US 12,285,161 B2
Support apparatus for a medical retractor device
Christina J. Shuh, Snohomish, WA (US); Ralph Wadensweiler, Sunnyvale, CA (US); and Kyle R. Miller, San Jose, CA (US)
Assigned to Intuitive Surgical Operations, Inc., Sunnyvale, CA (US)
Filed by Intuitive Surgical Operations, Inc., Sunnyvale, CA (US)
Filed on Nov. 30, 2021, as Appl. No. 17/538,220.
Application 17/538,220 is a continuation of application No. 16/682,599, filed on Nov. 13, 2019, granted, now 11,213,287.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/767,682, filed on Nov. 15, 2018.
Prior Publication US 2022/0087668 A1, Mar. 24, 2022
Int. Cl. A61B 17/02 (2006.01); A61B 17/00 (2006.01); A61B 34/35 (2016.01)
CPC A61B 17/0218 (2013.01) [A61B 2017/0023 (2013.01); A61B 2017/00867 (2013.01); A61B 2017/0225 (2013.01); A61B 34/35 (2016.02)] 16 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. An apparatus, comprising:
a first blade;
a second blade;
a clevis, the first blade and the second blade each being rotatably coupled to the clevis such that the second blade can be moved relative to the first blade between a first orientation and a second orientation, a first contact surface of the first blade being spaced apart from a second contact surface of the second blade by a gap; and
a support structure including a first connector, a second connector, and a flexible contact member,
the first connector including an elongate portion configured to extend along a length of the first blade and including a protrusion extending outwardly therefrom and configured to be received through a slot in the first blade,
the second connector including a sleeve configured to receive the second blade, and
the support structure configured to be coupled to the first blade and the second blade, the flexible contact member being movable between a collapsed configuration when the second blade is in the first orientation and an expanded configuration when the second blade is in the second orientation, at least a portion of the flexible contact member being within the gap when the flexible contact member is in the collapsed configuration.