Safety scalpel handle

Abstract

A scalpel handle includes an outer body defining a first end and a cavity therein and an insert defining a blade holder disposed at a first end thereof and positionable within the cavity of the outer body with the blade holder extending outwardly away from the first end of the outer portion. A shield is coupled with the body and positionable around the blade holder, and a removal wedge fixed with respect to the shield and disposed in a substantially fixed lateral position at least partially aligned with a portion of the blade holder.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A scalpel handle, comprising:
 a body including:
 an outer portion defining a cavity and a first end and at least a portion of a first channel extending longitudinally along a first side of the body portion and open on the first end; and 
 an insert received within the cavity of the outer portion and defining a blade holder disposed at a first end thereof and extending outwardly away from the first end of the outer portion; and 
   a shield coupled with the body and slideable between a retracted position and a removal position with an intermediate extended position therebetween, the shield including a first removal flange extending within an interior of the shield and being slideably disposed within the first channel to pass the first end of the outer portion during movement of the shield from the extended position to the removal position.   
     
     
         2 . The scalpel handle of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the cavity of the outer portion is open on a first side of the outer portion and defines a first portion of the first channel; and   the insert defines a second portion of the first channel.   
     
     
         3 . The scalpel handle of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the outer portion of the scalpel handle is of a plastic material; and   the insert of the scalpel handle is of a metal.   
     
     
         4 . The scalpel handle of  claim 3 , wherein the shield is of a plastic material. 
     
     
         5 . The scalpel handle of  claim 1 , wherein the shield includes:
 a first portion defining a sleeve receiving and surrounding the outer portion of the body; and   a second portion defining a base having the removal flange extending inwardly therefrom and a button flexibly extending longitudinally from the base;   wherein the first portion and the second portion are rigidly coupled together.   
     
     
         6 . The scalpel handle of  claim 1 , wherein the removal flange extends within an interior of the shield in a substantially fixed lateral position at least partially aligned with a portion of the blade holder to pass the first end of the outer portion and at least a rearward end of the blade holder during movement of the shield into the removal position. 
     
     
         7 . The scalpel handle of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the blade holder extends away from the first end of the outer portion along a first lateral side of the blade holder and defines a second lateral side of the blade holder that extends laterally away from the first lateral side and includes a mounting groove; and   the removal flange extends inwardly from a portion of the shield adjacent the second lateral side of the blade holder to a position opposite the mounting groove from the portion of the shield.   
     
     
         8 . The scalpel handle of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the first removal flange is positioned on a first vertical side of the blade holder; and   the shield further includes a second removal flange positioned on a second vertical side of the blade holder and extending within the interior of the shield.   
     
     
         9 . The scalpel handle of  claim 8 , wherein:
 the outer portion defines at least a portion of a second channel extending generally parallel to the first channel and open on the first end; and   the second removal flange is slideably disposed within the second channel to pass the first end of the outer portion during movement of the shield from the extended position to the removal position.   
     
     
         10 . The scalpel handle of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the outer portion of the body further defines a first locking channel corresponding to the extended position of the shield and a second locking channel corresponding to a retracted position of the shield opposite the removal position and spaced from the first locking channels such that the blade holder is exposed when the shield is in the retracted position;   the shield further includes a button depressible toward the body, the button being alternately releasably engageable with the first locking channel to maintain the shield in the extended position and with the second locking channel to maintain the shield in the retracted position; and   when engaged with the first channel or the second channel, the button is disengageable from the first locking channel and the second locking channel by movement thereof toward the body into a depressed position.   
     
     
         11 . The scalpel handle of  claim 10 , wherein the button includes a tab extending therefrom, the button being alternately releasably engageable with the first locking channel and the second locking channel by engagement of the tab with the first locking channel and the second locking channel, respectively. 
     
     
         12 . The scalpel handle of  claim 11 , wherein the body further defines a guide track in communication with the first locking channel at a first end thereof and with the second locking channel at a second end thereof, the tab guide track including a first ramp adjacent the first end and a second ramp adjacent the second end, the guide track receiving the tab during movement thereof between the first locking channel and the second locking channel. 
     
     
         13 . The scalpel handle of  claim 11 , wherein the body further defines a guide track in communication with the first locking channel at a first end thereof and receiving the tab during movement of the shield out of the extended position toward the retracted position, the guide track further including an extension portion disposed inwardly relative to the first end of the guide track and extending to a second end adjacent the first end of the outer portion, the extension portion receiving the tab during movement of the shield away from the extended position toward the removal position. 
     
     
         14 . The scalpel handle of  claim 13 , wherein the first locking channel is flanked by first and second inwardly-extending ramp portions that respectively extend inwardly from portions of the channel disposed away from the first locking channel to a position adjacent the first locking channel, the first ramp portion being disposed toward the removal position and extending inwardly a first distance that is greater than a second distance through which the second ramp portion extends. 
     
     
         15 . A scalpel handle, comprising:
 an outer body defining a first end and a cavity therein;   an insert defining a blade holder disposed at a first end thereof and positionable within the cavity of the outer body with the blade holder extending outwardly away from the first end of the outer body;   a shield coupled with the body and positionable around the blade holder; and   a removal wedge fixed with respect to the shield and disposed in a substantially fixed lateral position at least partially aligned with a portion of the blade holder.   
     
     
         16 . The scalpel handle of  claim 15 , wherein:
 the shield is slideably coupled with the outer body and moveable between a retracted position and a removal position with an intermediate extended position therebetween; and   the removal wedge is defined on a first flange extending within an interior of the shield in a substantially fixed lateral position with the removal wedge at least partially aligned with a portion of the blade holder to pass the first end of the outer body and at least a rearward end of the blade holder during movement of the shield into the removal position.   
     
     
         17 . The scalpel handle of  claim 16 , wherein:
 the outer body is of a plastic material and further defines at least a portion of a first channel extending longitudinally along a first side of the outer body and open on the first end; and   the insert is of metal and is fixed within the cavity.   
     
     
         18 . The scalpel handle of  claim 15 , wherein:
 the cavity is open on a first side of the outer body to define a channel extending in a longitudinal direction along the first side;   the shield is fixed with the outer body and disposed adjacent the first end thereof to at least partially enclose the channel;   the removal wedge is integral with the outer body and disposed along a portion of the channel adjacent the shield; and   the insert is slideably disposed within the first channel such that a portion of the blade holder passes the removal wedge during movement of the insert from an extended position outside the shield and past the first end of the outer body to a removal position disposed inwardly with respect to the first end of the outer body and at least partially within the shield.   
     
     
         19 . The scalpel handle of  claim 18 , wherein:
 the outer body further defines a first locking channel corresponding to the extended position of the insert and a second locking channel corresponding to a retracted position of the insert between the extended position and the removal position and spaced from the first locking channels such that the blade holder is exposed when the insert is in the extended position; and   the insert further includes a button depressible toward the outer body, the button being alternately releasably engageable with the first locking channel to maintain the shield in the extended position and with the second locking channel to maintain the shield in the retracted position;   when engaged with the first channel or the second channel, the button is disengageable from the first locking channel and the second locking channel by movement thereof toward the outer body into a depressed position.   
     
     
         20 . A scalpel handle, comprising:
 a body defining a channel extending in a longitudinal direction along a side thereof and having a shield portion disposed at a first end thereof that at least partially encloses the channel, a removal ramp defined along a portion of the channel adjacent the shield; and   an insert slideably disposed within the channel between an fully-extended position and a removal position with an intermediate extended position and a retracted position therebetween and having a blade holder defined on a first end thereof that passes the first end of the body during movement of the insert from the intermediate extended position to the retracted position and passes the removal ramp during movement of the insert into the removal position.