SURGICAL INSTRUMENT

Abstract

A surgical instrument (1) comprises at least three individual components (2,3,4,5,6) arranged movably relative to one another. Each of the individual components (2,3,4,5,6) is directly and movably connected to at least one further one of the individual components (2,3,4,5,6). All of the constituent parts of the surgical instrument (1) are made of a metallic or metal-containing material. Each individual component (2,3,4,5,6) has at least one friction surface region (9,10) which forms a pair of friction surfaces with at least one friction surface region (9,10) of another individual component (2,3,4,5,6). At least one of the two friction surface regions (9,10) of each pair of friction surfaces has a hard-material surface layer (16).

Claims

1.-11. (canceled)

12. A surgical instrument (1), comprising at least three individual components (2,3,4,5,6) arranged movably relative to one another, wherein each of the individual components (2,3,4,5,6) is directly and movably connected to at least one further one of the individual components (2,3,4,5,6), wherein each individual component (2,3,4,5,6) comprises at least one friction surface region (9,10) which forms a pair of friction surfaces with at least one friction surface region (9, 10) of a further individual component (2,3,4,5,6), wherein the individual components (2,3,4,5,6) are manufactured from a metallic or metal-containing material, at least in portions which are associated with the friction surface regions (9,10), wherein exclusively one of the two friction surface regions (9, 10) of each pair of friction surfaces comprises a hard-material surface layer (16) which is materially-bonded to the individual component (2,3,4,5,6) in the respective friction surface region (9,10).

13. The surgical instrument (1) according to claim 12, wherein at least the individual components (2,3,4,5,6) comprising a friction surface region (9,10) are made entirely of the metallic or metal-containing material.

14. The surgical instrument (1) according to claim 12, wherein the entire surgical instrument (1) comprises a hard-material surface layer (16) except for one of the two friction surface regions (9, 10) of each pair of friction surfaces.

15. The surgical instrument (1) according to claim 12, wherein at least one of the individual components (2,3,4,5,6) comprises a hard-material surface layer (16) completely covering a component surface of the individual component (2,3,4,5,6), and wherein at least one of the other individual components (2,3,4,5,6) does not comprise a hard-material surface layer (16).

16. The surgical instrument (1) according to claim 12, wherein one of the friction surface regions (9,10) of at least one of the pair of frictions surfaces comprises a hard-material surface layer (16), and wherein the other friction surface region (9, 10) of the pair of friction surfaces comprises a soft-material surface layer the hardness of which is lower than that of the hard-material surface layer (16).

17. The surgical instrument (1) according to claim 12, wherein at least one of the hard-material surface layers (16) is produced at least in portions by a chemical coating process.

18. The surgical instrument (1) according to claim 12, wherein at least one of the hard-material surface layers (16) is produced at least in portions by a physical coating process.

19. The surgical instrument (1) according to claim 12, wherein at least one of the hard-material surface layers (16) is produced at least in portions from a metallic or metal-containing material.

20. The surgical instrument (1) according to claim 12, wherein at least one of the hard-material surface layers (16) is produced at least in portions from a non-metallic material.

21. The surgical instrument (1) according to claim 12, wherein at least one of the individual components (2,3,4,5,6) is produced at least in portions from a steel alloy.

22. The surgical instrument (1) according to claim 12, wherein at least one component surface of one of the individual components (2,3,4,5,6) comprises at least one passivation layer at least in sections, and wherein at least one hard-material surface layer (16) is applied to the passivation layer at least in portions.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0035] FIG. 1 shows a schematic side view of a surgical instrument in the form of a rongeur.

[0036] FIG. 2 is a schematically-illustrated perspective view of two individual components of the surgical instrument shown in FIG. 1.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0037] FIG. 1 shows a schematic representation of a surgical instrument 1. The surgical instrument 1 has an upper handle 2, a lower handle 3, an upper jaw part 4, a lower jaw part 5 and a connecting screw 6. These elements constitute the individual components 2,3,4,5,6 of the surgical instrument. The upper handle 2, the lower handle 3, the upper jaw part 4 and the lower jaw part 5 are directly and movably pivotally connected to each other by means of in each case one connecting screw 6 at four connecting regions 7 of the surgical instrument 1. In each of the connecting points 7, the upper handle 2 is pivotally connected to the lower handle 3, the upper handle 2 is pivotally connected to the upper jaw part 4, the lower handle 3 is pivotally connected to the lower jaw part 5, and the upper jaw part 4 is pivotally connected to the lower jaw part 5 by means of the one of the connecting screws 6.

[0038] The illustrated surgical instrument 1 is shown in an unactuated state in which the individual components 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 are transferred to an open position. The upper handle 2 and the lower handle 3 are held in the illustrated open position by a leaf spring 8. Due to the mechanical coupling of the individual components 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 in the surgical instrument, the upper jaw part 4 and the lower jaw part 5 are also held by the leaf spring 8.

[0039] When the surgical instrument 1 is actuated, by displacing the two handles 2, 3 against a spring force exerted by the leaf spring 8, the two jaw parts 5, 6 are displaced towards each other until the jaw parts 5, 6 are brought into abutment with each other.

[0040] FIG. 2 shows a schematic and enlarged exploded view of the upper and lower jaw parts 4,5 and the connecting screw 6 connecting the two jaw parts 4,5 of the surgical instrument shown in FIG. 1. The upper jaw part 4 and the lower jaw part 5 are pivotably connected to each other in the connecting region 7 by means of the connecting screw 6.

[0041] A plurality of pairs of friction surfaces (no reference character assigned) are formed in the connecting region 7, each having a first friction surface region 9 and a second friction surface region 10. When the individual components 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 are displaced relative to each other, the friction surface regions 9, 10 of the pair of friction surfaces rub against each other. First friction surface regions 9 are formed on a hinge element 11 of the lower jaw part 5. Second friction surface regions 10 are formed on opposite inner sides 12 (only one designated) of a hinge receptacle 13 of the upper jaw part 4, and on a shank portion 14 of the connecting screw 6. The hinge element 11 is disposed within the hinge receptacle 12, wherein the connecting screw 6 is passed through a screw recess 15 of the hinge element 11 so that the first friction surface 9 as well as the second friction surface 10 are brought into abutment with each other.

[0042] In the illustrated embodiment of the surgical instrument, the first friction surface regions 9 comprise a hard-material surface layer 16.

[0043] In the illustrations in FIGS. 1 and 2, individual elements of multiple similar elements are indicated with a reference character as an example.

LIST OF REFERENCE CHARACTERS

[0044] 1. surgical instrument [0045] 2. upper handle [0046] 3. lower handle [0047] 4. upper jaw part [0048] 5. lower jaw part [0049] 6. connecting screw [0050] 7. connecting region [0051] 8. leaf spring [0052] 9. first friction surface region [0053] 10. second friction surface region [0054] 11. hinge element [0055] 12. interior surfaces [0056] 13. hinge receptacle [0057] 14. shank portion [0058] 15. screw recesses [0059] 16. hard-material surface layer