Medical punch with high shear angle cutting edges

Claim 2

A medical punch comprising: a hollow body member having an end; a cutter on said end of said hollow body, said cutter including a plurality of projections and a plurality of cutting edges, wherein each cutting edge is located between two projections and each projection is located between two cutting edges, each of said projections including a flat portion between two edges which intersect cutting edges; and a shaft located in said hollow body member and having an anvil thereon for cooperation with said cutter, wherein sliding said hollow body member along said shaft causes said cutting edges to move past said anvil.

Claim 3

The medical punch as defined in claim 1, further comprising a finger grip and a thumb button pushable into said finger grip, wherein said thumb button is coupled to said hollow body member, and wherein said thumb button pushes said hollow body member causing said hollow body member to slide along said shaft when said thumb button is pushed into said finger grip.

Claim 4

The medical punch as defined in claim 2, further comprising a pin secured within said finger grip, wherein said pin secures said shaft, and wherein said pin is received in a slot on said thumb button.

Claim 5

The medical punch as defined in claim 3, further comprising a compression spring within said thumb button, said spring having a first end engaged with said thumb button and having a second end engaged with said shaft.

Claim 6

The medical punch as defined in claim 3, wherein said thumb button and said hollow body member are coupled such that said thumb button pulls on said hollow body member causing said hollow body member to slide along said shaft when said thumb button is pulled from said finger grip.

Claim 7

The medical punch as defined in claim 4, wherein said thumb button and said hollow body member are coupled such that said thumb button pulls on said hollow body member causing said hollow body member to slide along said shaft when said thumb button is pulled from said finger grip.

Claim 8

The medical punch as defined in claim 2, further comprising a compression spring within said thumb button, said spring having a first end engaged with said thumb button and having a second end engaged with said shaft.

Claim 9

The medical punch as defined in claim 2, wherein said thumb button and said hollow body member are coupled such that said thumb button pulls on said hollow body member causing said hollow body member to slide along said shaft when said thumb button is pulled from said finger grip.

Claim 10

The medical punch as defined in claim 1, wherein said cutter includes at least three projections.

Claim 11

The medical punch as defined in claim 1, wherein each cutting edge has an initial shear angle of between 30 and 40 degrees and diminishes thereafter.

Claim 12

The medical punch as defined in claim 1, wherein each cutting edge has an initial shear angle of between 45 and 55 degrees and diminishes thereafter.

Claim 13

The medical punch as defined in claim 1, wherein each cutting edge has an initial shear angle of between 80 and 90 degrees and diminishes thereafter.

Claim 14

The medical punch as defined in claim 1, wherein each cutting edge is beveled.

Claim 15

The medical punch as defined in claim 1, wherein each projection is beveled.

Claim 16

The medical punch as defined in claim 1, wherein each cutting edge and projection is beveled.

Claim 17

A medical punch comprising: a hollow body member having an end; a cutter on said end of said hollow body, said cutter including a cutting edge having a plurality of alternating peaks and valleys; and a shaft located in said hollow body member and having an anvil thereon for cooperation with said cutting edge, wherein sliding said hollow body member along said shaft causes said cutting edge to move past said anvil, and wherein each of said peaks includes a substantially flat portion located between two edges.

Claim 18

A medical punch comprising: a hollow body member having an end; a cutter on said end of said hollow body, said cutter including a cutting edge having a plurality of alternating peaks and valleys; and a shaft located in said hollow body member and having an anvil thereon for cooperation with said cutting edge, wherein sliding said hollow body member along said shaft causes said cutting edge to move past said anvil, and wherein each of said peaks includes a substantially flat portion located between two edges.

Claim 19

The medical punch as defined in claim 16, wherein said cutting edge of said cutter includes at least three peaks.

Claim 20

The medical punch as defined in claim 16, wherein each cutting edge is beveled.

Claim 21

The medical punch as defined in claim 16, wherein each projection is beveled.

Claim 22

The medical punch as defined in claim 16, wherein each cutting edge and projection is beveled.

Claim 23

A medical punch comprising: a finger grip; a pin secured within said finger grip; a hollow body having a first end and a second end; a thumb button having a slot thereon, said thumb button in contact with said first end of said hollow body, said thumb button pushable into said finger grip, said pin secured within said finger grip received within said slot on said thumb button; a shaft within said hollow body, said shaft having an end; a compression spring within said finger grip in contact with said shaft; a cutter on said second end of said hollow body, said cutter having a plurality of cutting edges and a plurality of projections, wherein each cutting edge is located between two projections and each projection is located between two cutting edges, each of said projections including a flat portion between two edges which intersect cutting edges, said pin securing said shaft, said hollow body slidable along said shaft; and an anvil on said end of said shaft, wherein pressing said thumb button into said finger grip causes said hollow body to move along said shaft and causes said cutting edges to slide across said anvil.

Claim 24

A medical punch comprising: a finger grip; a pin secured within said finger grip; a hollow body having a first end and a second end; a thumb button having a slot thereon, said thumb button in contact with said first end of said hollow body, said thumb button pushable into said finger grip, said pin secured within said finger grip received within said slot on said thumb button; a shaft within said hollow body, said shaft having an end; a compression spring within said finger grip in contact with said shaft; a cutter on said second end of said hollow body, said cutter having a plurality of cutting edges and a plurality of projections, wherein each cutting edge is located between two projections and each projection is located between two cutting edges, each of said projections including a flat portion between two edges which intersect cutting edges, said pin securing said shaft, said hollow body slidable along said shaft; and an anvil on said end of said shaft, wherein pressing said thumb button into said finger grip causes said hollow body to move along said shaft and causes said cutting edges to slide across said anvil.

Claim 25

The medical punch as defined in claim 21, wherein each cutting edge is beveled.

Claim 26

The medical punch as defined in claim 21, wherein each projection is beveled.

Claim 27

The medical punch as defined in claim 21, wherein each cutting edge and projection is beveled.

Claim 28

A medical punch comprising: a hollow body member having an end; a cutter on said end of said hollow body, said cutter including a plurality of material-supporting projections and a plurality of cutting edges, wherein each cutting edge is located between two projections and each projection is located between two cutting edges, each of said projections including a flat portion between two edges which intersect cutting edges; and a shaft located in said hollow body member and having an anvil thereon for cooperation with said cutter, wherein sliding said hollow body member along said shaft causes said cutting edges to move past said anvil.

Claim 29

A medical punch comprising: a hollow body member having an end; a cutter on said end of said hollow body, said cutter including a plurality of material-supporting projections and a plurality of cutting edges, wherein each cutting edge is located between two projections and each projection is located between two cutting edges, each of said projections including a flat portion between two edges which intersect cutting edges; and a shaft located in said hollow body member and having an anvil thereon for cooperation with said cutter, wherein sliding said hollow body member along said shaft causes said cutting edges to move past said anvil.

Claim 30

The medical punch as defined in claim 25, wherein each cutting edge is beveled.

Claim 31

The medical punch as defined in claim 25, wherein each projection is beveled.

Claim 32

The medical punch as defined in claim 25, wherein each cutting edge and projection is beveled.

Claim 33

A medical punch comprising: a hollow body member having an end; a cutter on said end of said hollow body, said cutter including a plurality of material-piercing projections and a plurality of cutting edges, wherein each cutting edge is located between two projections and each projection is located between two cutting edges, each of said projections including a flat portion between two edges which intersect cutting edges; and a shaft located in said hollow body member and having an anvil thereon for cooperation with said cutter, wherein sliding said hollow body member along said shaft causes said cutting edges to move past said anvil.

Claim 34

A medical punch comprising: a hollow body member having an end; a cutter on said end of said hollow body, said cutter including a plurality of material-piercing projections and a plurality of cutting edges, wherein each cutting edge is located between two projections and each projection is located between two cutting edges, each of said projections including a flat portion between two edges which intersect cutting edges; and a shaft located in said hollow body member and having an anvil thereon for cooperation with said cutter, wherein sliding said hollow body member along said shaft causes said cutting edges to move past said anvil.

Claim 35

The medical punch as defined in claim 29, wherein each cutting edge is beveled.

Claim 36

The medical punch as defined in claim 29, wherein each projection is beveled.

Claim 37

The medical punch as defined in claim 29, wherein each cutting edge and projection is beveled.

Claim 38

A medical punch comprising: a hollow body member having an end; a cutter on said end of said hollow body, said cutter including a plurality of cutting edges, wherein each cutting edge is beveled; and a shaft located in said hollow body member and having an anvil thereon for cooperation with said cutter, wherein sliding said hollow body member along said shaft causes said cutting edges to move past said anvil.

Claim 39

A medical punch comprising: a hollow body member having an end; a cutter on said end of said hollow body, said cutter including a plurality of cutting edges, wherein each cutting edge is beveled; and a shaft located in said hollow body member and having an anvil thereon for cooperation with said cutter, wherein sliding said hollow body member along said shaft causes said cutting edges to move past said anvil.

Claim 40

The medical punch as defined in claim 33, said cutter including a plurality of projections, wherein each projection is beveled.