Reload assembly with spent reload indicator
First Claim
1. A reload assembly comprising:
- a proximal body portion including a housing, a drive assembly, and an indicator, the housing defining a window, the drive assembly supported within the housing and being movable from a retracted position to an advanced position, the indicator being supported within the housing and being movable distally from a retracted position to an advanced position in response to movement of the drive assembly from the retracted position to the advanced position; and
a tool assembly supported on a distal portion of the proximal body portion, the tool assembly including first and second jaws, the first jaw supporting an anvil and the second jaw supporting a cartridge assembly having a plurality of staples;
wherein the indicator includes first and second indicia, the first and second indicia being longitudinally aligned with each other, the first indicia being positioned beneath the window of the housing in the retracted position of the indicator and the second indicia being positioned beneath the window of the housing in the advanced position of the indicator to provide an indication to a clinician that the reload assembly has been fired.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A reload assembly is disclosed that includes a proximal body portion having an indicator that is movable from a retracted position to an advanced position to provides a visual indication to a clinician of the state of the reload assembly, i.e., whether the reload assembly is loaded with staples and ready for use or depleted of staples. A tool assembly of the presently disclosed reload assembly may also include a cartridge assembly, an anvil and a drive assembly. In embodiments, one or both of the cartridge assembly, the anvil, and/or the drive assembly may support an illuminating device. In embodiments, the illuminating device, which may be an LED, is adapted to change color when the reload assembly has been fired to provide an indication to a clinician that the reload assembly is spent. Since the illuminating device is illuminated when reload assembly is in both the unused and spent states, the illuminating device also improves visualization during placement and use of the reload assembly.
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Citations
16 Claims
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1. A reload assembly comprising:
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a proximal body portion including a housing, a drive assembly, and an indicator, the housing defining a window, the drive assembly supported within the housing and being movable from a retracted position to an advanced position, the indicator being supported within the housing and being movable distally from a retracted position to an advanced position in response to movement of the drive assembly from the retracted position to the advanced position; and a tool assembly supported on a distal portion of the proximal body portion, the tool assembly including first and second jaws, the first jaw supporting an anvil and the second jaw supporting a cartridge assembly having a plurality of staples; wherein the indicator includes first and second indicia, the first and second indicia being longitudinally aligned with each other, the first indicia being positioned beneath the window of the housing in the retracted position of the indicator and the second indicia being positioned beneath the window of the housing in the advanced position of the indicator to provide an indication to a clinician that the reload assembly has been fired. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. A reload assembly comprising:
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a proximal body portion including a housing, a drive assembly, and an indicator, the housing defining a window, the drive assembly supported within the housing and being movable from a retracted position to an advanced position, the indicator being supported within the housing and being movable from a retracted position to an advanced position in response to movement of the drive assembly from the retracted position to the advanced position; and a tool assembly supported on a distal portion of the proximal body portion, the tool assembly including first and second jaws, the first jaw supporting an anvil and the second jaw supporting a cartridge assembly having a plurality of staples; wherein the indicator includes first and second indicia, the first indicia being positioned beneath the window of the housing in the retracted position of the indicator and the second indicia being positioned beneath the window of the housing in the advanced position of the indicator; wherein the proximal body portion includes an inner body supported within the housing, the inner body defining an elongated recess, the indicator being movable within the elongated recess from the retracted position to the advanced position; wherein the body of the indicator is semi-cylindrical and is dimensioned to be received about within the elongated recess of the inner body of the proximal body portion; and wherein the cantilevered leg of the indicator is movable from a deformed state in which the cantilevered leg is positioned to be engaged by the drive assembly and to a non-deformed state in which the cantilevered leg of the indicator is spaced from a path of movement of the drive assembly. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16)
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Specification