Scissor sleeve assembly protection

Abstract

A sleeve extractor includes a cylindrical body having a distal end and a proximal end, one or more longitudinally-extending fingers defined in the body, and a tab provided on an end of each finger and receivable within a notch defined in a shaft adapter or a shaft of a surgical tool, the notch being located proximal to a proximal end of a sleeve. The sleeve is removed by locating the tab of each finger in a corresponding notch and retracting the body and the sleeve distally relative to the shaft adapter or the shaft.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A sleeve extractor, comprising:
 a cylindrical body having a distal end and a proximal end;   one or more longitudinally-extending fingers defined in the body; and   a tab provided on an end of each finger and receivable within a notch defined in a shaft adapter or a shaft of a surgical tool, the notch being located proximal to a proximal end of a sleeve,   wherein the sleeve is removed by locating the tab of each finger in a corresponding notch and retracting the body and the sleeve distally relative to the shaft adapter or the shaft.   
     
     
         2 . The sleeve extractor of  claim 1 , wherein the notch is defined in a radial shoulder positioned on the shaft adapter or the shaft. 
     
     
         3 . The sleeve extractor of  claim 2 , wherein the radial shoulder comprises a shaft adapter ring that secures the shaft adapter to the shaft. 
     
     
         4 . The sleeve extractor of  claim 1 , further comprising a marking provided on the shaft adapter or the shaft to visually indicate a location of the notch. 
     
     
         5 . The sleeve extractor of  claim 4 , wherein the marking is laser etched or painted onto the shaft or the shaft adapter. 
     
     
         6 . The sleeve extractor of  claim 4 , wherein the marking comprises a sticker adhered to the shaft or the shaft adapter. 
     
     
         7 . The sleeve extractor of  claim 1 , further comprising a cylindrical lock extendable about the body, wherein the cylindrical lock is axially translatable relative to the body to locate the tab of each finger in the corresponding notch. 
     
     
         8 . The sleeve extractor of  claim 7 , wherein the cylindrical lock defines a locking arm having an extension receivable within a slot defined on the body. 
     
     
         9 . The sleeve extractor of  claim 7 , wherein at least one of an inner radial surface of the cylindrical lock or an outer radial surface of the one or more longitudinally-extending fingers are tapered or angled to urge the one or more longitudinally-extending fingers radially inward as the cylindrical lock advances. 
     
     
         10 . The sleeve extractor of  claim 1 , wherein the distal end of the cylindrical body is closed. 
     
     
         11 . The sleeve extractor of  claim 1 , wherein the cylindrical body contains the sleeve after extraction. 
     
     
         12 . A method of removing a sleeve from an end effector of a surgical tool, comprising:
 extending a sleeve extractor over the sleeve, the sleeve extractor including a cylindrical body having a distal end and a proximal end, and one or more longitudinally-extending fingers defined in the cylindrical body;   axially and angularly aligning the one or more longitudinally-extending fingers with a corresponding one or more notches defined in a shaft adapter or a shaft forming part of the surgical tool;   applying a radial load on the longitudinally-extending fingers and thereby receiving a tab defined on each finger into the corresponding one or more notches; and   moving the sleeve extractor distally relative to the end effector and thereby removing the sleeve from the end effector and the shaft adapter or the shaft.   
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein applying the radial load on the longitudinally-extending fingers comprises advancing a cylindrical lock proximally over the sleeve extractor and thereby forcing the tab defined on each finger into engagement with the corresponding one or more notches. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13 , further comprising locating a locking arm defined on the cylindrical lock in a slot defined on the cylindrical body, and thereby securing the cylindrical lock to the sleeve extractor. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 12 , further comprising containing the sleeve within the sleeve extractor following removal from the end effector. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , further comprising disposing of the sleeve and the sleeve extractor together. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 12 , further comprising locating the one or more longitudinally-extending fingers with the corresponding one or more notches via a marking provided on the shaft or the shaft adapter. 
     
     
         18 . A sleeve retention assembly, comprising:
 a sleeve positionable on a distal end of a surgical tool, the distal end including a shaft or shaft adapter;   an annular groove defined in one of the sleeve or the distal end; and   an annular protrusion provided on the other of the sleeve or the distal end and mateable within the annular groove to maintain the sleeve in axial position on the shaft or shaft adapter during use.   
     
     
         19 . The sleeve retention assembly of  claim 18 , wherein the annular groove is defined on an outer surface of the distal end, and wherein the annular protrusion is provided on an inner surface of the sleeve. 
     
     
         20 . The sleeve retention assembly of  claim 18 , wherein the distal end defines a radial shoulder, and the annular groove and the annular protrusion are spaced from the radial shoulder such that a proximal end of the sleeve engages or comes into close contact with the radial shoulder when the annular protrusion locates the annular groove.