Adaptor or adaptor system for rendering medical devices functionally sterile

Abstract

An adaptor for coupling a surgical tool to a handle having a drive mechanism for operating the surgical tool is provided. The adaptor includes two telescopically connected segments, a first segment being for engaging the surgical tool and a second segment for engaging the handle. When the first and the second segments are telescopically collapsed they operatively link the surgical tool with the handle drive mechanism while preventing user contact with potentially non-sterile regions of the handle and/or tool.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A device for coupling a surgical tool to a handle having a drive mechanism, the device comprising two segments being telescopically collapsible to operatively connect the surgical tool to the drive mechanism of the handle. 
     
     
         2 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein compression of a first segment of said two segments into a second segment of said two segments is against at least one spring. 
     
     
         3 . The device of  claim 1 , further comprising rods for guiding telescopic movement of said two segments. 
     
     
         4 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein each of said connected segments is cylindrical in shape with a bottom surface and an open top. 
     
     
         5 . The device of  claim 4 , wherein bottom surfaces of said two segments contact each other when said connected segments are telescopically collapsed. 
     
     
         6 . The device of  claim 5 , wherein telescopically collapse of said two segments connects the drive mechanism to a gear mechanism of the surgical tool through holes in said bottom surface of each of said two segments. 
     
     
         7 . The device of  claim 2 , further comprising a locking mechanism for locking said first and said second segments in a telescopically collapsed state against a force of said at least one spring. 
     
     
         8 . The device of  claim 7 , wherein releasing said locking mechanism facilitates automatic telescopic expansion of said first and said second segments. 
     
     
         9 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein collapse of said two segments activates electronic circuitry in the surgical tool. 
     
     
         10 . The device of  claim 9 , wherein activation data for authentication of the surgical tool, for counting a number of procedures the tool was used and/or the amount of time the tool was used is stored in said electronic circuitry.