What is claimed is:
1. An instrument, comprising:
a gripping portion;
a small diameter instrument portion extending from the gripping portion, the small diameter instrument portion having a length; and
a support member that engages the small diameter instrument portion along the length, providing lateral support, wherein an unsupported distal portion of the length is adjustable.
2. The instrument of claim 1, wherein the small diameter instrument portion includes a hollow tube portion.
3. The instrument of claim 1, wherein the support member includes a strut coupled to a cylinder that at least partially surrounds the small diameter instrument portion.
4. The instrument of claim 1, wherein the small diameter instrument portion is directly coupled to the gripping portion and the support member is movable relative to the gripping portion.
5. The instrument of claim 1, wherein the support member is directly coupled to the gripping portion and the small diameter instrument portion is movable relative to the gripping portion.
6. A vitrectomy instrument, comprising:
a gripping portion;
a small diameter instrument portion extending from the gripping portion, the small diameter instrument portion having a length;
support means to provide lateral support for the small diameter instrument portion along the length; and
adjustment means for adjusting an amount of support for the small diameter instrument portion.
7. A vitrectomy instrument, comprising:
a gripping portion;
a small diameter instrument portion extending from the gripping portion, the small diameter instrument portion having a length;
a cylinder surrounding a part of the small diameter instrument portion along the length, the cylinder being slidable along the length;
a strut connected between the cylinder and the gripping portion to provide flexural support to at least part of the small diameter instrument portion, and to move the cylinder to various locations along the length; and
a control coupled to the strut.
8. The vitrectomy instrument of claim 7, wherein the small diameter instrument portion includes a 25 gauge instrument.
9. The vitrectomy instrument of claim 8, wherein the cylinder includes a 20 gauge cylinder portion.
10. The vitrectomy instrument of claim 7, wherein the cylinder and strut include stainless steel.
11. The vitrectomy instrument of claim 7, wherein the small diameter instrument portion is directly coupled to the gripping portion and the strut is movable relative to the gripping portion.
12. The vitrectomy instrument of claim 7, further including a mechanism for selectively holding a location of the strut relative to the small diameter instrument portion.
13. A vitrectomy instrument, comprising:
a gripping portion;
a first hollow tube portion extending from the gripping portion;
a small diameter instrument portion sliding substantially within the first hollow tube portion, wherein a distal length of the small diameter instrument portion is exposed; and
a control coupled to the small diameter instrument portion to adjust an amount of the distal length.
14. The vitrectomy instrument of claim 13, wherein the first hollow tube portion is directly attached to the gripping portion.
15. The vitrectomy instrument of claim 13, wherein the control includes a thumb wheel that engages a toothed member on the small diameter instrument portion.
16. The vitrectomy instrument of claim 13, wherein the control includes a lever that is directly coupled to the small diameter instrument portion.
17. A method, comprising:
engaging a portion of an eye using a small diameter instrument portion;
providing lateral support to a distal end of the small diameter instrument portion;
imparting a lateral force on the eye at the distal end of the small diameter instrument portion; and
adjusting the position of lateral support relative to the small diameter instrument portion to allow deeper insertion of the small diameter instrument portion into the eye.
18. The method of claim 17, wherein engaging the portion of the eye includes penetrating a portion of the surface of the eye through an incision.
19. The method of claim 17, wherein providing lateral support to the distal end of the small diameter instrument portion includes locating a strut adjacent to the small diameter instrument portion at a location along a length of the small diameter instrument portion.
20. The method of claim 17, wherein providing lateral support to the distal end of the small diameter instrument portion includes sheathing a portion of the small diameter instrument portion with a larger diameter tube.
The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.
1. A transportation assembly for transporting sausage shaped products, like sausages, out of a clipping machine for producing sausage-shaped products in a transportation direction to a rod-like storing element, like a smoking rod, wherein each sausage-shaped product comprises a filled tubular or bag-shaped packaging casing closed on at least one end by a closing means, like a closure clip, and a suspension element, like a suspension loop, attached to the end closed by said closure means,
the transportation assembly comprises a guiding device having a bar-shaped guiding element along which the sausage-shaped product is guided by its suspension element, and a transportation device for transporting the sausage-shaped product along the guiding element by engaging the suspension element of the sausage-shaped product, wherein the suspension element is held in an open configuration by the weight of the filled tubular or bag-shaped packaging casing to which it is attached by the closure means, and
wherein a separation device is provided at the guide element, for removing a suspension element from the guiding element, which is transported by the transportation device without a tubular or bag-shaped packaging casing attached thereto.
2. The transportation assembly according to claim 1,
wherein the guiding element comprises at least two guiding surfaces for guiding the suspension element wherein the guiding surfaces extend at least substantially parallel to each other as well as at least substantially parallel to the transportation direction and are arranged in a distance across the transportation direction for spreading the suspension element.
3. The transportation assembly according to claim 1, wherein the guiding element has an at least partially approximately planar bottom portion to which the separation device is attached.
4. The transportation assembly according to claim 1, wherein the separation device comprises a cutting edge for cutting the suspension element guided along said cutting edge.
5. The transportation assembly according to claim 1, wherein the separation device comprises an approximately V-shaped cutout facing opposite to the transportation direction.
6. The transportation assembly according to claim 5, wherein at least one cutting edge is arranged in said V-shaped cutout.
7. The transportation assembly according to claim 1, wherein adjustment means for adjusting the separation device are provided.
8. A separation device according to claim 1, for use in a transportation assembly for discharging a sausage shaped product, like sausages, out of a clipping machine to a rod-like element, like a smoking rod.