes a circular handle and a locking mechanism interconnected at the far end of the handle end portion.  
     
     
         7 . The surgical instrument of  claim 5 , wherein an inside surface of said working tip portions include a gripping structure.  
     
     
         8 . The surgical instrument of  claim 5 , wherein the length of said handle end portions is generally longer than the length of said working tip portions.  
     
     
         9 . A surgical instrument comprising: 
 a first elongated member having a handle end portion, a working tip portion and a box hinge portion between said handle and tip end portions; and    a second elongated member having a handle end portion, a working tip portion and a box hinge portion between said handle and tip end portions;    said first box hinge portion being defined by a slot for receiving said second box hinge portion therein;    said second elongated member being pivotally connected to said first elongated member in said box hinge portion;    wherein said first elongated member is wider than said second elongated member about at least one end of the box hinge portion.    
     
     
         10 . The surgical instrument of  claim 9 , wherein each of said handle end portions includes a circular handle and a locking mechanism interconnected at the far end of the handle end portion.  
     
     
         11 . The surgical instrument of  claim 9 , wherein an inside surface of said working tip portions include a gripping structure.  
     
     
         12 . The surgical instrument of  claim 9 , wherein the length of said handle end portions is generally longer than the length of said working tip portions.