Marking device with retractable cannula

Abstract

An actuator for a marking device includes a cannula mount, a stylet mount, and a trigger. The cannula mount is configured to slidably support a cannula. The cannula mount includes an elongated cannula support shaft. The stylet mount is configured to slidably support a stylet. The stylet mount includes an elongated stylet support shaft. The trigger is rotatably mounted to a trigger mount of a handle. The actuator is mounted to the handle to effect movement of a stylet and a cannula to eject an imaging marker from the marking device and to retract the cannula into the handle following the ejection of the imaging marker from the marking device

1 - 42 . (canceled) 
     
     
         43 . An actuator for a marking device comprising:
 a cannula mount configured to slidably support a cannula, the cannula mount comprises an elongated cannula support shaft;   a stylet mount configured to slidably support a stylet, the stylet mount comprises an elongated stylet support shaft; and   a trigger rotatably mounted to a trigger mount of a handle,   wherein the actuator is mounted to the handle to effect movement of the stylet and the cannula to eject an imaging marker from the marking device and to retract the cannula into the handle following the ejection of the imaging marker from the marking device.   
     
     
         44 . The actuator of  claim 43 , wherein the trigger is configured to move from a locked position to a stylet advance position to displace the stylet proximally and eject the imaging marker from the marking device. 
     
     
         45 . The actuator of  claim 43 , wherein the trigger is configured to rotate relative to the cannula mount and stylet mount, wherein rotation of the trigger causes the stylet mount to move distally relative to the cannula mount. 
     
     
         46 . The actuator of  claim 43 , wherein the trigger comprises:
 a distally-facing arcuate finger rest;   an irregularly-shaped body;   a first pivot member coupled to a first side of the irregularly-shaped body; and   a second pivot member coupled to a second side of the irregularly-shaped body, wherein the first side is opposite the second side.   
     
     
         47 . The actuator of  claim 46 , wherein the irregularly-shaped body is bounded by:
 a sloped upper surface extending proximally of the distally-facing arcuate finger rest;   a generally-straight proximal surface, the sloped upper surface joined to the generally-straight proximal surface by a fillet; and   a curved cam surface having a distal cam surface and a lower cam surface, the distal cam surface extends from the distally-facing arcuate finger rest to the lower cam surface, the lower cam surface terminates at the generally-straight proximal surface.   
     
     
         48 . (canceled) 
     
     
         49 . (canceled) 
     
     
         50 . The actuator of  claim 43 , wherein
 the cannula mount further comprises:
 an annular body having an annular distal face, and 
 a pair of diametrically opposed resilient prongs extending proximally from the annular body, and 
   the stylet mount further comprises:
 a cylindrical body having a distal face, and 
 a pair of diametrically opposed prong apertures on the distal face, 
   wherein the pair of diametrically opposed prong apertures are configured to receive the pair of diametrically opposed resilient prongs of the cannula mount.   
     
     
         51 . An actuator for a marking device comprising:
 a cannula mount configured to slidably support a cannula, the cannula mount comprising:
 an elongated cannula support shaft, 
 an annular body having an annular distal face, 
 a pair of diametrically opposed resilient prongs; 
   a stylet mount configured to slidably support a stylet, the stylet mount comprising:
 an elongated stylet support shaft, 
 a cylindrical body having a distal face, 
 a pair of diametrically opposed prong apertures on the distal face, the pair of diametrically opposed prong apertures are configured to receive the pair of diametrically opposed resilient prongs of the cannula mount; and 
   a trigger rotatably mounted to a trigger mount of a handle,   wherein the actuator is mounted to the handle to effect movement of the stylet and the cannula to eject an imaging marker from the marking device and to retract the cannula into the handle following the ejection of the imaging marker from the marking device.   
     
     
         52 . The actuator of  claim 51 , the cannula mount further comprising a pair of opposed legs, a first leg of the pair of opposed legs having a first arcuate outer surface and a first inner surface, a second leg of the pair of opposed legs having a second arcuate outer surface and a second inner surface, the pair of opposed legs extend proximally from the annular body. 
     
     
         53 . The actuator of  claim 51 , wherein a first channel is formed on the first inner surface and a second channel is formed on the second inner surface. 
     
     
         54 . The actuator of  claim 52 , wherein the pair of diametrically opposed resilient prongs is positioned between the pair of opposed legs of the cannula mount. 
     
     
         55 . The actuator of  claim 51 , wherein the trigger is configured to move from a locked position to a stylet advance position to displace the stylet proximally and eject the imaging marker from the marking device. 
     
     
         56 . The actuator of  claim 51 , wherein the trigger is configured to rotate relative to the cannula mount and stylet mount, wherein rotation of the trigger causes the stylet mount to move distally relative to the cannula mount. 
     
     
         57 . (canceled) 
     
     
         58 . (canceled) 
     
     
         59 . The actuator of  claim 51 , further comprising:
 a cannula mount biasing member arranged to abut the annular distal face; and   a stylet mount biasing member arranged between the annular body of the cannula mount and the distal face of the cylindrical body of the stylet mount.   
     
     
         60 . The actuator of  claim 59 , wherein the cannula mount biasing member tapers from a cannula mount biasing member distal end to a cannula mount biasing member proximal end. 
     
     
         61 . The actuator of  claim 59 , wherein a first prong of the pair of diametrically opposed resilient prongs comprises a first raised stop and a first outwardly-projecting tang on a first proximal end of the first prong, a second prong of the pair of diametrically opposed resilient prongs comprises a second raised stop and a second outwardly-projecting tang on a second proximal end of the second prong. 
     
     
         62 . The actuator of  claim 61 , wherein the first raised stop and the second raised stop prevent proximal movement of the cannula mount. 
     
     
         63 . An actuator for a marking device comprising:
 a cannula mount configured to slidably support a cannula, the cannula mount comprises an elongated cannula support shaft;   a stylet mount configured to slidably support a stylet, the stylet mount comprises an elongated stylet support shaft; and   a trigger rotatably mounted to a trigger mount of a handle, the trigger comprises:
 a distally-facing arcuate finger rest and 
 an irregularly-shaped body, the irregularly-shaped body is bounded by:
 a sloped upper surface extending proximally of the distally-facing arcuate finger rest, 
 a generally-straight proximal surface, the sloped upper surface joined to the generally-straight proximal surface by a fillet, and 
 a curved cam surface having a distal cam surface and a lower cam surface, the distal cam surface extends from the distally-facing arcuate finger rest to the lower cam surface, the lower cam surface terminates at the generally-straight proximal surface, 
 
   wherein the trigger is configured to rotate, the curved cam surface is configured to in sequence:
 ride along the stylet mount as the trigger rotates from a locked position to a cannula release position to displace the stylet mount to eject an imaging marker, and 
 ride off the stylet mount as the trigger reaches a cannula release position to facilitate simultaneous proximal movement of the stylet mount and the cannula mount. 
   
     
     
         64 . The actuator of  claim 63 , the cannula mount further comprising a pair of opposed legs, a first leg of the pair of opposed legs having a first arcuate outer surface and a first inner surface, a second leg of the pair of opposed legs having a second arcuate outer surface and a second inner surface, the pair of opposed legs extend proximally from the annular body. 
     
     
         65 . The actuator of  claim 64 , wherein a first channel is formed on the first inner surface and a second channel is formed on the second inner surface. 
     
     
         66 . The actuator of  claim 64 , wherein the pair of diametrically opposed resilient prongs is positioned between the pair of opposed legs of the cannula mount.