David A Landspurg

US Patent:

54999847, Mar 19, 1996

Filed:

Apr 7, 1994

Appl. No.:

8/224046

Inventors:

Anton J. Steiner - Wharton NJ
David A. Landspurg - Kinnelon NJ
Robert A. Winquist - Seattle WA

Assignee:

Snap-on Incorporated - Kenosha WI

International Classification:

A61B 1716

US Classification:

606 80

Abstract:

A medullary reaming system includes a flexible, hollow, tubular shaft formed of a nickel-titanium alloy having one end coupled to a rotary drive and having the other end coupled to a cutting head by means of a male connector on the shaft engageable in a female connector on the head. The female connector is a tubular shank with diametrically opposed slots in the outer surface thereof, while the male connector has flexible arms with latch tabs engageable in the slots to latch the head to the shaft. A support has a plurality of notches for respectively storing cutting heads. The head shank is received in the notch with the notch edges received in the shank slots, so that when the male connector on the shaft is inserted into the shank the notch edges prevent latching of the head to the shaft until the head is removed from the support.