Medical/surgical lavage unit with a handpiece having a barrel that can be pivoted relative to the handgrp

Abstract

A lavage unit with a handpiece that includes a handgrip and a barrel. The angular orientation of the barrel relative to the handgrip can be selectively set. The handpiece can thus take the form of a pistol-shaped tool, a wand or an intermediate shape between a pistol and a wand.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A lavage unit including:
 a handpiece including a proximal located handgrip and a barrel that extends distally forward from said handgrip, said handgrip and said barrel being connected together to rotate around an axis so the angular orientation of said barrel relative to said handgrip can be selectively set;   an irrigation tube that extends from a source of irrigating fluid to said handpiece;   a tip assembly that extends forward from said barrel;   a motor disposed in said handgrip;   a pump disposed in the said barrel for pumping irrigation fluid from said irrigation tube out through said tip assembly;   a transfer gear disposed in said handpiece to transfer mechanical energy output by said motor to said pump so as to actuate said pump, said transfer gear being rotatably mounted to said handgrip or said barrel to rotate around the axis around which the barrel pivots relative to the handgrip.   
     
     
         2 . The lavage unit of  claim 1 , wherein said pump is a pulse pump. 
     
     
         3 . The lavage unit of  claim 1 , wherein said motor is an electrically driven motor. 
     
     
         4 . The lavage unit of  claim 1 , wherein said irrigation tube is mounted to said handpiece to extend at least partially through said barrel and remain static relative to the barrel regardless of the angular orientation of said barrel relative to said handgrip. 
     
     
         5 . The lavage unit of  claim 4 , wherein:
 a joint extends between said handgrip and said barrel; and   said irrigation tube) abuts and extends around the joint.   
     
     
         6 . The lavage unit of  claim 4 , wherein said irrigation tube extends out through said handgrip. 
     
     
         7 . The lavage unit of  claim 4 , wherein said irrigation tube extends out through a proximal end of said handgrip. 
     
     
         8 . The lavage unit of  claim 1 , further including a lock assembly that releasably holds said barrel in an angular orientation relative to said handgrip. 
     
     
         9 . The lavage unit of  claim 8 , wherein said lock assembly includes a button that is depressed for transitioning said handpiece from a set state in which the angular orientation of said barrel is fixed to an adjust state in which the angular orientation of said barrel relative to said handgrip can be adjusted. 
     
     
         10 . The lavage unit of  claim 1 , wherein said tip assembly is removably attached to said handpiece. 
     
     
         11 . The lavage unit of  claim 1 , wherein a suction tube that extends to a suction source extends through at least a portion of said handpiece. 
     
     
         12 . The lavage unit of  claim 1 , further including a suction tube that extends to a suction source extends through at least a portion of said handpiece and wherein said irrigation tube and said suction tube extend out of a common opening in said handpiece. 
     
     
         13 . The lavage unit of any one of  claim 1 , wherein said handgrip includes structural features that extend between said handgrip and said barrel, that when regardless of the angular orientation of said barrel relative to said handgrip prevent access to space within said handpiece between said handgrip and said barrel. 
     
     
         14 . The lavage unit of  claim 1 , further including at least one manually actuatable member mounted to the handpiece for regulating the actuation of said pump. 
     
     
         15 . The lavage unit of  claim 1 , wherein said actuatable member is mounted to said handgrip. 
     
     
         16 . The lavage unit of  claim 1 , wherein:
 said transfer gear includes: a base that rotates around the around the axis around which the barrel pivots relative to the handgrip and head that extends outwardly from said base, said head having a center that is laterally spaced from the axis around which the barrel pivots relative to the handgrip so that said head rotates in a circle; and   said pump is connected to the head of said transfer gear so as to be actuated in response to the circular movement of said transfer gear.