Abstract: Lubricant in exhaust fluid from a pneumatic motor is extracted by a separator. The separator comprises a housing in which a cyclonic flow of the exhaust is created to expel the lubricant in the exhaust. The exhaust is directed through a turbine within the housing wherein lubricant is deposited on blades of the turbine and then expelled against a housing wall by rotation of the turbine. After passing through the turbine blades, the exhaust flow is forced to reverse direction thereby extracting additional lubricant due to centrifugal force. After the lubricant has been extracted, the exhaust flows through a filter to remove other particles before exiting the separator.

Abstract: A bearing system is provide to couple a tool shaft to a power driven surgical instrument that has a support tube with a longitudinally extending aperture for rotation of the tool shaft about an axis. A pair of bearing assemblies are spaced apart within the aperture by a sleeve and a helical spring that axially biases the bearing assemblies within the aperture. Each bearing assembly includes first and second bearings and an interface cartridge. The first bearing has an outer race abutting a flange element in the aperture, and has an inner race. The tubular interface cartridge engages the inner race and has spring elements extending radially into a passage through the interface cartridge to engage the shaft. A second bearing has an inner race abutting the tubular interface cartridge and has an outer race against which force from the spring is applied.

Abstract: A device connects two components in a manner that allows fluid to flow therebetween and allows one component to rotate with respect to the other. The device has a first coupling with first and second fluid passages extending between opposite ends. A collar is attached to one end of the first coupling and includes a first flange extending radially inward. A tubular fitting has a second flange extending radially outward and in-between the first flange and the first coupling. A first seal is compressed between the first and second flanges when pressurized fluid flows through the first coupling. A second coupling is attached to the tubular fitting and has third and fourth passages. A tubular second seal is sealingly received within and connects the first and third passages.

Abstract: A pneumatically driven surgical tool is lubricated by a system that includes a lubricator with a reservoir that contains the lubricant. The lubricator also includes an air inlet, an air outlet and a mechanism that mixes lubricant from the reservoir with air flowing from the air inlet to the air outlet. A first conduit connects the lubricator air outlet to the surgical tool and a second conduit is coupled to an exhaust port of the surgical tool. The second conduit is connected to an air inlet opening of a separator that has a mechanism for extracting lubricant from the air flow through the air inlet opening. The lubricant extracted by the separator is fed through a third conduit to the lubricator reservoir thereby recycling the lubricant.

Abstract: A surgical drilling instrument comprises a nose body attached to a power source, the nose body having a shaft support tube extending therefrom around a drive shaft with a cutter. The forward end of the shaft support tube has a bearing construction supporting the drive shaft. A water supply is directed into the annular space between the shaft support tube and the drive shaft, and is further directed over the bearing construction onto the cutter. This (1) aids in supporting the drive shaft; (2) cools the cutter; and (3) flushes the cutting area.

Abstract: An expandable rivet assembly for attaching objects, especially when using bone. The assembly includes a rivet and puller where the puller is pulled to expand the rivet. A stop is provided in the rivet to set an upper limit to the expansion of the rivet by the puller. This rivet is useful in material of varying density, and has slots on the side and a contoured surface to initiate bending at a desired location.

Abstract: A novel end processing station having a carousel chamber that closely follows the configuration of the carousel to reduce the volume within the chamber to be pumped down.

Abstract: A vapor deposition system wherein means orbit a plurality of rotating planets. Each planet supports a plurality of wafer targets which orbit the associated planet axis. A planet wheel of limited rotatability is operative to effect rotation of the orbiting wafer targets.