NZ751551B2 - Disposable hand operated cartridge body piercing instrument - Google Patents

Abstract

body piercing instrument cartridge (100), comprising a main housing (102) having a thumb grip section (104) along a rear surface; a post holder (106) supporting a post (108) and slidably engaged with a post holder track (100) within the main housing; a jaw (112) slidably engaged with the main housing with a jaw track (114), the jaw track parallel to the post holder track; a spring (130) disposed between the main housing and the jaw to oppose moving the jaw and main housing together; and the jaw supporting a backing platform (116) for piercing a body part with the post as the jaw and main housing are moved together; the jaw including a finger grip section (118) disposed below the backing platform and opposite the thumb grip section of the main housing; a stiffener (128) disposed behind the finger grip section, the stiffener being disposed in an additional track of the main housing and below the spring, wherein the cartridge includes a catch (126), provided by the jaw and disposed above the stiffener. The catch holds the jaw engaged in the jaw track against the spring forcing the jaw and the main housing apart, and prevents the post, intended for piercing a body part, from being exposed before use by securing it in a safe position within hole 122.

Claims (10)

1. WHAT IS CLAIMED IS: 1. A body piercing instrument cartridge, comprising: a main housing having a thumb grip section along a rear surface; a post holder supporting a post and slidably engaged with a post holder track within the main housing; a spring disposed between the main housing and the jaw to oppose moving the jaw and main housing together; a jaw slidably engaged with the main housing with a jaw track, the jaw track parallel to the post holder track, and the jaw supporting a backing platform for piercing a body part with the post as the jaw and main housing are moved together along the jaw track, the jaw including a finger grip section disposed below and opposite the backing platform and opposite the thumb grip section of the main housing; and a catch, provided by the jaw, for holding the jaw engaged in the jaw track of the main housing against the spring forcing the jaw and the main housing apart; wherein the jaw includes a stiffener disposed behind the finger grip section, with the stiffener being disposed in an additional track of the main housing, and the stiffener being disposed below the spring and the catch.

2. The body piercing instrument cartridge of claim 1, wherein the stiffener comprises a longitudinal stiffener extending from the finger grip section parallel to the jaw track into the main housing.

3. The body piercing instrument cartridge of claim 1, wherein the post holder includes separate portions held together to support the post while slidably engaged with the post holder track within the main housing such that the separate portions fall away to release the post after exiting the post holder track.

4. The body piercing instrument cartridge of claim 1, wherein the jaw includes a push catch for sliding past the post holder as the jaw and main housing are moved together during piercing to engage a back end of the post holder and push the post holder out of the post holder track as the spring forces the jaw and main housing apart after piercing.

5. The body piercing instrument cartridge of claim 1, wherein the backing platform comprises a surface for supporting a user body part in an area around a back side of a piercing location and a hole therethough aligned with the post.

6. The body piercing instrument cartridge of claim 5, wherein the hole therethough is vertically elongated to accommodate some vertical movement by the post during piercing.

7. The body piercing instrument cartridge of claim 1, wherein the post comprises a conical barb for clutchless piercing.

8. The body piercing instrument cartridge of claim 1, wherein the backing platform houses a clutch disposed in a vertical slot to engage the post during piercing and then slide out of the vertical slot.

9. The body piercing instrument cartridge of claim 1, wherein the finger grip section and the thumb grip section each comprise a series of bumps or ridges for improving grip.

10. A method of piercing a body part, comprising the steps of: disposing a body part against a backing platform of a jaw, the jaw slidably engaged with a main housing with a jaw track and the body part between the jaw and a post supported in a post holder and slidably engaged with a post holder track within the main housing parallel to the jaw track; disposing one or more fingers of a user’s hand across a finger grip section disposed below and opposite the backing platform of the jaw and having a stiffener behind the finger grip section aligned parallel with the jaw track; disposing a thumb of the user’s hand across a thumb grip section along a rear surface of the main body; disposing a spring between the main housing and the jaw to oppose moving the jaw and main housing together; and applying pressure between the thumb and one or more fingers to move the jaw and the main body together along the jaw track such that a post pierces the body part against the backing platform of the jaw; wherein the jaw includes a catch for holding the jaw engaged in the jaw track of the main housing against the spring forcing the jaw and the main housing apart; and the stiffener is disposed in an additional track of the main housing, the stiffener being disposed below the spring and the catch. 12. The method of claim 10, wherein the jaw includes a push catch for sliding past the post holder as the jaw and main housing are moved together during piercing to engage a back end of the post holder and push the post holder out of the post holder track as the spring forces the jaw and main housing apart after piercing. 13. The method of claim 10, wherein the backing platform comprises a surface for supporting a user body part in an area around a back side of a piercing location and a hole therethough aligned with the post.