Patent application number | Description | Published |
20100106053 | TISSUE HANDLING SYSTEM WITH REDUCED OPERATOR EXPOSURE - A tissue handling system includes a biopsy device having an invasive unit with tissue-receiving and tissue-severing components being capable of harvesting and bringing at least one tissue sample to a point outside the body of a patient. The tissue handling system further includes a tissue collecting device adapted to be brought in detachable operative engagement with the tissue-receiving components of the biopsy device to remove the at least one tissue sample. Additionally, the tissue handling device comprises a tissue storage container configured to receive the at least one tissue sample, the entire tissue collecting device, or the part of the collecting device that contains the at least one tissue sample. The tissue storage container further is configured to receive a volume of preserving agent. The tissue handling system also comprises a vessel including the preserving agent adapted to be gas-tightly mated or coupled to the tissue storage container. | 04-29-2010 |
20110054350 | BIOPSY APPARATUS HAVING A TISSUE SAMPLE RETRIEVAL MECHANISM - A biopsy apparatus includes a biopsy probe having a biopsy cannula and a sample basket arranged coaxially about a longitudinal axis. The sample basket is movably disposed relative to the biopsy cannula along the longitudinal axis from a tissue harvesting position to a tissue sample retrieval region. The sample basket has a sample notch formed as an elongate recessed region for receiving a tissue sample. A tissue sample retrieval mechanism includes a sample collection tank configured for removable insertion into a sample tank receptacle. The sample tank receptacle permits movement of the sample collection tank in a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal axis and prohibits movement of the sample collection tank in a direction along the longitudinal axis. The sample collection tank is configured to retrieve the tissue sample directly from the sample notch as the sample basket is moving along the longitudinal axis at the tissue sample retrieval region. | 03-03-2011 |
20110077551 | CHARGING STATION FOR BATTERY POWERED BIOPSY APPARATUS - A charging station for a battery powered biopsy apparatus includes a charging dock having a housing and a charging unit contained in the housing. The charging unit has a set of electrical contacts. The housing is received in a first cavity of a driver assembly with the electrical contacts being coupled in electrical communication with the driver assembly when the driver assembly is mounted on the charging dock for charging. The charging unit provides a signal to the driver assembly to reset the driver assembly to an initialized state when the driver assembly is mounted to the charging station. | 03-31-2011 |
20110087131 | BIOPSY PROBE ASSEMBLY HAVING A MECHANISM TO PREVENT MISALIGNMENT OF COMPONENTS PRIOR TO INSTALLATION - A biopsy probe assembly is configured for installation on a driver assembly. The biopsy probe assembly includes a plurality of components, each of the plurality of components being movable relative to another of the plurality of components, and each of the plurality of movable components having a respective alignment feature, wherein collectively the biopsy probe assembly has a plurality of alignment features. The plurality of alignment features of the plurality of components is aligned to form a continuous passage. A safety alignment pin is inserted into the continuous passage so as to lock relative positions of the plurality of components. | 04-14-2011 |
20110105945 | BIOPSY DRIVER ASSEMBLY HAVING A CONTROL CIRCUIT FOR CONSERVING BATTERY POWER - A biopsy driver assembly includes a biopsy driver housing. An electrical assembly is coupled to the biopsy driver housing. The electrical assembly includes at least one electrical drive configured for drivably engaging a biopsy probe assembly. A battery is coupled to the biopsy driver housing. A control circuit is coupled to the biopsy driver housing. The control circuit is electrically coupled to the battery and to the electrical assembly. The control circuit has a motion detector, a timer circuit and a battery dwell circuit. The control circuit is configured to conserve the battery by providing electrical power only to the motion detector after a predetermined time following a last detected physical movement of the biopsy driver assembly and to provide electrical power from the battery also to the electrical assembly when a physical movement of the biopsy driver assembly is detected. | 05-05-2011 |
20120065541 | BIOPSY APPARATUS HAVING INTEGRATED FLUID MANAGEMENT - A biopsy apparatus includes a driver assembly to be grasped by a user and a disposable biopsy probe assembly for releasable attachment to the driver assembly. The driver assembly includes a first vacuum path having a first one-way valve configured and arranged to permit a negative pressure fluid flow toward a vacuum source and to prevent a positive pressure fluid flow away from the vacuum source. The disposable biopsy probe assembly includes a second vacuum path having a second one-way valve configured and arranged to permit the negative pressure fluid flow from a sample basket and to redundantly prevent the positive pressure fluid flow toward the sample basket. In some embodiments, a fluid management tank may be fluidically interposed in the second vacuum path to prevent a flow of residual biopsy biological material from the sample basket to the vacuum source. | 03-15-2012 |
20130190648 | BIOPSY APPARATUS HAVING INTEGRATED FLUID MANAGEMENT - A biopsy apparatus includes a driver assembly to be grasped by a user and a disposable biopsy probe assembly for releasable attachment to the driver assembly. The driver assembly includes a first vacuum path having a first one-way valve configured and arranged to permit a negative pressure fluid flow toward a vacuum source and to prevent a positive pressure fluid flow away from the vacuum source. The disposable biopsy probe assembly includes a second vacuum path having a second one-way valve configured and arranged to permit the negative pressure fluid flow from a sample basket and to redundantly prevent the positive pressure fluid flow toward the sample basket. A vacuum monitoring mechanism is coupled to the vacuum source and configured to shut off the vacuum source when a vacuum level in at least one of the first vacuum path and the second vacuum path reaches a predetermined level. | 07-25-2013 |
20130197391 | BIOPSY APPARATUS HAVING INTEGRATED FLUID MANAGEMENT - A biopsy apparatus includes a driver assembly and a disposable biopsy probe assembly for releasable attachment to the driver assembly. The driver assembly includes a first vacuum path having a first one-way valve configured and arranged to permit a negative pressure fluid flow toward a vacuum source and to prevent a positive pressure fluid flow away from the vacuum source. The disposable biopsy probe assembly includes a second vacuum path having a second one-way valve configured and arranged to permit the negative pressure fluid flow from a sample basket and to redundantly prevent the positive pressure fluid flow toward the sample basket. A fluid management tank is fluidically interposed in the second vacuum path between the first end and the second end. The fluid management tank includes a filter arrangement to prevent a flow of residual biopsy biological material from the sample basket to the vacuum source. | 08-01-2013 |
20130204161 | BIOPSY DRIVER ASSEMBLY HAVING A CONTROL CIRCUIT FOR CONSERVING BATTERY POWER - A biopsy driver assembly includes a biopsy driver housing. An electrical assembly is coupled to the biopsy driver housing. The electrical assembly includes at least one electrical drive configured for drivably engaging a biopsy probe assembly. A battery is coupled to the biopsy driver housing. A control circuit is coupled to the biopsy driver housing. The control circuit is electrically coupled to the battery and to the electrical assembly. The control circuit has a motion detector, a timer circuit and a battery dwell circuit. The control circuit is configured to conserve the battery by providing electrical power only to the motion detector after a predetermined time following a last detected physical movement of the biopsy driver assembly and to provide electrical power from the battery also to the electrical assembly when a physical movement of the biopsy driver assembly is detected. | 08-08-2013 |
20130289441 | TISSUE HANDLING SYSTEM WITH REDUCED OPERATOR EXPOSURE - A tissue handling system includes a biopsy device having an invasive unit with tissue-receiving and tissue-severing components being capable of harvesting and bringing at least one tissue sample to a point outside the body of a patient. The tissue handling system further includes a tissue collecting device adapted to be brought in detachable operative engagement with the tissue-receiving components of the biopsy device to remove the at least one tissue sample. Additionally, the tissue handling device comprises a tissue storage container configured to receive the at least one tissue sample, the entire tissue collecting device, or the part of the collecting device that contains the at least one tissue sample. The tissue storage container further is configured to receive a volume of preserving agent. The tissue handling system also comprises a vessel including the preserving agent adapted to be gas-tightly mated or coupled to the tissue storage container. | 10-31-2013 |
20140062405 | CHARGING STATION FOR BATTERY POWERED BIOPSY APPARATUS - A charging station for a battery powered biopsy apparatus includes a charging dock having a housing and a charging unit contained in the housing. The charging unit has a set of electrical contacts. The housing is received in a first cavity of a driver assembly with the electrical contacts being coupled in electrical communication with the driver assembly when the driver assembly is mounted on the charging dock for charging. The charging unit provides a signal to the driver assembly to reset the driver assembly to an initialized state when the driver assembly is mounted to the charging station. | 03-06-2014 |
20140175314 | STRAIN RELIEVING VALVE ASSEMBLY WITH FLOW BLOCKING - The present invention relates to a valve assembly for insertion in a liquid flow path between a catheter or drain and a liquid bag or container. The valve assembly comprises a first valve member detachably coupled to a second valve member or coupling member by mating locking members. A first controllable valve is adapted to selectively block or enable liquid flow through the first valve member in accordance with a valve control mechanism which is responsive to a coupling state of the first and second locking members. | 06-26-2014 |
20140358032 | BIOPSY DRIVER ASSEMBLY HAVING A CONTROL CIRCUIT FOR CONSERVING BATTERY POWER - A biopsy driver assembly includes a biopsy driver housing. An electrical assembly is coupled to the biopsy driver housing. The electrical assembly includes at least one electrical drive configured for drivably engaging a biopsy probe assembly. A battery is coupled to the biopsy driver housing. A control circuit is coupled to the biopsy driver housing. The control circuit is electrically coupled to the battery and to the electrical assembly. The control circuit has a motion detector, a timer circuit and a battery dwell circuit. The control circuit is configured to conserve the battery by providing electrical power only to the motion detector after a predetermined time following a last detected physical movement of the biopsy driver assembly and to provide electrical power from the battery also to the electrical assembly when a physical movement of the biopsy driver assembly is detected. | 12-04-2014 |
20150025415 | Transport System for Biopsy Device - A biopsy device includes a hollow needle, and a sample-receiving device that is movable in the hollow needle. A power-driven element having a motor is provided. A transport device is drivably coupled to the motor. The transport device includes a toothed flexible member drivably engaged with a drive gear. The toothed flexible member has a distal portion coupled to the sample-receiving device. The toothed flexible member is configured to move the sample-receiving device in the hollow needle between an extended position and a retracted position. The toothed flexible member has a proximal portion that extends proximal to the proximal end of the hollow needle. A housing element has a helical coiling-up groove configured to accommodate the proximal portion of the toothed flexible member when the sample-receiving device is retracted to the retracted position. | 01-22-2015 |
20150073301 | TISSUE HANDLING SYSTEM WITH REDUCED OPERATOR EXPOSURE - A tissue handling system includes a biopsy device having an invasive unit with tissue-receiving and tissue-severing components being capable of harvesting and bringing at least one tissue sample to a point outside the body of a patient. The tissue handling system further includes a tissue collecting device adapted to be brought in detachable operative engagement with the tissue-receiving components of the biopsy device to remove the at least one tissue sample. Additionally, the tissue handling device comprises a tissue storage container configured to receive the at least one tissue sample, the entire tissue collecting device, or the part of the collecting device that contains the at least one tissue sample. The tissue storage container further is configured to receive a volume of preserving agent. The tissue handling system also comprises a vessel including the preserving agent adapted to be gas-tightly mated or coupled to the tissue storage container. | 03-12-2015 |